Case
ADHD Non-Medicated Student

I have a student in my classroom who has been diagnosed with ADAH. however, his mother does not believe in medicating him. Instead she adjusts his diet at home and I allow him to drink an energy drink halfway through the day to help with his attention. This is not working. He has a very difficult time staying in his seat. He is constantly making noises and disrupting other students. When I put him in the back of the room so other students couldn't see him, he started distracting the class across the hallway. When I speak to his mother, she says there is nothing that she can do. I have had the occupational therapist come in and give me some recommendations on what I can do to help, but that has had little effect. What are some suggestions to help him focus and demonstrate self control?

Posted on: 03/15/15 | Views: 1171
Solution #1
Dealing with unmedicated ADHD students can be difficult. I have also had these difficulties in my room as well and over the years I have come up with some strategies that help these students. They do not work for all students and do not always work all the time. However, the key is to continue trying new things until you find something that works. I would recommend coming up with a individualized behavior plan for this student that uses positive reinforcement. For example, if the student is having a hard time staying in his seat, I would complete a "stay in your seat" checklist. I would set a certain amount of times that the student can get out of their seat during the day. If the student does not go over the amount of times set, I would give him some type of reward such as computer time or something that he likes. This behavior plan can also be used for other negative behaviors as well.

You have a great ideas for working with ADHD children and know you have to try many different approaches. The behavior sticker chart is great.

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Solution #2
This is a tough situation but ultimately it is the parent's choice to medicate the child or not. My suggestion would be to find ways to positively reinforce appropriate behavior not matter how small it is. Try giving the student small jobs, let the student be your "Helper". It helps if you incorporate movement into your lessons to help the student release some energy.

This is a great idea for the student. Having a job for the student may help with the extra energy that the student has and the student will feel good about helping.

This is an great solution! i will definitely use this in my classroom.

I love using the "helper" position as well. It engages them and lets them move around. Sometimes it gets a little out of hand, but its better than most alternatives.

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Solution #3
ADHD students are very challenging. Reward the student's behavior when it is correct with possible jobs in the classroom or errands that need to be done in the school. This will allow an opportunity for the child to move around in a productive way. I had a student who was acting out when it came time to leave each day. This behavior would especially happen when he had moved his behavior clip. The other day I asked to push all the chairs in at the cooperative group tables. He stayed busy and didn't act out.

This is an great solution! i will definitely use this in my classroom.

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Solution #4
Try to find ways in the curriculum to help the student not feel so antsy by making the material more interactive. There is only so much you can do especially when parent's our not willing to medicate their child. If your still at a lost get the school counselor involved and find ways to help the student focus in the classroom.
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Solution #5
A great solution for focusing in the classroom is putting something in his hands while you are instructing the class. An alternative to this would be placing a piece of Velcro underneath his desk so that he can touch it when needed to help him focus. I have seen this done a few times and it seemed to work for other students. Also, I think it important to find out the likes and dislikes of the student. This may help with incorporating those thing into a lesson to hold his attention and not using things he dislikes to hold his attention.
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Solution #6
Students with ADHD don't always need medication to help them. Sometimes they do, though. I would exhaust all possible solutions to this behaviors. Have the counselor come in and observe him, make accommodations for him- such as minimizing the amount of possible distractions. Take note of all behaviors he has during class that are disruptive to you or other students. Show his mom the list so she can see how often it is a problem. If his ADHD is too difficult to manage, they may need to explore the possibility of medication. But you cannot force her to medicate her child. All you can do is try to correct the behavior in class and advise her of how often and how severe the distractions are in class. And you cannot blame the child. Give him the extra attention he may need when you can.
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Solution #7
This may take advice from out side resources. The mother has the right not to medicate her child. Although medication would be helpful to the child, the situation is that the child is not on medication. A recommendation to drink water throughout the day rather than an energy drink can be discussed with the mother. As for the child during the day this may take a reward system that is broken down into blocks of time. Such as every fifteen minutes of work that is completed the student will be rewarded using a visual chart of success. A stamp or sticker can be placed on the chart. Once the student has earned three stamps (equivalent to 45 minutes of work), the student will earn a break or activity.

This is an great solution! i will definitely use this in my classroom.

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Solution #8
I am a non medicated ADHD student my self. first thing is to put the student up in the front of the classroom where you can focus on him a little more and keep him on task.when he is acting up Little things such as putting your hand on his desk and standing in front of him letyting him know what he is doing is wrong will help him. in regards to him sitting still you can give him a stress relieving ball because he is getting out of his seat because he has to constantly be moving. Next don't let him have the energy drink it doesn't help him and could make things worse later on. have him (and the class so there is no exclusion) do jumping jacks or something to get them moving if they start to get tired. some believe in medication and some dont I have tried both but the main thing is he has to learn how to deal with the effects of his ADHD in order to help.
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Solution #9
While interning I have observed a student who has difficulty staying focused. I noticed the one day the student really enjoyed a coloring activity. I told the student that I would give him a coloring sheet and after he completed his assignment, he could color the sheet. The student remained focused and would color the sheet in between transition times and if he completed the assignment earlier.

The transition times are typically the ones that need the most assistance. Having a coloring activity prepared could be a great solution.

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Solution #10
I would provide the parent with information about the positive effects that medications can have for students with attention disorders. I would also invite her to observe the class to see how the student's behavior hinders his learning and distracts the other students. If educating and involving Mom does not make a difference, I would have "Brain Breaks" so the class can jump around. I would also teach whole body learning- the students use movement and gestures during learning.

I agree with involving the mother as much as possible with the classroom difficulties, but I think I would have guidance counselor or administration talk with her about the medication issue.

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Solution #11
Invest in playdough and fidget toys.
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