What are mild disabilities?

Mild disabilities include learning disability, high-functioning autism, Asperger syndrome, emotional disturbances, and ADHD. Individuals with mild disabilities have difficulty with cognition, language, social skills, physical abilities, and so forth.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder characterized by inattentiveness and/or hyperactivity. Students with ADHD may struggle to sit still quietly or control their urges. These characteristics may be observed before age seven; however, it is difficult to identify ADHD when children are young as all children have such characteristics in general.

The exact causes of ADHD are still unknown, yet many evidences indicate that ADHD is a neurological-based problem. That is why, to regulater nerotransmitters, individuals with ADHD are sometimes advised to take prescribed medication. ADHD can be categorized in three groups: predominantly inattentive type, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type, or combined type. Many people associate ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivessness, but inattentiveness is also a characteristic of ADHD.

主な特徴

Predominantly Inattentive Type

Individuals with this type have attention and concentration problems.
They may be sitting quietly in the classroom, but not focused on the topic discussed.

  • Not paying attention to details
  • Makes thoughtless mistakes
  • Lose focus while playing, studying, or doing other activities
  • Get distracted easily
  • Cannot complete a whole procedure while following small steps
  • Cannot organize assignments or manage time
  • Frequently lose items
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type

Individuals with this type show impulsive behaviors. They may act first before thinking ahead.
A typical example of behavior is running around in the classroom when they are supposed to sit still.

  • Difficult to sit still quietly
  • Frequent running or climbing
  • Cannot play silently
  • Constantly speaking
  • Interrupt other speakers or start speaking before others finish
  • Cannot wait for turn.
  • Frequently lose items
  • Interrupt other children's play
Combined Type

Combined Type is a combination of inattentive type and hyperactive-impulsive type. Individuals with this type have the features of both types.

Expected developmental stages differ by age.
The attributes above are the features compared to same age peers.

Hope tips

Give specific complements
Praise the child when he/she tried hard or performed better than before. In general, individuals with learning disability have less opportunities to get complements than other students, so do not miss the opportunity to praise them. Remember to give specific complements such as "This part of your essay was very descriptive and easy to understand," instead of simply saying "good job."
Encourage area of interest
If children have any areas of interest, encourage them to develop their interest. For instance, if a child is interested in dinosaur, parents may take the child to dinosaur museum or buy some books about dinosaur. By encouraging their area of interest, students can feel confident in the area and are less likely to develop negative feeling toward all subjects.
Establish specific rules
Establish specific rules at home and make clear what is supposed to do and what is not supposed to do, and teach the consequences of those behaviors. Once the rules are established between parents and children, parents must stick with the rules and be consistent. For example, one of the rules can be cleaning room before inviting friends. If they don't clean the room, they may not be able to start playing until they finish cleaning. When establishing rules and explaining consequences, make sure to keep to the point and make it short.
Treatment of ADHD
There are prescribed medication for individuals with ADHD. If you have any concerns about medication, please feel free to discuss with me. Educational Therapist discuss the advantanges and disadvantages of taking medication and alternatives.
Keep in touch with school
Keep in touch with school and share how the child is doing at home and school. Especially when children are taking medication, parents should know how they are doing throughout a day. Also, if any interventions are effective, parents or teachers can use them in a different setting.

Message from Educational Therapist

While it is easier to identify ADHD with hyperactive-impulsive type, it is more difficult to identify ADHD with inattentive type. Children with inattentive type may appear as if they are listening to the teacher, but they may be thinking about other random topics. Those children cannot concentrate not only during the class, but also when they are talking with family and friends, going somewhere, cooking, or taking bath. Such inattentiveness also has effects on communication, relationship, and protecting self from dangers. If a child is suspected of having ADHD, please feel free so share your concerns. Educational Therapist can refer to an appropriate specialist for diagnosis.