Emotional/Behavior Disorders

Tic Disorder
Definition: Tic disorder is movement or vocalizations that are involuntary
rapid and recurrent over time.

Symptoms:

Eye blinking
Facial gestures
Sniffing
Snorting
Certain repeat of word or sound

Symptoms will appear before age 18

It can affect people in any ethnic group
Males are 75% more likely to get it than females

Statistics:

Accommodations:
It is important to remember that tics worsen in stressful situations. When
they are relaxed or focused on an activity they like, their tics decrease. Have
a cue that both you and the student know if they need to leave the
classroom. Find a place where they can go or know where they are going if
this happens.
First day of School: (knowing you have permission from the family and the
student with tic disorder feels comfortable)
Introduce the student to the class
The student can describe their condition to the class
Explain that the tics will happen and that the student cant help it
Do not encourage to hold the tics in because it will only make it worst
Make sure the class understand that just because the student swears
doesnt mean they are allowed to or copy what their tic is.

In the Classroom:

Use as few words as necessary

Check for understanding
Have a syllabus
Write the due date at the top of assignments
Highlight/ use color coding/ be organized
Simple classroom rules and always enforce them
Use phrases like this is important and listen carefully
Avoid visual distractions
Do not sit them near a window or door and use a seating chart
Keep the area around them clean and simple
Provide a written schedule to have on their desk

 If ever in a line, have them be first

If a transition is coming, make sure you give them ample warning.
Establishing a daily routine and remaining consistent will allow them to be
relaxed. Teaching them organization and self-management skills will help.
While taking a test or turning in homework allow them to have extra time if
needed and allow them to answer the questions orally or reading the test to
them can be beneficial. Timed tests should be avoided and allow them to
retake the test if necessary. You can also grade on effort and individual
improvement. With giving homework reduce their amount of work by having
the student do the even numbers or half the problems and allow extra time if
needed. Allow movement breaks during a test or other stressful situation.

Behaviors:

Sit the student with Tics next to a responsible student to limit

distractions
Provide modifications for behaviors. (e.g. foam on desk or tennis ball
on chair legs)
Have a signal for the student to let them know their behavior is
unacceptable
Ignore behaviors that give little distraction
Reward them for good behavior
Handwriting can be a problem so minimize writing for homework. You can
allow the student to copy another students notes at home or provide a
printout of what is written on the board. When watching a moving providing
a printed outline will help and if possible allow a computer for that student to
write notes.

Math:

Allow the use of a calculator

Have a table of math facts
Break story problems into shorter segments
Use graph or notebook paper turned sideways to keep work in columns

Reading:
Allow them to sit comfortably
Use bookmark to follow along
Read questions first before reading the story
Use headphones to block out noise
Have them read into a tape recorder so you can check their
improvements

Schizophrenia
Definition:

Mental disorder involving a breakdown in the relation between thought,

emotion, and behavior. It leads to wrong perception, inappropriate actions

and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships, and

delusions.

Symptoms:

Delusions
Hallucinations
Irrational behavior
Bizarre thoughts and ideas
Severe anxiety and fears
Cant maintain relationships

Less than 1 in 10,000 has this illness

It affects about 1% of the population
Early medical and educational treatments and interventions is
important

Statistics:

Accommodations:

In school they may have trouble concentrating or paying attention. Their

behavior and performance will change from day to day. They may have
issues with thinking problems, acting out, and withdrawing themselves. They
may show little to no emotional reaction and their emotional responses may
be inappropriate. As a teacher it is important to get a lot of background
information about this disorder and the symptoms about this particular
student so you can create a better learning environment.

In the Classroom:

Reduce stress
Go slowly especially with new things
Set realistic goals for their achievement in school
Establish meetings with the parents and medical professionals for
feedback on their health and progress
Encourage other students to be kind and to be their friend

Elimination Disorders
Definition: Two types of elimination disorders: Encopresis and enuresis
Encopresis: the repeated passing of feces into places other than the toilet.
This behavior may or may not be done on purpose.
Enuresis: the repeated passing of urine in places other than the toilet. When
this happens at night it is commonly known as bed wetting, which is the
most common type of elimination disorder.

