ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents

By Dr. Kristine Marbell-Pierre, Clinical Psychologist

Before reading this, it is important to remember that ADHD is not correlated with intelligence. Some children with ADHD are highly capable. In fact, there are many successful individuals like Bill Gates, Trevor Noah and Simon Biles, who have an ADHD diagnosis.

Children and adolescents with ADHD do however have trouble staying focused for prolonged periods and may quickly become distracted and unmotivated in a typical classroom setting. For instance, they are more likely to zone in and out during conversations and lessons, and also more likely to daydream. They may be forgetful in daily activities, lose their materials often (e.g. pencils, water bottle, books), have challenges with organization, forgetfulness, and distractions. Struggles with planning or completing tasks is common, as are challenges with time management because they often misjudge how long it takes to do something/ go somewhere. They may also have trouble getting started on tasks (task-initiation) or trouble transitioning from one activity to the other (shifting), and may be unable to get things done unless there is structure provided. They may also have a tendency to lose interest in new hobbies they recently seemed excited about, and have a hard time keeping track of several things at once.

Some, but not all individuals with ADHD are also hyperactive. This means that they will have difficulty sitting still and will fidget frequently, they may seem more restless than others and will find reasons to leave their desk or the class to move around (often finding an excuse to go to the washroom). They may seem excessively loud, always on the go, running, talking excessively, have difficulty waiting their turn, and often seem to act before they think (impulsive).

Individuals with ADHD often end up with low self-esteem and with trouble in social relationships due to these challenges.

Cause: ADHD is a developmental disorder caused by a delay in the development of the prefrontal cortex. This is genetic i.e. runs in families and there is a higher likelihood (50% more chance) if one parent has it. It is also more likely to occur if a child was born before full term i.e. born before 38 weeks, if the mother was exposed to substances such as toxins or drugs, or if the child has excessive screen time.

Recommendations for Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity in the Classroom

1. Strategic seating in the classroom is key: near the teacher, away from distracting areas such as the doorway, and next to a positive peer influence.
2. Teachers can break up sitting time by giving the student responsibilities in the classroom e.g. wiping board, handing out papers, running errands such as picking up handouts from the office. It is helpful to break apart assignments into a list of smaller manageable tasks with breaks in between as well. They are more likely to have the stamina to complete all assigned work in this way.
3. Using a stopwatch or timer system to ensure completion of work, and to ‘game-ify’ tasks can help with motivation.
4. In cases where the child becomes highly disruptive, a team meeting with relevant teachers, parents, and the psychologist is highly recommended to discuss interventions at school and a behaviour plan with effective consequences and rewards.
5. In moderate to severe cases of ADHD, parents are advised to consider medication to help with executive functioning. Contact the Mission Pediatrics front desk and book an appointment for an assessment and/ or a medical consult if you suspect you or your child may have ADHD.