Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that has been brought to the public attention in recent years; especially with regard to child and student development. A hyperactive student is one who is over-active and displays significant inattention and impulsiveness. The result is chaotic and disorganized behavior, which if severe enough may adversely affect normal development as well as impact on the process of learning. Furthermore, as the child grows up, anti-social conduct can lead to behavioral problems that may affect school performance and the learning process.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), "ADHD affects 3-5% of children in the United States." (Waldman, I.D. et al. 1998) There is also statistical evidence to support the theory that the incidence of ADHD is in fact increasing in certain areas. "The percentage of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) rose the most, jumping from 1.5% to 9.2%." (McCarthy, Kelly 2000) While it is estimated that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects an estimated 7.5% of school-children, yet many do not receive optimal attention during school hours for their condition.

Educators are instrumental in managing a child with ADHD, but most teachers are faced with the task of teaching a room full of children, all with different learning styles and special needs. (Long, 2003, p. 2) "Attention deficit disorder...is one of the most frequent reasons children are referred for evaluation." (Maynard, Tyler & Arnold, 1999, p. 183) This paper will attempt to show students with ADHD generally face greater learning problems and subsequent development problems than those students who do not have ADHD.

In order to understand this fact it is firstly important to present a brief overview of the nature of this disorder. Definition of ADHD ADHD is a condition which often includes symptoms such as, poor academic performance, difficulty completing tasks and distraction. Children suffering from ADHD are also inclined to interrupt others. "ADHD is also characterized by multiple symptoms of persistent and dysfunctional patterns of over-activity, impulsiveness, inattention, and distractibility." (Behavior Disorders, 2003).

ADHD was formerly known as hyperkinesis which is a "...minimal brain dysfunction, a chronic, neurologically-based syndrome characterized by any or all of three types of behavior: hyperactivity, distractibility, and impulsivity." (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, 2004) The term 'hyperactvity' refers to"..

feelings of restlessness, fidgeting, or inappropriate activity (running, wandering) when one is expected to be quiet; distractibility to heightened distraction by irrelevant sights and sounds or carelessness and inability to carry simple tasks to completion; and impulsivity to socially inappropriate speech." (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, 2004) There are also certain characteristics that are specific to ADHD. These include the fact that ADHD does not change of fluctuate with emotional states.

Furthermore and most importantly for this thesis of this paper, ADHD can be "...excessive, long-term, and pervasive and create difficulties in school, at home, or at work." (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, 2004) Numerous studies mention that this condition can, and very often does, lead to various learning disabilities. The causes of this disorder are not yet fully understood. It is conjectured that there is a genetic component involved.

What has been clinically established is that "...people with ADHD have less activity in areas of the brain that control attention." (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, 2004) The above brief overview clearly suggests that the ADHD student will more prone to learning difficulties than the student who does not have this disorder. 3. Symptoms diagnosis of ADHD is dependent on information obtained from various sources, including parents, physicians, and teachers.

Attention deficit is suspected if the child is easily distracted, unable to follow more than one instruction at a time or does not listen when spoken to directly. The child may be considered hyperactive if he or she has trouble participating in 'quiet' activities such as reading, talks excessively or runs and climbs in inappropriate situations. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Furthermore, a student with ADHD may also experience sleep problems, experience specific learning problems and fail to meet age-appropriate intellectual developmental milestones.

Although these conditions affect mainly boys, girls also can be affected. "It often leaves children and teenagers 'stigmatized' and undervalued. Parents often are left to cope, whilst their child struggles and is often misunderstood." (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 1) 4. ADHD and learning problems The link been ADHD and leaning disorder and problems is well documented in medical and education literature. For example, studies have found that, "Many students with ADD / ADHD experience difficulties with learning and academic performance. (Shimabukuro, Prater, Jenkins & Edelen-Smith, 1999, p.

397) An important study by Wender (2000) states that "ADHD often occurs with other disorders. The most common ones are learning disorders and behavioral disorders, such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder." (Wender, 2000, p. 6) There is also evidence in the research of a correspondence between attention deficit disorder and learning disability. "In addition to significant inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, primary characteristics manifested in children diagnosed as ADD include "learning disorder" and "academic underachiever." (Maynard, Tyler & Arnold, 1999, p. 183) ADHD is closely linked to certain specific learning disabilities.

As Wender states:"Among the learning disorders are those associated with Studies have shown that somewhere between 20 to 30% of ADHD children have learning disorders." (Wender, 2000, p. 9) These include disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD). Studies indicate that approximately 35% of ADHD children have ODD, and more than 25% have CD. (Wender, 2000, p. 9) These factors therefore show a close correlation between ADHD and specific psychological learning impairments.

Some of the areas that have been studied and which show a clear relationship between ADHD and learning difficulties are the areas of reading, spelling and math. (Wender, 2000, p. 9) However a very important distinction should be taken into account with regard to ADHD children and students. This is that ADHD "...does not affect intelligence as ordinarily defined and measured by intelligence tests," and that "The proportions of the bright, normal, and slow are the same among ADHD children as among children who do not have ADHD." (Wender, 2000, p.

