MAY WE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION

PLEASE

The Information Tornado

What We Know

Inattentive:

Fails to give close attention to detailsDifficulty sustaining attentionDoes not seem to listen when spoken toFails to finish schoolwork, chores, activitiesDifficulty organizing tasksAvoids activities involving sustained mental activityLoses necessary itemsEasily distractedForgetful

Hyperactive:

Fidgets or squirms in seatOften leaves seatRuns or climbs in inappropriate situationsDifficulty playing quietlyDescribed as “driven by a motor” “always on the go”Talks excessively

Impulsive:Blurts out answersDifficulty waiting turnInterrupts/intrudes on others

… and

• Some symptoms were present before age 7.• Impairment is present in 2 or more settings.• There must be evidence of significant impairment in social or academic

functioning.• The symptoms have lasted more than 6 months.• The symptoms may not be explained by another condition, such as a

medical or mental health condition.

Medical Interventions

Stimulants

• Quick acting

• Long acting (time release)

• Transdermal

Others

• Non Stimulant (Strattera)• Antidepressant• Clonidine

• Antipsychotics• Natural/holistic/supplements

Possible Side Effects(Stimulants)

• Dizziness• Dry mouth• Headache• Abdominal Pain• Irritability• Depression• Loss of appetite• Difficulty sleeping• Tics (repetitive involuntary movements)

What Really Works?

A majority of practitioners agree, the most effective treatment for ADD and ADHD is a combination of pharmaceutical and behavioral interventions.

Can you learn without paying attention?(Yes! I hit a deer this summer!)

Can you pay attention without learning?(Yes! I went to a class conducted in Urdu! I paid very

close attention! I learned nothing!)

Attention & Learning

Multitasking vs. Mindfulness

The brain likes:Novelty? Too much novelty is fatiguing. Too little novelty is boring.Challenge? If it’s too challenging it’s demotivating. Not challenging

enough…boring (again with boring!)Pleasure? Yeah, baby! Good smells, good food, beautiful things, music,

color, the list goes on. Some people are more “sensory” than others. Some of our less verbal students respond better to these stimuli.

Excitement? It’s a bell curve- again, too much is as bad as too little.

So Get it Right, Would Ya? (Or maybe it’s not meant to stay perfect)

Thanks, Teacher !Ways teachers help students navigate through the information

tornado:

1. ADVANCE ORGANIZERS BEFORE Informing the student ahead of time which information to look for before it “flies by,” in the tornado, and when to look for it.

2. INFORMATION MAPS DURINGHelping the student organize information.

3. CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING AFTER

4. REPEATING IMPORTANT INFORMATION AGAIN and making it available for review.

QUESTIONS ?Websites:

• Department of Public Instruction• adhd.com• chadd.org• addresources.org• ADD consults store – for materials• National Association of School

Psychologists (nasponline.org)