ADHD Topic Categories
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Accommodations /Modifications
ADHD-Building academic success:If human potential were determined at birth, we would have little need for schools. However, we know that environment plays a powerful role in individual growth. We create schools to develop that potential and broaden opportunity. Yet many children labeled at-risk--including those disabled by Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)--fail to thrive, or even survive, in current school environments-Read more.
Workplace accommodations: ADD/ADHD is covered under the Americans With Disabilities Act and individuals with ADD/ADHD can be entitled to certain accommodations at work based on their needs.
Accommodation rights: What Rights Does a Child Have? Accomodations in the Classroom
Adaptations & accommodations for students with disabilities: For many students with disabilities—and for many without—the key to success in the classroom lies in having appropriate adaptations, accommodations, and modifications made to the instruction and other classroom activities-Read more...
Presenting your lessons to children with attention deficit/hyperactive disorder: a list of suggestions in presenting your lessons to children with ADD or ADHD the special education classroom.
Classroom Modifications for Students with ADD/ADHD: Several practical tips on accommodations and modifications in the classroom for students with ADHD
Adults with ADHD
Adults with AD/HD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood neuropsychiatric disorder affecting 3-10% of children that often remains unrecognized or "hidden" in adulthood.
ADHD News-Information on the research and treatment of ADD with emphasis on special education, behavior issues and advocacy. Includes free monthly newsletter and discussion groups.
General characteristics of the adult with ADD : Please keep in mind that this is a generalized overview of how characteristics and symptoms of ADD/ADHD may present themselves in Adults.
Symptom checklist : In conjunction with other diagnostic techniques, Dr Amen says he, "uses the following general adult ADD checklist to help further define ADD symptoms. No ADD adult has all of the symptoms, but if you notice a strong presence of more than 20 of these symptoms, there is a strong likelihood of ADD. Read more.
50 Tips on the management of adult ADD: This article breaks down the treatment of ADD into five basic areas: Diagnosis, Education, Structure, support, and coaching, Various forms of psychotherapy and Medication.
Article on how ADHD can affect adults: About 5% of school-age children have ADHD, but this is a chronic condition, it doesn't go away, and what we see is that as many as two-thirds of children with ADHD will become adults with ADHD. Read more.
When adults have ADHD: There is a lot of information in the news about ADHD. Usually the news is about ADHD in children. Not as much is known about the way ADHD affects adults. ADHD is a mental health problem that is often overlooked in adults. Often adults with ADHD are diagnosed when they find out their children have ADHD. This is a health problem that may be inherited.
Adults with AD/HD: Diagnosis, Coping and Mastery: Although it was known that children with AD/HD were more likely to have difficulties in adulthood, clinicians usually diagnosed and treated these as other conditions. During the past two decades, we have recognized attention deficit disorder in older adolescents and adults.
Other conditions associated with adult ADHD: Adults have lived longer than children, and thus have had more time to develop other psychiatric disorders. In children with AD/HD, the existence of a comorbid condition is correlated with greater likelihood that the symptoms will persist into adulthood.
How adult ADHD may affect marriage and parenting: AD/HD can affect many areas of one’s life. This is particularly true when the adult marries and has children.
Diagnosing ADHD/ADD in adults: For years, health professionals believed the signs and symptoms of ADHD vanished by the time a child became a teenager, with no long-lasting effects. Now they know that as many as two out of three children will continue to battle the disorder into adulthood.
Treatment in adults: ADHD is treated similar in adults as it is with children. The most effective treatment found is to be a combination of stimulant medication and behavior modification.
What is ADD Coaching? ADD coaching is an ongoing partnership that helps individuals with ADD improve their quality of live by deepening their learning, improving their performance, and increasing their understanding of ADHD.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults: Adults diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to have a different pattern of symptoms than do children with the disorder, according to a study from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).
Strategies for success: Many adults with ADHD have learned to compensate for their deficits by developing effective coping strategies and finding jobs that match their needs. For those adults who are not aware that they have ADHD, the knowledge and awareness of their disorder can help them learn to work around their difficulties and enjoy a more happy, productive, and satisfying life.
ADDitide- The healthy happy lifestyle magazine for people with ADD.
ADDmirableWomen-An online community for women with ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Information, resources, advice, and support.
Women and ADD-ADDvance is the only site on the web designed as a resource site for women and girls with ADHD, providing articles, information on women's ADHD support groups across the country, and a comprehensive list of books, tapes and videos.
Advocacy
- Special education advocacy :This page has links to dozens of articles, free books and newsletters and other resources on special education advocacy.
