To those who may teach my child:My child has been diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
As a parent, I expect my child to behave in an acceptable manner at school and anywhere else. However, I have had to recognize that certain behaviors are characteristic of ADHD. I have had to realize that while some of these behaviors may be inconvenient or unexpected, they are not unacceptable or "bad". They are simply different.
Please keep these differences in mind as you teach my child. Correct when you must, and please accommodate -or tolerate- when you can. Please contact me if there are any questions or problems.
Thank you.
Because my child has ADHD, you may expect to see these:
Physical Behaviors
- Fidgeting, squirming, or otherwise being in "constant motion".
- Clumsiness
- May fall down a lot
- Bumping into other students or objects in the classroom
Classroom Behaviors
- May not listen to instructions
- Will begin work without waiting to hear or read instructions
- Trouble staying on task
- Poor penmanship
- Will lose or misplace papers, pencils and other materials
- Will have to be reminded to clean up any work areas that may be used
- Will probably be at your desk more often than most students
- Will often ask questions which may or may not relate to what you are discussing
- Will give unexpected responses to questions
- May well turn in class work, tests, etc. before other children, but with lower quality than possible
- Will occasionally "Hyper focus" on a topic to the point of fixation.
Social Behaviors
- Tends to be "bossy" with other children
- Tends to object strongly to what is perceived as "unfair".
- Interrupts other's conversations
- Intrudes on other's games or activities
- Trouble waiting in line
- May ignore others or simply walk away during a conversation
Emotional Behaviors
- Sudden and sometimes drastic mood swings
- Has feelings hurt easily
- Easily frustrated
- Tends to overreact to correction or criticism
Appearances
- May appear disheveled-- even five minutes after being bathed and dressed. (We TRY, honest!)
- Often lost in thought
- May "self-talk" with silent lip movements
by The JavaScript Source
