Unruly Behavior and Your Child: The Over-identification of Possible ADHD in the Classroom

Children displaying ADHD symptoms in the classroom often leave teachers exhausted and frustrated as they attempt to properly educate every student in their classroom. Teachers that genuinely feel a student may be displaying ADHD symptoms will refer those students out for further evaluation in an effort to best assist that student and maintain coherence in the classroom.

According to a recent study conducted in East London however, the majority of these students doesn’t have ADHD at all, but are just plain naughty. In the study 52 children were referred to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services team with ADHD-like symptoms over the course of one year. Of those, it was clear most did not have ADHD and 14 were observed in the classroom by the mental health team. Eventually six were diagnosed with ADHD.

Although it is unclear why teachers refer so many students for evaluation researchers do suggest that better educational resources be made available to teachers. In doing so teachers will have a better chance at identifying children with ADHD apart from those who are just unruly.

ADHD is undoubtedly a disorder that can lead to chaos in the classroom if left to its own devices. Students with ADHD have difficulty staying on task, interrupt frequently and tend to talk excessively. What makes them stand apart from unruly students is their consistent inability to classroom structure.

For teachers, any unruly student presents a challenge for the rest of the students in the classroom. It takes a determined teacher to study his/her resources and truly understand what ADHD is, how to identify it and ways to help that student. Other students demonstrating unruly behavior will need to be addressed accordingly without the easy option of referring them for behavioral assessment.

In either case a parent’s role is imperative to the success of their child in the classroom. If your child’s teacher is approached you with a behavioral concern, whether it be ADHD or simply unruly behavior sit down and discuss ways to improve. By working together you can establish consistent consequences as well as develop attainable goals.

With persistence and cooperation by both the parent and the teacher combating unruly behavior in the classroom, whether it is ADHD or simply naughty children, can be a reality.