Children with ADHD are in the category of children with specific learning disabilities, an overall category that comprises slightly more than one-half of all children who receive special education services (Santrock, 2003). The number of children diagnosed and treated for ADHD has increased substantially, by some estimates doubling in the 1990’s. The disorder occurs as much as four to nine times more in boys than in girls (Santrock, 2003). Some experts attribute the increase mainly to heightened awareness of the disorder. Others are concerned that many children are being diagnosed without undergoing extensive professional evaluation based on input from multiple sources.
Signs of ADHD may be present in the preschool years. Parents and preschool or kindergarten teachers may notice that the child has an extremely high activity level and a limited attention span. They may say the child is “always on the go” or “never seems to listen”. Many children with ADHD are difficult to discipline, have low frustration tolerance, and have problems in peer relations. Other common characteristics of children with ADHD include general immaturity and clumsiness.
Although signs of ADHD are often present in the preschool years, their classification often doesn’t take place until the elementary school years (Kirst-Ashman, Zastrow, 2004). The increase academic and social demands of formal schooling, as well as stricter standards for behavior control often illuminate the problems of the child with ADHD. Elementary school teachers typically report that this type of child has difficulty in working independently, completing seat work, and organizing work. Restlessness and distractibility are also very common. These problems are more likely to be observed in repetitive or taxing tasks, or tasks the child perceives to be boring, such as completing worksheets or doing homework.
Estimates suggest that ADHD decreases in only about one-third of adolescence (santrock, 2003). It’s now being recognized that these problems may continue into adulthood. Definitive causes of ADHD have not been found. However, a number of causes have been proposed, such as low levels of certain neurotransmitter (chemical messengers in the brain), prenatal and postnatal abnormalities, and environmental toxins, such as lead. Heredity also may play a role. Thirty to fifty percent of children with ADHD have a sibling or parent who has the disorder (santrock, 2003).
Many experts recommend a combination of academic, behavioral, and medical intervention to help students with ADHD learn and adapt more effectively. This intervention requires cooperation and effort on the part of the parents of the students with ADHD, teachers, administration, special educators, school psychologists, and healthcare professionals. One strategy a teacher can use is allowing the student with ADHD to move around the classroom instead of being restricted to their desk.
It is estimated that about eighty-five to ninety percent of students with ADHD are taking stimulant medication such as Ritalin to control their behavior (Kirst-Ashman, Zastrow, 2004). A child should be given medication only after a complete assessment that includes a physical examination. Typically a small dose is administered as a trial to examine its effects. If the child adequately tolerates the small dose, the dosage may be increased. The problem behaviors of students with ADHD can be temporarily controlled with prescriptive stimulants (Kirst-Ashman, Zastrow, 2004). For many other children with ADHD, a combination of medication, behavior management, effective teaching, and parental monitoring improves their behavior. However, not all children with ADHD respond positively to prescription stimulants, and some critics believe that physicians are too quick in prescribing stimulants for children with milder forms of ADHD.
