When you think about it, it is the classroom setting that is this difficult setting for these kids. There are a lot of distractions, yet they are told to sit still, don't move, don't talk, to pay attention to boring worksheets, and keep on task until the work is finished. None of these things come easily to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids. But day by day, off to school they go.

Many Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids "hit a wall" in school as the school year progresses. Every week they just get a little farther and farther behind, until they're so far behind that it's impossible to catch up. They lose their homework assignments, even after they have spent hours working on them. And they study hard for tests only to perform poorly the next day. They just slip farther and farther behind with each passing week.

The disorder is most often recognized and referred for treatment in third grade.This is when kids most often hit the "academic wall." In third grade they are expected to do more and more work on their own, and they are given more homework to do as well. We also see many referrals in seventh grade, or when the child leaves Elementary School for Junior High School, with several classes and several teachers. Many Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids who found ways to compensate in Elementary School are totally lost in Junior High School.

How can we help these children to be more successful in school? Begin by learning more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder from the ADHD Information's family of web sites. Here is one of our outstanding web sites with over 500 Classroom Interventions to help your ADD ADHD Student succeed:http://www.ADDinSchool.com.

1. Don't buy into the line, "He'd behave if he wanted to." That may or may not be true. He may behave just fine from time to time, and if you encourage him, he may do well for long periods of time. But his problem is not that he does not want to behave, rather his problem has a medical basis which makes it hard for him to sustain self-control.

2. Understand that of all of the kids with ADD, about 60% or so are hyperactive, and that 40% or so are not hyper at all. Also know that about 60% are male, and about 40% are female. Not all kids with ADD will cause problems. The rest will just sit and stare. Only one out of three with the Attention Deficit Disorder will ever get help from a professional.

3. Don't dismiss the behaviors as either poor parenting or poor classroom management.

4. Before talking to the parents, get a second opinion from another teacher, the school psychologist, etc. When you do meet with the parents, make a list of the behaviors that you are concerned about. Don't try to diagnose the child yourself, as this will simply make the parents defensive. Instead, just report the observed behaviors adn ask the parents to get it checked out.

5. Invite the parents to come in to your class and observe. More than one visit may be required, as often having the parent present the first time creates a "unique" situation which stimulates the child to do better than normal.

6. Be aware that the ADHD child often does very well in unique or novel situations, or in one-to-one situations. This would include a visit to a physician or a therapist to diagnose a problem. Also be aware that the worst place for an ADHD child is in the classroom setting. There are dozens of distractions, pressures, and rules that can be difficult for the child. And teachers, please be sure to visit us at ADDinSchool.co m to find over 500 classroom interventions to help children with ADHD be more successful in school. Good luck to you and your ADHD kids!!!

With a Doctorate in Psychology, and a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, doctor Cowan has worked with over 1,000 children and their families with ADHD or related conditions as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, researcher, and author.

Dr. Cowan now serves as the Pastor of Family, Student, and Counseling Ministries at a church in California. He is also President of the Board of KAXL radio, and serves on the Medical Advisory Board for VAXA International of Tampa, FL.