Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Adhd
Adhd
ADHD
Amanda Hafner
Professor Yochim
learned about this one interested me the most. Having the career, I have, and
working in many, many, daycares I have had children with ADHD. I always found it
interesting when parents would apologize to me, saying how their child is a handful
and has ADHD because I never saw any child that way. I understood that the child
may need special help, as well as extra attention but that doesn’t mean that they
childhood and often lasts into adulthood. As many as 2 out of every 3 children with
diagnosed right away because adults, or parents will say that the child is just being
a child. Children are hyperactive, especially boys they have almost endless amount
of energy and this is why it is important to know the difference between when the
child is just being a child and hyper, and when they should be tested for ADHD.
There are certain criteria that must be met for ADHD, but only trained health care
There are two types of ADHD, type 1 which is inattention and type 2 which is
Hyperactivity and impulsivity. For type 1 six or more symptoms must occur for
children up to the age of sixteen, or five or more must occur for adults seventeen or
older. All of the symptoms must be present for at least six months, this rule is put in
place because something can always be seen as just a phase or just be happening
because of something the child or adult is going through at the time. Something as
in a new environment, new job, new school, change in family dynamics, etc. Some
of the symptoms that must be present are, “often fails to give close attention to
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detail and makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.
Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities, often does not seem
to listen when spoken too directly and is easily forgetful and distracted.” (Durston)
For type 2 which is hyperactivity-impulsivity the requisites are that for the
children up to the age of sixteen, they need six or more symptoms, and for adults
17 or older they must present five or more. These also must be present for at least
everyday life. Some of the symptoms that must be present are, “often fidgets with
or taps hands or feet, leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected,
unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly and talks excessively.”
(Durston) Some of these may just seem like normal traits that any person or child
may have, but when it gets to the point where these things become disruptive and
inappropriate that is when you should ask for help. There are three presentations of
ADHD that can occur, the first one is combined presentation which is when enough
of the symptoms and criteria in both are there and have been present in the last six
performance across multiple settings as in at home, school, sports, and etc. This
development. Studies have also shown that children with ADHD are more likely to
be irritable, impatient, and aggressive. Families who have children with ADHD often
experience higher levels of parental stress and frustration, divorces, and social
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isolation. “It has been estimated that 50% of childhood ADHD cases will persist into
(Meyer). I also know from personal experience that sometimes when parents are
filling out these forms for their child, filling out symptoms checking off boxes that
ADHD is a genetic disability, in other words it runs in the family. This usually
makes it easier for the adult if they are diagnosed because then they know what to
look for in their child and then they themselves can decide what they want to do
about it. “Previous studies have found that children diagnosed with ADHD on
average attain 2.2 to 2.5 years less schooling than non-ADHD peers do, and 25
percent of students with ADHD drop out of high school” (Durston) This does not just
affect them academically but it can affect their home life, how they behave and how
they behave at their sports or clubs. There even are instances when the child will
meet the credentials, but they are only acting this way at home or only acting this
way at school. When it comes to this, this means that the problem lies within the
environment and not the child. In this case there are many things that can be done
to help the child and changes to be made in the environment so that the behavior
does not continue. Even if the child does have ADHD there are changes that can be
made in the classroom that is not distracting for the other children that can help the
child not stay still but stay quietly in their area throughout the day. This could
include changes in the classroom such as yoga balls, bungee cords on the desk, and
bean bags.
non- stimulants. With stimulants there are short-term stimulants and long-term
stimulants, for short-term stimulants they peak after several hours and must be
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taken 2-3 times a day. Long acting stimulants last around 8-12 hours and are usually
taken only once a day. These have common side effects that can be severe enough
for parents to not allow their children to even take ADHD medication in the first
place. These stimulants have side effects such as having trouble sleeping, upset
stomach, mood swings, depression, and they can even cause personality changes.
Some people on this medication say they become withdrawn, develop OCD, become
rigid and listless. Those are not the worst of it though, stimulant medication safety
are usually recommended when stimulants haven’t worked or when they caused
bad side effects. Stimulants affect dopamine, but the non-stimulants like Strattera
boots the levels of a different brain chemical which is longer lasting, and it acts as
and the child or the adult who has been diagnosed to decide what works better for
them. Something I have learned is that it takes trial and error, and if not, everyone
extremely important that everyone is on the same page especially when it comes to
medication. Medication is not the only treatment option, especially when it comes to
young children there are things in the child’s environments, diet, and sleeping
schedule that can always be improved and help with the child and their symptoms.
When diagnosing a child or adult with ADHD there are steps that have to be
involved, when it comes to an adult, they will ask someone who is around them a lot
to fill out the form for them to check off the symptoms that occur with them. They
will ask someone like their spouse, or boss. With children they have a parent fill it
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out, along with for elementary two teachers in two different subjects and maybe a
coach if they do any sports. For a middle school they would normally have a parent,
and one teacher along with a coach if they do a sport. This is important because its
crucial to see if the child is acting this way at school, and outside of school as well.
This paperwork would then be given to a pediatric doctor and only they can
diagnose it. ADHD is a disability but children with it are not given an IEP
(Individualized Education Plan). Instead they are given a 504 plan, because ADHD
ADHD is a behavioral and social disability, and while it can and may affect their
academics it doesn’t directly so the child can’t be given an IEP. A 504 plan is by
definition “a plan developed to ensure that a child who has a disability identified
receives accommodations that will ensure their academic success and access to the
individualized learning plan is that an IEP is more of specialized instruction for the
child and is more towards social and behavioral so there isn’t specific
accommodations needed for them in education, for IEPS there is. It is important for
your child to have a 504 plan because ADHD will affect them academically, and this
can lead to them having low self- esteem or acting out, so you want to try to make
school an enjoyable place for them. “504 plans differ from IEPs, or Individualized
Education Plans, which specify special education services such as speech therapy or
specialized curricula. 504 plans are not for services but rather accommodations that
(Chenoweth)
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504 plans are put in place for a good reason, and when you have a child or
even an adult with ADHD it is important to do what you can to see the child as just a
child and not as a disability. ADHD has many symptoms and can affect all children in
many different ways so it’s important to realize that. There will be adjustments that
should be made not only in the classroom, but at home too. This is a behavioral and
social disability that does require attention and is something that has to be worked
on for the child to be able to even have friends and a good social life, as this is so
important especially when they are growing up and going through puberty. A child
with this disability is not a burden and is not a problem child just a child who
requires extra attention and that is not the worst thing. This is a disability that can
be easily helped, and that with some adjustments the child can go on to live a very
Bibliography
Burgstahler, Sheryl. “What Is the Difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan?” What
Is the Difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan? | DO-IT, DO-IT, 28 June 2017,
www.washington.edu/doit/what-difference-between-iep-and-504-plan. Accessed
Chenoweth, Karin. “More schools need a 504 plan of attack” EBSCOhost, March 4,
2014. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=2e93d2d1-aeb8-
4f0e-bdc1-848f3a9a35f8%40pdc-v-sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1506848022?pq-origsite=summon Accessed
Meyer, Hal. “DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD.” ADD Resource Center, DSM-5, 8 Aug. 2018,