DOUGLAS CASTILLO EDUCATIONAL PSY ADHD FINAL V2

UNIVERSIDAD DOMINICO – AMERICANA EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Educational Psychology PSI-240 Final Project Flip Book Project on ADHD By Douglas J. Castillo R Professor: Mayerling Molina. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, August 26, 2020. 1

Tabla de contenido Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 3 History ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Causes ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Symptoms...................................................................................................................................... 8 ADHD treatment............................................................................................................................ 9 Medication .................................................................................................................................. 10 Natural remedies for ADHD ........................................................................................................ 11 Famous cases with this condition. .............................................................................................. 12 How affects students academically............................................................................................. 14 Which academic accommodations can be implemented? ......................................................... 15 Personal Written Reflection and Conclusion .............................................................................. 16 Bibliografía .................................................................................................................................. 18 2

Introduction Every teacher who has taught children or youngsters has gone through the experience of the disruptive kid that doesn´t seem to be quiet under any circumstances. But it is not the typical case of the chatterbox or the social butterfly, not even the class clown: This is different, and more consequential. This kid would climb the walls if he could. He doesn´t sit down, and when he does, he is not able to be quiet not even for a minute. He would doodle, fidget, squirm and then he would try to get out of his desk and disrupt some more. If this kid is seen by a professional, the changes are really high that he gets a ADHD diagnose. The Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a true pandemic in the physical classroom of the 21st century, and many children present this disorder every year. In the next few pages, we are going to learn a little bit about this condition and how it affects the lives of all the people involved in the lives of a kid suffering from ADHD, because everybody is going to suffer with him or her: Parents, siblings, teachers, the neighbors and the pets of the house. 3

History Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition that can cause in adults and children hyperactive and impulsive behaviors, that go above normal levels. People affected with ADHD have trouble focusing their attention on a single task and find it impossible to sit still for long periods of time. The average age at diagnosis is 6 to 7 years old, and boys are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. Some adults can be diagnosed as well, if they present symptoms and are seen by a professional. For many years it was called: hyperkinetic impulse disorder. However, in the 1960s the American Psychiatric Association (APA) formally recognized the term Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a mental disorder. The British pediatrician Sir George Frederic Still described in 1902 “an abnormal defect of moral control in children” ( ). He noticed a behavior that affected some children and that manifested itself as a lack of control and restlessness, but that didn’t affect their cognition or intelligence in a mayor way. In the 1930’s the German physicians Hans Pollnow and Franz Kramer, started writing about “ hyperkinetic disease of infancy”, that was characterized by “ a marked motor restlessness, that could be observed only by day, meaning that it didn’t seem to relate with more serious brain conditions ( ). For years, the cultural norms allowed for many mild cases of ADHD to go unnoticed, however, since the 1990’s the societal acceptance of male behavior have been increasingly changing and put under scrutiny, contributing to the surge of diagnoses on ADHD, together with a bigger focus 4

on part of the doctors on the disorder, and the dissemination of the term helped parents to be more aware of it, increasing the visits to the professionals who would diagnose it. The emphasis on ADHD detection and diagnosis has been also growing due to the fact that new demands for higher technical demands of many of the modern jobs makes impossible for the kids with this condition to excel on the courses that require this type of specialization. With the release of the DSM-III, revised edition, in 1987 the APA introduced another change in the description of the disorder: they removed the hyperactivity distinction and changed the name to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In May 2013, ADHD became part of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, in it’s fifth Edition (DSM-5). 5

Causes The causes of ADHD are still not completely clear for doctors and researchers. It is believed that may have genetic origins A child with ADHD has a 1 in 4 chance of having a parent with ADHD. It’s also likely that another close family member, such as a sibling, will also have ADHD. Sometimes, ADHD is diagnosed in a parent at the same time it is diagnosed in the child. , as well as neurological ones. Scientists believe that imbalances of dopamine in the brain, which is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in the emotional responses, and motor movements, has to do with the 6

causes of the disorder. There are other theories that involve a difference in the amount of gray matter in the brains of people affected by ADHD, however those are not conclusive. There is no doubt that the more affected by the ADHD diagnose pandemic are children. It is not clear that this is because more children are developing ADHD or because they are receiving more diagnosis. According to national data collected in United States in 2016 (no data on that issue in Dominican Republic), ADHD affects about 9.4% of children ages 2-17, with the disorder affecting more boys than girls, and typically showing additional disorders that may affect language and or learning (ADHD, 2019). In girls, ADHD can manifest itself in a slightly different way, making girls daydream a lot, and be hyper-talkative instead of being hyperactive. 7

