ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ADHD – same definition of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) with added hyperactivity

If ADD is controversial, then ADHD makes it pale in comparison. This is the term that gets everyone involved emotional. Why? Because these are the kids who can't focus but are also busy. Extremely busy. They are in perpetual motion and this can drive their families, teachers, and caregivers absolutely nuts.

A student with ADHD doesn't mean to get into trouble. This student usually has the best of intentions and a sweet, loving disposition. The problem arises with impulse control. Just like the child can fill his heart with love and affection, he also wants to touch and feel everything - all at the same time. He wanders from one thing to the next, often missing that he is hurting someone else in the process. When it is pointed out what he did to hurt someone, he feels bad. Really bad.

So, the only choice that has been available has been to medicate the student. And for some kids, this really is necessary. But, I often hear from parents that once the medication kicks in that they "lose" their child. The spark that made this child special disappears and a "zombie" replaces him.

ADHD is a hard fix, there's no doubt about it. But if you look at the brain, you might understand what is going on with the ADHD student. This student is "stuck" in the right hemisphere of the brain. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for movement, rhythm, music, shapes, colors, pictures, emotions, daydreamng expressions, synthesis, and problem solving.

The ADHD student is lost in the left brain dominant, logical classroom. Lost and failing usually. And because of this he makes an involuntary attempt to keep his right brain busy (through movement)so that he can try to access the left hemisphere of the brain. The constant motion keeps the right brain busy, but it also causes many problems.

There are exercises that cross the midline of the body that help a student integrate the left and right hemispheres of the body. With eye placement added, specific portions of the brain can be accessed and eventually the ADHD student is able to access the left hemisphere of the brain without movement.