Definition of ADHD
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is “a
condition characterized by severe problems of inattention, hyperactivity,
and/or impulsivity.”
•
Children with ADHD are “at-risk” for potentially
serious problems: academic underachievement, school failure, difficulty getting
along with peers, and problems dealing with authority.
•
Up to 67 percent of children will continue to
experience symptoms of ADHD in adulthood.
•
According to a June 1997 AMA study, “ADHD is one
of the best researched disorders in medicine, and the overall data on its
validity are far more compelling than that for most mental disorders and even
for many medical conditions.”
Types of ADHD
1. Predominately inattentive type
•
Fails to
give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes.
•
Has
difficulty sustaining attention.
•
Does not
appear to listen.
•
Struggles
to follow through on instructions.
•
Has
difficulty with organization.
•
Avoids
or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort.
•
Loses
things.
•
Is
easily distracted.
•
Is
forgetful in daily activities.
2. Predominately
hyperactive-impulsive type:
•
Fidgets
with hands or feet or squirms in chair.
•
Has
difficulty remaining seated.
•
Runs
about or climbs excessively.
•
Difficulty
engaging in activities quietly.
•
Acts as
if driven by a motor.
•
Talks
excessively.
•
Blurts
out answers before questions have been completed.
•
Difficulty
waiting or taking turns.
•
Interrupts
or intrudes upon others.
3. Combined type:
•
Individual meets both inattention and
hyperactive/impulsive criteria.
Prevalence of ADHD
•
ADHD is the most common behavioral disorder in
children in America. (Kollins, Barkley, and DuPaul, 2001)
•
It exists in between 3 and 5 percent of
school-aged children.
•
Boys are more often diagnosed with ADHD than are
girls, ranging somewhere between a 2.5 : 1 and 5 : 1 ratio.
•
This may be because the behaviors associated
with ADHD are more characteristic and natural in boys than they are in
girls.
•
Girls that do have ADHD most likely have the
inattentive type. (Boschett, 2002).
•
Less than half of the children who have ADHD use
special education programs in school.
Diagnosis of ADHD
To be diagnosed with ADHD, individuals must exhibit six of
the nine characteristics in either or both DSM-V categories listed
above.
•
There is no single test to diagnose ADHD.
• A comprehensive evaluation is
necessary to establish a diagnosis, rule out other causes and determine the
presence or absence of co-existing conditions.
•
Such an evaluation should include a clinical
assessment of the individual’s academic, social and emotional functioning and
developmental level.
•
A careful history should be taken from the
parents, teachers and when appropriate, the child.
•
Checklists for rating ADHD symptoms and ruling
out other disabilities are often used by clinicians.
•
There are several types of professionals who can
diagnose ADHD, including school psychologists, private psychologists, social
workers, nurse practitioners, neurologists, psychiatrists and other medical
doctors.
•
Regardless of who does the evaluation, the use
of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) criteria is
necessary.
Treatment of ADHD
•
Studies show that children who receive adequate
treatment for ADHD have fewer problems with school, peers and substance abuse,
and show improved overall functioning, compared to those who do not receive
treatment.
•
Treatment plans should be tailored to meet the
specific needs of each individual and family.
•
Treating ADHD in children often requires
medical, educational, behavioral, and psychological intervention that includes:
•
Parent training
•
Behavioral intervention strategies
•
An appropriate educational program
•
Education regarding ADHD
•
Individual and family counseling
•
Medication, when required
Medication
•
Children who received medication, alone or in
combination with behavioral treatment showed significant improvement in their
behavior and academic work plus better relationships with their classmates and
family.
•
Psycho-stimulants are the most widely used class
of medication for the management of ADHD related symptoms.
•
Approximately 70 to 80 percent of children with
ADHD respond positively to psycho-stimulant medications.
•
Significant academic improvement is shown by
students who take these medications: increased attention and
concentration, compliance and effort on tasks, amount and accuracy of
schoolwork produced and decreased activity levels, impulsivity, negative
behaviors in social interactions and physical and verbal hostility
Educational
Support
•
School success may require a variety of
classroom accommodations and behavioral interventions.
•
Most children with ADHD can be taught in the
regular classroom with minor adjustments to the environment.
•
Some children may require special education
services if an educational need is indicated.
No comments:
Post a Comment