ADD and ADHD

1
ADD and ADHD

• Hayley Gardner
• Halie Hudson
• Jonathon Johnson
• Suzette Matthews
• Kate Noble

2
What is ADD/ADHD?

• Attention Deficit Disorder is a biologically
  based condition causing a persistent pattern of
  difficulties resulting in one or more of the
  following behaviors
• inattention
• hyperactivity
• impulsivity

3
What Is The Cause?

• HeredityADHD tends to run in families, which
  means that genes may play a role. Most children
  with ADHD have at least one family member with
  the disorder.
• Changes in Brain FunctionStudies show that the
  brains of children with ADHD may function
  differently than those of other children. These
  children may have an imbalance of chemicals in
  the brain that help to regulate behavior.

4
The Three Types

• Inattention
• difficulty attending or focusing on a specific
  task. People with Attention Deficit Disorder may
  become distracted within a matter of minutes.
  Inattentive behavior may also cause difficulties
  with staying organized (e.g. losing things),
  keeping track of time, completing tasks, and
  making careless errors.
• Hyperactivity
• difficulty inhibiting behavior. These people are
  in constant motion. They may engage in excessive
  fiddling, leg swinging, and squirming in their
  chair.
• Impulsivity
• difficulty controlling impulses. These people do
  not stop and think before they act. They say and
  do whatever comes into their mind without
  thinking about the consequences. They might say
  something inappropriate and regret it later,
  blurt out a response to question before a person
  is done speaking to them, or have difficulty
  waiting for their turn in line.

5
Signs And Symptoms

• Symptoms of inattention
• ignores details makes careless mistakes
• difficulty sustaining attention or listening when
  directly addressed
  
• difficulty following instructions or finishing
  tasks
  
• Some symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity are
• fidgety, squirmy
• difficulty staying seated
• in constant motion, often running or climbing
  inappropriately
  
• physical restlessness difficulty with quiet,
  sedentary activities
  
• excessive talking blurts out answers before
  questions are completed
  
• difficulty waiting interrupts or intrudes on
  others
  
• Because hyperactivity and inattention are
  expected behaviors at some ages in childhood, it
  is the impulsive behaviors that often stand out
  in very young children with ADD / ADHD. By age
  four or five, though, most children have become
  more selectively attentive and less active, so
  those with ADD / ADHD stand out in all three
  behaviors inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and
  impulsivity.

6
ADD and ADHD in the Classroom

• Become familiar with your child's medical, legal,
  and educational rights
  
• Keep in touch with your child's teachers and
  school officials to monitor your child's progress
  and keep them informed about your child's needs.
  
• Other tips for classroom success..
• Reduce seating distractions. Lessening
  distractions might be as simple as seating your
  child near the teacher instead of near the
  window.
• Use a homework folder for parent-teacher
  communications. The teacher can include
  assignments and progress notes, and you can check
  to make sure all work is completed on time.
• Break down assignments. Keep instructions clear
  and brief, breaking down larger tasks into
  smaller, more manageable pieces.
  
• Give positive reinforcement. Always be on the
  lookout for positive behaviors. Ask the teacher
  to offer praise when your child stays seated,
  doesn't call out, or waits his or her turn,
  instead of criticizing when he or she doesn't.

7
Statistics

• ADHD had been found to exist in every country
  studied, but most commonly diagnosed in the
  United States.
  
• ADHD affects three to seven percent of all
  children in the U.S.
  
• In 2004, nearly four million children younger
  than 18 in the U.S. had been diagnosed with
  ADHD.
  
• In general, 5-8 of children likely to have ADHD
  while 4-5 of adults do so.

8
Statistics Continued

• Boys are about three times more likely than girls
  to be diagnosed with ADHD.
  
• ADHD is under-diagnosed in girls, since their
  symptoms are less dramatic than those in boys and
  thus draw less attention from parents and
  teachers.
• This is due to a lower likelihood of aggressive
  and antisocial behavior in girls.

9
Statistics Continued

• The ADHD treatment rate among Caucasian children
  is significantly higher than among African and
  Hispanic Americans.
  
• Obstacles to ADHD treatment are higher in the
  African-American and female populations.
  
• Incidence of ADHD is higher in urban than rural
  communities and higher in more affluent than less
  affluent.

