Chapter 8

1. Chapter 8 Understanding Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

2. Defining ADHD • Included as “other health impairments” • Under IDEA, defined as “limited strength, vitality, or alertness.” • Accounts for over two-thirds of students identified under “other health impairments” • Often served through a coexisting disability. • ADHD defined by American Psychiatric Association • Symptoms must be: • Persistent for 6 months • Present in at least two settings • Must not be attributable to another disability • Must meet 3 conditions above and symptoms must occur before age 7 to receive services.

3. Statistics • 3-8% of population is identified as having ADHD • Males are disproportionately represented 4 to 1 • African Americans are overrepresented • Hispanic students are underrepresented

4. Predominantly Inattentive type • (must exhibit 6 or more to be identified): • Fails to give close attention to detail or makes mistakes • Difficulty in sustaining activities • Does not listen when spoken to directly • Does not follow through on instructions • Difficulty organizing tasks • Avoids, dislikes tasks to require sustained mental effort • Loses things necessary for a task • Easily distracted • Forgetful in daily activities

5. Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive type • Often fidgets with hands or feet squirm • Leaves seat in classroom • Runs about or climbs excessively • Difficulty playing in leisure activities quietly • “on the go” • Talks excessively • Blurts out answers • Difficulty waiting turn • Interrupts others

6. Combined type • Both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity • Most students have combined ADHD

7. Behavioral, Social, and Emotional Characteristics • Conflicts with parents, teachers, and peers • Low self-esteem • Higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use • Increased risk-taking behavior • More likely to receive behavior management programs, social services, family counseling within school

8. Agree or Disagree • AD/HD stems from lack of will or effort at self-control. • AD/HD caused by parents who don’t discipline their children. • AD/HD results from children watching too much television or playing too many video games. • AD/HD is cause by dietary issues. • AD/HD results from living in a fast paced/stressful culture.

9. Determining the Causes • Heredity: • Genetic factors in about 80% • Child with parent has 40-57% risk • Identical twins 55-92% of cases • Research is focusing on the genes related to dopamine, one of the brain’s neurotransmitters. • Structural differences in the Brain: • Differences in frontal lobes, cerebellum, and basal ganglia • Other biological causes: • Prenatal factors • Perinatal factors • Postnatal factors

10. Determining the Presence • Can be diagnosed at age of 2 but more likely in preschoolers. • Usually recognized by general education teachers first • Nondiscriminatory evaluation conductedto answer 3 questions: • Does student have AD/HD and are other disabilities ruled out? • What should the IEP contain? • Do other disabilities exist simultaneously?

11. SDI and Services • 1st questions: does the student need special education and related services? • Many teams use the Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale-prescribes interventions • Designed to assist educators and parents in the development of programs to assist children identified.

12. Appropriate IEP? • Not every child qualifies for IDEA services. • Must affect educational performance to qualify • Can still receive a 504 plan with accommodations • Can include monitoring medications and using technological learning aids.

13. Supplementary Aids and Services • Must be taken into account when designing the student’s IEP • Includes student seating arrangements, classroom furniture arrangements, and lighting and auditory features. • Examples: • Clearly marked locations for students to store things. • Color-coding areas • Reduce clutter

14. Goals • Goal-setting and organizational skills go hand in hand to promote better outcomes. • Students should learn to do the following: • Identify and define a goal • Develop objectives to achieve the goal • Specify the actions necessary to achieve the goal • Important to remember that AD/HD student have difficulty attending to multiple goals • Best to break it down into smaller goals with fewer steps.

15. Other Educational Needs • Medication is often important component of treatment • Teachers need to be aware of types, effects, and side effects. • Side effects: sleep and appetite disruption, stomachaches, headaches, dizziness, anxiety, sadness. • Students who are drowsy don’t cause as much as problem, but trading that for hyperactivity does not ensure student progress. • Students should learn to self-monitor and self-evaluate their behavior and feelings.

16. Instructional Strategies • Young children benefit from multimodal treatments usually medicine and behavior programming. • Errorless learning a procedure that presents the descriptive stimuli to the student and arranges the delivery of prompts so the student only gives the correct answer. • Cognitive behavior strategies allow student to learn self-control and self-regulation.

17. Inclusion • Because AD/HD is not separately defined under IDEA, data is not provided on the extent in which these students are in the general ed. Classroom • One particular challenge associated with these students is making friends.

18. Measuring Progress • Most students have educational goals pertaining to all aspects of their educational program. • Teachers can use the goal attainment scaling to compare goals and quantify goal attainment. • T-charts or checklists can be used to document progress in areas of other educational needs. • Students may need test accommodations including breaks, disruption free areas, extended time.

19. ADHD Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RLUKP6WaGAE