Identifying ADHD in Young Students
Preschool, Kindergarten Symptoms and Behaviors of ADHD
Mar 25, 2009
One of the most common challenges facing today's early educators is to identify and help students who have ADHD. If the important symptoms of ADHD are ignored, children with this neurobehavioral disorder are at risk for poor academic performance, disciplinary problems, violent behavior, depression, and even drug abuse. Early identification and intervention is crucial for children with ADHD.
ADHD has been classified into three different types: hyperactive/impulsive, inattentive, and combined. Each of these will have its own set of behaviors and symptoms that teachers can watch for when this common disorder is suspected.
Symptoms of ADHD and Hyperactivity
Children with impulsive type ADHD will be unable to sit still, and have very high energy when compared to their peers. Teachers may look for the following behaviors in children that they suspect may have this form of ADHD:
- Cannot take turns
- Interrupts others constantly
- Always fidgeting or moving various parts of their body, even when at rest
- Has trouble remaining seated
- Has to run instead of walking
- Chattering excessively
- Cannot raise hand to answer questions
- Has trouble playing quietly
Symptoms of ADHD and Inattentiveness
Teachers may have more difficulty identifying students with the inattentive type of ADHD (often referred to as ADD) because they will not necessarily display the overactive behavior that is representative of the disorder. Because inattention is harder to spot, children with ADD often go undiagnosed and therefore suffer academically as a result. If a child is having trouble keeping up with peers in the classroom setting, pay attention to the following possible symptoms of inattention:
- Frequently makes careless mistakes on schoolwork
- Forgetful, loses school supplies, eyeglasses, and other necessary items
- Distracted by noises or other classroom happenings
- Cannot keep attention on tasks
- Trouble listening or remembering directions
- Rarely is able to complete assignments
- Disorganized play
- Avoidance of work that requires significant effort
ADHD and Combined Type
For a child with both hyperactivity and inattentiveness, some or all of the above symptoms may be present. It will be up to the teacher to help a child with ADHD to focus, organize, and plan his day. A clear and predictable classroom routine is a must for students with ADHD. Managing classroom behavior will not be easy, but for the child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, it will be immensely helpful.
The more knowledgeable early educators are about ADHD and the more they accept the fact that the disorder is a biological one, the more effective they will be in helping these students. A teacher will need to have a keen eye when monitoring a student's behaviors. She will be relied upon to recommend a child for evaluation and ultimately promotion or retention. Identifying ADHD in preschool/kindergarten has become another important role for teachers.
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