ADHD In The Classroom: A Case Study

Introduction
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder, or ADHD, is a developmental disorder that is extremely prevalent in school-aged children. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016), about eleven percent of children between the ages of four to seventeen had been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011. These numbers increase steadily every year. The disorder can affect a child in many ways which can therefore hinder his or her performance in the classroom. Because of this, it is imperative to recognize the symptoms of ADHD in a child and send him or her for extra assistance. Two effective ways in aiding attention deficit hyperactive disorder are through medication and counseling. Applying these methods to children

who are suffering from the disorder is essential for their academic and all around growth and well-being.

ADHD is a neurobiological condition defined by the presence of severe and pervasive symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity (Daley & Birchwood, 2010). ADHD can interfere with many aspects of a child’s life. One of the biggest concerns of professionals and parents is schooling children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder. The article, “ADHD and academic performance: why does ADHD impact on academic performance and what can be done to support ADHD children in the classroom,” (2010) breaks down the disorder and classifies the differences in cognition and actions between children with ADHD of different age groups. Although ADHD is generally perceived as affecting children of elementary school age, the disorder is also prevalent in pre-school children, high schoolers, and sometimes adults (Daley & Birchwood, 2010). Although the numbers are low, Daley and Birchwood’s (2010) research says that ADHD is identified in two

percent of American preschoolers. According to their studies, “some children encounter difficulties with impulsive control, attentional capacity and hyperactivity, which hinder their ability to acquire crucial skills such as focusing on teachers, interacting with peers and authority figures, and learning literacy, mathematics, and language” (Daley & Birchwood, 2010, p. 456). In an additional study mentioned in the article, pre-school children with ADHD suffered in areas such as memory, reasoning, academic skills, conceptual development general cognitive ability, and acquiring basic pre-reading and mathematical skills (Daley & Birchwood, 2010). Children who suffer in their early years will most likely continue to suffer throughout their academic life, especially without intervention. In grade school and high school the implications of ADHD only worsen. A study from the article concluded that “ADHD children are more likely to use remedial academic services and be placed in special education classes and experience behavioral problems that lead to suspension or expulsion (Daley & Birchwood, 2010, p. 456). Additionally, children with ADHD are more likely to be held back a year, have worse reading and math standardized assessment scores, and have poor grades (Daley & Birchwood, 2010). The repercussions of attention deficit hyperactive disorder can follow a child throughout his or her life. Therefore, it is imperative that the child’s parents and teachers intervene early on. The most beneficial remedies for children with ADHD seem to be medication and extra attention in school.
Diagnosis and Assessments
According to William A. Darity (2008) of the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, in order to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, an individual must fall under the qualifications given in the DSM-V. This manual classifies the condition into three subtypes of ADHD: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined. Those who suffer from the predominantly inattentive category may exhibit behaviors such as making careless mistakes, not listening, incompletion of tasks, disorganization, forgetfulness, and distractibility. Behavior patterns for those who suffer from hyperactivity and impulsivity include fidgeting, difficulty remaining seated, running or climbing excessively, difficulty playing quietly, excessive talking, difficulty waiting, and interrupting others. If at least six of these symptoms are present for more than six months, a child may be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (Darity, 2008).
After a child is recognizably exercising these symptoms, he or she is likely to be sent for an assessment by the school psychologist. There are many different ways in which a child can be assessed; it depends on the child’s age and prominent symptoms. However, it is crucial for the assessment to coincide with the classifications defined by the DSM-V so that a false diagnosis can be avoided. DuPaul & Jimerson (2014) of the School Psychology Quarterly specify that an effective assessment of students suspected of having ADHD should include measures of academic and social functioning, with a special concentration in classroom functioning. An assessment that exemplifies these conditions is called the Adolescent Academic Problems Checklist (AAPC). This assessment contains typical behaviors associated with ADHD, but also further includes behaviors that an adolescent with ADHD may practice, such as failing to take class notes and struggles with time management. Psychologists who used this assessment were able to apply the adolescents’ academic skills and disruptive behavior to a scale for deciphering. The higher the rates, the more apt for testing positive for ADHD the students were. DuPaul & Jimerson (2014) also pointed out that assessment data is less helpful if it does not correlate with any intervention programs. They stated, “The connection between assessment and treatment is enhanced if the evaluation measures include items that are directly tied to specific intervention strategies” (DuPaul & Jimerson, 2014, p.382). Properly assessing a child or adolescent is crucial for the child’s needs. After the child has been adequately assessed and diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, the child will be put onto a treatment plan.
Treatment
There are a few different ways that a child can be treated for ADHD. Medication has been proven to make an impact, but is sometimes frowned upon by parents. Children with ADHD also may benefit from counseling. Whatever the treatment plan may be, the most important aspect is ensuring that the child’s parents are fully educated and committed to the plan. Emily Williams (2012) recognized this importance in her article, “Encouraging Discussion Between Teacher Candidates and Families with Exceptional Children.” She specified that often, teachers may overlook the needs of an exceptional child from a family perspective. The contrary is likely to happen as well. However, Williams (2012) believes that is it vital for the teacher to understand the needs of families of exceptional children by openly communicating with them. As a result, the teacher may be more likely to truly see the potential of the child. The parents should tune in to how the child behaves and performs in the classroom as well, so that they are also aware of the child’s true potential. Any student will benefit from open communication between the parents and the teacher. When working with disabled children especially, the teacher and psychologists must keep the parents heavily involved in the treatment process so that the child has a chance to improve his or her behavior both at school and at home.
For a child suffering from ADHD, school can be uninteresting and frustrating.