- Advocacy articles : Successful advocacy depends on having accurate information and knowing how to use it. There are four sections in the Advocacy Library: Advocacy Articles, FAQs: Letters to Wrightslaw
Newsletter Archives and Advocacy Tips. - Advocacy article with general information : contains stories, articles, information and links on special education advocacy. A good article for parents.
- ADHD On-line Community-ADHD.com offers information and support on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. There are forums, articles of interest, editorials, links, and submission areas.
Assessment
- Assessing adolescents and adults :policy statement from Office of Disability Policy-Educational Testing Services. Good site to determine standards for extended time on SAT tests.
- Assessing ADHD in schools:This dynamic program demonstrates an innovative model for assessing ADHD in the schools.
- General article including assessment : overview including assessment of children with ADHD.
- Key components in assessment : Although some people seem to think that you can just tell from watching a child, arriving at such a conclusion requires a formal evaluation. Unfortunately, there are many different ways to assess AD/HD, and some assessment approaches are clearly more accurate and more cost-effective than others.
- Assessment products for ADHD checklists, surveys, and rating scales for children with ADHD.
Audio/Video Tapes
- Variety of tapes for the classroom: A variety of audiotapes for the handling ADHD in the classroom: Tapes on distraction management, relaxation techniques etc.
- Variety of tapes for parents and professionals: A variety of audiotapes for parents and professionals on managemnet of ADHD
- ADHD in adults: This instructive program on VHS integrates information about ADHD with actual experiences of adults from a range of professions: from a lawyer to a mother who works in her home. It illustrates the real impact ADHD has on affected adults.
- For parents and professionals: a variety of audiotapes to help parents manage their children with ADHD at home.
Assistive Technology
- What is assistive technology : The use of assistive technology can empower a youngster with developmental delays to actively participate in the same situations in which his or her non disabled peers or siblings partake...
- Assistive technology and the IEP: One of the changes in the IEP requires that in developing an IEP for a student, the IEP team “consider” the student’s need for assistive technology.
- Tools for living with learning disabilities: Tools help people work around their learning disabilities.
Books and Publications
Learning Disabilities: Theories, Diagnosis, and Teaching Strategies - A comprehensive overview of this complex subject covering theoretical approaches within the field, procedures for assessing and evaluating students, skills in the art of clinical teaching, teaching methods and strategies, and requirements of special education laws. Also offers balanced coverage of both theories and teaching strategies with cases.
Overcoming Dyslexia - Yale neuroscientist Shaywitz demystifies the roots of dyslexia (a neurologically based reading difficulty affecting one in five children) and offers parents and educators hope that children with reading problems can be helped.
Learning Disabilities: A to Z - Corinne Smith, director of Syracuse University's Psychoeducational Teaching Laboratory, and Lisa Strick, a freelance writer, focus on honing the child's strength rather than dwelling on weaknesses. They offer useful strategies for working with children and provide resources to meet teachers' and parents' needs. Perhaps most important, they present several actual case studies and share valuable insights regarding these children and their parents.
Complete Learning Disabilities Handbook - Written by a master teacher with over 30 years of experience in both mainstreamed and special classes, the Handbook covers virtually every aspect of working with students with learning disabilities, from causes and assessment to classroom management and lesson planning.
The Myth of Laziness - Mel Levine isolates a group of kids--so-called "lazy" children who aren’t working up to their potential in school--and explores the causes of their low performance. Levine scoffs at the perception that any child is lazy, stating that "everybody yearns to be productive." These children, according to Levine, are simply experiencing "output failure" due to different neuro-developmental weaknesses.
Peterson’s Colleges with Programs with Learning Disabilities or AD/HD - Lists over 1,000 2 and 4 year colleges that welcome students with learning disabilities. Includes schools that offer services and comprehensive programs. CD-ROM and quick-reference chart provided.
Journal of Learning Disabilities Magazine Subscription - Articles on practice, research, and theory related to learning disabilities.
Nonverbal Learning Disabilities - Text of practical suggestions and ideas for methods that can be utilized to meet the challenges of educating the child with Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD). For teachers and parents.
Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviors - The Building Blocks model is practical, supported by research, and easy to implement. It identifies ten areas important to school success (the building blocks).
Differentiating Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities - Classroom-proven, up-to-date strategies that empower the teacher to target instructional modifications to the content, process, and products for students with learning disabilities in the general and the special education classroom.
Understanding Learning Disabilities : A Parent’s Guide and Workbook - A workbook in which parents can use worksheets and templates to do things like keep schedules, record observations, track phone calls, plan for meetings with teachers or specialists, and record test scores and teacher comments.
Learning Disabilities and Life Stories - This anthology is comprised of two major components: thirteen full-length, autobiographical essays written by persons with learning disabilities and five analytical chapters written by education and psychology scholars.
