| Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD, is identified by the | | | | and how one thing is handled will affect another. |
| American Psychiatric Association in children who show | | | | There is no conclusive evidence as to the causes of |
| an inappropriate attention span, are too impulsive and | | | | ADD. ADD may be genetic, prenatal or physical. Due |
| sometimes are deemed hyperactive given their age. | | | | to the possible causes, many children are medicated |
| ADD can be diagnosed either with or without | | | | as an answer to addressing the symptoms. There is |
| hyperactivity. Teachers and parents alike have | | | | no one medication that is successful in all children who |
| received and will continue to receive a diagnosis of | | | | exhibit ADD symptoms. The most common |
| ADD for children who have problems academically, | | | | medications are Dexedrine, Ritalin and Cylert. |
| socially or emotionally. Around 20 percent of the | | | | There are often other learning difficulties ranging from |
| population will eventually be diagnosed with ADD. | | | | learning disabilities to emotional disturbance that ADD is |
| Children between eight and ten years old are the ones | | | | often secondary to. The sooner a correct diagnosis is |
| most likely to be diagnosed with ADD, having been | | | | made and help begun, the better the odds of avoiding |
| referred to a doctor by teachers as well as parents. | | | | other complications. |
| The younger the child is when diagnosed, the more | | | | The nature of this disorder would indicate that the |
| serious forms of ADD they are likely to exhibit. In | | | | child's attention skills will need a lot of work. Children |
| reverse, when older children are diagnosed, they | | | | must be able to pay attention for stretches of time in |
| generally exhibit a less serious form of the disorder. | | | | order to learn and succeed in school. They must learn |
| ADD shows up most readily in situations where the | | | | to finish projects once they are started. They must |
| child is required to work independently or in a group | | | | learn to listen and be assisted to have as few |
| setting. One-on-one situations or situations that are | | | | distractions as possible. These children need to be |
| new to the child tend not to display ADD behaviors as | | | | assisted in building up their attention span. |
| much. | | | | Impulsivity in these children also needs assistance. |
| The American Psychiatric Association looks for these | | | | School-aged children have to be trained to stop and |
| things in diagnosing ADD: | | | | think before they answer or start their work. This |
| 1. Inattention - does not finish things once started, | | | | requires quite a bit of supervision initially, but must |
| appears not to listen, is easily distracted, cannot focus | | | | eventually become the student's responsibility requiring |
| on schoolwork or anything requiring a longer attention | | | | a larger degree of self-control. |
| span, does not stay with a play activity for long. | | | | If hyperactivity is present, it can interfere with learning. |
| 2. Impusivity - acts without thinking about | | | | Children must learn to slow down and become aware |
| consequences, moves excessively from one task to | | | | of their situations and surroundings. One helpful activity |
| another, does not organize work though this is not | | | | is "The Turtle Imagery Procedure" in which the student |
| because of any cognitive impairment, must have | | | | says he or she will proceed like a slow turtle as part |
| supervision, talks out in class, does not wait his or her | | | | of a structured program. Other means of controlling |
| turn in group situations. | | | | hyperactivity include modeling of appropriate behavior |
| 3. Hyperactivity - ADD may be diagnosed with or | | | | by adults, watching themselves on videotape, role |
| without hyperactivity, but a hyperactive child will do at | | | | playing, biofeedback and relaxation techniques. |
| least two of these: run or climb excessively, cannot sit | | | | A large problem of children with ADD is socializing with |
| still and fidgets, cannot stay seated, moves around | | | | peers. When children are unable to make friends or |
| more than usual even when asleep. | | | | get along well with others, they begin to have negative |
| 4. ADD symptoms are usually seen before age seven. | | | | feelings and impressions of themselves. There are |
| 5. The symptoms last at least six months. | | | | other skill short-comings in both perceptual and |
| 6. The symptoms are not caused by schizophrenia, | | | | conceptual areas that will need extra attention in the |
| affective disorder or any type of profound mental | | | | ADD student. A lot of the focus in this area is on the |
| retardation. | | | | specific task being taught and utilizes a strong |
| Those who deal with ADD children must work on | | | | behavioral approach which emphasizes incremental |
| improving the child's attention skills, impulsivity and | | | | learning. |
| possibly hyperactivity. The child's self-esteem and | | | | Reinforcement response seems to be affected in |
| social skills will also need extra attention. Skills of a | | | | ADD children. However, for any assistance to be |
| perceptual and conceptual nature will have to be | | | | successful, parents and teachers alike will need to find |
| worked on. ADD appears to affect children's | | | | out what will be reinforcing for a particular student. |
| responses to reinforcements and motivations as well. | | | | Then a reinforcement schedule can be mapped out. |
| Many of these needs in ADD children are interwoven, | | | | |