“BEHAVIOURS” IN THE CLASSROOM

1. CAPD LD ADHD “BEHAVIOURS”IN THE CLASSROOM ODD BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN TEACHER AND PAEDIATRICIAN Dr. Aven Poynter TS RDSP ASD FASD DCD

2. Financial Disclosures None with respect to mental health

3. OBJECTIVES • Recognize symptoms that warrant referral/investigation • Learn what you can do to assist in diagnosis • Review suggestions from medical and mental health professionals to support the child in the classroom

4. Naming a Condition Helps understand the feelings & behaviours Helps find treatment and support Labeling a Person You are an “ADHD” person You will carry this label forever Diagnosis vs Label

5. 2 Traditional Approaches to Mental Health Problems in School • Fix the school • Fix the kid Dr. S. Kutcher

7. Do You Have a Pupil Who? • Easily distracted • Developmental dysmaturity • Feels different • Doesn’t consider consequences • Doesn’t listen • Doesn’t follow through

8. Do You Have a Pupil Who? • Difficulty organizing • Difficulty with transitions • Poor impulse control • Acts hyperactive • Sleep disturbance • Indiscriminately affectionate

9. Do You Have a Pupil Who? • Lack of eye contact • Lies about the obvious • Won’t/can’t learn • Abnormal speech/incessant chatter • Wide mood swings • Problems with social interactions

10. Do You Have a Pupil Who? • Over/under responsive to stimuli • Perseverates, inflexible • Escalates in response to stress • Poor problem solving • Difficulty seeing cause and effect • Difficulty initiating/following through

11. Do You Have a Pupil Who? • Manages time poorly, lack of comprehension of time • Speech/language processing difficulties • Loses temper • Argues with adults, actively defies • Blames others, resentful

12. 15% of children and adolescents have a mental health (psychiatric) disorder

13. Age at Diagnosis

14. ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

15. ADHD • 5 – 10% of children • Boys > Girls • Described 200 years ago! • A Neurobiological disorder NOT A Behavioural disorder

16. ADHDImpairments in • Executive function • Working memory • Processing speed

17. ADHD • Combined Type • Inattentive Type • Hyperactive-Impulsive Type

18. ADHDInattentiveness • Easily distracted • Difficulty concentrating for reasonable length of time • Fails to pay close attention to details, makes careless mistakes • Loses belongings • Difficulty organizing activities • Does not seem to be listening • Problems following instructions • Difficulty completing activities • Difficulty getting started, especially if a challenging activity • Often forgetful- forgets to write things down, forgets routines

19. ADHDHyperactivity-Impulsivity • Often squirmy, fidgety • Constantly moving and on the go • Makes a lot of noise • Interrupts • Blurts out answers to questions before hearing the whole question • Talks when supposed to be quiet • Runs about and climbs when not appropriate • Can’t wait in line, can’t await turn

20. ADHD • Started before age 7 years • Duration more than 6 months • Difficulties in more than one place, like both at school and at home • Significantly impair the child • Are not related to another disorder

21. Video – brain chemistry

22. ADHDPOSITIVES • Spontaneous • Creative • Social butterfly • Can multitask • Can think outside the box • Enthusiastic • Daring

23. ODD Oppositional Defiant Disorder

24. ODD • Learned behaviour • Interaction between child, parent, environment

25. ODD • Loses temper • Argues with adults • Defies/refuses adult requests • Defies rules • Deliberately annoys others

26. ODD • Blames others for his mistakes or misbehaviour • Touchy or easily annoyed • Angry and resentful • Spiteful or vindictive

27. DCD Developmental Co-ordination Disorder

28. DCD • 5% of children • Boys > Girls • DCD is a prevalent yet under-recognized movement skill disorder that significantly affects everyday functioning

29. DCD • Coordination difficulties affect child's ability to perform everyday tasks • A discrepancy is found between intellectual capabilities and motor abilities • DCD persists into adolescence and adulthood

30. DCD • DCD is commonly seen with other developmental conditions including ADHD, LD, speech/language disorders, and behavioural disorders • DCD may contribute to secondary emotional, social and mental health problems

31. DCD Has troubles with daily activities • Putting on and taking off clothing • Tying shoelaces • Managing zippers, buttons and snaps • Using eating utensils • Cutting with scissors • Catching a ball

32. DCD • moves awkwardly • seems clumsy or poorly coordinated • frequently trips, or drops things • prints or writes poorly, and with much effort

33. DCD • avoids participation in physical or motor-based activities • has difficulty learning and transferring new motor skills

34. DCD • The motor-based activities of school are challenging for children with DCD • Teachers are in a unique position to identify children with motor problems • Boys tend to be identified more often than girls, perhaps related to behavioural issues • DCD remains an under-recognized disorder

35. DCD Activity • Ball skills • Fine motor skills with workgloves on

36. LD Learning Disabilities

37. Learning Disabilities • “Learning Difference” • 10% of population • 15% of Canadians illiterate • 42% of Canadians illiterate or semi-literate

38. Learning Differences • Dys – lexia • Processing Language • Affects reading, writing, spelling

39. Learning Differences • Dys – calculia • Math skills • Computation • Remembering math facts • Concepts of time and money

40. Learning differences • Dys – graphia • Written expression • Messy handwriting • Poor spelling • Can’t get thoughts onto paper

41. Learning Differences • Auditory Processing Disorders • Visual Processing Disorders

42. Learning Disabilities • Discrepancy between intellect and achievement • Can often result in emotional, behavioural and attentional problems

43. CAPD Central Auditory Processing Disorder

44. CAPD • Normal hearing • Can’t filter out irrelevant noise • Difficulty understanding what s/he is hearing • Doesn’t seem to pay attention in the classroom

46. How can you help sort these out? • Discuss concerns with student’s parent • Describe concerns and observations • Don’t mention a diagnosis • Recommend vision exam • Recommend hearing test • Recommend general medical exam

47. How can you help to sort these out? • Review school file • Consider consulting • Counsellor • Learning Assistance (Resource) Teacher • Speech & Language Therapist • Behaviour Resource Teacher • School Psychologist

48. Useful Information for me • Reports of above assessments • Brief narrative of your observations • All previous report cards for student • SNAP rating scale • Conners’ rating scale • Weiss rating scale

49. What I will ask of You • **Psychoeducational Assessment** • Occupational Therapy Assessment • Speech & Language Assessment • IEP • Resource room block

50. FASD Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder