ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ON ADHD FOR PARENTS: URL’s
Provided by Professor Rosemary Tannock - ADHD Seminar 21 August 2005

A. RECOMMENDED SOURCES FOR INFORMATION ON ADHD

1. *** http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/osep/index.html#adhd-res

ADHD — Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Resource for School And Home (2003)

This resource guide designed for families and educators provides information on how attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is identified and treated. The resource includes sections on legal requirements, treatment options and helpful hints on how to improve the quality of life at home and at school, for a child identified with ADHD.    MS Word [878K] | PDF [420K]

2. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/adhdmenu.cfm

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adhd.cfm#symptoms

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Date: 2003 (rev)   A detailed booklet that describes the symptoms, causes, and treatments, with information on getting help and coping.

3. ADHD in girls  -  http://www.ldonline.org/nadeau

4. Oppositional Defiant Disorder:  -    http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/72.htm

11. Facts versus Myths About ADHD

11a. http://www.chadd.org/index.cfm - (Myths about ADHD) http://www.chadd.org/factvsfiction.cfm

11b. http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Youth/Beginnings-Summer03.pdf

Articles by 2 leading medical experts on ADHD:  Dr. P. Jensen: Fact versus Fiction about ADHD

11c. *** http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/index.htm

(Teens and Driving)  http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/76.htm

 (Tobacco and kids)  http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/68.htm

11d. http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/add_adhd/add_nichcy.html

11e.http://www.help4adhd.org/en/treatment/dsm/keycomponents

 B.  WORKING MEMORY

1.http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/articles/psychology/psychology_10.shtml

BBC July 18, 2004: Definitions and fascinating facts about different aspects of memory (sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory)

2. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/press/prwmprowess.cfm (April 2004)

Description of recent discovery of a brain signal that measures working memory prowess in humans

 3c. http://www.cnlm.uci.edu/neurolinks.htm

Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory provides URLs for other websites for kids and teachers

 C. RETHINKING ADHD IN THE CLASSROOM

http://www.ascd.org/publications/ed_lead/200111/tannock.html

In this article, we argue that current research indicates that ADHD should be viewed as a cognitive disorder. This has implications for the classroom. Current practices target the overt behavioral systems of ADHD. We suggest that an alternative approach might be to try to moderate behavioral symptoms by using instructional practices that reflect an understanding of the cognitive weaknesses associated with ADHD. We identify 3 questions to guide a teacher’s thinking when developing programs for ADHD students:

1. Does the student have the preskills necessary to acquire the knowledge or concepts that you are teaching? For example, students with ADHD often have difficulty understanding instructional language. As a result, tasks are either misunderstood or not done.
2. Does the lesson content and the delivery match the needs of the student? Often, if the content gap is too great between what an ADHD student knows and what they are expected to learn, they are unable to initiate the process of learning. Also, because of difficulties associated with language skills, ADHD students may require linguistic re-framing of classroom instruction.
3. How can I help my students become self-regulated strategic learners? ADHD students often lack good metacognitive strategies that allow for efficient and reflective learning.
    

We offer many suggestions and available resources for addressing the problems identified through the three key questions. The important concept for teachers to keep in mind when working with ADHD students is teaching strategies that address cognitive weaknesses, will benefit students both behaviorally and academically.

H. ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS FOR ADHD

http://www.chadd.org/fs/fs6.htm  

(Provides guidelines for evaluating alternative approaches to helping children with ADHD)