Symptoms:

Loss of appetite
Abdominal pain
Loose bowel movements
Scratching or rubbing the anal area
Decreased interest in physical activity

Withdrawal from friends and family

Secretive behavior with bowel movements

Statistics:

1.5% - 10% of children have encopresis

It is more common in boys than girls
Accommodations: The child may be at risk for emotional and social
problems related to this condition. They could develop self-esteem problems,
depression, and do poorly in school. Notice if they are having troubles eating
or going to the bathroom. Try and do the best you can to prevent
constipation.

Anxiety
Symptoms:
Irritability/ tiredness
Absenteeism
Frequent somatic complaints
Decline of grades

Withdrawal from peer group

Poor coping with everyday stress
Calling home frequently
Angry outbursts/suicidal ideation
Accommodations: Encourage them to take one step at a time and
accomplish what is needed. Reward them often when they do something
good.

Classroom:
Teach positive coping skills
Allow students to have a coping skill such as going out of the
classroom, having a stress ball, or putting on soothing music
Praise their efforts and their accomplishments

Teach them to visualize success

Possibly teach them to focus on a possible object or sound to help
them lessen their anxiety
Model positive ways to manage anxiety

Depression and Irritable moods

Symptoms:

Depressed mood more than 2 weeks

Loss of interest in activities
Changes in appetite or weight
Sleeping in class or skipping school
Decreased energy or physical activity

Feelings of worthlessness
Difficulty learning, making decisions, doing assignments
Negative thoughts of oneself, low self-esteem
Possible thoughts of suicide
Tiredness

Give children more time to work on assignments

Offer frequent help or guidance
Pair students up with others so they can receive peer help
Have fun activities in class
Make the child feel accepted
Do not use harsh punishment, or sarcasm
Consult with counselor or psychologist if needed
Provide students a self- time out to take a break
Teach the student how to be positive and how to handle frustration or
sadness
Help build their self-esteem, reward them when they do well

Classroom:

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

(ADHD):
Statistics :

Around two to five per cent of children are thought to have

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Boys outnumber girls 3:1

Characteristics :

Inattention diffi culty concentrating, forgetting instructions,

moving from one task to another without completing anything.
Impulsivity talking over the top of others, having a short fuse,
being accident-prone.
Over activity constant restlessness and fidgeting.
Some children have extremely difficult and challenging behaviors that
are outside the norm for their age.

These problems can result from temporary stressors in the childs life, or
they might represent more enduring disorders.

Other Disorders include:

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

Conduct disorder (CD)

Treatment options include parent management training, cognitive behavior

therapy, medication and treatment for associated problems.

In the Classroom:

Be consistent
Set limits and have clear consequences for your child's behavior
Put together a daily routine for your child with clear expectations.
Avoid multitasking talking with the child
Make eye contact when giving instructions
Praise the child as often as possible.
Work with parents and caregivers to identify problems early to try and
decrease the impact of the condition on your child's life.
Ignore minor mutterings
Ask them to run a simple errand or do a task for you.

Give them special assignments i.e. Door holder, or whiteboard

cleaner.

Accommodations:
Provide exercise ball or fidget toys, allow the student to daydream if needed
for 5-10 minutes after completing an assignment. Involve the child in the
problem-solving process: How can we solve the problem of Identify
learning problems the child might have. Match the difficulty of an assignment
with the skill level of the student. Sympathize Maybe you can help me
understand some things. I think you would like to do well in school. Yet you
seem to be avoiding your schoolwork. You must have a good reason. Lets
talk.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): As children with

attention or behavior difficulties progress into adolescence, these
symptoms can often become intertwined with academic failure, learning
problems, organizational skills difficulties, family conflict, or other
psychiatric issues. Utilizing cognitive-behavioral interventions, our
clinicians work with teenagers to increase their awareness of and ability
to manage their symptoms, and improve their interaction with both
parents and teachers.

Organizational Skills Training: Research shows that

organizational skills are a common area of difficulty for students across all
grade levels, and these deficits can have a significant impact on
academic motivation and performance. Organizational skills training
focuses on building organizational competencies that include the ability
to keep track of assignments, effective time management, sustaining
motivation, and breaking down challenging assignments into more
manageable pieces. These interventions are informed by the most up-todate research. They include roles for parents and teachers to help

reinforce practice of skills, and they can be effectively tailored to

elementary, middle, and high school students.

