Not everyone learns the same way. This can be especially true for students with ADHD. According to an April 5 press release from Insight Schoool, Inc, students who struggle to thrive in a traditional high school setting may benefit from online learning:

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, 2.4 million children between the ages of 12 and 17 have ADHD, and the diagnosis of the disorder in that age group increased an average of 3 percent per year from 1997 to 2006.

In addition, Dr. Russell Barkley reports in the book Taking Charge of ADHD that 21 percent of teens with ADHD skip school on a regular basis, 35 percent drop out before finishing high school and 50 percent experience sleep problems.

Students with ADHD may have trouble focusing in a class full of students. Online learning allows them to study at home, in their room, with minimal distractions.

Labels: students, online, education

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Adjusting to college can be a challenge for any student -- but for college students with ADHD, the experience can be significantly more difficult.

Unfortunately, according to a Feb. 14 article by Heather Drost of The Daily Orange (the student newspaper of the University of Syracuse), a recent study indicates that many college students who have ADHD are not receiving the support that they need:

Mark Thomas, a physician at the University of Alabama's student health center, found most campuses are not effectively treating ADHD because they are not prescribing prescriptions for ADHD medications such as Adderall XR, Vyvanse and Ritalin.

"Medications are by far the most effective treatment for students with ADHD," Thomas said.

Thomas conducted research to see how ADHD is diagnosed and treated on college campuses throughout the country. Thomas's study consisted of 124 colleges and universities ranging in size and location. The online survey was sent to hundreds of directors of college health services. ...

Syracuse University's ADHD management runs parallel with the guidelines for treatment that Thomas suggests in his study, said Kathleen VanVechten, associate director of SU Health Services.

Labels: medications, students, college

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A paper by Jakob Asberg of the University of Gothenburg advises parents and teachers of children with ADHD or autism to pay particular attention to any problems the children are having with language comprehension.

A Nov. 12 article on the medical news website ScienceDaily provided the following details about Asberg's findings:

The findings in the five studies that comprise [Asberg's] thesis demonstrate that pupils with autism or Asperger's syndrome often have problems with comprehension, in particular with continuous texts such as stories. However, it was common that these children and young people were able to read individual words correctly and with a satisfactory flow, even though there was significant variation within the group in this respect.

"Both reading and spelling words and reading comprehension seem to be difficult for a lot of children with ADHD. It is important that teachers, parents and other professionals are vigilant regarding the occurrence of such difficulties and that the pupils are offered the support to which they are entitled," [Asberg said]

Labels: autism, students, reading, language

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Myron Pryor is a 310-lb. defensive lineman whose athletic abilities have taken him from a stellar four-year career at the University of Kentucky to a promising role with the NFLs New England Patriots. Though he is used to squaring off against some of the largest men on a football field, Pryor told the Providence Journal that his younger years involved a struggle against a particularly difficult opponent: ADHD.

Sportswriter Shalise Manza Young provided the following details on Pryors journey from struggling student to football star:

Growing up, the Louisville native would frequently get in trouble for talking in class because he would simply forget that he was supposed to be paying attention. His grades were bad, and his self-esteem went down with them. &

Pryor saw therapists who taught him how to focus, and he was put on Prozac, which helped him stay in the moment. &

When he was medicated, Pryor found he was able to tune in, and things started to improve. He taught himself good habits, and eventually doctors wanted to see how he could function without the aid of medicine.

After a couple of months, they were very surprised because I was taking care of everything I was supposed to. I was staying focused in class, I didnt get in trouble as much and I did a lot better on my grades, he said. &

Pryor is just a few credits shy of receiving his [college] degree in family and consumer sciences, and he has every intention of returning to complete his studies.

Labels: students, athlete

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For most students in the United States, school has either already begun or will be underway soon. Though no group is immune to the back-to-school jitters, students with ADHD can feel especially anxious and uncertain during the first days of class.

