Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. This is a sampling of over 500 classroom interventions for your use at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.
Here are some tips on Improving Consistency of Performance:
Computers are great for 1 on 1 work and immediate feedback. Use them whenever possible.
Establish routines and notify the child well ahead of time if there are to be changes in the daily routine. This will help the child to focus better. Report any significant changes in behavior or school performance to parents, school administrators, or school psychologist.
Your student may need a place to unwind and reduce stress during the school day. Often times this can be simply providing a place for sitting alone, using the computer, taking a short walk, drawing, or modeling with clay. After ten to fifteen minutes, your student will likely be able to access the energy needed to attend to the classroom.
Students using medication to treat attentional problems will have their optimal attention effects for methylphenidate 45 minutes to 2 2 hours after medication. Other medications differ, and it is best to check with the physician about the time of maximum medication effects. If possible, it is best to schedule the most attention-demanding tasks for the student during this medication window.
Tasks can also be modified to improve opportunities for optimal attention.
Students with attentional problems can benefit greatly from behavioral interventions that are sensitive to their processing style. An individualized plan that emphasizes stimulating reinforcers on a consistent basis has a good chance of success. Consequences and reinforcement should be as immediate as possible. Changing the reward periodically is usually necessary. A major consideration in forming an effective behavioral plan is assessing what is workable for the classroom teacher on a regular basis. Some plans that require extensive charting do not succeed because the teacher can not follow through effectively within the context of the daily classroom demands. Keeping the plan simple and flexible is the key to success.
Students with attentional problems generally respond poorly to institution-wide classroom behavioral systems. Programs such as Assertive Discipline usually provide difficulty in that rewards/consequences are delayed and not tailored to the individual student's needs. Whether or not there is a formal behavioral program for all students, your student's benefit from an individualized approach, in which target behaviors are specifically identified and rewards/consequences are fairly immediate.
Rewards and verbal praise on a continual basis will change the attentional problem the most effectively. One suggested system is the "point system."
Feedback that is delayed or variable is problematic in that your student may have difficulty in correlating delay and gratification. Your student may begin to make faulty behavioral connections in these situations.
Students respond well to rewards that they experience as highly-stimulating.
Hopefully these will help the ADHD students in your classroom to be more successful. You can learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library.
Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.
Is it ADHD or Bi-Polar Disorder?
Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings, sometimes extreme, ranging from depressed to normal moods, or from depressed to manic episodes. Manic behaviors are often very similar to "hyperactive" behaviors, including motor restlessness, irritability, temper outbursts, sleeping less, or having higher levels of energy.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Is It A Childhood Disorder?
Have you found yourself having a hard time concentrating on the tasks at hand? Perhaps you find yourself getting restless and starting to get involved in physical exercises or becoming a more outgoing person. If these are things that are happening in your life, then you may actually be dealing with a problem that is called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a problem that is usually found in young children, especially children that are under the age of seven.
Symptoms And Treatments Of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Attention Deficit Disorder is a chronic neurological disorder, which is predominantly diagnosed in children. Statistics estimates that 2-5 % of the population is affected by ADD, considering the rare possibility for cases of Adult ADD. ADD is one of the disturbing pediatric disorders in the United States, since 5 million are affected by this disorder. Attention deficit disorder is the old name of the disease with characteristic symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, which is later renamed as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD HD). The disorder is classified into three distinct subtypes, ADHD predominantly combined type, ADHD predominantly inattentive type and ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type, on the b...
ADHD and Television
Can television actually cause your child to develop attention deficit disorder?
How Big of a Problem is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - "ADD" or "ADHD" - affects between five to ten percent (5% - 10%) of all children in the United States, and three to six percent (3% - 6%) of adults. About 35% of all children referred to mental health clinics are referred for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, making it one of the most prevalent of all childhood psychiatric disorders.
ADHD: Fact or Fiction?
Although ADHD affects more than 15 millions Americans every year, many people don?t believe the condition exists. People deny that is symptoms which include hyperactivity, distractibility, and uncontrollable impulses are anything more than disobedience or lack of self control. Here are some answers to the more common misconceptions and myths about ADHD.
Using Behavioral Therapy For The Relief Of Adhd
Children who suffer from ADHD often experience difficulties at home or in school. What can be seen as unruly behavior in young children can become overwhelming in children as they reach their teens. They may perform badly in their academic work, become involved in fights or struggle to make friends. Some end up being moved from one school to another due to disruptive behavior. So it?s important to try and find relief of ADHD while children are young.
Anti-Social Behaviors and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Anti-social behaviors are common with ADHD individuals. About 60% of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids are also oppositional or defiant.
ADHD Expert Releases Free Online ADD Test
ADHD expert Tellman Knudson is now providing special resources that provide others like himself diagnosed or affected with ADHD the real secrets, tools and techniques for becoming healthier, wealthier, and more successful.
Teen’s ADHD symptoms disappear with “new” product.
Unusual discovery-weight-loss product alleviates ADHD in teens.
Safely Eliminate 7-15 pounds in 9 days without dieting; Relieve ADHD symptoms
Callin All Parents Who Are Looking For Information On ADHD
It can be hard to find good information on ADHD. We have a society that is so quick to Medicate, after all, that often other solutions are ignored. Don't get me wrong, ADHD medication can be very helpful for a lot of people. Whether you suffer from adult ADHD, ADD, or childhood attention deficit disorder, there are many medical options to choose from. Nonetheless, there has been some evidence that taking Ritalin in the long term is not very good for the health. It is easy to pop a pill, of course, but it is not the only solution. There is information on ADHD that indicates that there are other, perhaps better choices.
ADHD Treatment: Strategy and Philosophy
If your child or teen has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder during the summer, or winter months, and if your child or teen is not a danger to himself or to someone else, we recommend that you try diet and nutritional interventions first and see if they work. Try our Eating Program/Diet and order the VAXA products "Attend" and "Extress".
The Challenges Of Raising An Adhd Child
When you find out that your child has ADHD, it?s not uncommon to be shocked and concerned about what to expect. However, you should know that although ADHD can be limiting for a child, there are ways to manage it successfully. ADHD does not have to be the biggest factor in your life as a parent, nor does it define your child. Raising an ADHD child is achievable without losing your sanity with the right strategies and attitude.
ADHD The Easier Solution
ADHD is a very rapidly growing part of the health care industry.
The symptoms are varied, including: irritability, hyperactivity and
behavioral problems.
Helpful Strategies For Teaching ADHD Children
Impulsiveness, lack of attention and hyperactivity are the common traits of children with ADHD. All of these can make it hard to teach children in a school environment. Therefore it is important that when teaching ADHD children the day is carefully planned to try and ensure the children are kept organized and motivated to complete tasks.