Symptoms In order to diagnose the disorder, doctors need to track the child’s behavior for the last six months to see the consistency, gathering information from parents and teachers. A Physical exam to check for other affecting factors. Many symptoms are associated with ADHD. The more commons are: • Hyperactivity and impulsivity. • trouble focusing or concentrating on tasks. • being easily distracted. • Unable to pay attention even when spoken directly. • Disliking tasks that require focused mental effort. • being forgetful about completing tasks. • interrupting people while they’re talking. • having difficulty sitting still. • Fidget with or tap his or her hands or feet, or squirm in the seat. • Talk too much. However, the primary features of ADHD are hyperactive-impulsive behavior and inattention. Many normal healthy kids tend to be very energetic and cannot stay still, this behavior can crossover to ADHD when they cannot control this behavior. Almost all the symptoms manifest themselves before the age of 12. 8

The researchers have identified three subtypes of ADHD: • Predominantly inattentive. Where most of the symptoms are related to inattention. • Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive. Where the majority of symptoms presented are related to being hyperactive and impulsive. • Combined. This is a mix of inattentive symptoms and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. ADHD treatment The treatment typically includes behavioral therapies, and if the child is seen by a psychiatrist instead of a psychologist, then he or she could be put on medication. The types of therapy that the child could go under are varied, and often includes some type of talk therapy, if the child is older and can deal with it. Other popular type of therapy is behavioral therapy, which tries to provide the kid with some managing tools for his or her behavior. Behavior therapy usually involves behavior management, which uses a system of rewards to encourage the child to try to control his or her ADHD. 9

Medication Medication is also heavily used in cases of diagnosed ADHD, these medications are designed to affect the chemical activity of the brain, controlling impulses and actions. The main types of medications used in the treatment of ADHD are stimulants and nonstimulants. Stimulants that work on the Central Nervous Systems are the most prescribed ADHD medication, and work by increasing the amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. The most prescribed drugs include methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamine-based stimulants (Adderall). The other approach on medication is to prescribe nonstimulant medications that work by increasing levels of norepinephrine in the brain. This type of medications includes atomoxetine (Strattera) and some antidepressants such as bupropion (Wellbutrin), and are prescribed when the stimulant produce undesired side effects, or don´t work in the expected way. 10

Natural remedies for ADHD In addition to — or instead of — medication, several remedies have been suggested to help improve ADHD symptoms. • Have plenty of sleep. • Eating healthy, and with a balanced diet. • Exercise every day, in a scheduled and systematic way. • Limiting the daily screen time from gaming, computers and TV. • Meditation. 11

Famous cases with this condition. Many celebrities have been able to overcome the limitations that ADHD has produced in their lives and have been able to turn some of its effects in their advantage, becoming great role models to thousands of people with this condition. Justin Timberlake The famous singer, dancer and actor, Justin Timberlake, revealed in 2008, in an interview that the he had ADHD. Even though he had not given many details about his condition after that moment, this revelation has been very inspirational to many of his fans and people in general who are aware of his fame. Michael Phelps Michael Phelps is one of the most successful athletes in the Olympic history of the United States. He has won 23 Gold Olympic medals in swimming, and his relationship with swimming started as a therapy for his ADHD behavior. He had to battle ADHD when he was a kid, and his schoolwork really suffered due to his condition, and his teachers would tell him that he would 12

never amount to anything in life. However, medication and the “water” therapy helped him overcome the worst of the disorder. Simone Biles Is another famous and Gold medalist North American gymnast that revealed that she suffered from ADHD and that had a very difficult time at school, but the discipline and the physical demands of her athletic activity helped her overcome the negative aspects and turn them is something very positive for her life. She is the most decorated Olympian athlete of the United States with over 30 medals won in the Olympics. 13

How affects students academically ADHD affects students in the classroom in many different ways: • The overwhelming need for constant movement provokes that the child becomes a source of disruption in the classroom, something that affects him in academic terms, but that also affects the dynamics of the whole classroom. • Distractions: For a kid with ADHD, everything is a distraction: Other students speaking, the movement of a chair, noises in the hallway, etc. • Lack of attention and the inability of concentrate on tasks affect his or her production and learning in the classroom, and makes it almost impossible for the child to remember the information that he was exposed to, completely interrupting the learning process. This behavior also takes the form of daydreaming. • He becomes a burden for the teacher due to his behavior and the amount of attention that he draws onto him due to his impulsivity and lack of reflection, which could also be reflected by speaking over others or interrupting the teacher constantly. 14

