Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
By Rick Delaney, Ph.D.
Relationships: Strengthening Communications
Many foster parents wonder if their child or teen-ager has ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) appears in some children as early as their preschool and early school years. In short, these children to (1) control their behavior (2) pay attention or (3) both. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of all children have ADHD, or about two million youngsters in the United States. In my experience, the prevalence of ADHD in foster kids seems to be much higher than that.
But what is ADHD? The common symptoms of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Of course, all children are sometimes restless, sometimes act without thinking, and daydream the time away. But, when these problems begin to affect school, relationships, or behavior in the home, you may want to seek help. ADHD is not easy to diagnose, and it takes a specialist to make the correct diagnosis.
Let's look at how a single foster mother, Corina Jenkins described her foster son, Denton:
He's a whirling dervish! Devin is always "on the go." He's seven years-old and can't keep his hands off of things. He speeds around the house and bounces off things like a pinball. At the dinner table he squirms and fidgets and can't stay seated. It's the same way at school. His teacher says he's out of his seat almost every few minutes. He's the ultimate multi-tasker, because he always seems to do several things at once.
Margarite and Thomas describe their eleven-year-old foster daughter, Carla, this way:
Carla can't look before she leaps. She never seems to think before she acts. She constantly interrupts others, blurts out inappropriate remarks or feelings, and acts without concern for consequences. She can't wait for even a few seconds which causes problems in playing with other kids. She can't wait for her turn and will maybe grab something they are using without asking. I guess you could say, she has no "pause" button, because she can never delay or be delayed. She is on a mission!
And, here's how Ms. Corrington, a resource teacher for Marcus, a sixteen-year-old foster child, describes him.
In a word, I would describe Marcus as inattentive. He can't keep his mind in focus and gets bored easily. He has a short, short attention span for things he has to do at school. Yes, he can concentrate on his video games and text messaging, but consciously attending to his class work-no way! I have his foster parents on speed dial because we are talking daily about Marcus's homework He's a great kid, but he can't remember what he is supposed to do at school. He forgets to jot down his homework assignment. He loses his feedback sheet somehow between school and home. His locker looks like a disaster. I'm not sure if he has a learning disability, but his homework is jumbled, messy and wrinkled. I'm sure he is as frustrated by this as all of us. Poor kid! He can't seem to get his act together. He is spacey, processes information and instructions slowly (especially when it's oral), and is not on the same page as his classmates, even though I know he is a bright kid.
As you might suspect, there's a lot of foster kids like Devin, Carla and Marcus. It's hard to miss the problems with kids like Devin and Carla, but with kids like Marcus, the inattentive-type, it's easy to overlook their struggles.
Why Do Kids Act This Way?
ADHD is thought to be related to how the child's brain functions. And, this condition seems to be a matter of genetics. That is, it may be inherited. However, the environment may impact the seriousness of the condition. It's important that your foster child be evaluated by a professional to rule out other possible reasons for your foster child's behavior. It might not be caused by or related to ADHD. The list of other possible reasons of ADHD-appearing
behavior includes:
A medical malady that may hinder how the brain functions, such as undiagnosed seizures or traumatic brain injury
Abrupt changes in the child's life, such as a family move, divorce
Exposure to psychological trauma or maltreatment such as child abuse, neglect and/or sexual exploitation
Can Anything Be Done About It? Yes!
Here are some steps that you, as a foster parent, can take:
- Inform your child's caseworker about the child's behavior problems and that you want help for the child (and yourself).
- Talk with the child's pediatrician or your family doctor about an evaluation or a referral for evaluation.
- Keep notes on your concerns about your child and provide information to the evaluator about your child's problems at home. To do a thorough job, competent child psychiatrists, psychologists, developmental/behavioral pediatrician will want your observations about the child's behavior. It is also critical for the doctor to collect information from multiple sources, such as the foster parents, teachers, caseworker, and child's therapist) and to examine how the child functions in a variety of settings.
- Obtaining history on the child and any psychiatric history on the birth parents is also crucial.
Collaborate with your foster child's teachers. Ask about how your child is doing at school. If you suspect your child has ADHD and that it is negatively impacting his/her education, you may request that the school conduct an evaluation. Let your child's caseworker know about your concern and intentions.
Carefully monitor any prescribed medication that the child takes for the ADHD and ask for information on side-effects. Remember, that while the doctor may prescribe medications for ADHD, they do not cure the condition, but rather curb or reduce the symptoms.
Seek out more than simply medication for your foster child's problems. As a foster parent it's vital to seek guidance for how to handle him/her. Parent training on approaches to dealing with or preventing disruptive behaviors can add to benefits derived from medication. Your child might benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) which can focus
upon helping the child monitor and control his own behavior better.
Attend an ADHD support group. Support groups connect parents with other families concerned about their ADHD children. You may be able to find a support group by visiting the web site for CHADD, a national network.
Take care of yourself and other family members. Stress management and respite care may prevent burn out.
Note: To learn more about ADHD and other issues important to foster, kinship and adoptive parents,
please view our course at FosterParentCollege.com.