According to an Aug. 21 article in the Donthan (Ala.) Eagle, students with ADHD should get a lot of help from their school:

Carol Cunningham, director of exceptional student services for Dothan City Schools, said parent conferences are scheduled when potential ADHD behaviors emerge. Once confirmed, action plans are created, including special education resources, curriculum modifications, or consultations with outside experts.

A district committee addresses problems impacting student academics and behavior, creating strategies and interventions to follow for a minimum eight weeks with periodic reviews and changes, Cunningham said.

"We provide the services and the support they need to be successful in their educational careers," she said.

Labels: students, schools

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They dont mean to be, but children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can be trouble in the classroom. Their disorder causes them to be occasionally disruptive and often forgetful -- but there are ways to help:

If possible, seat the child with ADHD in the front of the classroom to minimize distractions. Consider playing soothing music during test or classwork time. It can sometimes help a child to tune out distractions if there is some type of music. (Source: ADHD Central)

Keeping class time structured will help as well, along with clear and concise classroom rules. Simple instructions will be easier for ADHD students to follow, and clear expectations will help them understand how to behave.

Labels: students, Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder, classrooms

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Two Keystone (Lagrange, OH) High School students have been suspended for supposedly buying Adderall from fellow students, the latest in a series of suspensions resulting from the illicit distribution of these drugs.

"The teens received the same punishment as three girls who were accused of selling the drug generally used to treat attention-deficit and hyperactivity to other students earlier this month."

Another student was also suspended for buying the drug. The suspensions will likely lead to expulsions, and the school's assistant principal says his investigation is ongoing. Source: Chronicle-Telegram (OH)

Labels: medications, students, drugs

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Emily was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder when she was in high school. She remembers "spacing out" in class and not knowing how to answer when the teacher called her name. Because she didn't like the way ADD medication made her feel, Emily and her family tried something different - an ADD coach.

"'With Emily, what I worked on a lot was planning for homework assignments,' [Kara] Goobic says. She taught Emily how to handle a syllabus by putting deadlines for papers on her calendar, and by helping her break big projects down into smaller chunks."

Her coach also helped her create a college schedule that took her ADD into account. So far, it's working: Emily completed her freshman year of college with a 3.4 grade average. Source: NPR

Labels: students, success, coaching

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A study of teachers in the United Kingdom found that nearly two-thirds struggle to understand and manage Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in their students. Few have been adequately trained.

"Unfortunately, only 35 percent of teachers had received any training in understanding or managing ADHD behavior. This is despite teachers playing a vital role in helping to diagnose and manage ADHD."

One positive is that teachers who had received training often partnered well with parents, suggesting that more training could easily improve the learning environment for students with ADHD. Source: Psych Central

Labels: students, teachers, classrooms

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Sheila Eyberg is a researcher at the University of Florida who is co-authoring a study about a behavioral treatment for children with ADHD. Her team has been awarded a $2.9 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Now they just need families to participate.

"The UF treatment program will use Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a step-by-step, live-coached behavioral parent training model developed by Eyberg and used in clinics across the country. Along with co-investigators Stephen Boggs and Dr. Regina Bussing, Eyberg and the UF team will offer the therapy to more than 120 families with children with ADHD in the Gainesville area."

Families interested in participating should have at least one child between the ages of 4 and 6 that is diagnosed with ADHD or suspected of having ADHD. An assessment will be conducted by the studies investigators to determine which families are eligible to participate. Read more at Gainesville.com.

Worried about the public school your child attends and if it's set up for your child who has a non verbal learning disorder? Cedars Academy and New Leaf Academy are geared for boys and girls with non verbal learning disorders. Both schools can also cater to children with Aspergers Syndrome and ADHD.

Labels: students, Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder, studies

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This unusual title conveys the most basic feeling that many young people have who are diagnosed with ADHD. The book was written by Lisa-Ann Ray-Byers, and follows the main character - Nicholas - who's been diagnosed with ADHD.