18) This means that the learning difficulties that ADHD students experience are not as a result of some intelligence deficiency but rather are a consequence of the symptoms of the disorder. Wender categorically emphasizes that "...Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is not in any way related to mental retardation." (Wender, 2000, p. 18) This is an import distinction in that ADHD is sometimes falsely associated with metal problems and suspicions of possible retardation. At the same time there is little doubt that many students with ADHD suffer from various intellectual and learning problems.

This is described as "an "unevenness" of intellectual development. "(Wender, 2000, p. 18) This aspect is found particularly in tests which measure competence in areas such as vocabulary, arithmetic, understanding, memory, and certain forms of problem solving. (Wender, 2000, p. 18) It is often the case that this 'uneven development' means that an ADHD many be behind in some areas, while actually being advanced in others. This unbalanced development can lead to many learning and developmental difficulties for the student. These difficulties can manifest themselves in adjustment problems and problems in school placement.

Wender states that: An ADHD child in the third grade may be able to do fifth-grade mathematics but only second-grade reading. If the school does not make allowances for these inconsistent abilities, the problems of such a child will be accentuated. He cannot be moved to a regular fifth or second grade, for he will be too slow for one and too fast for the other. Unless the school can arrange a program to take his abilities into account, he will not fit into any class. (Wender, 2000, p.

18) The fact that ADHD student experience more difficulties than those who do not suffer from this disorder, is exacerbated by the fact most ADHD pupils would be classified as 'underachievers'. The problem is also complicated by the fact that the condition of ADHD is not always recognized. Underachievement" is almost a hallmark of the ADHD child and adolescent. Teachers and guidance counselors will, of course, recognize that the child has problems, and sometimes the school is the first place that the child's problems are clearly recognized.

However, school personnel sometimes underestimate the problems related to ADHD and may attribute the child's difficulties to emotional problems, psychological maladjustment, or problems in the home. (Wender, 2000, p. 22) In other words, the learning process that an ADHD sufferer experiences may not be recognized as a problem related to the disorder but rather associated with other issues. The difficulties that these students experience is underlined by the fact that in the learning environment "...intelligence is not enough." (Wender, 2000, p.

22) This aspect refers to the realization that although ADHD students may be as intelligent as the other students, yet they experience problems within a learning situation that can impact on their education. Learning requires other functional and attention-based criteria. A child must have the ability to concentrate for a reasonable period of time; he must hear at least some of what is said if he is to learn.

He must have a reasonable amount of stick-to-itiveness and patience to tolerate difficult tasks; if he gives up immediately, learning will obviously be impaired. And.. The ADHD child is both inattentive and readily frustrated. The learning problems are further complicated because they tend to move in vicious circles; they often snowball. (Wender, 2000, p. 22) Another related aspect is that unless the problems that the student is experiencing are related to his or her ADHD condition, the student may become demotivated as a result of poor performance and criticism.

This can lead to other learning issues and even to serious related problems such as the loss of self -worth and self-esteem. This will in turn impact again on the learning ability of the student. There are numerous studies which attest to the relationship between ADHD and learning problems. In a study by Maynard et al. (1999) it was found that students with ADHD are "...more disabled academically and cognitively than those without ADD." (Maynard, Tyler & Arnold, 1999, p.

183) This study also emphasizes that the disorder can have a negative effect not only on educational and school achievements but ".. limits functional ability in other environments as well." (Maynard, Tyler & Arnold, 1999, p. 183) Research also indicates that about half those children who are diagnosed with ADHD have coordination problems. This can also have a profound impact on achievement and learning ability. (Wender, 2000, p. 24) "Handwriting is often terrible and the ADHD child perceives writing as a chore.

The combination of poor coordination and failure to plan can lead to an illegible written page, with words overrunning lines, the sides of the page, and each other." (Wender, 2000, p. 24) ADHD can also impact on reading abilities and skills. ADHD students can have ".. phonological processing deficits or linguistic deficiencies that are predictive of reading disabilities." (Maynard, Tyler & Arnold, 1999, p. 183) Reading difficulties can lead to problems in language processing and acquisition - and subsequently affect the overall learning process.

Conclusion Research shows clearly that the ADHD student has more learning difficulties that the non-ADHD student. While ADHD is a continuing and growing problem, what is possibly more alarming is that this disorder can lead to other related disorders which all impact and negatively affect the learning process. Treatment of ADHD includes medication as well as behavioral therapy and emotional counseling. Medications such as methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin) or dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) are prescribed to correct neuro-chemical imbalances in the brain.

However the most problematic area is the actual learning environment where the teacher and other educational authorities have to be aware of this problem and not allow it to be obscured by other related issues. In some cases students with ADHD related learning disabilities can receive counseling from special education professionals. These individuals serve as guidance counselors to help implement "individualized education plans".