Pay Attention!

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder :Facts and Myths

Faculty & Staff Information Session by Disability Services at RACC

Fall Semester 2014

Located in Berks Hall, room 209

Tomma Lee Furst: Director of Disability Services and Student Behavioral Intervention

Kym Kleinsmith: Adaptive Technology/Educational Support Specialist

Lori Corrigan: Academic Support Specialist

Disability Services

http://youtu.be/xfo1tZ95Ypk

How did you do?What if this were your student?

First, here’s a brief video (there will be a quiz at the end)

ADD/ADHD= about 18% to 20% of all DS students

Many have co-occurring issues: Autism Psychiatric issues (half) Learning Disability Chronic Health Issue

Current Statistics at RACC

Let’s examine some common myths about

ADHD

It is a real, neurobiological, “valid disorder, with severe, lifelong consequences.”

Who says? The National Institutes of Mental Health Surgeon General of the US The Centers for Disease Control American Medical Association American Psychiatric Association Mayo Clinic, and others

Myth #1: ADHD is not a real disorder

Precise causes still not 100% certain Much evidence suggests:

Heredity Prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco Premature delivery Significantly low birth weight High body lead levels Postnatal injury to the prefrontal regions of the brain

Myth #2: ADHD is caused by poor parenting, TV, and sugar

According to the NIMH, causes are brain-based: Brain imaging studies Brain development delayed by about three

years Delay effects brain regions involved in

thinking, paying attention, and planning

Myth #2: ADHD is caused by poor parenting, TV, and sugar (cont’d)

Not causes of ADHD: Excessive sugar intake Too much TV Poor child management by parents Poverty Family chaos

However, these factors exacerbate the problem and complicate treatment

Myth #2: ADHD is caused by poor parenting, TV, and sugar (cont’d)

Three types of ADHD:

1. ADHD Predominantly Inattentive (ADHD-I)Difficulty w/attention, careless mistakes, not listening, struggles to follow through, lack of organization, dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort, loses things, forgetful

2. ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive (ADHD-HI)Fidgets or squirms, runs, climbs, moves a lot, can’t stay seated, talks excessively, difficulty being quiet, blurts out answers, interrupts, hard time waiting or taking turns

3. ADHD Combined Type (ADHD-C)Individual meets both Inattentive and Hyperactive/Impulsive criteria

Myth #3: All ADHD is the same

How many children have been diagnosed with ADHD?

APA in the DSM V: 5% of all children Studies in multiple peer-reviewed journals: 5% to 8% CDC National Survey of Children’s Health: 8% to 11%

Boys are twice as likely as girls to be diagnosed with ADHD

Myth #4: ADHD is not that common

Symptoms typically arise in early childhood

Some symptoms continue into adulthood and present life-long challenges

Myth #5: ADHD is a disorder of childhood

True—There is no single test for ADHD, but there are criteria and a process for diagnosis: Licensed professional observes behavior, gathers information Persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that

interferes with functioning or development. Symptoms interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, school, or

work functioning Six or more symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity for children

up to age 16, or five or more for adolescents 17 and older and adults Symptoms present for at least 6 months Symptoms/behaviors present in multiple situations

Myth #6: There’s no test for ADHD, so it is over-diagnosed

Two types of medications:Stimulants: Adderall, Concerta, Focalin, VyvanseNon-Stimulants: Intuniv, Strattera

Many students do not take prescribed meds, but self-medicate with alcohol, marijuana, etc.

Difficulty when out of medication

Myth #7: Stimulants are the only medication for ADHD

You heard the myths, now how can we help?

Typical accommodations include: Extra time for tests Quiet place to test Use of recorder in classroom Use of quiet fidget item in classroom (this

is a recommendation, not accom)

How can Disability Services help students with ADHD?

Academic Coaching includes: Weekly check-ins Time management strategies Creating habits of checking email, Angel, etc. Study strategies Monitor use of planner/calendar Processing syllabus with student Breaking assignments into parts

How can Disability Services help students with ADHD?

Consider: Allowing fidget items, stress balls and doodling Use dots, lines on board, index cards to curb

questions Tap overly-fidgety student on shoulder Chunk information in smaller bits Advise accordingly: no 3-hour classes

How can faculty or staff help students with ADHD?

http://youtu.be/xfo1tZ95Ypk

We cannot take for granted that all students perceive our information or instruction the same way, can we?

Remember this video? Can you pass the quiz this time?

Questions?

National Institute of Mental Health: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml

NIMH Booklet: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/adhd_booklet_cl508.pdf

ADD Association: http://www.add.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/

Children and Adults with ADD: http://www.chadd.org/

National Resource Center on ADHD: http://www.help4adhd.org/

Resources for More Information