ADHD is not a learning disability, as it does not affect a person's ability to learn a specific skill set, such as reading, writing, or mathematics. However, some effects of ADHD, such as difficulty concentrating, can lead to some challenges in learning.
Many young people with ADHD have trouble learning, get low test scores, and fall behind in school. This can negatively affect their self-esteem. ADHD can also affect relationships and social skills. A 2020 study found a relationship between ADHD, poor working memory and weak social skills, and experiencing bullying.
We found children with ADHD-PI and ADHD-C had slower perceptual and psychomotor/incidental learning speed than controls and that ADHD-PI had slower decision speed than controls. The subtypes did not differ on any of these measures.
ADHD Is Associated With Short-Term Memory Problems
Although they do not have problems with long-term memories, people with ADHD may have impaired short-term — or working — memory, research shows. As a result, they may have difficulty remembering assignments or completing tasks that require focus or concentration.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, often simply called ADHD, is a common condition that impacts many children and adults. In some people, slow processing speed (taking longer than others to complete tasks or thoughts) is an indicator of ADHD.
About 1.2 million people or one-in-20 across Australia are estimated to have ADHD, which can cause symptoms including inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity and impulsivity. While children with the condition often struggle in school, it is not considered a learning disability in any state or territory.
Use active reading techniques—read headings before reading chapter, skim chapter to see what comes next, takes notes while reading, make up questions using chapter headings, practice answering these questions while reading, review major points. Use a laptop computer to take class notes.
Focus on short-term goals.
Children with ADHD benefit from short-term learning goals. Some can focus only on completing assigned tasks one day at a time. Others may benefit from a half-day goal that breaks up their day with more than one sense of accomplishment and feeling of success.
ADHD AND GIFTEDNESS are sometimes described as having the same or similar characteristics. However, one diagnosis is considered a disability and one, a gift. Neither assumption is ideal in supporting the child identified with either ADHD, giftedness, or both, often referred to as twice exceptional or 2e.
School can present challenges for many children with ADHD. Because ADHD symptoms include difficulty with attention regulation, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which can affect planning, organizing, and managing behavior, many children with ADHD struggle with change.
Students who have ADHD explain that they get lots of different thoughts at the same time. It's confusing and they are always in trouble with someone. They feel unpopular and know that sometimes they are difficult to like. From the student's point of view, nobody seems to understand them.
ADHD can affect a student's ability to focus, pay attention, listen, or put effort into schoolwork. ADHD also can make a student fidgety, restless, talk too much, or disrupt the class. Kids with ADHD might also have learning disabilities that cause them to have problems in school.
A study done in 2020 showed that music seemed to improve focus and attentiveness in children diagnosed with ADHD. Music therapy has been effective for people with ADHD because they crave the type of structure that music provides.
Since you can treat and manage ADHD with medication and psychotherapy, the organisation doesn't list this disorder as a disability. Currently, the National Disability Insurance Scheme doesn't consider ADHD a permanent disability or impairment.
ADHD may be covered by the NDIS if you meet the eligibility and disability requirements. In addition to general criteria such as age, you must be able to prove that you have a disability causing an impairment that: Is permanent or likely to be permanent.
Examples of special educational needs include:
Specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
A study1 conducted by the University of South Carolina concluded that the more sugar hyperactive children consumed, the more destructive and restless they became. A study2 conducted at Yale University indicates that high-sugar diets may increase inattention in some kids with ADHD.
Self-stimulatory behavior, often called “stimming,” is when a child or adult repeats specific movements or sounds as a way to self-soothe or remain engaged in a situation, often referred to as “fidget to focus.” Many people assume that only individuals with autism engage in self-stimulatory behaviors.
Research shows that pleasurable music increases dopamine levels in the brain. This neurotransmitter — responsible for regulating attention, working memory, and motivation — is in low supply in ADHD brains.
Can someone with ADHD do well in school? Yes! People with ADHD are more than capable of academic success. They may need to work harder than others in order to achieve a good outcome, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
ADHD symptoms can make math more difficult. But ADHD can also increase your chances of having a co-occurring math learning disorder called dyscalculia. Statistics from the early 2000s (the most recent available) suggest that 31 percent of students with ADHD also have a math disability.
This is because the ADHD child's brain is “stuck” in a certain pattern of dysregulation that doesn't allow them to sustain concentration on non-stimulating tasks or perform certain executive functioning tasks, such as planning, organizing, and prioritizing their assignments.
ADHD, also called attention-deficit disorder, is a behavior disorder, usually first diagnosed in childhood, that is characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and, in some cases, hyperactivity.
The best schools for kids with ADHD are ones that encourage and maintain an open dialogue between parents, teachers, and administrators, so everyone is on the same page as to what's working well and where there are opportunities for improvement.