General Info

• ADHD is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that affects approximately 5%-9% of children and 3%-5% of adults.
• ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children
• ADHD impacts people from all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds
• ADHD is highly hereditary – comparable to heritability of height 75%
• There are three types of ADHD
  
  • Hyperactive
  • Inattentive
  • Combined (most common)

• ADHD is not a behaviour disorder
• ADHD is not an illness or a disease
• ADHD is not only a childhood disorder
• ADHD is not due to bad parenting
• ADHD does not affect your intelligence
• ADHD is not caused by too much screen time
• ADHD is not caused by too much sugar

• Hyperactivity
• Executive Functions
  
  1. Attention
  2. Organization/time management
  3. Self-Regulation/Self monitoring
  4. Impulsivity
  5. Working memory
  6. Processing speed
  7. Flexibility/rigid
  8. Emotional Regulation

• A comprehensive physical history paying particular attention to disorders that may mimic the symptoms of ADHD – blood tests may be ordered to rule out any thyroid and kidney issues.
• A personal and family history of mental health disorders paying particular attention to disorders that may mimic the symptoms of ADHD –anxiety disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse issues and personality disorders.
• A personal and family history of cardiac issues.
• A review of childhood symptoms – for a diagnosis to occur symptoms must have been present by the age of 12. If possible, a review of old report cards or a discussion with parents can be helpful.
• Rating scales of symptoms completed by the adult being assessed and a significant other -those with ADHD are not always best at recognizing their own symptoms and areas where they have difficulties in functioning.

The assessment and diagnosis of ADHD by a medical professional is generally covered by your provincial health care plan, however, always ask if any additional fees will be charged.

The potential diagnosis of ADHD should include;

• A medical history
• A psychiatric medical history
• Screening to rule out any possible physical disorders
• Vision and hearing test

Children who are struggling academically may seek a psychoeducational assessment to assess whether any coexisting learning disabilities (LDs) may exist along with ADHD. A complete assessment of a child’s learning strengths and needs is essential for a student who continues to be impaired at school. Psycho-educational assessments cost approximately $2,000-$4,000

Important Things to Know About the Health Care Professional that you choose:

• Their expertise in the area of ADHD
• Their accreditation and registration (pertinent to a psychologist’s ability to diagnosis)
• What is the current wait time?
• Do they provide long term follow-up care?
• Is a full screening for other potential medical disorders part of the assessment process?

For more information about ADHD assessments please contact our Resource Navigator at info@caddac.ca

In uncomplicated cases of ADHD, medication management is straight forward and typically effective with minimal side effects. ADHD medication has been around for more than fifty years and there are thousands of published research papers on their safety and efficacy.

There are two types of medications used to manage ADHD medication. For more information on medication please speak with a medical professional

• Stimulant medication.
• Non-stimulant medication

Please refer to the charts below for information on specific medications

1. Medications access by province - https://www.caddra.ca/provincial-and-federal-public-formulary-overview/
2. Medication charts - https://www.caddra.ca/wp-content/uploads/Final-Laminate-Card-2019_9-1.pdf
   
   

Free Medication Cards that Cover the Difference between Generic and Brand Name Medications. You may be able to access co-pay assist cards for:

Concerta and Adderall XR  (https://www.innovicares.ca/)
Strattera Rxhelp  (https://www.rxhelp.ca/en/default.aspx)
Vyvanse - (https://vyvansesupport.com/)
Intuniv – inquire with your prescribing physician

• Ages 0 - 6 years
• Ages 7-17 years
• Ages 18-24 years
• 25 years and older

• • Students with ADHD have an automatic right to attend class for the same amount of time as their typical peers. They are not required to earn these rights!
  • The only time a shortened day would be an option is to allow for a student’s slower integration into a program. This should only be a temporary option. Shortened days are not an option if the sole beneficiary is a school with inadequate staff, resources or if the school lacks a plan to deal with the student’s needs. The school needs to find a way for the student to remain at school for the entire day. It is not a matter of IF the student can attend for the entire day.
  • If educators do not have sufficient knowledge to manage a student’s behavior they are required to contact the board’s behavioural experts. A written behavior plan should be developed after a meeting so the plan can be revisited and assessed. A meeting alone is not sufficient.
  • Suspension for “disability-related” behavior in unacceptable.

  Questions to ask:

  • How will suspension help the child to correct their behavior?
  • Does the student have a good understanding of why they were suspended?
  • Do the parents feel the suspension will favourably impact the child’s behavior in the future?
  • Is the suspension of a student with ADHD “a failure to accommodate” under Human Rights?
  • How are the suspensions impacting the student’s self-esteem?
  • How will the suspension impact the student academically?

For more information on Ontario Human Rights Policy please see document below and/or watch this video

Facts on ADHD and Learning

• Students with ADHD are at higher risk for lower levels of academic achievement, higher rates of disciplinary referrals, grade repetition, placement in special education, and spending more years in special education.
• Students with ADHD are 2.7 times more likely than those without ADHD to drop out of school before graduation.
• Students with ADHD score 8 to 10% lower in literacy and numeracy than their classmates without ADHD, even when a learning disability does not exist.
• Although some incorrectly believe medication will treat all ADHD impairments, research shows that medication treatment alone does not improve many of the skills required to be academically and socially successful.
• While most classroom interventions focus on decreasing disruptive behaviour and increasing on-task behaviour, these changes do not result in better learning and academic outcomes.