Some children with ADHD will qualify for services under IDEA while others may not; this depends on the degree of impairment. To qualify for IDEA, a child must meet the criteria in at least one of 13 disability categories. Often children with ADHD will qualify under the Other Health Impairment (OHI) category.
It's important to note that IDEA includes 13 categories of disabilities. One of these categories is called “specific learning disabilities.” ADHD is covered under a different category, called “other health impairment.”
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.
According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, ADHD is not considered a learning disability. However, research suggests that up to half of all children with ADHD also have a concurrent learning disability that can make learning particularly challenging for those individuals.
So, what's the difference between ADHD and an LD? An LD makes it difficult to acquire specific skills such as reading skills or math skills. By contrast, ADHD impacts more global skills and executive functions like the ability to focus, the ability to control emotions, and the ability to control impulsive behaviour.
ADHD: a disabling condition
It is recognized as a disability under the 1992 Disability Discrimination Act.
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.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA includes ADHD as a recognized disability. For an employee who has ADHD, the act can require the employer to provide reasonable accommodations, as long as it doesn't create undue hardship for the business.
ADHD is the most common disorder that co-exists with learning disabilities, but is not considered a learning disability. Many individuals who have ADHD also have learning disabilities, so assessment for LDs is important if there are academic difficulties.
Examples of special educational needs include:
Specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Moderate learning difficulties. Profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Many experts believe that the diagnosis is not given often enough, and that current prevalence rates actually underestimate the true rate of ADHD in the population. These professionals think that many people who have symptoms are never evaluated or diagnosed.
When you have ADHD, your nervous system overreacts to things from the outside world. Any sense of rejection can set off your stress response and cause an emotional reaction that's much more extreme than usual. Sometimes the criticism or rejection is imagined, but not always.
ADHD has been a subject of great controversy and debate. A number of people who have been diagnosed with the syndrome—some of them psychologists and psychiatrists—have challenged the notion that personality traits such as inattentiveness, impulsivity, and distractibility deserve the label symptoms.
IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education in March, 1999, make it clear that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) is included in the list of conditions that could render a child eligible for special education services.
Attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are indeed the same condition, it's just that ADHD has had several name changes in the last three decades.
The DSM-5TM includes ADHD among neurodevelopmental disorders, which comprise conditions associated with factors affecting brain development, and gives examples of how ADHD symptoms are expressed across the lifespan.
Is ADHD covered under the NDIS? In itself, no. ADHD can be effectively treated with medication and is therefore seen to be ineligible for further NDIS-funded supports. However, ADHD often co-occurs with other disorders and persons with comorbid ADHD are more likely to qualify for NDIS supports.
Should I share that I have ADHD? Whether or not to disclose ADHD to an employer is a personal decision. Unfortunately, due to lingering stigma about mental health conditions, some employers may respond poorly or assume that ADHD will render the employee unable to succeed in their current role.
Most people with ADHD don't have to tell their employer about it, so deciding to reveal their diagnosis will have taken courage. Many people are afraid they will be seen as less capable or as troublesome – especially given the stigma that surrounds ADHD.
That's because it can be hard for someone with ADHD to meet the NDIS eligibility criteria for a severe and permanent disability. If you have ADHD and are likely to recover or are being successfully treated with medications, then you are unlikely to be eligible for the NDIS.
ADHD is recognised as a condition which qualifies for disability benefits and funding.
They must prove that there is a reason why any condition would make someone higher risk. There are benefits available which you may qualify for, however a diagnosis of ADHD by itself does not automatically entitle you to receive them.
Medicare Rebates:
To access Medicare rebates you will need to see your GP and request a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Medicare offers up to 10 sessions of therapy a year for people diagnosed with ADHD who are under this plan. It will cover standard psychological therapy including skill training.
ADHD discrimination, if this amounts to a disability, is unlawful and we can help you to resolve any disputes with your employer about ADHD discrimination at work and ensure that reasonable adjustments are made on your behalf.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children.