What is ADHD?
What does ADHD stand for?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
In class, when the teacher is teaching something that is boring, how might this affect someone with ADHD?
Can't stay focused
Daydream
Fidget
True or False:
It can be hard for someone with ADHD to listen to and interested in what their friends or loved ones are saying.
True
With ADHD, you often have a lot on your mind. Sometimes it might be a challenge to sit and listen to someone else without interrupting and saying something that comes into your mind.
What are three areas of challenge for individuals with ADHD?
Impulsivity
Inattention
Hyperactivity
What can make it difficult for someone with ADHD to have motivation to complete school work?
Not interesting-boring material
Fear of failure-being embarrassed, feeling worse about oneself
Not understanding the directions
Past experiences with little success when trying hard
Difficulty planning/organizing the tasks to get the work done
Name 3 ways someone with ADHD may act impulsively that can affect the friend or family member they are with.
*Bonus: Describe how that behavior may impact the friend or family member.
Get upset quickly-trouble keeping your cool
Interrupting
Blurting out things that might hurt their feelings or that you promised to keep private
Making commitments before thinking it through
Have trouble waiting/taking turns
List at least 2 common behaviors for someone who struggles with impulsivity?
Interrupting others
Acting without thinking first
Trouble waiting for his/her turn
Not thinking about consequences of choices
Blurt things out
What are at least 2 common distractions in a classroom or at home that can make it difficult to complete class/home work?
Friends
Phone
TV/Video games
Sounds outside or inside classroom
Name at least 2 reasons why it is harder for someone with ADHD to keep friends.
1. People with ADHD often struggle with emotion regulation which can be hard for friends to understand.
2. Sometimes people with ADHD don't follow the normal social rules such as taking turns, letting other people talk, paying attention to other people, not touching others without asking, respecting other's personal space.
3. Following directions can be hard for some people with ADHD.
4. Being flexible and open to new ideas is sometimes a challenge for people with ADHD.
List at least 2 ways in which someone with ADHD may be inattentive.
Daydreaming
Forgetfulness/leave things don't bring things home
Take longer to understand directions
Struggle to complete tasks/assignments
Become bored quickly
Difficulty staying focused, especially on something that doesn't interest you
When someone with ADHD has trouble staying focused and paying attention in class, how does that affect their learning?
Miss instructions from the teacher so don't know how to do the work.
Trouble remembering presented material so they don't understand what to do.
Have trouble completing work independently because of what they have missed/don't understand.
True or False:
Remembering things is a challenge for some people with ADHD that can impact relationships and friendships.
True
You might find you accidentally forget plans you have made with friends, their birthdays, or forget to do things you promised to do which can lead friends and loved ones to feel disappointed or frustrated.
List at least 2 ways someone with ADHD may be hyperactive.
Move around a lot
Fidget/shake leg, pick fingernails/cuticles, play with things
Trouble staying seated/move around a lot in the seat
Moving constantly/restless
Talk a lot
How does ADHD make it harder for a student to complete long-term assignments/projects?
Requires organizing, tracking of material and information
Planning steps to take to complete the project
Managing time, abide by a schedule
Task initation
True or False:
The "BIG" feelings that come with ADHD are only felt/experienced by the person who has ADHD.
False:
Not only might people with ADHD have trouble managing emotions, but they might also have big emotional outbursts. These are impulsive emotional reactions that happen without thinking through the problem or the consequences, and can damage relationships or cause tension.