| "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an early onset, biological disorder, classically characterised by a triad of symptoms: hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. These 3 symptoms are persistent and at developmentally inappropriate levels." |
"ADHD is the most common nuerodevelopmental disorder of childhood, with an estimated prevalence of 3% to 5% amongst school-age children and a male to female ratio of 4:1-9:1(American Psychiatric Association,1994;Sandberg, 1996)
In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the short definition the affected children display
Most children with ADHD are primarily inattentive
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The most common etiology for ADHD is genetic.
Other conditions known to affect brain development may predispose a child to developing this order. These include-
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A proper diagnosis of ADHD is dependent on a lengthy and thorough process that rules out any other possibilities.
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Most clinicians use the Diagnostic Criteria developed by the American Psychiatric Association(1994)as a starting point for diagnosing ADHD |
A through medical evaluation is carried out inorder to rule out any other physical problems that may result in behaviour similar to ADHD.
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ADHD symptoms are typically variable, they may not be observed directly by the clinicians. |
The ADHD signs must be reported by adults in the child's environment such as parents and teachers.
Primary consideration should be given to the teacher reports because of greater familiarity with age-appropriate norms.
It is essential to gather reports of behaviour across different settings. The most commonly used setting other than the home or clinician's office is the classroom environment. Once a child is diagnosed with ADHD, their teacher will play a very important role in the management of the child's condition, therefore it is wise to bring them into the diagnostic process early.
Informal observations of the child in their natural settings (home, office, classroom, or playground) can provide important imformation regarding the child's behaviour, parent/teacher management styles and may highlight salient cues that elicit encourage the child to misbehave. While the observation can assist in the diagnostic procedure, it also provides useful imformation for the treatment programme.
Inteviewing the student in question, his or her parents and other adults can provide a great deal of useful information about the students.
Most assessments include tests although this has become increasingly controversial. Many of the tests used in diagnosing ADHD are "Countinuous Performance Tests"(CPT). They measure how long the child can maintain their attention and how impulsive the child can be over time.
This involves directly observing and assessing the child in the many environments in which he or she routinely operates.
This involves assessment of academic skills and are directly tied to instructional curriculum. Curriculum based assessments(CBA) is one type of direct evaluation.
This involves evaluating student learning and includes a dialog or interaction between the examiner and the student. Typically dynamic assessment involves a test-train-retest approach.
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