Students with Attention Deficit Disorders

Students with ADHD may be serviced under IDEA Under “other health impairment” having limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environment stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment that is due to health problems such as….attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder….. That adversely affects a child’s educational performance

Students may be serviced under Section 504 – Civil Rights Statute Eligibility is based on the existence of an identified physical condition that substantially limits a major life activity. If it is determined that the ADHD limits a student’s ability to learn, he/she meets the criteria.

Comparison of Section 504 IDEA 504 focuses on equity and access in ALL areas of life but does not detail how services will be provided. IDEA mandates procedures for identifying students with disabilities and how services should be provided and monitored.

How is ADHD Diagnosed? Only a licensed professional (pediatrician, psychologist, neurologist, or psychiatrist) However, usually, these professionals ask for help from the school district personnel

Recommended Diagnostic Procedure (1) Thorough medical and family history (2) Medical examination (3) Comprehensive interview with parents, teachers of the child (4) Behavior rating scales (standardized) (5) Observation of child (6) IQ testing and social and emotional adjustment testing (check for LD)

Connors Rating Scale You, as a general education teacher will be asked to do an assessment on the student….

Not all children and youth have the same type of ADHD. Because the disorder varies among individuals, students with ADHD won’t all have the same problems. However, they will have problems in one of the three areas….attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

DSM-IV Breaks it down into categories (1) ADHD –Inattentive Type (2) ADHD-Hyperactive-Impulsive (3) ADHD-Combined

Attention Deficit Disorders Inattention refers to consistent (over 6 months) and highly inappropriate levels of the following behaviors: Must display six or more.  Failing to pay close attention to details, making careless mistakes inconsistent with the child’s developmental level  Failing to sustain attention to tasks and/or activities  Failing to listen  Failing to complete tasks  Having difficulty with organization  Resisting tasks that require sustained attention  Losing materials and objects  Becoming easily distracted  Being forgetful

Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Must be consistent (over six months) and highly inappropriate levels of the following behaviors:  Fidgeting or squirming  Having a difficult time remaining seated during class  Running or climbing excessively when it is inappropriate  Having difficulty playing quietly  Acting as though he or she is “driven by a motor”  Talking too much  Blurting out answers  Difficulty waiting for their turn  Interrupting others or butting into activities Students must display six or more of the preceding characteristics to be identified with hyperactivity- impulsivity

ADHD-Combined Students who have features of both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity

Common features that distinguish ADHD from mild attention of hyperactive problems: Onset in early childhood Chronic over time Generally pervasive across situations Deviant from age-based standards

Remember…. Present before the age of 7 Shows in two (or more) settings

Prevalence 3-7 out of every 100 school age children ( American Psychiatric Association, 2000 ) Males more than females ( 4 to 1)

Educational Interventions Provide organizational assistance Provide rewards consistently and often Be brief and clear Arrange the environment to facilitate attention Allow for movement and postures other than sitting Use novelty in instruction and directions Maintain a schedule Prepare students for transitions Emphasize time limits

Assistive Technology Highlighters Stress balls Books on tape and headsets to block out distraction Play Attention Helmet Handheld with schedule

Medication Ritalin Dopamine Concerta One component of the overall treatment of ADHD

Web sites – for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – provides information about individuals with ADHD, with particular empasis on adults with ADHD – provides information and research on specific learning disabilities and ADHD – the ADD/ADHD section links to articles and resources on topics including facts and myths, firls with ADHD, diagnosis, treatment, and medications

Source Information from TEACHING STUDENTS WHO ARE EXCEPTIONAL, DIVERSE, AND AT RISK IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM by Sharon Vaughn, Candace S. Bos, and Jeanne Shay Schumm