Having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has significantly impacted my life. The ramifications of this learning difference have affected not just my academic life but my personal life as well, and have been a source of some conflict between my parents and I. However, I have made a number of strides towards dealing with this condition, and am proud to say that a number of changes I have made in my life are largely able to offset the negative consequences ADHD can produce. Prior to my formal diagnosis of ADHD, I had tremendous difficulty performing well academically. I was fine through the early grades in grammar school, and eventually hit rock bottom during my first year of junior high school. What was frustrating was the fact that I wanted to perform well academically a notion that was reinforced plenty of time by my parents, especially from my father but I would leave certain classes unsure about what material was covered and what expectations the teachers had for the students regarding homework assignments. And I could not figure out why. One the advice from one of her friends, my mother had me tested for a learning difference and I think we were all a little relieved to find out that it was ADHD. The doctor said that it was probably a condition that I was born with which, untreated, could spiral out of control. Once this diagnosis was made, however, my parents systematically invested in a number of resources that were able to help me counteract its
For starters, parents and doctors should think about ADHD as early as preschool. Firstly, thinking about ADHD problems at a very young age can help at children who have trouble keeping friends, and trouble in school. For example, Perri Klass, journalist for the New York Times, shares that when first treating a preschooler with ADHD it would be beneficial for them to do behavioral therapy first, and medication last. Thus, this point proves that medication is necessary, but is not the first step when treating a child. Secondly, nine percent of American children between the ages of four and eighteen are affected by ADHD. For instance, Susan Pinker, journalist for the Wall Street Journal, reports that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common and most misunderstood disease. Therefore, this confirms that some people may have it, and others may not. Thirdly, do children grow out of ADHD when they are a child? To illustrate, Susan Pinker, tells that the statement is a myth. The older you get, you are more likely to think about life consequences rather than when you were a child. Consequently, this information shows that children with ADHD are proven to make worse life decisions, rather than a normal child. For all these reasons, medication is necessary to control the
My entire life I’ve struggled with ADHD. I’m capable of all the work given to me but so many teachers don’t understand how much of a struggle it is for me to focus. It’s not just an excuse for me to be lazy, or get time extensions. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder more well known as ADHD defined by Mayo Clinic as “A chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.” So basically people with this condition have a hard time focusing, thinking through decisions, and staying still. This is a real condition that affects thousands of children and adults in the united states. The Center for Disease Control and
In the article by Brendan L. Smith gives insight about a generation of adults who were diagnosed with ADHD in their childhood and how finding treatment later on in life has been beneficial to their stressful life. People with ADHD may have trouble paying attention,controlling impulsive behaviors , or be overactive.Throughout the article the main point is that adults who were unable to receive medication throughout the years because ADHD was something that many people either didn 't know about or was misinformed about it. The author suggests that It was something that many psychologist thought could only last during childhood and that once the individual progresses in age it would go away.
I have continued to excel in school, and by the summer before my freshman year, in spite of my doctor’s recommendation, I chose to be taken off of the medication for the ADHD. I was determined to be highly organized and stay focused in my classes. I have learned how to help myself pay attention and stay on task in class. I always take advantage of classroom work time since my ability to focus gets worse by the
ADHD came in the form of a valley, on my map. Its all fun and games, until I have to get myself out of the trouble. Having ADHD has effected my ability to take notes, and study for assessments. Most challenging, is using class time effectively,
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is actually a fairly new disorder. The first known case of ADHD was reported in 1798 by Sir Alexander Crichton. He then published three books on ADHD and other mental illnesses. The disorder became more acknowledged in 1844 due to Heinrich Hoffman, a German physician. He created many children’s books on ADHD, which some are still popular to this day. The disorder was brought more attention in 1902 as Sir George Frederick Still used his research on childhood diseases to create medical textbooks on ADHD. The works these men have attributed have helped find many solutions, drug treatment and lifestyle changes, which are still used today.
Many characteristics isolate me from the rest of my peers, but my learning disorder has been a burden to my life ever since I was born. While some of my classmates absorb information with simplicity, I sit behind them lost and confused. I have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, more commonly known as ADHD. Although learning is not easy for me, it has given me the ability to find alternative paths to overcome obstacles.
