For the third time in the past 5 minutes, Jeremy’s fourth-grade teacher has had

Question

For the third time in the past 5 minutes, Jeremy’s fourth-grade teacher has had to tell him to sit in his seat and keep his hands to himself. It is as if Jeremy’s feet are attached to springs. He doesn’t walk; he bounces. He doesn’t sit; he squirms. It’s not just the motor activity that sets him apart from the rest of the class: Jeremy also has a motor mouth. He talks incessantly. He can’t resist sharing his ideas with the class, whether they are welcomed or not. As soon as he thinks about them, regardless of whether the time is right, Jeremy blurts out answers, disrupts the classroom, and adds considerable stress to his teacher’s already stressful job.

   Jeremy is almost the polar opposite of his classmate Leonard. For Leonard, Jeremy’s antics just fade into the background of other classroom stu. Unlike Jeremy, Leonard is very quiet and rarely participates in classroom discussions, unless the discussions are about something that really interests him. Leonard spends most of his time staring out the window or o into space. The word daydreamer seems to t Leonard perfectly.

   Leonard always seems to be at least one step behind everyone else. Leonard is rarely on task; he drifts o in the middle of assignments; often he has to be reminded to return toe arth. Leonard is doing poorly academically. He just doesn’t seem to tune in to whatever channel the rest of the class is on. Initially, the teacher thought that Leonard was a slow learner, until the class began to discuss dierent computer programs. The teacher was shocked at Leonard’s sophisticated knowledge base and expertise in the area. That was when his teacher began to think that there was something else getting in the way of Leonard’s academic success.

   In this case study, Jeremy and Leonard share more than the same classroom and same teacher. As incredible as it might seem, they both probably share variations of the same disorder: attention-decit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). How can two children who seem so dierent fall into the same diagnostic category?This is a question that has plagued theorists for the past 100 years. Although ADHD is among one of the most prevalent disorders in childhood, it continues to challenge professionals. It has been a topic for considerable discussion and controversy, especially regarding the over prescription of stimulant medications (Diller,1996).

In a 100 words or more:

How might Jeremy and Leonard be evaluated or assessed to determine the level and severity of symptoms presented?

Explanation / Answer

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition. It mainly affects children, but can also affect adults. It can have an impact on emotions, behaviors, and the ability to learn new things. ADHD is divided into three different types: inattentive type-getting distracted, having poor concentration and organizational skills hyperactive-impulsive type-interrupting, taking risks(impulsivity);never seeming to slow down, talking and fidgeting, difficulties staying on task (hyperactivity) combination type-If one has the combination type, it means that their symptoms don’t exclusively fall within the inattention or hyperactive-impulsive behavior. Instead, a combination of symptoms from both of the categories are exhibited. Leonard in this case falls in the category of inattentive type. He seems distracted and daydreaming sometimes.Also he is slow at at processing information and has to be reminded to get back on track.He doesnt seem to listen as well. Jeremy falls under the category of impulsivity/hyperactivity type of ADHD.He doesnt seem to slow down,talking and fidgeting all the time.He feels restless all the time and cannot sit still.He is somebody who is constantly "on the go".Children with hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD can be a disruption in the classroom. They can make learning more difficult for themselves and other students. Therapy can help people with ADHD replace inappropriate behaviors with new behaviors. Or help them find ways to express feelings.Parents can also receive behavior management training. This can help them manage their child’s behavior. And help them learn new skills for coping with the disorder. Stimulants are the most commonly prescribed medications. They are fast-acting and between 70 to 80 percent of children have fewer symptoms while on these medications.

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