ADHD, ADD real diseases

COLUMBUS - Even health officials admit the dispute is there.

Without an identifiable cause, some people argue that Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are not bona-fide diseases.

Some of those in the health industry urged local teachers on Friday to not only recognize the disorders, but also offered strategies to help those students diagnosed with ADD and ADHD in the classroom.

"You have to know this disorder exists," Dr. Kimberly Allen, Columbus Community Hospital pediatric clinic physician, told teachers at Scotus Central Catholic.

Allen, along with University of Nebraska Medical Center psychologist Tawnya Meadows, and Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for Kids Supervisor Jill Zaruba spoke to Scotus educators at a teachers' in-service about certain strategies they can implement in the classroom for students with ADD and ADHD.

Despite the opinions of television and radio personalities who argue against the disorders, Allen said they are genuine.

"There are real people who have real problems with ADD and ADHD," she said.

She said there is no perfect way to diagnose ADD and ADHD, but they are disorders associated with inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity.

There have been an increase in the number of diagnoses of the disorders over the last 20 years, and schools are facing how to help those students, Allen said. The increase isn't necessarily because the disorders are more prevalent than in the past, but because more is now known about ADD and ADHD.

Allen said there are a smattering of kids in each grade at Scotus who have the disorders.

Some teachers probably aren't even aware of the situations. Most children are diagnosed in second and third grades and can be prescribed medication to help them concentrate.

Aside from the medication, students with the disorder benefit greatly from being in a structured environment, the health officials said.

Making the classroom organized and sticking to a routine were some of the strategies discussed.

Others included posting a schedule, using visuals like overheads in class and pairing a student with a partner or mentor to help him or her with studies.

Officials said even though ADD and ADHD students might have to use different skills to learn, they should be held to the same expectations as other students and not necessarily be given accommodations like watered-down tests.

For schools to better help those students, communication between the school, parents and students needs to take place. Allen said it is important for parents to come forward and let schools know if their child does have ADD or ADHD.

"If a parent chooses not to tell about it, there is nothing anyone can do about it. You can try different things. But they don't work, you give up," Allen said.