Does your Child have ADHD?

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a child’s inability to stay focused on the task at hand or to concentrate for more than a couple of minutes. This is more than just a daydreamer or a child who is bored in class, this disorder can really impact your child’s academic performance and may lead to behavioral problems. Studies show that 8 - 10% of children of school-going age have ADHD and that boys are there times more likely to have the disorder than girls. Luckily, there are many techniques for dealing with ADHD that can help to ensure that your child excels academically.

When your child is disruptive in class, they get negative reactions from teachers and they miss out on the vital building blocks of their academic knowledge. High-energy kids often interrupt and sometimes have trouble waiting their terms which can lead to social problems. Children with ADHD aren’t being willful or purposefully misbehaving, they genuinely have trouble focusing on any one task for more than a couple of minutes.

Diagnosing ADHD

One of the biggest problems with ADHD is that there are so many symptoms associated with the disorder and it’s imperative that you consult a professional for diagnosis. Start with your family doctor who will refer your child to a neurologist or psychologist for evaluation. There is a long list of symptoms which should be present regardless of mood or circumstance and must manifest before the child is seven. The symptoms include:

·         An inability to focus for more than a few minutes

·         Difficulty listening and following instructions

·         Lack of attention to detail which can show up as mistakes in schoolwork

·         Being forgetful and disorganized and often losing things

·         Having trouble sitting down and fidgeting constantly

·         Being very talkative and loud and interrupting often

·         Having trouble waiting for their turn

Dealing with ADHD

There are so many options for parents of children with ADHD that you can find solutions that help your child to thrive at school and at home. From medication to behavioral therapies and diets, you can opt for the solution (or combination of solutions) which best suit your family. 

It’s essential to speak with your teachers about the situation and to work with them to find ways to help reinforce good behavior patterns. Teachers already have a playbook of ways in which to deal with children who are easily distracted. They can seat them away from the window and in the front of the class where it’s easier to refocus them on the lesson.

Children with ADHD can learn to focus, they can acquire organizational skills and they can really fulfill their potential academically and socially.  If you work together with your medical team and your teachers and tutors, your child can turn their high energy levels into a wonderful asset

What to do when your Child doesn’t like their Teacher

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It’s inevitable that during the course of your child’s academic career, they will encounter educators that they don’t get along with. Whether the conflict arises from a misunderstanding or a personality clash, it’s important that the situation be dealt with in a constructive and positive way. Teachers are professionals who are trained to treat students with dignity and respect and students must learn to do the same.

Talk about It

Students will often make sweeping statements like: “The teacher hates me.” You need to understand exactly what this means. Ask your child to explain why they think this and give examples of situations in which the teacher has behaved in a way that would make them feel that way. Ensure that they are not misunderstanding the situation or that they aren’t reacting negatively to being disciplined.

Role Play

One of the best ways to work through a difficult situation is to allow your student to deal with it themselves. Over the course of their lives, they will encounter managers, neighbors and people that they don’t get along with. Learning to navigate these difficult relationships is a fundamental tenant of happiness.

Start by discussing ways in which the student can deal with situations that make them uncomfortable. Role play situations that may occur in the classroom and discuss different ways of dealing with these events so that they feel prepared and confident. Allowing them to deal with the situation can be a constructive learning experience.

Be Diplomatic

If the problem persists and you feel like you need to take action, don’t be aggressive or angry. Remember that your child will have to deal with the teacher and try to smooth over the situation rather than inflaming it.

Start by explaining the way your child feels and then ask the teacher if they have any idea why your child feels that way. Really listen to their side of the story. You should say things like: “Jane is upset and I need to understand why she feels this way.” Assume that it is a misunderstanding and don’t make teachers feel like they are under attack. The ideal situation here is to promote understanding and cooperation.

Last Resort

If you feel that the teacher is not responding well to your child or if the situation deteriorates and your child’s academic performance suffers, it may be time to take a trip to the principal’s office. Remember to do so when you are cool, calm and collected. Explain the situation clearly and provide constructive suggestions which can lead to resolution. Perhaps moving the student to a different class may be an option. Be patient and persistent. Having a positive experience at school is essential in maintaining your child’s constructive attitude to education and academic performance. Be an agent for resolution and positive change to turn a negative experience for your child into a positive learning opportunity on how to navigate relationships with authority figures.

Study Suggests Later Start for High Schools Will Help Sleep Deprivation

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A recent study by the American Academy of Paediatrics found that teenagers really do need more sleep. The AAP has even gone so far as to recommend that schools adopt later starting times for classes to allow students to get the rest they need. The study found that the natural sleep cycles of adolescents make it difficult for them to fall asleep before 11pm and has therefor recommended that schools move their start times to 8.30am to allow teens to get the 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep they need.

Sleep cycles or circadian rhythms are the biological schedules and are triggered by chemical, behavioral and psychological changes that happen in our bodies throughout the course of the day. A disruption in these patterns will lead to difficulties falling sleep or staying asleep.

When students don’t get enough sleep, they experience a loss of memory, delayed responses and an inability to concentrate that can affect their academic performance. A lack of concentration also leads to a higher accident rate among teen drivers.

Sleep deprived students get sick more often which means they miss school. It has also been linked to obesity and a higher risk of diabetes.

A survey by the National Sleep Foundation saw some disturbing statistics with 60% of high school students reporting extreme daytime fatigue with 25% falling asleep in class at least once a week. The main reason for this was that the average high school student got 6.5 hours of sleep per night; way below the r “Chronic sleep loss in children and adolescents is one of the most common – and easily fixable – public health issues in the U.S. today,” said pediatrician Judith Owens, MD.

“The research is clear that adolescents who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of being overweight or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile accidents, and have better grades, higher standardized test scores and an overall better quality of life,” Dr. Owens said. “Studies have shown that delaying early school start times is one key factor that can help adolescents get the sleep they need to grow and learn.”

Dr. Owens has proposed that start times be changed in accordance with these findings: “The AAP is making a definitive and powerful statement about the importance of sleep to the health, safety, performance and well-being of our nation's youth,” Owens said. “By advocating for later school start times for middle and high school students, the AAP is both promoting the compelling scientific evidence that supports school start time delay as an important public health measure, and providing support and encouragement to those school districts around the country contemplating that change.”