Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorders in children. The condition can continue through adolescence into adulthood. Although ADHD is a commonly diagnosed condition, there are myths and misconceptions that are troubling to parents whose children suffer from the disorder. Children with ADHD often present challenges to teachers who are unaware of the true ramifications of ADHD and the subsequent stumbling blocks to learning it can cause. The following misconceptions cause embarrassment for parents and unnecessary anxiety for children who are struggling to overcome the behaviors associated with ADHD.
5 Misconceptions about ADHD
1. FALSE: “ADHD is the Result of Poor Parenting”
When a child is acting out in class, interrupting the teacher, blurting out answers and making it impossible to maintain order in the classroom, it’s common for a teacher to think that the child has not been taught or disciplined properly. It is difficult to dispel the myth that ADHD is a result of poor, or a lack of parenting. The truth is many of the characteristics of an exasperated parent tend to increase the inappropriate behaviors displayed by children with ADHD. Sometimes parents of children with ADHD are overly critical or impatient when their child can’t sit still long enough to eat a meal or practice his spelling words. Although a child’s response to his parent’s attempts at discipline may seem to intensify a child’s mood changes or self-control issues, it is important to understand ADHD is not the result of poor parenting. Genetics plays a role in the development of the disorder, but a person’s parenting style is not a factor when it comes to determining a cause for ADHD. A lax parenting style may make it more difficult to control the child who has ADHD.
2. FALSE: “Children Who Have ADHD are Lazy and Don’t Want to Learn”
Children with ADHD are bright, imaginative and eager to learn. The disorder presents them with uncontrollable impulses and quirks that make it hard to concentrate or focus on anything for very long. Some children with ADHD are daydreamers. They look out the window and see a butterfly or a man at work across the street and tune out what is going on in the classroom. These daydreamers sometimes act like they don’t hear what you are saying, and it appears they don’t care. That’s all part of living with ADHD. Other children with ADHD never hand in homework assignments, complete classwork, or finish a test. These kids are the disorganized ones. Their parent may have tucked all of their work neatly into their backpack, but it falls out on the bus when the child is digging around in the backpack trying to be sure he has his ice cream money. Kids with ADHD are usually the farthest thing from lazy. They just cannot seem to pull it together.
3. FALSE: “ADHD is not a Real Disorder”
The National Institute of Health, Center for Disease Control and American Medical Association, among other organizations recognize ADHD as a disability/disorder. There is no definitive test to confirm the presence of ADHD, so many people are skeptical of the diagnosis. Specific criteria must be met and the symptoms must prevail over a period of 6 months or more for a diagnosis to be made. Not all children with ADHD display hyperactivity, making it even harder to diagnose in those children.
4. FALSE: “Medications Cure ADHD”
If a medication regime is determined to be the best course of treatment, children can be given certain medications to alleviate symptoms. The children are given the medication and closely monitored for effectiveness and side effects. The administration of ADHD medications is a therapy, or treatment plan, not a cure for the disorder. A combination of behavioral therapies, medication therapy and brain-training programs, such as C8 Sciences’ ACTIVATE™ can all be tools to help the child with ADHD succeed. The ultimate goal is to teach the child to manage his disorder by giving him the tools he needs to limit the need for medicinal intervention.
5. FALSE: “If a Child Can Focus on What He Likes, He Does Not Have ADHD”
This is one of the biggest myths of all. Children with ADHD have trouble completing tasks that don’t interest them. The mundane sheet of math problems or the rote-like recital of this week’s spelling words are not enticing enough to hold his interest for very long.
This is where a new teaching method for children with ADHD can change the way kids learn. C8 Sciences’ ACTIVATE™ program is one of the best teaching tools on today’s market for children with ADHD. The program is designed to focus on a child’s interests and cognitive capabilities. The software games are interesting, stimulating, and fun. They teach a child to focus longer, maintain attention and enhance executive function skills.
Teaching Kids With ADHD Can be a Rewarding Experience
Once you find the key to the door that unlocks the enormous potential inside these kids, you will delight in their progress and ability to learn. The myths and misconceptions are being dispelled, one by one, as children with ADHD are learning to participate in classroom activities appropriately. If they are given the proper learning tools, they can absorb knowledge and reach their full potential. If children with ADHD are encouraged and supported, they can excel in the classroom and become assets to their communities as they reach adulthood. All it takes is patience, persistence and a positive role model for them to follow.