Pathways to Success: College Students with Learning Disabilities - A practical roadmap to college success.
Guilford publications on ADHD - In the academic sphere, Guilford is known for major handbooks and texts in clinical, developmental, and social and personality psychology.
A variety of books from ADHDNews.com - ADHDNews.com's selection of books on ADHD
A variety of books from The ADD Clinic - The ADD Clinic's selection of books on ADHD
Books for parents - A broad selection of books on ADHD that we would recommend for parents
Learning Disabilities: Theories, Diagnosis, and Teaching Strategies - A comprehensive overview of this complex subject covering theoretical approaches within the field, procedures for assessing and evaluating students, skills in the art of clinical teaching, teaching methods and strategies, and requirements of special education laws. Also offers balanced coverage of both theories and teaching strategies with cases.
Other books on ADHD - A collection of 20 favorite ADD and ADHD related books.
Causes
- General article including causes: A good overview article on ADHD including causes, assessment and treatment.
- The neurology of ADHD: The most recent models describing what is happening in the brains of people with Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD ADHD - suggest that several areas of the brain may be affected by the disorders.
- Causes of ADHD: These pages provide information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD/ADD including diagnosis, treatment, classroom management, parent education, behavior modification, communication and family relationships.
- What causes ADHD:Health professionals stress that since no one knows what causes ADHD, it doesn't help parents to look backward to search for possible reasons. There are too many possibilities to pin down the cause with certainty. It is far more important for the family to move forward in finding ways to get the right help.
- Genetic and Familial factors: Boys are four to nine times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-booklet:Over the last few decades, scientists have come up with possible theories about what causes ADHD. Some of these theories have led to dead ends, some to exciting new avenues of investigation.
Characteristics
- Symptoms: Symptoms are always present before the age of seven, but sometimes continue into adolescence. ADHD is seen more commonly in boys. Symptoms often become less severe in late teenage and in early adulthood, although it seems that people do not 'outgrow' ADHD, but learn to master strategies to compensate for the symptoms.
- Cinical characteristics: Because adults are more socialized than children, and because some ADD/ADHD behaviors such as hyperactivity are less intense in adulthood, the clinical presentation of ADD/ADHD varies with age.
- Basic characteristics: The three main characteristics of ADD are...
- List of ADHD characteristics: ADD/ADHD manifests itself in many ways and may vary with the individual. Common symptoms may include, but are not limited to...
Classification
- ADD vs. ADHD: It used to be called Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD. What are the differences?
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Temperament: Like many others, a need exixted to know whether there is a relationship between ADD and MBTI temperament type. What is found was no quick and easy "that type's ADD!", but rather a more complex set of relationships.
- Which type of Attention Deficit Diorder are You? Most medical professionals treat ADD in cookie-cutter fashion, even though research is clear that there are many variations of Attention Deficit Disorder and different methods for treating each type of Attention Deficit Disorder. With many different types of Attention Deficit Disorder that require different treatment protocols, this "one medication fits all" approach often fails.
- Different types or styles of ADHD:Research literature, recent books, and common sense, all point to the fact that there are different types, or styles, of ADHD. In the past we referred to Attention Deficit Disorder: Inattentive Type, or Impulsive/Hyperactive Type, or a Combined Type. Today the diagnostic differences are a bit less clear, but the reality doesn't change
Classroom Management
- ADHD Owner's Manual-This site, created by a medical doctor, includes information on educational and behavioral interventions, medication, and tips for professionals.
- Increasing compliance-elementary level : list of tips for professionals on working with children with ADHD in the classroom.
- Educational implications of ADD/ADHD: The four fundamental intervention areas of their model are environmental management, instructional accommodations, student-regulated strategies and medical management, which are briefly covered in the paragraphs
- Using worksheets and other tips-elementary level: helpful classroom list for professionals in the classroom with students with ADHD.
- Checklist of activities for professionals: checklist of suggestions and activities to keep children with ADHD focused and on task in the classroom.
- Improving consistency of performance-elementary level: a variety of methods to use with children with ADHD to increase performance in the classroom.
- Teaching children with ADHD:ADD is a chronic disorder that can begin in infancy and extend through adulthood, having negative effects on a child's life at home, school, and within the community. It is conservatively estimated that 3 to 5% of our school- age population is affected by ADD.
- Increasing time on-task behavior-elementary level : a list of techniques and suggestions to increase on time behavior for children with ADHD.
- Presenting your lesson to students with ADHD-elementary level: consider the various means of presentation of materials when working with students with ADHD.