School interventions
Late to class:

Ignore it if the student is only one or two minutes late and if lateness
occurs rarely.
A raised eyebrow or a statement of expectations may be more
effective than sending the student to the office (This is the first time
youve been late. I expect you to be on time from now on).
Review the students routine between classes. He may be going to his
locker too often.

BLURTING OUT IN CLASS:

If the child takes medication, talk with his parents about making sure
he doesnt miss a dose (medication is helpful for blurting out).
Give a child an alternative behavior to blurting have her raise her
hand, and be sure to call on her immediately to reinforce it.
Give the student a special pad for writing down her comment, and
discuss it later with them
Helping kids who distract easily involves physical placement, increased
movement, and breaking long work into shorter chunks
Seat the child with ADD/ADHD away from doors and windows. Put pets
in another room or a corner while the student is working. Alternate
seated activities with those that allow the child to move his or her body
around the room. Whenever possible, incorporate physical movement
into lessons.
Write important information down where the child can easily read and
reference it. Remind the student where the information can be found.
Divide big assignments into smaller ones, and allow children frequent
breaks.

Children with ADD/ADHD may act before thinking, creating difficult social
situations in addition to problems in the classroom. Kids who have trouble
with impulse control may come off as aggressive or unruly. This is perhaps
the most disruptive symptom of ADD/ADHD, particularly at school.

Methods for managing impulsivity:

Include behavior plans, immediate discipline for infractions, and ways to
give children with ADD/ADHD a sense of control over their day.
Make sure a written behavior plan is near the student. You can even tape it
to the wall or the childs desk.

Give consequences immediately following misbehavior. Be specific in your

explanation, making sure the child knows how they misbehaved.
Recognize good behavior out loud. Be specific in your praise, making sure
the child knows what they did right.

Write the schedule for the day on the board or on a piece of paper and
cross off each item as it is completed. Children with impulse problems
may gain a sense of control and feel calmer when they know what to
expect.

Fidgeting and hyperactivity:

Strategies for combating hyperactivity consist of creative ways to allow the
child with ADD/ADHD to move in appropriate ways at appropriate times.
Releasing energy this way may make it easier for the child to keep his or her
body calmer during work time.
Ask children with ADD/ADHD to run an errand or do a task for you, even if it
just means walking across the room to sharpen pencils or put dishes away.
Encourage the child to play a sportor at least run around before and after
school. .Make sure a child with ADD/ADHD never misses recess or P.E

More in the classroom:

Helping children with ADD/ADHD follow directions means taking measures to
break down and reinforce the steps involved in your instructions, and
redirecting when necessary. Try being extremely brief when giving directions,
allowing the child to do one step and then come back to find out what they
should do next. If the child gets off track, give a calm reminder, redirecting in
a calm but firm voice. Whenever possible, write directions down in a bold
marker or in colored chalk on a blackboard.

Work Cited:
Holtz, Rachel. Teaching Students with Tourettes Syndrome.
http://www.cedu.niu.edu/~shumow/itt/Tourette's%20Syndrome.pdf
Minnesota association for Childrens Mental Health. Childrens Mental Health
Fact Sheet for the classroom. Schizophrenia.
http://www.articlesforeducators.com/article.asp?aid=93#.VhMq8v3ltD8
Gasparovich, L. (2008). Positive Behavior Support: Learning to Prevent or
Manage Anxiety in the School Setting. Retrieved October 8, 2015, from
http://www.sbbh.pitt.edu/files/other/Anxiety_LNG_newsletter.pdf

Bagnell, A. (2012, July 11). Dealing with Anxiety in the Classroom. Retrieved
October 8, 2015, from http://www.slideshare.net/teenmentalhealth/dealingwith-anxiety-in-the-classroom
Depression Center: Symptoms, Causes, Medications, and Therapies. (n.d.).
Retrieved October 8, 2015.
http://www.webmd.com/depression/default.htm
Huberty, T. (2004). DEPRESSION: HELPING STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.
Retrieved October 8, 2015, from
http://www.nasponline.org/communications/spawareness/depressclass_ho.pdf
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/attention-deficit-disorder-adhdand-school.htm
http://epublications.regis.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1039&context=theses
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/11577.html
(http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/preventing-adhd )
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/preventing-adhd?page=2
http://www.childmind.org/en/clinics/centers/adhd-and-disruptive-behaviordisorders-center
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotionalproblems/Pages/Disruptive-Behavior-Disorders.aspx )