Is it the little girl who squeals as she runs around the nursery or classroom getting rid of pent up energy? Is it the young lad who can\u2019t sit still for longer than five minutes before getting up and moving to another activity? Perhaps the teenager who messes around at the back of the classroom?<\/p>\n
Is it from birth with the baby who never seems to sleep, or the two year old who refuses to have an afternoon rest. <\/strong><\/p>\n Maybe the schoolchild who stays up late watching television, or the teenager who plays computer games long into the night? And at what age are children considered hyperactive?<\/strong><\/p>\n The most common age that children are diagnosed is seven years of age; there are significantly more children diagnosed with ADHD in the US than in the UK.<\/p>\n It\u2019s very important not to think that a child is hyperactive just because they don\u2019t seem to need a lot of sleep or always have boundless energy. Children and young people need exercise; they need an outlet for pent up emotions and energy.<\/p>\n Unfortunately in today\u2019s world it\u2019s a fact that children and young people don\u2019t get enough exercise – for some this leads to weight gain and lethargy but for others it means that they might be considered hyperactive.<\/p>\n For some children a better sleep and exercise routine makes all the difference, for others managing their behaviour effectively and putting stricter daily routines in place enables them to cope better and be less destructive.<\/p>\n Up until the late 1980\u2019s very few children in the UK were diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). In order for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD they must now exhibit several symptoms:<\/p>\n The NHS has specific guidelines related to the diagnosis of ADHD<\/a> so that children are not incorrectly labelled.<\/p>\n To be diagnosed with ADHD, a child must have six or more symptoms of inattentiveness, or six or more symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. They must also have been displaying symptoms continuously for at least six months and:<\/p>\n Babies are not usually diagnosed as hyperactive but you\u2019d be concerned if they constantly suffer from some, if not all of the following:<\/p>\n N.B. most if not all babies will have one or more of the above signs now and again during their first eighteen months of life which is perfectly normal. If however you\u2019re at all concerned then you should ask your doctor or health visitor for advice. Some young children sleep well and are generally content but problems often begin once the child becomes more mobile and when the diet is varied.<\/p>\n Having a better understanding of what ADHD is, how exactly can we manage a child with ADHD in the classroom? Good question and here are some ideas!<\/p>\n First off you should look at the Hyperactive Children\u2019s Support Group<\/a> website which has some excellent information.<\/p>\n Working in partnership with the child\u2019s parents and any other professional who might be involved is of prime importance so that you\u2019re all managing the child\u2019s behaviour and symptoms using a coordinated approach<\/p>\n The child might be eligible for support in the classroom (if they don\u2019t already have this). You can discuss this with the child\u2019s parents and investigate the possibility of applying for specialised support. The new Children and Families Act offers simpler, improved and consistent help for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities<\/a> (SEND).<\/p>\n Another step that might help would be to create an individual support plan (individual education plan) for the child that would describe:<\/p>\n Of course it\u2019s not always possible to structure timetables to suit individual children and not all schools can employ sufficient staff for a small teacher\/pupil ratio.<\/p>\n Well your own attitude can make a big difference, try to have positive expectations, monitor and check learners\u2019 work so that they know that you are interested in what they are doing. Make sure your instructions are clear, direct and understood by all.<\/p>\n A sense of humour is always a positive attribute and patience is vital. Having said that it\u2019s also important to be consistent and firm, setting definite boundaries for behaviour. You\u2019ll find it very useful to know about different methods and interventions that you can use for managing difficult behaviour.<\/p>\n You could suggest to hyperactive children that they take advantage of break times to play physical games such as football, netball, rounders, or just a game of tag. If you have access to a Forest School or outward bound activities, make full use of those resources, you\u2019ll find that hyperactive children thoroughly enjoy being in and learning from the outdoors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Because hyperactive children have so much energy and a short concentration span it\u2019s very useful to be able to suggest to parents that they find different ways for their children to make use of their energy and participate in physical activities.<\/p>\n Do you want to find out how to teach children who have a degree of hyperactivity?<\/p>\n We also offer a wide variety of other distance learning courses <\/a>that you can study at your own pace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nADHD or hyperactivity explained<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Historical context of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Diagnosis of ADHD<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Can babies be diagnosed as hyperactive?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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If you\u2019re at all concerned about your child then you should ask your doctor or health visitor for advice<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Create an individual support plan<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Strategies that work for many hyperactive children are:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What else can you do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Working with parents of hyperactive children<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Some activity ideas are:<\/h3>\n
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