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ADHD. Inattention Hyperactivity Impulsivity DSM-IV Criteria Either (1) or (2) 6 or more symptoms in Inattention 6 or more symptoms of Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Symptoms present for at least 6 months Significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning
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ADHD • Inattention • Hyperactivity • Impulsivity DSM-IV Criteria • Either (1) or (2) • 6 or more symptoms in Inattention • 6 or more symptoms of Hyperactivity-Impulsivity • Symptoms present for at least 6 months • Significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning • Onset prior to 7 years of age • Impairment in two or more settings
Rothenburger et al., 2004 • ADHD occurs in 2-5% of children • 80% are boys • Distractibility, hyperactivity, and agitation occur at all ages • Forgetful, inpatient, disrupt others • Difficulty with limits, impulsivity • Rash decisions, don’t think before they act, silly, mood swings • Do better in novel situations that involve interaction with others
Causes of ADHD? • Brain areas affected • Cerebellum: coordination of movements • Frontal lobe: executive functioning • Difficulty with neuronal information processing • Lower levels of dopamine (emotion and behavior) • Genetics: runs in families • 80% can be traced to genetic factors • Genes involved in transferring information b/w neurons • Environmental factors • Prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure • Non-supportive school environment • Martial crisis and parental psychological problems • Poor attachment
Medication and ADHD • Target neurotransmitter systems • Psychostimulants: Ritalin • Medication most effective when combined with behavior therapy • Large US study compared different treatments methods among 579 children with ADHD • Significant improvements (normalized behavior): • Medication only: 25% • Behavior therapy only: 34% • Medication with counseling: 56% • Medication and behavioral theory: 68%
ADHD • Important to teach children with how to handle tasks and their behaviors • Count to 10, reminders etc. • Children with ADHD have many positive traits: • Free-spirited, inquisitive, energetic, funny • Intelligent, creative, spontaneous, helpful, sensitive • Multi-tasking
Sherman et al., 2006 Some ADHD behaviors are adaptive • Impatient, impulsive, distractible, energetic, emotionally needy, creative, innovative • Many historical figures show ADHD characteristics • Einstein, Poe, Salvador Dali, Ford • Hartmann (2003) refers to ADHD as a trait rather than a disorder (Edison gene) • These traits were advantageous for hunter-gatherer societies and have been passed down over time
Short attention, poor planning, daydreaming, and impatience may be seen as adaptive • Important for survival of hunter-gatherer societies • Agile, think quickly, monitor environment, act on impulse • Farmer societies are more patient, organized, plan ahead, less impulsive • However, North American classrooms favor farmer like traits • Children must sit in desks quietly, pay attention, work on projects for prolonged periods of time, keep hands still, information taken in by reading, listening, and seeing rather than by doing.
Children with ADHD seen as polyactive, they can work on numerous tasks • Good brainstormers, eager to please, creative • Suggestions for Classroom Interventions: • Allow children with ADHD to run class errands • Have quiet zones, one-on-one interaction • Call on students frequently, use immediate feedback • Teach to all different intelligences • Hands on lessons, experiments, visual media, arts • Break down instruction to smaller manageable tasks • Assist with organization, external structure • Avoid mundane tasks
Wang et al. (2004) Impact of teacher factors on performance of children with ADHD Participants: 45 7.5 yr old boys with ADHD all on ADHD medication, from 12 different after school programs Children solved puzzles in 3 conditions/modalities: Speech only Gesture only Speech and Gesture 12 trained male teachers (one from each program)
Condition order was random, and videotaped Dependent variables: (in each condition) Freq. of children’s responses to teachers How long children sustained their attention Success on puzzles 5 coders independently coded the tapes, 90% agreement Also examined different types of gestures within the gesture conditions
Results Children in Gesture conditions (gesture-only or speech-gesture) were: more responsive focused longer more successful on puzzles Conclude that hand gestures are important for use with children with ADHD. Children with ADHD have attention problems and are easily distracted, so speech alone may not be sufficient to get their attention.