Understanding Students with AD/HD

Defining AD/HD The condition most adversely impact the student’s academic performance to receive services Students usually receive services under ‘other health impairments’ since there is no IDEA category for ADHD APA definition: – Persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity- impulsivity more frequent and severe than typical – Manifest before age 7, duration of at least 6 months, present in 2 or more settings, not attributed to other disability

Three Subtypes of AD/HD Predominantly inattentive type – Trouble paying attention, forgetful, easily distracted, selective attention – Students may appear lethargic, apathetic or hypoactive (move to slowly). – May be overlooked. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type – Cannot seem to sit still, talk excessively, difficulty playing quietly – Few adolescents or adults have the HI type Combined Type – Combines features of inattention and hyperactivity – The majority of students with AD/HD are combined type

Determining the Causes Does NOT cause AD/HD – Lack of self control – Poor parenting – Too much television or video games – Too much sugar – Living in a fast-paced culture Heredity – Focus on dopamine Brain differences Other biological causes

Determining the presence AD/HD determined by a pediatrician and a psychiatrist or psychologist Teachers may be asked to complete a behavior rating checklist as part of the evaluation – Conner’s Rating Scale-R Once presence is determined, there are assessments to help to determine the nature and extent of services ADDES-3

Partnering for Sp.Ed., and related services Not every student with AD/HD qualifies for IDEA services – They may be able to receive services through Section 504 One role of the IEP or 504 team is to develop educational plans that may or may not be used in conjunction with medication – Team members should never suggest a child needs medication. Only a doctor can make that determination – Teams also cannot make taking medication a requirement of attending school.

Determining Supplementary Aids and Services Arrange the classroom in a consistent manner It is not always best to seat students with peers Seat the student in close proximity to the teacher Do not seat students with hyperactivity/impulsivity close to highly distracting areas Clearly post daily and weekly schedules Arrange the classroom to facilitate smooth transitions between classroom activities Minimize classroom clutter

Planning for UDL Planning for Universal Design for Learning – Students need to learn organization and neatness – Goal setting can improve organization skills Identify and define a goal Develop a series of objectives or tasks Specify actions necessary to achieve desired outcomes Make goals challenging but obtainable – Planning for other Educational Needs Teachers should play a role in monitoring children on medication for changes or side effects

Early Childhood Services Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training Program – Multimodal treatments Medication Parent Training Classroom Behavioral Management Interventions

Elementary and Middle School Students Errorless learning – Presents discriminative stimuli and arranged the delivery of prompts in a learning situation in such a way as to ensure that the students give only correct responses (or only a few incorrect responses) – Prompts can be physical, verbal or visual – Premise is that learning that occurs with mistakes is stronger and lasts longer – Uses “most to least” prompting, most intrusive at first, the, as task is mastered, prompts fade

Secondary and Transition Students Cognitive behavioral and self-control strategies – Teach the use of inner speech, “Self-Talk” – The purpose of cognitive behavioral strategies is to modify behavior and thinking patterns – Possible benefits of this method are increased capacity to self-control and self-regulate behavior

Making Accommodations for Assessment Issues include attention and concentration problems – May qualify for extra breaks – May need multiple testing sessions – May request a reduced-distraction testing environment