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There are many reasons why it is important for school counselors to focus on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in elementary school. Doing so gives children the best chance of success academically and socially, as children with ADHD can have a very difficult time working within the rigid structure of the average school day. Children who are not diagnosed with ADHD, but who experience it, are often treated like they are “bad” kids, which not only causes them to fall behind academically, but can also stigmatize them with their peers. With appropriate interventions, which may or may not include medications for ADHD, these children can be successful in the school environment.
One reason that school counselors should focus on ADHD is that there is a misunderstanding about what ADHD is. The normal school day is anything but normal, developmentally, for small children. Children are designed to learn through play and experience and require physical activity. School days are increasingly doing away with recreational time. Therefore, even neurotypical children might daydream, squirm, fidget, and appear bored. All of these are all classic signs of ADHD. Counselors need to make sure that they know the difference between being a normal restless child and signs of ADHD.
Early intervention is also critical to success. There are a number of strategies that can help people with ADHD cope in a “normal” academic setting. Implementing these strategies when kids are young can help ensure that they do not fall behind in school. They can make kids less disruptive in classes, which not only makes it easier for their teachers to interact with them but can also make them more likeable to their peers, and, therefore, less likely to be bullied. Without early interventions, kids with ADHD may struggle academically and socially, not just in elementary school, but throughout their academic careers.