"Ray-Byers, a speech-language pathologist, wrote the book to inspire empathy in parents, teachers, administrators, and even psychological and neurological specialists. She also strived to demonstrate the thoughts and feelings behind many of the behaviors exhibited by children who have ADHD and to put into words what most young children can not."

Ray-Byers not only has a son with ADHD, but was diagnosed with ADHD herself when she was a child. Most of the book's content is drawn from her and her son's own experiences. Read more online.

Some of the best boaridng schools can help children with ADHD in ways that public schools can't. Find the best boarding schools at BoardingSchoolsInfo.com.

Labels: students, teachers, empathy

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The National Hsinchu University of Education in Taiwan recently conducted a survey to see if ADHD students were getting the help they needed. As it turns out, they’re not.

There were 510 suspected cases or confirmed ADHD cases among 25,180 students in 40 elementary schools around the country, and fewer than half of the confirmed ADHD cases were provided with special education. ...

The low ratio of students receiving special education is mostly caused by the limited number of special education classes being provided. [Source: Central News Agency]

While the laws in Taiwan may be different, in the United States, a child who’s diagnosed with ADHD has the legal right to a specialized education plan. Teachers and school administrators are required to help develop a plan that will take the student’s ADHD into consideration, and provide the best possible learning environment.

Labels: students, assets

Posted By: 4ADHD.com 1 Comment

Christopher Durgan was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when he was 5 years old. Most of his school career was peppered with trouble. Clashes with classmates and teachers caused him to feel isolated. He was also suspended several times.

Now, he is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society. He just completed the two-year electronic engineering technology program at the Charles H. Bohlen Jr. Technical Center, Watertown. And next week he will compete in the computer maintenance technology contest at the SkillsUSA National Leadership Conference in Kansas City, Mo. [Source: Watertown (NY) Daily Times]

His turn-around happened during his sophomore year of high school. He learned how to control his anger, and also discovered that he could change things about his life that he didn’t like. At the same time, he developed a strong interest in electronics. In electronics classes, he met fellow students who shared his interest and helped build his self-confidence. He is now excitedly looking forwarding to starting college in the fall.

 

Labels: students, schools

Posted By: 4ADHD.com 1 Comment

Parents are sometimes hesitant to have their children evaluated for what look like ADHD symptoms. Kids don’t want the label, out of concern that they’ll be picked on at school.

But those fears may be fading:

“According to a survey quoted on the Consumer Reports Health Blog, parents are no longer embarrassed to admit their children take Ritalin and the like.” [Source: About.com]

Unfortunately, some students actually want to be diagnosed with ADHD because it gives them additional time for exams and other special treatment at school. Despite the selfish reasons that non-ADHD students may want to be diagnosed, the decreased stigma around ADHD is good for those kids who actually have it.
 

Labels: students, parenting, diagnosis

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) puts a teenager at risk for dropping out of high school or taking longer to graduate, compared to students with bipolar, panic, or other mental disorders, according to a new study from the University of California at Davis school of Medicine.

• Researchers went through data collected on 43,000 participants over age 18 years old from the US Census Bureau about the age of the onset of their diagnosis, their substance abuse, and high school graduation.
• The participants who suffered from ADHD had the highest dropout rate at 28.6%.
• Students with mania or panic disorders at rates of 26.6% and 24.9% respectively.
• Students with other psychiatric disorders had dropout rates in the high teens to low 20-percent ranges.

"Most people think that the student who is acting out, who is lying and stealing, is most likely to drop out of school," said senior author Julie Schweitzer. "We found that students with the most common type of ADHD have a higher likelihood of dropping out, and students with disciplinary problems."

Almost ten percent of all boys and six percent of girls have ADHD.

This study appears in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
 

Labels: students, schools, academics, dropout

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

For many students with ADHD, one of the biggest challenges in school is the struggle to stay focused. Their minds wander, they get anxious, and they have a hard time paying attention. Many of them fidget, which is seen as a symptom of the ADHD. But fidgeting and doodling may actually help some kids focus.

