Defining Attention Deficit Disorder
Current trends in education refer to ADHD and ADD as one disorder capture by the acronym ADD. For the sake of conformity, this page will do the same.
ADD is a neurological disorder in which a part of the brain is unable to distinguish between varying stimuli thus creating difficulty in ignoring extraneous stimuli and focusing only on helpful stimuli in any given situation.
Imagining ADD
Time Square, NYC: Picture me, Jennifer Lewis. I am a bubbly, enthusiastic person. I am also a country girl with little concept of direction. Now put me in Time Square. Flashing neon signs grab my attention, TV screens the size of small homes hanging from buildings distract me, advertisements in 3D form capture my imagination, street vendors call out from their booths, hundreds of taxis crowd the narrow streets, and thousands of people rush by on their way to work. Now imagine my dad handing me a map and telling me to go on a scavenger hunt. IMPOSSIBLE!
Classroom, Christian School: Thirty children are sitting in class taking a test. A number of students are coughing, pencils can be heard scratching across the desks; the clock is ticking past the minutes; classes pass by in the hallway headed out to recess or electives; students raise their hands, shift in their seats, and make various noises that most of us tune out. Outside the building cars speed by and the wind blows. In the same way I was overwhelmed by all the stimuli in NYC, a student with true ADD is completely overwhelmed by extraneous background noises, stray thoughts, and movement that many of us have learned to shift through.
Classroom, Christian School: Thirty children are sitting in class taking a test. A number of students are coughing, pencils can be heard scratching across the desks; the clock is ticking past the minutes; classes pass by in the hallway headed out to recess or electives; students raise their hands, shift in their seats, and make various noises that most of us tune out. Outside the building cars speed by and the wind blows. In the same way I was overwhelmed by all the stimuli in NYC, a student with true ADD is completely overwhelmed by extraneous background noises, stray thoughts, and movement that many of us have learned to shift through.
Clarifying ADD Scientifically
Scientific studies have shown that receptors to a particular part of our brains help us shift through and "tune out" extraneous auditory and visual stimuli. Those receptors malfunction for the student with scientific ADD, thus creating great difficulty in "tuning out" the unnecessary stimuli and focusing on the necessary stimuli.
Understanding ADD
Common complaints of individuals with ADD include the following:
*Younger students will not verbalize these issues this way. Ask them questions to find out what is bothering them.*
Common characteristics of individuals with ADD include the following:
*Younger students will not verbalize these issues this way. Ask them questions to find out what is bothering them.*
- The sound of pencils on paper in study hall bothers me.
- My mind is always racing.
- I don't know how to organize my locker, my desk, my bedroom, my thoughts, my notes, my life, etc.
- I can't sleep at night.
- Movement outside the window or door is bothering me.
Common characteristics of individuals with ADD include the following:
- Jumping from one topic of conversation to another at an unusually fast and overwhelming rate
- Difficulty in forming complete sentence thoughts in conversations as young children
- Lack of organization of thoughts for writing and verbal expression, of words into sentences, and of notes for classes
- Writing, speech, and study methods appear disjointed and hard to follow
- Focus is primarily on extraneous noises or stimuli
- Shaking of head or hands or clutching of the head in an effort to still the fast-paced brain.
- Sleeps fewer hours than the average person or experiences days of insomnia before crashing