Many people remembered that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction. This disorder is one of the most common mental disorders among children. Seen through a child eyes with ADHD is like a fast-moving kaleidoscope, where sounds, images and thoughts are constantly turning. Every person has experienced some of these symptoms once in their life. Just not everyday all day like a person with ADHD. This does not only affect the person with the disorder but the people around them. Whether it is your mom and dad, teacher, friends, or siblings.
They need to understand that ADHD is a real disability that effects all aspects of a person’s life. “Additionally, there are now brain studies that show that when someone with ADHD is told to “just try harder” and does, the result can be anxiety and a brain that actually starts to shut down it’s primary executive functions (Booth).” For a while now scientists have come up with many different theories about ADHD. Some theories have ended up short and some have opened up new and exciting doors of investigation. One theory was that anyone with ADHD has had some minor head injuries or undetectable damage to the brain.
For a long time this disorder was called “minimal brain damage” or “minimal brain dysfunction.” But as researchers found out that only certain types of head injuries can explain some cases of attention disorder. In knowing that the theory was excluded. Because children with ADHD often struggle in their schoolwork, peer relations, and ability to follow rules at home and at school, it is reasonable to hypothesize that their feelings of capability suffer as a result.
Thus, the self-image of children with ADHD were lower than those of other children with regards to their feelings about their behavior, their ability to get along with others, and their ability to succeed in school. The parents need to pay attention to the feelings that a child with ADHD has about him or herself. In many instances, particularly when parents are struggling to manage their child’s difficult behavior, it can be easy to lose sight of the effects that ADHD can have on some children’s self-esteem.
When one considers how much negative feedback a child with ADHD may contend with on a regular basis, it is not difficult to imagine how this could adversely affect a child’s feelings about him or herself. It can also be quite helpful to provide a child with the opportunity to talk about his or her feelings-even when those feelings are negative. Engaging your child in discussions about how he/she feels things are going at home, at school, and with peers can provide you with a great opportunity to learn whether your child is feeling down and discouraged. Talking about such feelings may not solve the problem, but it can help a child to develop more control over any negative feelings. It can also lead to a problem-solving discussion about how to try and help things improve. Children with ADHD have a variety of needs. Some children are too hyperactive or inattentive to function in a regular classroom, even with medication and a behavior management plan. Such children may be placed in a special education class for all or part of the day.
In some schools, the special education teacher teams with the classroom teacher to meet each child’s unique needs. However, most children are able to stay in the regular classroom. Whenever possible, educators prefer not to segregate children, but to let them learn along with their peers. Children with ADHD often need some special accommodations to help them learn. For example, the teacher may seat the child in an area with few distractions, provide an area where the child can move around and release excess energy, or establish a clearly posted system of rules and reward appropriate behavior. Sometimes just keeping a card or a picture on the desk can serve as a visual reminder to use the right school behavior, like raising a hand instead of shouting out, or staying in a seat instead of wandering around the room. Giving a child extra time on test can make the difference between passing