The theory is that nobody can focus 100% of their working memory and attention to a single task, there is always a little bit of floating attention keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings. …

Researchers have found that one way that ADHD children cope with these distractions is to unconsciously give their floating attention a nice mindless task, like fidgeting, swinging and fiddling. [Source: LifeHacker]

So, rather than insisting that your child sit still and “stay focused,” take time to observe his behavior. You might find that his idle doodling is actually beneficial.

Labels: students, focus, attention

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Alex Regenold was handling school pretty well until he entered fifth grade. Then, the increased homework and papers became too much for him to keep track of, and his ADD made matters worse. His parents tried a handful of organizational programs but nothing worked, so they made one of their own.

The system they invented (patent pending) is smart in its simplicity. Pockets labeled ‘Turn In’ and ‘To Do’ sandwich a color-coded assignment notebook.

A student assigns sticker labels with a class name, in chronological order of their classes, to each of the colors. Handouts (but not homework) from the classes go into corresponding file folders of that color.

Everything fits neatly in a briefcase-shaped bag that’s big enough to tote a few books, but that doesn’t become a bottomless pit of forgotten stuff. [Source: Des Moines Register]

The first semester he used the system, Alex’s grades went from Ds to Bs and As, and his parents were getting requests for their organizational system from parents and teachers. His parents started mass producing the system, tentatively called School PLANit, in 2009.

Labels: students, schools, organization

Posted By: CRC Health Group 1 Comment

A study published in the current issue of the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health appears to prove the efficacy of an after-school program for students with ADHD.

The [study] consisted of a 12-week multi-modal program delivered through 60-minute sessions, three times per week. The sessions included sensory stimulation, motor training, aerobic strength and conditioning, and academic training…

Of the children examined… 81% of their parents said the children no longer demonstrated ADD/ADHD behaviors. [Source: South Mississippi Sun-Herald]

Documented improvements were made in several academic areas, including reading, mathematics and writing. The program runs for 12-weeks, and was developed by Dr. Robert Melillo. It integrates cognitive and physical activities, while also making changes to the child’s diet. No large-scale roll-out of the program is planned at this time.

 

Labels: students, schools, academics

Posted By: 4ADHD.com 1 Comment

Whether you homeschool or send your kids out of the house to get their education, organization is key for students with ADD/ADHD. A new trend that is designed to promote organization among autistic homeschooled children can help.

The trend is called Workboxing… The reason the workbox system can work for students with [ADHD] is because each drawer gives the child a clear beginning and end to the task. They open the drawer and remove the assignment, complete it, and move it to another drawer or basket.

Or they can put it back in the same drawer and close the drawer again. They must complete that task before moving on to the next task in the next drawer. [Source: Fort Wayne Homeschooling Examiner]

The benefit of this method is that is keeps the student focused on just one task. Rather than having all his books, notebooks and paperwork out simultaneously, only one assignment is visible at a time. It also keeps ADD/ADHD kids from getting distracted while digging through messy backpacks looking for homework.

 

Labels: autism, students, organization

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment

According to a Nov. 12 press release, researchers with Wayne State University have revealed that a type of coaching developed by the Edge Foundation has proved effective at helping college students with ADHD learn and succeed during their university years.

[The study results] demonstrate the effectiveness of a new model of coaching, developed exclusively for and used by the Edge Foundation, to help college students with ADHD improve executive functioning, which is their ability to organize, set and achieve goals, and self regulate -- all critical for a successful post secondary education.

Additionally, students who participated in the study felt that coaching helped them feel less stress, greater empowerment, increased confidence and have more balanced lives.

With greater numbers of students being diagnosed with ADHD at various ages, many colleges and universities are adapting their student support services to ensure that students with ADHD are given the opimal opportunity to succeed.

Labels: students, college

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