Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD is the the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children. ADHD is characterized by attention problems, hyperactivity and impulsivity. For these problems to be diagnosed they must be out of the normal range for a child's age and development. ADHD rates are growing at 3 to 4 percent a year, which is about 4 times the population growth. Why is ADHD growing so rapidly? There are many theories surrounding this question but every year a new one seems to be proven wrong. Many doctors believe that it's the increased awareness, but if this was the case we should have seen a plateau years ago. A study was done a few years ago within an ADHD clinic in Oregon and the results showed that 70 percent of ADHD patients had been misdiagnosed. Also, a study done at Michigan state showed that nearly one million children in the United States had been misdiagnosed. Putting children on these medications for no reason could affect their development.The medications used for ADHD are known as stimulants and some doctors believe they are much too powerful for children, especially children who don't need them. Also statistics show that there are more children taking medication than the percent of people who actually have ADHD. However there are no physical tests, such as a blood test, which makes an accurate diagnosis very difficult. ADHD is a very controversial topic among doctors, parents, teachers and children.
The video explains how to recognize ADHD symptoms in young children. It's important to analyze their behavior and have an idea of how long its been going on, before visiting the pediatrician. There are guidelines including : noting their capacity to listen, excessive energy, (inturupting constantly), inattentive, consider length of behavior, where does this behavior take place, seriousness of behavior (friends at school/ relationships)
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Affective ways to keep kids with ADHD on task in school are behavior charts. The children can see the goals they're working towards and the points they've earned. Examples for the boxes on the left are: following directions, on task and staying seated |
Strategies for Coping at School, Work, and Home- Fidgeting (Necessary Stimulus that helps focus) -
- Schedules and Routines - - Processing Issues - - Self Advocacy - - Organization - - Planning - Strategies for teachers helping ADHD students within the classroom - Scheduling - - Peer Tutoring - - Auditory Cues - - Task Duration - - Direct Instruction - - Frequent Breaks - - Structure and Organization - - Rule Reminders and Visual Cues - |
Below is a chart of every type of medication used to treat ADHD. Shows the side effects and precautions of each, as well as the pros and cons.
adhdmedicationchart.pdf | |
File Size: | 164 kb |
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The video explains that one million children within the US have been misdiagnosed with ADHD. Children who are young for their grade and show immaturity are being diagnosed left and right. We are over medicating and the side affects to the medications are very serious.
( pic Link below) The Medications used to treat ADHD(Pic link below) Strategies for parents |
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