ADD and ADHD

1. ADD and ADHD Hayley Gardner Halie Hudson Jonathon Johnson Suzette Matthews Kate Noble

2. What is ADD/ADHD? Attention Deficit Disorder is a biologically based condition causing a persistent pattern of difficulties resulting in one or more of the following behaviors: inattention hyperactivity impulsivity

3. What Is The Cause? • HeredityADHD tends to run in families, which means that genes may play a role. Most children with ADHD have at least one family member with the disorder. • Changes in Brain FunctionStudies show that the brains of children with ADHD may function differently than those of other children. These children may have an imbalance of chemicals in the brain that help to regulate behavior.

4. The Three Types • Inattention • difficulty attending or focusing on a specific task. People with Attention Deficit Disorder may become distracted within a matter of minutes. Inattentive behavior may also cause difficulties with staying organized (e.g. losing things), keeping track of time, completing tasks, and making careless errors. • Hyperactivity • difficulty inhibiting behavior. These people are in constant motion. They may engage in excessive fiddling, leg swinging, and squirming in their chair. • Impulsivity • difficulty controlling impulses. These people do not stop and think before they act. They say and do whatever comes into their mind without thinking about the consequences. They might say something inappropriate and regret it later, blurt out a response to question before a person is done speaking to them, or have difficulty waiting for their turn in line.

5. Signs And Symptoms • Symptoms of inattention • ignores details; makes careless mistakes • difficulty sustaining attention or listening when directly addressed • difficulty following instructions or finishing tasks • Some symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity are • fidgety, squirmy • difficulty staying seated • in constant motion, often running or climbing inappropriately • physical restlessness; difficulty with quiet, sedentary activities • excessive talking; blurts out answers before questions are completed • difficulty waiting; interrupts or intrudes on others • Because hyperactivity and inattention are expected behaviors at some ages in childhood, it is the impulsive behaviors that often stand out in very young children with ADD / ADHD. By age four or five, though, most children have become more selectively attentive and less active, so those with ADD / ADHD stand out in all three behaviors: inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

6. ADD and ADHD in the Classroom • Become familiar with your child's medical, legal, and educational rights • Keep in touch with your child's teachers and school officials to monitor your child's progress and keep them informed about your child's needs. • Other tips for classroom success…….. • Reduce seating distractions. Lessening distractions might be as simple as seating your child near the teacher instead of near the window. • Use a homework folder for parent-teacher communications. The teacher can include assignments and progress notes, and you can check to make sure all work is completed on time. • Break down assignments. Keep instructions clear and brief, breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces. • Give positive reinforcement. Always be on the lookout for positive behaviors. Ask the teacher to offer praise when your child stays seated, doesn't call out, or waits his or her turn, instead of criticizing when he or she doesn't.

7. Statistics • ADHD had been found to exist in every country studied, but most commonly diagnosed in the United States. • ADHD affects three to seven percent of all children in the U.S. • In 2004, nearly four million children younger than 18 in the U.S. had been diagnosed with ADHD. • In general, 5-8% of children likely to have ADHD while 4-5% of adults do so.

8. Statistics Continued • Boys are about three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADHD. • ADHD is under-diagnosed in girls, since their symptoms are less dramatic than those in boys and thus draw less attention from parents and teachers. • This is due to a lower likelihood of aggressive and antisocial behavior in girls.

9. Statistics Continued • The ADHD treatment rate among Caucasian children is significantly higher than among African and Hispanic Americans. • Obstacles to ADHD treatment are higher in the African-American and female populations. • Incidence of ADHD is higher in urban than rural communities and higher in more affluent than less affluent.

10. Why Higher Incidence in U.S.? • Increased incidence of ADHD in U.S. can, in part, be explained by the fact that the U.S. permits direct marketing of ADHD drugs to the general public whereas most other countries do not. • Due to high to the high risk traits of ADHD affected people, a higher prevalence of ADHD in the immigrants heading for America in former centuries than in the general population.

11. Effects on Family • Parents may become frustrated or angry because children “misbehave” • Adolescents seem to not be bothered by normal discipline routines • It is hard to trust the teen with responsibilities • Emotional Immaturity • Parents may give more attention to the child with ADD/ADHD

12. Family Coping with ADD/ADHD • Create a routine • Help your adolescent organize • Avoid distractions • Limit choices • Change your interactions • Use goals and rewards • Help your teen discover a talent

13. Parent Education and Training • Parent Training and Information centers (PTIs) • Partners Resource Network • Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) • Professional Help

14. ADHD Issues in School • ADHD is often associated with poorer school performance. • Sufferers of ADHD report higher occurrences of grade retention, suspensions and expulsions, and school dropout rates. • Children have difficulties sitting still, controlling behavior, and paying attention.

15. Emotional Deregulation • Minimal brain dysfunctions, or abnormal cerebral structures, affect people so that they may experience periods of explosive rage that can lead to violent episodes. • Emotional irregularity of ADHD could come from coexisting conditions such as: • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder • Mood Disorders (such as depression) • Anxiety Disorders • Learning Disabilities

16. Internal and External Problems • The symptoms of ADHD can cause problems in classroom settings. • The inability to pay attention to details or a tendency to make careless errors in schoolwork or other activities. • Fidgeting and Squirming, along with inability to stay seating can be seen as delinquency if adolescent is not diagnosed.

17. Medication and Treatment

18. Treatments • Behavioral Management: helps patients change or control their ADHD behaviors. Identifies unwanted behaviors and helps to replace them. • Counseling: Helps patients and families identify unwanted behaviors and teaches how to cope with and change them. Can also help with low-self esteem, depression and stubborn behaviors. • Medication: different medications help to improve symptoms so your child can manage better at home, at school, and with friends. Is most helpful when combined with behavioral management and counseling.

19. Behavioral Strategies Attempts to change behavior by: ▪ reorganizing home and school environment ▪ giving clear directions and commands ▪ setting up a system of consistent rewards for appropriate behaviors and negative consequences for bad behaviors

20. Medications Ritalin: • helps increase attention span during the day, • helps with staying on task, and • helps with rapid ADHD morning symptom control so it is easier to start the day Dexedrine(Dextroamphetamine): • Stimulant • Also helps with attention, disruptive behavior and relationship problems *other medications include Adderall, Straterra, Concerta and Wellbutrin

21. Side Effects to Medication • Sleep disturbances • Suppressed growth • Depressed appetites • Headaches • Some children may exhibit a “zombie” like condition

22. References • Student use of ADD/ADHD medication rises. David Belluromi, The California Aggie. March 9, 2006. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe. • Signs and Symptoms of ADD/ADHD. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_signs_symptoms.htm. • ADHD: Does My Child Have It? What are the signs of ADHD? www.familydoctor.org. • Statistical Prevalence. National Resource Center of ADHD. www.help4adhd.org/en/about/statistics • Incidence. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – Wikepedia. http://en.wikepedia.org/wiki/ADHD • What is ADHD? KidsHealth. The Nemours Foundation. http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/learning/adhd.html. • Comparative Behavior. Tiffany L. Panko. Rochester Institute of Technology. www.personality.research.org/papers/panko.html