There is a good chance that the child will fall behind in the classroom because of his or her inability to pay attention. Therefore, the child may end up feeling helpless and discouraged. At this point, it is ideal for a parent or teacher to intervene. After the child has been assessed, he or she may be sent to the school counselor for extra attention if the case of ADHD is severe enough. Shari Tarver-Behring and Michael E. Spagna, two authors for Counseling and Human Development, discussed effective methods for aiding children with ADHD in their article, “Counseling With Exceptional Children.” Tarver-Behring and Spagna (2005) suggest that one of the most effective ways of treating children with ADHD involves behavior modification. Children can learn to stay on task more efficiently using positive reinforcement. The authors (2005) specify that a child may benefit from three cognitive strategies that can be taught to the child through behavioral counseling. Teaching a child affected with ADHD to self- monitor, endures allowing the child to use self-reminder statements to increase awareness and control his or her behavior. By counseling a child into practicing self-instruction, he or she may learn to follow self-directed instructions in situations that may cause difficulty. Lastly, a child who is taught to use self-reinforcement can praise and reward himself or herself for good behavior

(Tarver-Behring and Spagna, 2005). Because of the tendency for children with ADHD to exhibit aggressive, impulsive, and emotional behavior (Tarver-Behring and Spagna, 2005), children in schools may also benefit from training in social skills. The most effective social skills programs will target difficult areas such as conversation skills, conflict resolution, joining social exchanges, and anger control (Tarver-Behring and Spagna, 2005).
The use of medication to treat attention deficit hyperactive disorder is sometimes debated between doctors and parents. Some parents are understandably apprehensive to medicate their children. The use of stimulant medications can pose some health risks for a child. Cortese et. al (2013) from The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry identified side effects to stimulant medication including loss of appetite, growth delay, sleep disturbance, risk for substance use disorders and misuse or abuse of ADHD drugs, and seizures. Although there are some health risks, the use of stimulant medications has proven to improve symptoms of a child affected by attention deficit hyperactive disorder. When conducting a study assessing the use of stimulant medication in children with ADHD, Sutcliffe, Bishop, Houghten, & Taylor (2006) presented findings supporting its use. In their study, two groups of young people with ADHD were organized and given a task to complete. One group was given stimulant medication, while the other was not. In the end, the children who were not given the stimulant medication performed at a lesser rate than the children who were. These findings are also consistent when looking at children in classroom situations.
Conclusion
The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactive disorder is consistently increasing in school-aged children. In order to ensure that every child has a chance at succeeding in schools, it is imperative for children with ADHD to be diagnosed and treated. Children with ADHD who go unrecognized will undoubtedly suffer academically and socially. Effective methods of treatment include medication and behavior and academic counseling. The most important aspect of treatment is having an open and agreeable understanding between the child’s teachers, parents, and psychologists to guarantee that the child is getting adequate and efficient help.