{"id":28539,"date":"2012-08-23T02:02:43","date_gmt":"2012-08-23T02:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=28539"},"modified":"2017-02-09T06:42:32","modified_gmt":"2017-02-09T11:42:32","slug":"looking-ways-make-your-child-add-adhd-more-successful-school-amy-burzinski","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/parenting\/looking-ways-make-your-child-add-adhd-more-successful-school-amy-burzinski\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking for Ways to Make Your Child With ADD\/ADHD More Successful in School?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Noah is sitting in the school office for the fourth time this week. He was instructed to leave the class because of his disruptive behavior.<\/p>\n

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Noah has a hard time staying still, especially during social studies, which he finds to be absolutely mind-numbing. Noah is bright and has so many interests that sometimes focusing on just one can be an uphill battle for him.\u00a0Even though he’s sitting in the same classroom as 16 other kids, you cannot compare the education he’s receiving.<\/p>\n

Noah has ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.<\/p>\n

Noah is creative and intelligent, but it doesn’t always come across. He’s different than his peers. More active, restless.\u00a0How much can his school be expected to do?<\/p>\n

Each child deserves an education. School mandates started with the Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) in 1974, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) stipulates such. But what if one child’s inability to behave negatively impacts other children in the classroom? How far does or should the school\u2019s responsibility extend?<\/p>\n

Each year more students are diagnosed with ADD and\/or ADHD. A growing number of kids are on psychotropic medications to aide in alleviating symptoms associated with a wide range of behavioral and emotional concerns.<\/p>\n

Should parents expect schools to increase their efforts and ability to accommodate these students? Do school mandates necessitate as much?<\/p>\n

Many parents would argue that the answer is yes. With more and more children being diagnosed with ADD and ADHD (and a host of other academic and emotional issues), some would even argue that schools need to examine and adapt their teaching style. Medication can only do so much.<\/p>\n

So how can we effect change in our schools?<\/p>\n

Parents of children with ADD and ADHD, however, must do their part too: They need to seek resources outside of school in order to increase the likelihood that their children will achieve academic and emotional success. It’s a timely and often costly venture, but an effective approach to ADD and ADHD is manyfold.<\/p>\n

As with most challenges in life, there is no magic bullet, no panacea. We may not always be able to change our schools. But we should strive to choose the best one possible.\u00a0Be sure to look for the following traits:<\/p>\n