ADHD Tips for Teachers

[DEgalRN]

Over the past couple of weeks I've had students brought to me because they've forgotten their ADHD medications in the morning. There's obviously not much I can do in regards to that since most of those students I don't have medication for, or if I do, I'm not going to give their morning dose at 10AM, especially if they have an afternoon does at 1.

I wanted to compile a list of tips for teachers to try and keep the students a little more settled and in their classrooms since sometimes they think I'm the home for errant ADHD boys and girls.

My biggest tip right now is movement. Let them up to pace the back of the room for a few minutes.

But their must be other ideas! Especially since we have block scheduling and 80 minute classes.

So, anyone have any good tips to share?

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

My sister is a teacher and taught special ed until this school year and I heard a great deal about those kids. For ADD, giving them something to play with like a stress ball or silly putty or something they hold onto/play with their hands is supposed to help some kids. This really isnt your department though. The school should be providing training to these teachers. Kicking adhd kids out of the class or sending them to the nurse is not an effective way to deal with the issue. My sister said that for some kids she literally had to go up to them every 3-5 minutes to tell them to focus. Some of her kids were not medicated. There was a kid who had this device on his desk I think that vibrated every couple minutes or so to remind him to pay attention.

[DEgalRN]

My sister is a teacher and taught special ed until this school year and I heard a great deal about those kids. For ADD giving them something to play with like a stress ball or silly putty or something they hold onto/play with their hands is supposed to help some kids. This really isnt your department though. The school should be providing training to these teachers. Kicking adhd kids out of the class or sending them to the nurse is not an effective way to deal with the issue. My sister said that for some kids she literally had to go up to them every 3-5 minutes to tell them to focus. Some of her kids were not medicated. There was a kid who had this device on his desk I think that vibrated every couple minutes or so to remind him to pay attention.[/quote']

Oh, I absolutely agree that classroom management of ADHD kids is not my department! Unfortunately my school is small, not in a district, and under new administration that is good, but dealing with a bunch of issues from previous years and this is very low on their priority list. If I can provide some minor education and options for teachers, I'm willing to do that. Though, I plan to make sure than any information I provide is not a substitute for actual classroom management.

[OldDude]

I call the parent. Regardless of if they answer or if I leave a voice mail I send the student back to class and forget about it. If it is frequent with the same student I will volunteer to give the am dose at school; for everyone's benefit.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

I have several parents who are not responsible to give the XR pill at home, so I try to convince them to let me give it at school (with the proper physician orders). This insures that the child did in fact get their medication. I'm constantly battling with parents to get me more meds for their child. Some will go days with meds because they can't find it in their schedule to bring it in. Ugh !!!