Students with ADHD

Introduction

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a medical condition characterized by difficulties with inattention or hyperactivity and impulsivity. Symptoms of inattention, or hyperactivity and impulsivity must be severe enough to cause impairment in the daily functioning of the person in at least two settings: at home, in school, in the community or in the workplace.

Discussion

Prior to the age of 5, ADHD symptoms may be difficult to accurately diagnose, because many preschoolers are highly active and prone to being easily distracted and overly impulsive. As the young child gets older, problems with hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsivity tend to stand out, gaps in school performance become clearer, and problems with behavior or learning become more of concern to parents and teachers causing referrals to health providers and educators to determine if a problem with ADHD exists (Barkley, 145).

More often than not, symptoms of ADHD will persist into adulthood. Obviously, the manifestation of ADHD symptoms differs across the lifespan. ADHD affects young children far differently than it does adults and the impact of symptoms, resulting impairment and methods of treatment vary by age and level of development. This section looks at ADHD at different stages of development: infants, toddlers and preschoolers; middle childhood; adolescence; and adulthood (Weiss, 94).

Elementary School Students (Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers)

Although about ten percent of infants appear to have difficult temperaments characterized by irritability, hyper-arousal, over-activity and inability to be easily calmed, clinicians do not diagnose ADHD in infancy. However, the overactive, temperamental infant is at greater risk to become the hyperactive, difficult preschooler.

It is customary for preschool age children to be overactive and impulsive from time to time. Their attention is captured by things that interest them, but usually for short periods of time. They shift quickly from one activity to another. We expect preschoolers to be somewhat demanding, impulsive or self-centered and generally we don't get too upset when they get frustrated and have occasional temper tantrums or crying spells. Hopefully, we anticipate their frustration, plan for their short attention span and vary their activities enough to sustain their interests (Murphy, 158).

At what point does activity exceed the bounds of normalcy and become hyperactivity? When inattentiveness is considered attention deficit? At what age should we expect immaturity to end and impulsivity to disappear? Unfortunately there are no objective answers to these questions. Healthcare professionals must be careful to differentiate normal preschooler hyperactivity and impulsiveness from the “over the top” behavior characteristic of preschoolers with ADHD. For example, some young children have language delays. They may exhibit hyperactivity and disruptive behavior out of frustration arising from their inability to communicate. Some young children may simply not be mature enough to handle the demands of preschool and the routines of their busy parents. They act out. Dr. Susan Campbell studied three-year-olds with a pattern of hyperactive, impulsive and related disruptive behavior. Nearly one half continue to experience behavioral problems by school age, and nearly one-third receive a diagnosis of ADHD (Brown, 51).

Parents of ADHD preschoolers often describe themselves as exhausted ...