flynn088

ADHD is a misunderstood disorder. Many people associate it with hyperactivity or with a child who fidgets, is constantly moving or talking, and has trouble participating in quiet activities such as silent reading time. Conventional classroom settings ask children as young as 3 and 4 years old to sit still, listen, follow directions, and work quietly. Montessori tells us that movement is crucial to learning. Sitting still at such a young age is difficult for all children, but for children with ADHD, it is almost impossible. How do we tell if a child has ADHD or if this is just a child who has a lot to say, has more energy than most, or is less socially mature than his/her peers? And we need to remember that the inattentive subtype (ADHD-I) has very little, if anything, to do with hyperactivity. There are some strong indicators that teachers and parents should be aware of in order to make a referral to a medical professional. Indicators for Referring for ADHD Behaviorally Socially Emot...

My son was diagnosed with ADHD-I (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Inattentive) when he was 18 years old. In high school, he struggled as math classes became more and more complex and abstract. A true Montessori student, he was able to explain the big picture ideas and theories, but he had difficulty with step-by-step application. After a series of events that led to psycho-educational testing, we were all surprised by the ADHD diagnosis. How could we have missed it? ADHD is a common developmental and neurobehavioral disorder affecting at least 50 genes and affecting the prefrontal and parietal lobes of the brain. (Comings, 2005) In short, this means that the brain cells and neurons have difficulty communicating with each other. Prevalence of ADHD across Cultures (2003) UK 16.6% India 11.2% The Netherlands 9.5% US 9.1% Germany 6.4% Hong Kong 6.1% Canada 5.8% China 5.8% (Faraone, 2003) It is estimated that 5–10% of the global child population (Faraone, 2003) and 1–6% of the glob...