AD/HD: The role of teachers in the assessment of children suspected of having AD/HD

Abstract

In the light of recent guidance published by The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the diagnosis and management of attention deficit disorders in children, young persons and adults, Gill Salmon, a consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist based in Swansea, South Wales, and Amanda Kirby, Professor of Developmental Disorders in Education based at the University of Wales, Newport, give an overview of the rationale for involving teachers in the assessment of children with AD/HD and the development and implementation of subsequent educational interventions. They also review the resulting training implications; explore some of the obstacles to multi-agency, multi-disciplinary working; and examine how current special educational needs policy goes handin-hand with the tiered approach to provision of child and adolescent mental health services in offering a graduated response to these children.

Ο Μαθητής Με Δεπ-Υ Μέσα Στο Γενικό Σχολείο. Ποιος Ο Ρόλος Του Δασκάλου Και Ποιες Εκπαιδευτικές Πρακτικές Προωθούν Αυτήν Τη Συνεκπαίδευση;

“…Βοηθούν επίσης με τις παρατηρήσεις τους στο να διαγνωσθεί εγκαίρως η ύπαρξη ή μη συνοσηρότητας αλλά και να ορισθεί ο καταλληλότερος τρόπος άμεσης παρέμβασης που στόχο έχει την μείωση της ανεπιθύμητης συμπεριφοράς (Kos, 2008). Καταλήγοντας, ο εκάστοτε δάσκαλος του μαθητή με συμπτώματα ΔΕΠ-Υ κατέχει ρόλο «κλειδί» τόσο στην έγκαιρη διάγνωση, όσο και στη σωστή και πολύπλευρη παρέμβαση, για την επιτυχία της οποίας θα πρέπει να υπάρχει συνεργασία μεταξύ σχολείου-οικογένειας και βέβαια ειδικού παιδαγωγού (Salmon & Kirby, 2009). Η Διαταραχή Ελλειμματικής Προσοχής-Υπερκινητικότητα (ΔΕΠ-Υ), αποτελεί στις μέρες μας μια από τις πιο συχνές διαταραχές σε παιδιά σχολικής ηλικίας.…”

Teachers as disorder-spotters: (in)decisiveness in assigning a child’s hyperactivity, impulsivity and/or inattention to ADHD as the underlying cause

“…However, non-medical staff as well are increasingly integrated into the detection of behavioral, emotional, and learning disorders, particularly so in the case of ADHD (Conrad 1992(Conrad , 2006. Teachers have the opportunity to constantly compare a student's behaviors to the behaviors of other students in the classroom (Elder 2010;Salmon and Kirby 2009). This unique observational position allows teachers to take on an informal role as 'disease-spotters' (Phillips 2006), and, by extension, also the task of spotting disorders, such as ADHD.…”

“…Since the end of the nineteenth century, non-medical staff in schools have been increasingly integrated into the detection of behavioral, emotional, and learning disorders (Petrina 2006). In their role as disorder-spotters, teachers have the opportunity to constantly compare a student's behavior to the behavior of other students in the classroom (Elder 2010;Salmon and Kirby 2009). As such, currently, teachers are often the first to suggest the presence of ADHD in a child to the parents (Sax and Kautz 2003).…”

Primary school teachers’ attitudes about children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the role of pharmacological treatment

“…Teachers contribute information about the child’s behaviour and functioning to the diagnostic assessment of the child by specialist healthcare professionals (paediatrician or child and adolescent psychiatrist) and their views are essential to establish whether the child’s difficulties are pervasive and cause impairment, as required by diagnostic criteria for ADHD (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). They also provide valuable input to the assessment of associated and comorbid problems (Salmon & Kirby, 2009). When treatment has been initiated, teachers are ideally placed to provide information to specialist healthcare professionals about the progress of the child (Swanson, Lerner, March, & Gresham, 1999) and play a key role in a comprehensive treatment plan by providing educational and behavioural interventions in the classroom.…”