Loving and Understanding

Learners with ADHD

Learning Define ADHD

How Common?

Objectives The Feelings of having ADHD

Differences of Brain Structure

Possible Causes

Coexisting Disorders

How to spot?
 What is ADHD?

(ADHD) Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder
It is a neurobiologically-based
developmental disability.
How Common is ADHD?
Affects approximately 3-5% of school-aged children.

Estimated 4 million Filipinos

6 to 9 times more common in males than females
Usually start having problems before they reach 7 years old but
others may get ADHD later in life.
Some children outgrow ADHD, about 60% continue to have
symptoms into adulthood.
The feeling of having
ADHD

It is like being put into a dark room with things

scattered around to trip you. You do not get
flashlight.. but everyone else does. You trip around
the room, bumping into things until you finally
learn the layout of the room. Then, someone moves
you to a new room, and the process starts again.
The feeling of having
ADHD

It is like a whirlwind on your mind. Everything

seems to be blowing around and nothing stays put.
The feeling can also be compared to watching
someone change the channels on the tv every few
seconds. You can get a general idea of what is going
on, but you miss most of the content.
The feeling of having
ADHD

They tend to be socially blind, may

miss rules and structures which other
people see much more readily.
The feeling of having
ADHD
In other ways it is like being supercharged all the time. You get
one idea and you have to act on it, and then, what do you know,
but you have gotten another idea before you have finished up
with the first one, and so you go for that one, but of course, a
third idea intecepts the second, and you just have to follow that
one, and pretty soon people are calling you disorganized and
impulsive and all sorts of impolite words that miss the point
completely.Because you are tryingreally hard. It is just that you
have all these invisible vectors pulling you this way and that
which makes it really hard to stay on task.
The feeling of having
ADHD

Plus which, you are spilling over all time. You are
drumming your fingers, tapping your feet, humming
song,whistling, looking here, looking there,scratching,
stretching, doodling, and people think you are not
paying attention or that you're not interested, but all
you're doing is spilling over so that you can pay
attention.
The feeling of having
ADHD

With ADHD, time collapses and becomes a black

hole. It feels as if everything is happening all at once
creating a sense of inner turmoil or even panic. The
individual loses perspective and the ability to
prioritize. He/she is always on the go, trying to keep
the world from caving on top.
Differences in the Brain Structure

FRONTAL SIZE TEMPORAL LOBE SIZE

REDUCTION IN ADHD REDUCTION IN ADHD
POSSIBLE CAUSES
OF ADHD

X
Genetic Biological/
Physiological
Causes Causes

A child with ADHD is 4 times more Reduced level of the

likely to have other family members (a
parent, sibling, grandparent, or other
neurotransmitters:
members) who had ADHD. Norepinephrine and
Dopamine
 Complications or
Diet trauma during
pregnancy:

During pregnancy & birth: toxic substances

Diet includes food with are present in the blood, disease,
prematurity, etc.
artificial food colorings and For after birth: meningitis, encephalitis,
food additives. and seizure from fever.
Medical Side effect
Illness of Medication

Some children with hyperthyroid

Phenobarbital is effective for controlling
state (with thyroid gland produces too
some forms of epilepsy but may develop
much hormones) manifest medical
severe symptoms of hyperactivity.
symptoms.
Ear Findings
Infections
in 1985

More than 2/3 of Hyperactive - impulsive children are more

hyperactive children likely to come from homes where the
previously had more than father is absent or when parents split up.

10 ear infections.
 Coexisting Disorders

By age 10- 11:

can discover the presence of
coexisting disorder
 Coexisting Disorders

By age 25:
overwhelming majority has one or
more associated conditions
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder- 30-65%
• Anxiety Disorder- 20-35% children, 25-40%
adults
• Conduct Disorder- 10-25% children, 25-50%
adults
• Bipolar (manic/depressive illness)- 1-20%
• Depression- 10-30% children, 10- 47%
adolescents and adults
• Tics/Tourette Syndrome- 7% of children with
ADHD have tics but 60% of Tourette's syndrome
patients have ADHD- 12-60%
• Sleep problems- 50%need more time to fall
asleep, 40% with a frequent night walking, half is
with trouble waking in the morning.
• Secondary behavioral complications: temper
outbursts, lying, blaming others, etc.- 65%
• Learning Disability: Reading Math, Writing
Expression and Spelling- 20-35%
• PMS- for women with ADHD with severe PMS
• Giftedness- may have significantly above average
cognitive ability.
How to Spot?
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Easily distracted
• Does not seem to listen when
spoken to directly
• Difficulty remembering and
following directions Inattentive: (ADD)
• Difficulty sustaining attention
• Difficulty sustaining a level of
alertness to tasks
• Forgetful in daily activities
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Does not follow through on

instructions and fails to finish school
works
• Tunes out - may appear "spacey"
• Daydreams Inattentive: (ADD)
• Appear confused
• Easily overwhelmed
• Difficulty initiating or getting
started on tasks
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Does not complete works

• Avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to
engage in tasks
• Difficulty working independently
• Gets bored easily
Inattentive: (ADD)
• Sluggish or may fall asleep easily
• Fails to pay attention to details and
makes careless mistakes
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Poor study skills

• Inconsistent performance
• Loses things necessary for tasks or
activities
• Disorganized
• Difficulty organizing tasks and Inattentive: (ADD)
activities
• Little or no awareness of time
• Procrastinates
• Displays weak executive functions
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• "On the Go" or acts as if "driven by a

motor"
• Leaves seat in classrooms which
remaining seated
• Cannot sit still
• Highly energetic
• Runs about or climbs excessively
Hyperactive:
• A high degree of unnecessary movement
• Restlessness
• Seems to need something in hands.
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Fidgets with hands or feet

• Roams around the classroom
• Difficulty playing in leisure
activities quietly
• Intrudes in other people’s space Hyperactive:
• Difficulty in calming self
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Much difficulty in situations requiring

having to wait patiently.
• Talks excessively
• Difficulty with raising hand and waiting
to be called on Impulsive:
• Interrupts or intrudes on others
• Blurts out answers before questions
have been completed
• Has difficulty waiting
• Cannot keep hands/feet to self
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Cannot wait or delay gratifications- want

things NOW
• Knows the rules and consequences, but
repeatedly makes errors
• Gets in trouble
• Difficulty standing in lines Impulsive:
• Makes inappropriate or odd noises
• Does not think to worry about
consequences, so tends to be fearless or
gravitate to “high risk” behavior
Behavioral Characteristics of Children with ADHD (Rief, 2005)

• Engages in physically dangerous activities

without considering the consequences
• Accident-prone - breaks things
• Difficulty inhibiting what he or she says,
making tactless comments
• Begins tasks without waiting for decisions Impulsive:
• Gets easily bored and impatient
• Does not take time to correct/edit work
• Disrupts, bother others
Thank you for listening!

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