Camille

Grade 9, 13 years old

Vision statement
Our hope is for Camille to be a positive
contributing member of society. We want her
to feel and be successful in her academics
and life path. Ultimately we want her to be
Strengths proud of her accomplishments and happy in
Athletics her career.
Musically inclined
Strong work ethic What works for me
Motivated
Responsible Adapted tests
Reading at grade level Writing my own
Strong phonemic responses
awareness Extra time
Visual learner Pre-teaching
Loyal
What I'm
What doesn't work for me
working on
Information overload
Unexpected transitions Organization
Changes in routine Prioritization
Sitting for long periods of time Thinking through
Multiple tasks or assignments decisions before
due on the same day making them
More on Camille
Canadian born Filipino
raised mainly by dad and grandma
lives with dad/stepmom & 2 siblings
lives with mom/partner & 1 sibling
plays competitive volleyball
sings in her church choir
dances on a dance team
moved schools a few times before
high school
 School Setting
does not present as a behavioural issue
often distracted by noises or things that catch her attentio
she starts to wander when she is not sure of what to do
at school, assignments are completed; however it was
communicated that it had taken an unreasonable amount of
time to complete them
struggles to socially keep friendships that is contributing to
mental health concerns
Home Setting
often takes a long time to finish a given task
struggles prioritizing her time to ensure that all tasks
needed to be done are done
has very little concept of time and is constantly rushing and
is late
struggles to stay organized
difficulty understanding which taks is more important
 ADHD
attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder
Researched Information about ADD/ADHD
ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) was referred to as ADD (attention-deficit disorder) but ADD
is an older term.
Up until 1987, the word “hyperactivity” was added to the name.
ADHD is a condition that includes difficulties with inattention and/or impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Only a mental health professional can diagnose ADHD, but it is important to be aware of children who display
concentration and attention difficulties and restless behaviour so we can provide early interventions.
The criteria on which ADHD is diagnosed has changed over the time.
Study shows that different definitions are used while diagnosing ADHD which has led to different numbers,
characteristics and outcomes of children with the disorder.
Along with the genes, other factors might contribute or make symptoms worse in some situations.
Research in the past decades shows that those with ADHD have altered levels of dopamine and noradrenaline in
their brains.
This calls for the need to study more about how ADHD affects kids throughout their lives.
ADHD is a neurobehavioral condition that prevents a person’s ability to pay attention and exercise age-
appropriate activities.
The daily functioning of a person with ADHD is compromised by inattentive and impulsive hyperactive nature.
ADHD is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 5% of children and 4% of adults in Canada or 1.5 million
Canadians (Manos, 2010, Statistics Canada, 2017).
It is usually diagnosed in kids, but adults can also have it and be unaware.
Everyday tasks such as waking up, getting dressed, organizing for the day's work, getting to work on time or
being productive on the job can be major challenges for the ADHD adult.
In recent decades, scientists have gained a more sophisticated understanding of the causes of ADHD and have
begun to realize that it can be a lifelong disorder with lifelong consequences.
Studies in children with ADHD have also indicated smaller frontal brains and resultant reduction in blood flow to
the region that is responsible for executive functions.
 Signs and symptoms
Below are some observable as well as not so observable cues you may notice
in students with ADHD.

Observable
May make careless Fidgeting
mistakes/rush through their Difficulty sitting still
work Talks a lot
Appear to not be listening Blurting out answers
Difficulty following Interrupts others
instructions Impulsivity
Difficulty starting tasks Forgetfulness
Often loses their belongings

Not so Observable
Difficulty prioritizing tasks
Distractibility
Frequent mood swings
Poor working memory
Difficulty sleeping
Hyper focused on tasks
Impacts and Risks in the Classroom

On the Diagnosed Student:

building peer relationships and friendships can be difficult due to
poor social skills (Rhinehard et. al. 2022) impacting their mental
health
organizing and prioritizing tasks assigned
being misunderstood by adults and peers

On the Teacher:
an added responsibility according to Bender and Mathes (1995)
where teachers need to become familiar with ADHD
characteristics [specific to that child], create a structured
classroom and monitor and record students' behaviour
extra stress on the teacher depending on the behaviours
expressed, Rhinehard et. al. (2022) found students who are highly
disruptive, likely to throw tantrums, and unable to sit still in class
were contributors of stress
provide adaptations for the student (e.g. additional time)

On the Students:
when a teacher uses good teaching practices (e.g. giving clear
directions, displaying assignments, etc.) assists all students
become frustrated with their peer that is diagnosed with ADHD
from lack of understanding and/or compassion
 Impacts of ADD/ADHD

Behavioural
get angry quickly
throw tantrums
refuse to do things they do not want to do
difficulty controlling themselves when they get frustrated
run and shout when playing, even indoors
blurting out answers and talking over others
tend to play too rough

Social
difficulty making and keeping friends
become distracted or dominate conversation
difficulty listening to others
missing pieces of information
missing social cues
becoming overwhelmed and withdrawn
frequently interrupting
shared scattered thoughts
being hyper-focused on a topic
 talking rapidly or excessively
entering other's personal space
initiating conversation at inappropriate time

Cognitive
struggles with analyzing a task and planning how to address the
task
difficulty organizing steps, materials, or information needed to
carry out the task
finds it challenging to develop timelines for completing the task
problem with adjusting or shifting steps, if necessary to
complete the task
completing the task in a timely manner
difficulty focusing their attention to necessary or more
important things
not being able to use working memory effectively
problem with retention
 References
Anon, 2019. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Mayo Clinic. Available at:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/symptoms-causes/syc-20350889 [Accessed
September 27, 2022].

Bender, W. N. & Mathes, M. Y. (1995). Students with ADHD in the Inclusive Classroom: A
Hierarchical Approach to Strategy Selection. Intervention in School and Clinic, 30 (4), 226-234.

Miller, C. (2022, July). ADHD and Behaviour Problems. Child Mind Institute.
https://childmind.org/article/adhd-behavior-problems/

Nagel, Paula. Mental Health Matters : A Practical Guide to Identifying and Understanding Mental
Health Issues in Primary Schools, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uwinnipeg/detail.action?docID=4635654.

Nigg, J. (2009, March). Cognitive Impairments Found with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/cognitive-impairments-found-
attention-deficithyperactivity-disorder

Raspolich, J. (n.d.) How ADHD Affects Child Development and Learning. Vista Pines Health 2022.
https://vistapineshealth.com/treatment/adhd/affects-child-development/#students

Rhinehart, L., Iyer, S., and Haager, D. (2022). Children Who Receive Special Education Services for
ADHD: Early Indicators and Evidence of Disproportionate Representation in the Early Childhood
Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K:2011). Journal of Emotional Behavioural Disorders, 30 (1), 3-15.