Today in the educational system, I think one of the most looked down upon inequalities are students with an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD. Especially in high school, living with ADHD is extremely challenging because students have a harder time concentrating during class, understanding the material given to them, or even taking tests and doing homework unlike other students. It seems the school system, and even society judges students based on what level they are on. For example if a student has straight A’s in honors classes, that student would get all the praise, while a student who has average or lower grades in regular classes, that student would be ignored, get ridiculed or sometimes considered irrelevant. I myself am not officially diagnosed with ADHD, but I consider myself have a larger amount of inattention, so I have witnessed these types of inequalities in high school before. In Jonathan Kozol’s essay, The Savage Inequalities of Public Education In New York, Kozal explains how a school principal views the students reality, explaining “Sometimes a school principal...looks into the faces of the children in his school and offers a disarming statement that cuts through official ambiguity.” (261). It hurts to know that there are students who cannot focus properly in school, and no one can see it physically happen.
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, is the most common psychiatric condition effecting 9.5% of school-aged children in the United States (intuniv, 2013). If the disorder goes untreated, it will cause more long-term side effects and difficulties for the individual as an adult. Adults who have this condition face several adversities in every day life, such as impulsive behavior, low self-esteem and poor work performance. People are not aware of the complications that come with ADHD in adults. Not knowing the symptoms of the disease can cause people to not be sympathetic when they are interacting with someone with disorder.
Some students have major difficulties in life when faced with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or more commonly referred to as “ADHD” , although if recognized early by noticing symptoms this disorder can be properly treated and contained causing minimal troubles for the victim. ADHD will distinguish itself commonly at an early age. There are exceptions to this with ADHD in adults. Some people can go years without noticing their disorder. These people in particular fall to the devastating effects of this disorder. They do have the power in their
Attention- Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) crosses gender, cultural, and socioeconomic lines, but it does not render adolescents from participating or excelling in the academic process. ADHD disorder has been defined as a neurobiological development disorder of impaired executive functions that significantly affects self-control, behavior, cognition, and learning. (Anthony L. Rostain & J. Russell Ramsay, 2005) According to a study conducted by the American
Children who are diagnosed with ADHD struggle with managing behavior in school environments. As research has shown, students have difficulty paying attention and can be disruptive in class. This often leads to a decline in their academics and can hurt future academic achievements. There are a number of tools, programs, contracts, and classes that are available to students with ADHD. Along with a lack of attention and an abundance of hyperactivity, “twenty to thirty percent of ADHD children have an associated learning disorder of reading, spelling, writing, and arithmetic” (Daley & Birchwood, 2010). It can be difficult, as a teacher, to manage a classroom with children with ADHD. It is important that teachers, parents, and students, understand the opportunities available to them to help the child succeed.
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), is a neurobehavioral disorder of the brain. Textbooks typically depict an individual with ADHD as one who is inattentive, highly distractible, unable to contain stimuli, disorganized and exhibits excessive motor activity (Townsend & Morgan, 2017, p. 636). It is easy to define a person by their impulsivity; however, it is difficult to try and understand the reasons behind the behavioral patterns that come along with this disorder. Blake Taylor, in his book, ADHD & Me, offers a thoughtful insight into the life of an individual diagnosed with ADHD. Topics he covers are: being distracted, impulsive, disorganized, hyperactive, unpopular, bullied, isolated, misunderstood, blamed, rigid,
It’s normal for a child to occasionally forget to do their homework, get fidgety when they lose interest in an activity, or speak out of turn during class time. But inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are all signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a neuro-development disorder and can start as early as three years old throughout adulthood. People with ADHD have trouble focusing on tasks and activities, this can have a negative impact on the individual in different ways. It can make the child feel alone, incompetent, and powerless and those that don’t understand this behavior only intensified their struggle. Family and schools have a major impact on the life of a child suffering with ADHD. Parents who
I have always struggled with school and following directions as long as I could remember. I was easily distracted, kind of energetic, daydreamed a lot, constantly through temper tantrums, and had trouble focusing. All of these adjectives describe ADHD; I was called “lazy” or “stupid” since my grades were inconsistent--getting terrible grades on tests, exams and school assignments.. I mostly scored C's on my schoolwork, but I would also get F’s, D’s, and A’s and B’s from time to time. Being concerned with my performance in school, my teachers often scheduled appointments with my parents and hoped to think of solutions to help me improve academically.