- Helping adolescents get homework done-suggestions for parents: Most adolescents with ADHD have difficulties with homework because of their short attention spans, natural restlessness, and impulsivity. Parents need to collaborate with their teenagers to develop an effective homework structure.
- Tips for your students transitioning to college:The transition from high school to college can be difficult for students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (AD/HD). However, with appropriate foresight and planning, it can be managed successfully.
- Introduction into ADD Coaching: AD/HD coaching has been defined as follows: "AD/HD coaching is an ongoing relationship which focuses on the client taking action toward the realization of their vision, goals or desires. AD/HD coaching uses a process of inquiry to discover ways in which a client can maximize strengths and talents, function optimally with a disability, and be responsible and accountable for actions or lack of action.
- Impulsive behavior-adolescents with ADHD : a list of classroom management techniques for dealing with impulsive behaviors in the classroom.
- Improving social skills-elementary level: a list of helpful activities and suggestions for dealing with social difficulties that may be exhibited by students with ADHD and improving social interaction skills.
- Organizing your students with ADHD-elementary level : a list of very worthwhile suggestions and techniques for helping children with ADHD get organized.
- Classroom management : These pages provide information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD/ADD including diagnosis, treatment, classroom management, parent education, behavior modification, communication and family relationships.
- Teaching children with ADHD: good overview of classroom suggestions and techniques for working with children with ADHD.
- Behavioral charts and forms-elementary level: charts and forms used to monitor and chart behavior for children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder.
- Impulsive behavior-elementary level: a list of classroom management techniques for dealing with impulsive behaviors in the classroom-elementary students.
- Setting up your classroom for students with ADHD-elementary level : a list of practical suggestions and techniques for setting up a classroom for students with attention deficit hyperactive disorder on the elementary level.
- Room setup for adolescents with ADHD: a list of practical suggestions and techniques for setting up a classroom for students with attention deficit hyperactive disorder on the secondary level.
- Presenting lessons to adolescents with ADHD: consider the various means of presentation of materials when working with secondary level students with ADHD.
- Organizing adolescents with ADHD: a list of very worthwhile suggestions and techniques for helping secondary level students with ADHD get organized.
- Using worksheets and giving tests to adolescents with ADHD: Usability" is the design buzzword for the 21st Century. Just as web designers strive to make web sites fast, easy to navigate, and more user-friendly, professionals should strive to make their worksheets easy to understand, easy to navigate, and user friendly
- Increasing on task performance with adolescents with ADHD: a list of techniques and suggestions to increase on time behavior for secondary level students with ADHD.
- Suggested Classroom Interventions For Children With ADD & Learning Disabilities: Children with attention deficit disorder and/or learning disabilities can be a challenge for any classroom professional. This page provides some practical suggestions that can be used in the regular classroom as well as the special education classroom. By looking through a given list of interventions, a professional will be able to select one or more strategies that are suited to a specific child in a specific environment.
- The Really Big List Of Classroom Management Resources: There are classroom management techniques tailored to elementary and secondary education, discipline ideas for new and experienced professionals, tips for handling special education, suggestions for getting organized, strategies for preventing behavior problems, sample classroom rules, ways of creating a caring community, and information on new products and services.
Definition
- Brief definition of ADHD: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is generally first diagnosed during the primary school years. Symptoms are always present before the age of seven, but sometimes continue into adolescence.
- Definition and symptoms: According to the 1994, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Ed. IV, (DSM-IV) ADHD is a Disruptive Behavior Disorder characterized by the presence of a set of chronic and impairing behavior patterns that display abnormal levels of inattention, hyperactivity, or their combination.
- DSM definition: this site provides the definition of ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
Diagnosis
- Diagnosing ADD and ADHD: Everyone in a private practice setting who works with ADD ADHD children or adults is going to have their own opinion on how Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADD or ADHD - should be diagnosed.
- General article including diagnosis: AD/HD is one of the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorders of childhood. The disorder is estimated to affect between 3 to 7 out of every 100 school-aged children [American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2000]. This makes AD/HD a major health concern.
- Diagnosis: contains many aspects of ADHD. Look for area "Diagnosis"
Frequently Asked Questions
History of the Field
- History and genetics of ADHD : The first clinical description of ADHD was reported in the British journal, Lancet, by Dr. George Still in 1902. Dr. Still was a British physician treating children who noticed some of his patients were disinhibited and impulsive.
- Timeline of the history of ADHD: a timeline explanation of the development of terminology and medications for ADHD over the years.
Incidence
Study on incidence : Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has become a common diagnosis among American children, but the true incidence of the condition remains in dispute.
