Colin Wuerthele EDSP470 Section 0201 March 25 2009 PEOPLE WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER ADHD DEFINITIONS 1 A ADHD Combined Both inattentive and hyperactive impulsivity symptoms B ADHD Predominantly inattentive Not paying attention to detail making careless mistakes failing to pay attention and keep on task not listening being unable to follow or understand instructions avoiding tasks that involve effort being distracted or forgetful and or losing things that are needed to complete tasks C ADHD Predominantly hyperactive impulsivity Fidgeting squirming getting up often when seated running or climbing at inappropriate times having trouble playing quietly talking excessively or out of turn and or interrupting 2 Problems with definitions It s often difficult to give a clear definition because many patients exhibit multiple symptoms that fit into either category IV PREVALENCE Prevalence estimates for ADHD most often suggest that at least three to seven percent of all school aged children may have the disorder Studies indicate that more males are identified with ADHD than females possibly due to the fact that they exhibit different symptoms and require different intervention needs V ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS A Medical Clinical interviews and psychological assessments conducted by psychologists both inside of schools and private offices are used to make diagnosis B Educational behavioral contextual The main instrument used to assess ADHD is the Child Behavior C Referral Process D Problems Checklist CBCL The CBCL provides parent data teacher ratings and classroom observation protocols to assess academic competence and social problems beginning at age 4 and to evaluate adolescents through age 18 The referral process for evaluating a child generally begins with a psychological data gathering process The initial referral is one extremely crucial step because it is used to create a course of action that potentially will change the patient s life in the future The greatest problems come in the significant inaccuracies in the way teachers evaluate children with ADHD and the way teachers are prepared to work with children who have ADHD Evidence also suggests that current teacher preparation programs are not as effective as ones in the past VI CHARACTERISTICS A Self Regulation Impulsivity and Hyperactivity B Social Relationship Difficulty in self regulation and behavioral inhibition are becoming increasingly popular as theoretical explanations and research models for ADHD Hyperactivity is a primary characteristic of ADHD seen in children and includes constant fidgeting and squirming and continuous running jumping and climbing Children who show signs of ADHD often have difficulties engaging in social relationships with their peers often due to their aggressive behavior Children may also exhibit many antisocial or pathological social behaviors which also suggest other mental health problems These behaviors often result in low social status amongst their peers and can persist for years causing prolonged frustration C Academic Characteristics Many students with ADHD face challenges progressing in an academic setting The challenges tend to increase as the student progresses through the educational system and face an increased amount of schoolwork These problems are a result of them lacking strong self management and skills for planning ahead VII CAUSATION AND INTERVENTIONS A Causation Possible causes include genetic inheritance neurological injury during birth complications and negative impacts of a variety of environmental factors Traditional neurological factors include injury induced brain malfunction but new research has focused more on chemical imbalances in serotonin and dopamine as possible causes now that new technology can be used to examine the brain As a result we are now able to conclude that people with ADHD typically have brain abnormalities in three areas the frontal lobes selected areas of the based ganglia and the cerebellum People with ADHD may either have a different brain structure than others or differing chemical balances ADHD requires numerous different interventions that are either behavioral or medical Effective treatment requires a multidisciplinary team approach and often utilizes various techniques together to meet an individuals needs B Interventions VIII THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARS A Use of psycho stimulants B School based interventions Statistics show that of psychostimulants show results of behavioral improvements in about 80 of children with ADHD Ironically these medications may work well for a child with ADHD but would cause most people without the disorder to become more hyperactive The most productive way to control behavior is to use behavior interventions aimed at controlling a child s behavioral activity as well as providing them with structure inside of the classroom A key component of school based intervention is designing a classroom that encourages a student to respond attend and behave in a manner which allows others to be productive C Academic Instruction The key to academic instruction is its ability to specifically target the area in which the student is struggling Students often require individualized instruction from a teacher in areas that they are struggling in Ultimately teaching methods are most effective if there is a strong level of communication and understanding between the student and teacher VIV ADOLESCENCE AND ADULTHOOD ADHD was traditionally viewed as a disorder during the adolescent years but is now being seen throughout adults as well Research has begun to show that ADHD has become increasingly present in adults and requires ongoing treatment from their childhood that is modified once a person enters their adult years