Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Introduction

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder refers to a complication that manifests itself through impulsivity, hyperactivity, lack of attention or even a combination. For educationists, ADHD represents a significant challenge in the quest to enhance the knowledge base of children. It is fundamentally essential to outline that ADHD might also occur in adults. As with other complications, there are numerous risk factors that enhance the chances of contracting ADHD. Psychiatric complications and depression have an inherent capacity to enhance the chances of an individual to contract ADHD.

The environment in which a child inhabits can also have substantial influence towards the chances of contracting ADHD. Other factors such as learning disabilities are also notable risk factors for ADHD (Grant, 2010). In order to detect ADHD in children or adults, it is essential for education professionals to understand this disorder from a multi-perspective approach. In such an approach, the professional can easily detect the different symptoms of ADHD in a child. Apart from the symptoms, it is fundamentally essential to understand the different types of ADHD. Accurate diagnosis facilitates for an effectual intervention approach.

The American Psychological Association, there are three outstanding types of ADHD. In essence, each of these disorders has unique attributes. Additionally, it is pertinent to highlight that some kinds of information are vital towards facilitating for a successful diagnosis process for ADHD. This paper seeks to address these issues among other perspectives pertaining to ADHD.

TYPES OF ADHD

The American Psychological Association describes three types of ADHD. The first type is the inattentive ADHD. As the name suggests, inattentiveness is the most outstanding attribute among individuals who have this condition. Hyperactive impulsive disorder serves as the second category of ADHD. This disorder mainly manifests itself through hyperactive behavior and actions. This disorder affects adults and children (Fletcher, 2006). The third category of ADHD encompasses a combination of the previous two categories. Consequently, an individual with this disorder might show hyperactivity as well as inattentiveness.

CHARACTERISTICS

The different types of ADHD have different kinds of features. These attributes form the basis of determining the actual disorder that is affecting an individual. For education professionals, it is fundamentally essential that they understand the different features of all the forms of ADHD. This section seeks to examine the features of the different types of ADHD.

Inattentive ADHD

Inattention is one of the three categories of ADHD. Among the most outstanding attributes of inattention is the susceptibility to distractions. Individuals with inattention ADHD can be distracted easily even by minor issues. The second attribute that characterizes individuals with this disorder is forgetfulness. When an individual has inattentive ADHD, it is significantly difficult for him to remember things. This is an attribute that can tremendously undermine an individual’s capacity to concentrate. Forgetfulness also undermines an individual’s academic performance (Stichter, 2008).

Apart from forgetfulness, individuals with inattention ADHD are error-prone. This is because they are unconscious about most of the actions in which they participate. While performing tasks, individuals with inattention ADHD struggle to follow the systematic procedures. Consequently, such individuals can only complete their tasks haphazardly.

It is also essential to highlight that an individual with inattention ADHD struggles to understand instructions. For such an individual, it might take a lot of time to complete a minor task. Additionally, individuals with this kind of disorder are mostly careless about their actions. For adults with this disorder, lateness is not a rare occurrence (Strichart, 2010). It is also vital to note that individuals with this condition might take long to make the simplest decisions. All these perspectives highlight the different characteristics for the inattentive ADHD.

Hyperactivity-Impulsivity

This serves as the second type of ADHD. In essence, it comprises of individuals whose behavior is highly unpredictable. Such individuals could be extremely calm at one moment and hyperactive in another situation. As with inattention, there are various unique features for hyperactivity-impulsivity. For this disorder, one of the most notable characteristics pertains to interruptions. Individuals suffering from this condition are fond of interrupting colleagues or other people in the vicinity. These interruptions might be direct or indirect (Grant, 2010).

Another outstanding characteristic of individuals suffering from this disorder is excessive talk. These kinds of individuals can talk excessively irrespective of the prevailing conditions. This is pertinent in terms of detecting disorderly behavior within an education environment. Individuals with this problem often struggle to remain comfortable in one area. This is because of their aimless movements and general carelessness. For children with hyperactivity impulsivity, they often struggle to remain quiet. This behavior can also lead to disruptions within the learning environments (Fletcher, 2006). Such individuals also have the tendency to murmur or whisper to themselves instead of communicating effectively. Even while seated, an individual with this disorder struggles to remain calm. For instance, he may start jiggling legs.

Combined ADHD

This is the third category of ADHD. It comprises of numerous attributes from both the previous categories. For instance, such individuals might be highly inattentive and also hyperactive at the same time. Whereas this disorder is predominant in most children, it is not extremely conspicuous among adults.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION IN DIAGNOSING ADHD

In order to facilitate for an essential process for diagnosis ADHD, it is essential to examine some of the most pertinent issues. Firstly, it is essential to have sufficient information about the learner. This is helpful in terms of monitoring a student’s behavior and hence diagnosing ADHD. The second perspective of the diagnosis process relates to the frequency of the symptoms. It is fundamentally essential to ensure that the settings for ADHD occur in more than one setting (Strichart, 2010). This is vital in terms of ensuring that the symptoms are not a one-off issue.

The absence of frequency of symptoms might serve as a potential indicator of other disorders other than ADHD. Another outstanding perspective for diagnosing ADHD pertains to the behavior of learners. It is essential for the education professional to understand the common behavioral attributes of students. This is vital in terms of determining whether the student Is suffering from a given disorder or not. The period of occurrence of ADHD symptoms must be at least half a year. Such a period helps in averting any form of uncertainty with regard to the behavior of an individual.

Additionally, it is vital to ascertain that the disorders are not as a result of other health complications (Stichter, 2008). For instance, a student in distress is likely to show some symptoms of ADHD. However, this does not necessarily imply that he is suffering from ADHD. Another pertinent diagnostic aspect is the number of symptoms evident in a child with respect to ADHD. It is fundamentally essential to ensure that the child has a minimum of 6 symptoms for any type of ADHD. If the symptoms are less than this number, it might serve as an indicator of other disorders and not ADHD.

Making Diagnosis

A doctor is the most suitable person to make diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This is because he has the relevant knowledge, skills and understanding of the incidence of ADHD in an individual. However, both parents and teachers should take an active role in assessing the child’s conditions. This helps in enhancing the early detection of ADHD. A psychologist might also come in handy during the diagnosis process. This is because the psychologist can examine the mental processes of the child (Grant, 2010).

Addressing the Issues for Special Needs Students

Addressing the various issues of students with special needs requires the establishment of a systematic mechanism. This is a framework that creates the relevant environment for these kinds of students. Another significant aspect of consideration is the use of collaborative efforts (Fletcher, 2006). Collaboration helps in helping these students pursue their goals without having any kind of a stumbling block. Finally, it is vital to ensure that the school has adequate policies that support the promotion of the wellbeing of these kinds of students.

Conclusion

The paper encompasses a comprehensive evaluation of numerous attributes pertaining to ADHD. Psychiatric complications and depression have an inherent capacity to enhance the chances of an individual to contract ADHD. The environment in which a child inhabits can also have substantial influence towards the chances of contracting ADHD. Other factors such as learning disabilities are also notable risk factors for ADHD. It is fundamentally essential to ensure that the settings for ADHD occur in more than one setting. This is vital in terms of ensuring that the symptoms are not a one-off issue.

References

Fletcher, J. & Lyon, G. (2006). Learning disabilities: From identification to intervention. NY: Guilford Press

Grant, G. & Flynn, M. (2010). Learning disability. NY: McGraw-Hill Education

Stichter, J. & Kauffman, J. (2008). An introduction to students with high-incidence disabilities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

Strichart, S. & Mangrum, C. (2010). Study skills for learning disabled and struggling students. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill

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