Medical Issues/Medications
New Drugs used for adults with ADHD - An overview of medications for adults with ADHD
ADHD Medications - Benefits and risks: Because ADHD is such a complex topic, Helpguide has divided its discussion into several parts. This section focuses on the controversial subject of Medications for ADHD, beginning with a very brief overview of the condition.
Update on ADHD medications - Consumer-level information on ADHD medications
Myhs about ADD/ADHD - These myths - and factual responses - have been collected from rebuttals to recent media articles about ADD/ADHD.
Parent information on medications - Addresses parental fears and concerns regarding ADHD medications
Lists of all medications - A great source list of all medications used to treat ADHD with links to detailed information for each
Long term outlook - Long term outlook for children with ADHD in general
Dramatic rise sparks controversy - Discussion on a rise in childhood ADHD and its treatment with psychotropic medication
Standards for using medication - Reflecting on the standards for using medications to treat children with ADHD
Controversial treatments - Evaluations that consist of a single checklist or ten minute discussions, will likely run the risk of mis-diagnosis of the disorder or in fact a misunderstanding of co- occurring problems that often present for children with ADHD.
Rethinking the care and treatment for ADHD - As they consider the situation, behavioral scientists are beginning to realize that the childhood disorder defined as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) does not, in fact, represent faulty attention, but rather a problem of modulation and self-regulation (self-discipline).
Is medication the best treatment? - Research has found that the best treatment for ADHD continues to be stimulant medication along with psychosocial intervention.
Placebo effects - A study shows some kids with ADHD may do just as well with half as much medicine when a placebo is added to their treatment.
Psychostimulants - Editorial on the use of psychostimulants--particularly Ritalin--to treat ADHD
Treatment in adults - Brief description of the treatment of ADHD in adults
General overview treatment options - A general but thorough overview of ADHD and treatment options and methodologies
Treatment options - Overview of treatment options for ADHD/ADD
Treatment plans - Recommended steps in treatment of planning for ADHD/ADD
General article including treatment - A general overview of ADHD including treatment
Diet options - Recent research shows that nourishing food not only makes a child healthier, it makes him emotionally more stable, and it improves school performance.
From assessment to treatment - How parents can develop a comprehensive plan to help a child with ADHD
Behavioral treatment - a general overview of a behavioral approach to improving children's behavior.
ADD and vision - Articles by optometrists and educators on attention deficits and vision.
Organizations
- Organizations alphabetical list: ADD links by category. Hundreds of worthwhile sites.
Overview and General Information
- General overview-1: School counselors are often consultants for parents and professionals on problems that children and adolescents face. Attention deficit is one such problem.
- General overview-2: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that occurs in academic, occupational, or social settings.
- General overview-3: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is usually first diagnosed in children and adolescents. It is characterized by inappropriate degrees of inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity. Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are typically:
- Schwab Learning: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects an estimated 3-7 percent of the school age population.
- National Institute of Mental Health: a very good overview but the site needs to be explored for the starting point. Scroll down for table of contents on ADHD.
- ADD search engine-ADD Resource is a search engine and directory for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities.
Parent Information
An overview for parents: Early identification and proper treatment dramatically reduces the family, educational, behavioral, and psychological problems experienced by individuals with ADHD.
Home-school collaboration: Collaboration and communication between home and school facilitate successful education for all students. For students with ADHD, it is essential to have effective parent-professional communication, collaboration and consistency on goals and rewards across settings, and collaborative planning and monitoring of interventions.
ADHD support for parents-Informational site for parents, educators, and doctors regarding all facets of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Questions to ask when selecting a professional to assess or treat ADHD: a series of very importnat questions for parents to ask any professional involved in the treatment or education of a child with ADHD.
Talking to children about their ADHD: Parents who raise children with attention and learning problems, and professionals who teach them, often benefit from a wealth of information about these subjects. They have become active consumers: reading current research, seeking out new books and articles, attending lectures given by experts in the field. However, a significant omission is often made. They sometimes neglect to pass on what they know to those who need it most: the children.
How do I have my child evaluated for AD/HD: When your child is experiencing difficulties that suggest that he or she may have AD/HD, you as a parent can take one of two basic paths to evaluation.
Back to school: The start of school may be a very difficult time for students who suffer from attention problems, overactivity, or both. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a fairly common disorder in school age children. This disorder makes it difficult for students to attend during class, remain still, and inhibit their impulses.
Prevalence
- When ADHD runs in families: The familial nature of ADHD isn't uncommon. With increasing frequency, child and adult psychologists and psychiatrists are encountering families with multiple ADHD cases.
- Prevalence and assessment : from the American Academy of Pediatrics, this research article covers the prevalence and assessment of attention deficit hyperactive disorder.