Why Learning Disabilities are Sometimes Misdiagnosed as ADD
In a classroom of approximately 25 children, it is rather easy to pinpoint a problem with a child that just cannot seem to sit still. The teacher can assume that there may be a problem, as she has tried to address the situation several times in the classroom. If, for whatever reason, the teacher is not making any headway on the problem, they will then recommend an interview with the parents. This will be done to determine whether or not this is an isolated incident or if the child behaves this way at home, as well. The parents not knowing there is an underlying problem tends to be a very common thing. Many parents and teachers will figure that the child just has a lot of energy at first glance. Unfortunately, there is often more to the story than just high energy.
Whether or not the parents state that the child is like this at home is irrelevant. The fact remains that this child is very squirmy in class and is not focusing on what needs to be done. Many times this is also a disruption to their classmates as well. So where do you go from there? Generally the teacher will recommend the school counselor see the child or nurse prior to any further action is to be taken. Often the nurse or counselor will recommend a specialist see the child. The first thing that comes to their mind always seems to be ADD or attention deficit disorder. This is where the child cannot adjust to the idea of just sitting still. They have no sense of focus, and are very fidgety. They cannot concentrate on any set task for more than a few minutes, and can be a disruption and/or loud in the classroom setting. This is not solely reserved for just the classroom, either. Their home life can be exactly the same.
The problem with this is that many times where an individual is thought to have this disorder, in fact it is something entirely different. As you may or may not know, many disorders have mimicking symptoms that can lead one to believe at first glance that it is ADD and not indeed something else. Although specialists do have an array of highly sophisticated tests to determine if someone has a disorder, many times they can be fooled by the disorder itself. With the likes of dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dysgraphia all in the mix of possible disorders that a child can have, determining the true culprit could be difficult. If, for instance, the child does have another disorder that impedes their learning process, then it can make for a very long day in the specialists office if they are assuming that the child has ADD. When it comes to a disorder, prescribing a medicine can indeed be tricky. What if the disorder that was originally diagnosed, is not the problem at all? What will that medicine do for the child? Although it is doubtful that the medicine will actually harm the child, it most likely will do no good at all.
Dyslexia can, and usually does, have the same symptoms as ADD, as the child cannot get a grasp on what is before them. Many times, their level of processing information is not quite tuned in right. This can make for a child that has no desire to sit and pay attention, for the information will not be received anyways. They quickly become restless and can cause quite a disturbance for the rest of the classroom. Unlike ADD however, dyslexia is very treatable through special education. There really is no need to medicate a child that has this disorder, simple time with the child and some dedication will straighten if not all of the disorder at least most of the problems associated with it. ADD is a different pill all together. Special education unfortunately, is not the answer. Most of the time, the specialist will try many different methods to see what works best. The general start to treatment is usually an altering in the child’s diet. From there they will go on to some sort of medication. In the past, the use of Ritalin was the method of choice. This has been surpassed however for more stable and favorable drugs.
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