Question

How does ADHD affect and impact children in grade school K-12? Please explain your answer in detail. For example, write a few or a couple of paragraphs about how a child's academic performance, learning, and grades are impacted by ADHD. Are stimulants the only way for children with ADHD to succeed in school?

Answer 1

Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is a learning
disability (NYSED, 2011). There has been increase in the number of school-aged children say with an increase by 24% between 2013 - 2011, diagnosed with ADHD. Research suggest that if these students do not receive support from the teachers then they are more likely to drop out of high school (Richman, Rademacher, & Maitland, 2014).

Children with ADHD experience home and school related problems, disruptive classroom behavior, problems with social interaction etc (Barkely, 2006). These children are at risk for poor performance at school. The family environment indirectly contribute to their poor or lack of performace or competancy at school. Children with ADHD may have stressful and conflicts with parents which may reduce their relationships with their parents contributing to self-regulation deficits. These may result in developing strong relationships with adults and peers in school which could lead to educational impairments and low self regulation displaying low level motivation and negatively impacts academics outcomes (Mautone,Lefler,& Power, 2011).

Children with ADHD demostrate high disruptive behavior and very less or no engagement in school work. The teacher - student relationship could be strained by these attention and behavior problems of the students which in turn would affect the learning of the others (DuPaul & Stoner, 2003).

Stimulant medication and psychosocial interventions can be used for ADHD students for their academic and/or behavioral difficulties. Children with ADHD can have success in schoold through psychosocial intervention such as reinforcement systems, environmental modifications, peer mentoring ehich could help them with their academic performance and their behavior at school.Improving parent–child interactions can strengthen the child's relationship and build the child's confidence and help the child perform better at academics.