Which academic accommodations can be implemented? The main academic accommodation that can be implemented is to stablish very clear rules of class behavior, define very clearly what the student is allowed and what he is not allowed to do, and stablishing a plan that rewards good behavior, however, due to his condition, it is necessary to provide the student with an outlet to the energy that he has to discharge. The best way to do this is by providing a sensory activity like standing desks, fidget spinners or objects and wiggle seats, also designating a quiet work space in the classroom if possible. It is also necessary that the teacher has the professional preparation to deal with this type of situations and know how to handle them by having adequate knowledge of the different psychological disorders that can affect his or her students, and act accordingly if one of those situations appear in his or her classroom. As the kid grows up, and even though is not possible to control his impulses, he can start developing self-esteem issues due to his poor grades. Parents and teachers can join forces and combat this frustration by using positive reinforcements and helping the student to develop self- awareness. Having some of the classmates to share their notes with the affected student, is also a good way of trying to avoid that student fall too much behind in his schoolwork. 15

Personal Written Reflection and Conclusion I have never been diagnosed with ADHD, and I have never presented a full spectrum of the symptoms presented here, however, the reason that I was attracted to this topic is that I have always found very difficult to sit through classes. It was bad back in my schooldays, however, in these last few years that I´ve been studying Education at UNICDA, it has been one of the most difficult things that I have had to go through as an adult. I have been studying Education with a special mention in English at UNICDA as a mandatory requisite of my job as a supervisor in the English Immersion Program from MESCYT, and in the last few years I have had to go to physical classes in order to fulfill the syllabus of the career, and that meant to sit everyday for at least three hours straight, locked in a classroom with at least 15 to 20 people. That has been a nightmarish experience for me. Lack of movement has rarely been a problem for me in my job: I have been teaching and supervising for the last 20 years of my life, so that, in a classroom I was always able to move around, and in later years I was able to go from one location to a completely different one! See the people, get into a car, take fresh air… have a sense of freedom, at least for a part of the work day. But the traditional classroom setting, when you are a student, has always felt like a trap to me. The only thing that prevented me from going crazy in those classes was my smartphone and the internet. My teachers might not feel to happy about it if they knew it, but going once in a while to Whatsapp or Twitter, or checking for something interesting, became a life saver for me, and, hard to believe as it may, allowed me to re-focus on the subject that the teacher was teaching that night. I needed the mental break, because I couldn´t have a physical one. Sure, there have been some pretty boring classes, and teachers that walk in those classrooms completely unprepared, I know because that is my job: I have been supervising teachers for five years now. However, there were other excellent teachers, well prepared, knowledgeable, and engaging, however, I always feel this restlessness every time that I am in a classroom as a student, and even though I have always gotten good grades, the experience of feeling trapped in the classroom, of wanting to move and not being sitting down is really overwhelming at times. I really don’t know if I have some degree of ADHD or I’m just terribly prone to boredom, what I know is that it might be the case of thousands of students out there, and it could be the case that many of them may be in need of professional help, but they are not able to get it because of different reasons that range from unprepared teachers, to irresponsible parents. The educators, we all know that our system is far from perfect, and that probably the classroom of a few years in the future will be very different of what we have now, while that moment comes, it is very important that we treat the kids that feel trapped in the classroom with compassion and understanding, and help them, as long and as well as we can, to make their lives productive and fulfilling. What it could seem as a very annoying and obnoxious kid, might be in fact a tortured soul who wants to do better and be liked but doesn’t know how to achieve that, and his behavior is really not his fault. The adults around that kid have the responsibility to help him navigate that difficult situation because he is not going to be able to do it by himself… or herself. 16

Parents need a mix of compassion, discipline and love to help their children suffering from this condition, but it is the discipline that will, in the long run, contribute to a more normal and productive life in the children affected by ADHD. Douglas J. Castillo R. 2015-30-3-0025 17

Bibliografía ADHD, D. a. (15 de October de 2019). Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Obtenido de Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html BOARD, A. E. (4 de August de 2020). What Is ADHD? Meaning, Symptoms & Tests. Obtenido de ADDitude: https://www.additudemag.com/what-is-adhd-symptoms-causes- treatments/ Klaus W. Lange, S. R. (30 de Nov de 2010). The history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Obtenido de Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000907/ Legg, T. J. (13 de June de 2019). Everything You Need to Know About ADHD. Obtenido de Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd#add-vs.-adhd School, A. i. (7 de November de 2019). Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Obtenido de Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/school-success.html What?, M. C.–N. (8 de October de 2019). Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Obtenido de Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/treatment.html 18

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