10
Why Higher Incidence in U.S.?

• Increased incidence of ADHD in U.S. can, in part,
  be explained by the fact that the U.S. permits
  direct marketing of ADHD drugs to the general
  public whereas most other countries do not.
• Due to high to the high risk traits of ADHD
  affected people, a higher prevalence of ADHD in
  the immigrants heading for America in former
  centuries than in the general population.

11
Effects on Family

• Parents may become frustrated or angry because
  children misbehave
  
• Adolescents seem to not be bothered by normal
  discipline routines
  
• It is hard to trust the teen with
  responsibilities
  
• Emotional Immaturity
• Parents may give more attention to the child with
  ADD/ADHD

12
Family Coping with ADD/ADHD

• Create a routine
• Help your adolescent organize
• Avoid distractions
• Limit choices
• Change your interactions
• Use goals and rewards
• Help your teen discover a talent

13
Parent Education and Training

• Parent Training and Information centers (PTIs)
• Partners Resource Network
• Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs)
• Professional Help

14
ADHD Issues in School

• ADHD is often associated with poorer school
  performance.
  
• Sufferers of ADHD report higher occurrences of
  grade retention, suspensions and expulsions, and
  school dropout rates.
  
• Children have difficulties sitting still,
  controlling behavior, and paying attention.

15
Emotional Deregulation

• Minimal brain dysfunctions, or abnormal cerebral
  structures, affect people so that they may
  experience periods of explosive rage that can
  lead to violent episodes.
• Emotional irregularity of ADHD could come from
  coexisting conditions such as
  
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct
  Disorder
  
• Mood Disorders (such as depression)
• Anxiety Disorders
• Learning Disabilities

16
Internal and External Problems

• The symptoms of ADHD can cause problems in
  classroom settings.
  
• The inability to pay attention to details or a
  tendency to make careless errors in schoolwork or
  other activities.
  
• Fidgeting and Squirming, along with inability to
  stay seating can be seen as delinquency if
  adolescent is not diagnosed.
  

17
Medication and Treatment
18
Treatments

• Behavioral Management helps patients change or
  control their ADHD behaviors. Identifies unwanted
  behaviors and helps to replace them.
  
• Counseling Helps patients and families identify
  unwanted behaviors and teaches how to cope with
  and change them. Can also help with low-self
  esteem, depression and stubborn behaviors.
• Medication different medications help to improve
  symptoms so your child can manage better at home,
  at school, and with friends. Is most helpful
  when combined with behavioral management and
  counseling.

19
Behavioral Strategies

• Attempts to change behavior by
• ? reorganizing home and school environment
• ? giving clear directions and commands
• ? setting up a system of consistent rewards for
  appropriate behaviors and negative consequences
  for bad behaviors
  

20
Medications

• Ritalin
• helps increase attention span during the day,
• helps with staying on task, and
• helps with rapid ADHD morning symptom control so
  it is easier to start the day
  
• Dexedrine (Dextroamphetamine)
• Stimulant
• Also helps with attention, disruptive behavior
  and relationship problems
  
• other medications include Adderall, Straterra,
  Concerta and Wellbutrin

21
Side Effects to Medication

• Sleep disturbances
• Suppressed growth
• Depressed appetites
• Headaches
• Some children may exhibit a zombie like
  condition

22
References

• Student use of ADD/ADHD medication rises. David
  Belluromi, The California Aggie. March 9, 2006.
  http//web.lexis-nexis.com/universe.
  
• Signs and Symptoms of ADD/ADHD. National
  Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
  http//www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_signs_sym
  ptoms.htm.
• ADHD Does My Child Have It? What are the signs
  of ADHD? www.familydoctor.org.
  
• Statistical Prevalence. National Resource Center
  of ADHD. www.help4adhd.org/en/about/statistics
  
• Incidence. Attention deficit hyperactivity
  disorder Wikepedia. http//en.wikepedia.org/wik
  i/ADHD
  
• What is ADHD? KidsHealth. The Nemours
  Foundation. http//kidshealth.org/parent/medical/
  learning/adhd.html.
  
• Comparative Behavior. Tiffany L. Panko.
  Rochester Institute of Technology.
  www.personality.research.org/papers/panko.html