Signs
& Symptoms
Just because your kid is bouncy and might not listen closely enough to
his teacher all the time does not mean he or she has ADHD. Some of
these behaviors are simply kids being kids. There is reason for concern
when these and the below problems are long lasting and present early.
According to Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), a national non-profit providing education and
advocacy for individuals with ADHD, this means the symptoms last
for at least six months, become apparent in childhood, and they create
“significant difficulty in at least two areas of life, such as home, social
settings or school.”
SYMPTOMS:
;
Inattention / Hyperactivity / Impulsivity
Difficulties with concentration
Difficulties with mental focus
Difficulties with inhibition of impulses
There are actually three subtypes of ADHD, and each has a
few unique symptoms. Visit www.chadd.org for a detailed list.
ACCOMODATIONS
FOR COLLEGE by Dr. Polly Dunn
If you have a high school student with ADHD
now is the time to begin considering how their diagnosis will
impact their functioning in college. Did you know that the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires colleges to provide reasonable accommodations to students with ADHD if their symptoms are
significant enough to impair their functioning? Unfortunately, many
students don’t pursue accommodations until they’re in crisis (after
a semester or two of failing grades). But you and your child can be
proactive and have accommodations in place as early as the summer
before their freshman year.
What types of accommodations might your student with ADHD be
eligible for in college? It depends on the student. Disability specialists
at the college they attend review their documentation and history and
determine what accommodations best fit their particular situation.
For example, some students might qualify for extended time on tests.
Others might need help provided by a note taker. While some may
only need permission to sit in the front of the class and audio record
lectures.
In order to get accommodations, you must provide documentation
that your child has a disorder that impairs their ability to function
successfully in a college environment. Check with the college your
child plans on attending to find out exactly what documentation they
require. For ADHD, documentation typically includes a full psychological evaluation conducted by a licensed psychologist within the past
two to three years, and the cost of the psychological evaluation is paid
for by the student or their parents, not by the university. Also, a letter
from a physician or pediatrician that the student
takes ADHD medication is usually not sufficient
to receive accommodations.
TREATMENTS
Several prescription medications are currently widely used to treat
ADHD and make it easier for those with the disorder to focus. Stimulant drugs like Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta and Vyvanse are the most
common, and while they’ve proven highly beneficial to many students
with ADHD, they are not without risks. With all of the ADHD stimulant
medicines there have been rare cases of heart attack, stroke and sudden
death. Milder side effects include decreased appetite, headaches, upset
stomach and trouble sleeping. Adderall in particular has been shown to
cause anxiety in some cases, and all of the stimulant-type medications
can be addictive.
Other concerns with the medications used to treat ADHD are abuse
and “diversion.” Diversion is when drugs prescribed and intended for
one person end up being taken by another. Unfortunately, the “sharing”
of ADHD medications is fairly widespread in the United States. If your
teen has been prescribed medicine for their ADHD, help prevent diversion by making them aware of these three things:
• Giving their medication to another teen is a federal crime.
• Giving their medication to another teen could cause that teen serious
physical harm.
• If they’re sharing their medication, then they are not using it for
themselves and could start to see their grades slip, their relationships
suffer and other problems as the symptoms of their ADHD return.
To supplement thei