Imanii Jones

ENG 205

November 15, 2015

Wortley

Accommodating Children with ADHD

It is no secret that Attention Deficit Disorder can affect a child’s ability to learn in a

classroom environment. This is just one aspect of the difficulties one faces when being

diagnosed with ADHD. Because of this, it makes a situation very crucial after receiving an

ADHD diagnosis. It is very important that parents and educators take charge and try to provide

and maintain a plan of action to cope with some of the symptoms that ADHD brings in and out

of the classroom. There has to be a certain awareness from the parents to take advantage for the

resources offered by the school and outside the school to make living at home and going to

school comfortable for a minor with the neurological disorder. There are a number of different

approaches a parent can choose upon receiving a diagnosis of ADHD for their child that includes

parental approaches, school, and medications.

Parents have the resources online and from professionals that they could take advantage

of when it comes to parenting a child with ADHD. The number one important thing a parent

would have to do in this matter is educate their self with the vast amount of knowledge to be

uncovered about ADHD. True enough that it has to be a daunting task to seemingly expect the

impossible from a child with ADHD but there are a variety of approaches that take into

consideration that ADHD will not go away on its own. What this entails is, finding a balance

with the disorder and working with the disorder and not trying to dispel it. Parenting magazine

suggests, “Consistency is key for ADHD families, so make sure a schedule's firmly in place—

and then follow it to a T. The more predictable your family life is, the easier it is for you and

your child to get stuff done” (Howard, 2014). Having a set schedule makes sense when it comes

to accommodating a child with ADHD at home. Having a predictable schedule makes it so that

the child knows what is expected of them and can follow rules more closely after some practice.

This type of practice is conducive to progress in and out of the home and in places like school.

There are a number of steps that a child’s school, whether it is public or private, can take

to accommodate a child with ADHD in the classroom. Should a parent choose to disclose that

the child has ADHD to their school, they can then request an Individualized Education Plan

(IEP) or a Section 504 meeting. In this way, their child can have access to the best method of

teaching in the classroom. The US Department of Education describes the process of developing

and writing an IEP as , “To help decide what special education and related services the student

needs, generally the IEP team will begin by looking at the child’s evaluation

results….observations by teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, related service providers,

administrators, and others”(2014). Should the parent feel their child would be in need for an IEP

or Section 504 meeting, they would have to get on board with the school and decide what the

best method of course for the students. They would have to disclose information to the school

that they deem useful in helping their child excel in school. The IEP would include the students’

strengths and weakness, best approaches to learning and quirks that the teacher should know

about that make the student unique. In this way the teacher can take hands on approach to

teaching the child and helping the child excel.

Another approach of helping a child cope with ADHD is medication. This is just one of

the unfortunate consequences when dealing with a neurological disorder. There are plenty of

medicines on the market that can ease the symptoms of ADHD. There are a number of natural

calming remedies on the market that supposedly help soothe the child and ease disruptive

behavior but more commonly medications are prescribed by doctors when the case is severe

enough to disrupt daily living. According to Healthline, “Stimulants are the most commonly

prescribed medications for ADHD. You might hear this class of drug referred to as central

nervous stimulant (CNS) medications. Stimulants increase dopamine and norepinephrine in the

brain to improve concentration while also decreasing fatigue. Stimulants are often the first course

of medications used for ADHD treatment” (Cherney, 2014). Because stimulants are heavily

used to control ADHD often times the child is dependent on this type of drug even passed their

adult life. And because these non-stimulant drugs are also so heavily prescribed, often times, the

child seems sedated. This is what is referred to as the zombie phenomena. This is often seen as a

“use in case of emergency” approach but it is becoming a standard for the treatment of ADHD

more commonly. Parents are often warned to take this as a last ditch effort when treating a child

with ADHD.

Dealing with an ADHD diagnosis is never easy but with the use of the right resources, it

can be managed. Parents have the ability to educate themselves these days and take advantage of

the resources in and out of the school to get their child the help they need. The school and the

parents have the responsibility to get the child reasonable accommodations so that they can

succeed in school. The number of different ways that a parent can approach their child having

ADHD is infinite with the way the modern world works. The parent has a right to change

parenting styles, consult the school, and medicate their kid if necessary.

References

Howard, Melanie. Parenting. Tips for Parents with ADHD Raising Kids with ADHD. 2014.

<http://www.parenting.com/gallery/tips-for-parents-with-adhd-raising-kids-with-adhd?

page=5>

Department of Education.2014.<http://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html>

Cherney, Kristeen. 2014. ADHD Medications List

<http://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/medication-list#Overview1>