The Educator Magazine U.K. Jan-April 2024 issue - Magazine - Page 64
Five things teachers
don’t know about ADHD
Although Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a
common condition, there are still many
misconceptions about it. The reality is
that ADHD is a complex condition and
shows up differently from one person
to the next. But here are five key things
that all teachers should know.
some GP’s and psychiatrists who are
not educated about ADHD and who still
believe this myth. What we now know
is that ADHD is in fact a neurodiversity,
which means it is a different brain wiring. People with ADHD are born with it
and will also die with it. It is not something you grow out of.
• They say that ADHD rarely travels
alone
What they mean by this is that 80% of
ADHD children have one coexisting
condition, and 50% have
two. These coexisting
conditions are likely to be
dyslexia, dyspraxia,
dysgraphia, and dyscalculia.
But there are also lots of
other coexisting conditions
as well, which is why they
also say, ADHD is a big
umbrella, and a lot comes
under it. Other conditions
that are often
connected are IBS, social
anxiety, sensory
processing disorder,
fibromyalgia, chronic
fatigue and Ehlers-Danlos
syndrome. EDS means children may be
very hypermobile so if you have a child
in your class who can bend their fingers
back scarily close to their arm, this can
be a red flag for ADHD.
• A lot of people believe that an
ADHD child should be ‘managed’
with the goal of them behaving like a
neurotypical child.
• ADHD children only have one brain
You often hear people asking, “Is that
their ADHD or is it just them being
them?” This question is null and void.
Each child only has one brain and
therefore all activity and messages
coming from that brain will be ADHD
related. If that child has ADHD, then the
answer is always yes. It is their ADHD!
Of course, some their natural ADHD
traits like impulsivity, hyperactivity,
compulsivity, always wanting to win,
thinking they know best, not thinking
of the consequences and all the other
dozens of traits, do need to be
understood and collaboratively dealt
with by the teacher and the student.
And, if the child is young, it is also
helpful to do this in conjunction with
the parents as it aids their understanding of their child’s behaviour.
However, trying to turn an ADHD child
into a neurotypical child is damaging
and is never going to be successful. It’s
• ADHD is not a childhood
behavioural disorder
This is the information that was being
given out for many years, particularly
during the 1970s, 1980s, and even the
1990s. Unfortunately, there are still
This could not be more wrong.
Each child born with ADHD should be
allowed to be their authentic self.
An ADHD child has as much right to be
themselves as a neurotypical child does.
leads to a child feeling they are different
in a bad way and is very damaging for
their self-esteem and self-worth.
• The most serious impact of ADHD is
emotional dysregulation
For decades psychiatrists thought that
inattention, distraction, hyperactivity
and impulsivity were the major traits
that impact people with ADHD. It is
only in the last five years that it has
been largely accepted that this is not
actually the case. It is now thought that
not being able to regulate
emotions brings the most
problems for ADHD
children and adults.
Emotional dysregulation
is at its most severe during
puberty but lasts for life. It
also heightens, and is at its
worst, in teenage girls
during menstruation and
then later in life during
pregnancy and menopause. Children with
emotional dysregulation
need to be watched very
carefully because at its
worst, it can lead to
self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Very simply, the part of the brain that is
supposed to regulate emotion does
not work in an ADHD person. So the
appropriate level of emotion, or even
the emotion itself, may not be the one
that comes into their mind. Rejection
sensitive dysphoria RSD is also part
of the condition, meaning children
take rejection, humiliation, and even
perceived rejection and humiliation,
extremely badly. It’s always worth
noting the tone of your voice alone can
make an ADHD child feel humiliated or
rejected.
Sarah Templeton is an ADHD
campaigner, founder of ADHD LIBERTY
and author of Teachers! How Not to Kill
the Spirit in Your ADHD Kids, available
on Amazon, priced £22.99