15 College Programs for Kids With Learning and Attention Issues

By Understood Editors

While all colleges must provide basic supports to students with learning disabilities and ADHD, many go beyond that. Some even offer fee-based programs to help build learning and executive functioning skills. Check out this list of 15 from Lauren Sagat, director of college guidance at Purnell School in Pottersville, New Jersey.

Read More: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/choosing-changing-schools/leaving-high-school/15-college-programs-for-kids-with-learning-and-attention-issues?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

6 Statistics About ADHD That You May Not Know

1. Approximately 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011.

2. The percentage of children with an ADHD diagnosis continues to increase, from 7.8% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2007 and to 11.0% in 2011.

3. Rates of ADHD diagnosis increased an average of 3% per year from 1997 to 2006 and an average of approximately 5% per year from 2003 to 2011.

4. Boys (13.2%) were more likely than girls (5.6%) to have ever been diagnosed with ADHD.

5. The average age of ADHD diagnosis was 7 years of age, but children reported by their parents as having more severe ADHD were diagnosed earlier.

6. Prevalence of ADHD diagnosis varied substantially by state, from a low of 5.6% in Nevada to a high of 18.7% in Kentucky.

Facts Via: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

7 Facts You Need To Know About ADHD

1. ADHD is Real

   Nearly every mainstream medical, psychological, and educational organization in the United States long ago concluded that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a real, brain-based medical disorder. These organizations also concluded that children and adults with ADHD benefit from appropriate treatment. ^{[1,2,3,4,5,6,7]}
2. ADHD is a Common, Non-Discriminatory Disorder

   ADHD is a non-discriminatory disorder affecting people of every age, gender, IQ, religious and socio-economic background.
   In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the percentage of children in the United States who have ever been diagnosed with ADHD is now 9.5%. ^[8] Boys are diagnosed two to three times as often as girls.
   Among adults, the Harvard/NIMH National Comorbidity Survey Replication found 4.4% percent of adults, ages 18-44 in the United States, experience symptoms and some disability. ^[9]
   ADHD, AD/HD, and ADD all refer to the same disorder. The only difference is that some people have hyperactivity and some people don’t.
3. Diagnosing ADHD is a Complex Process

   In order for a diagnosis of ADHD to be considered, the person must exhibit a large number of symptoms, demonstrate significant problems with daily life in several major life areas (work, school, or friends), and have had the symptoms for a minimum of six months.
   To complicate the diagnostic process, many of the symptoms look like extreme forms of normal behavior. Additionally, a number of other conditions resemble ADHD. Therefore, other possible causes of the symptoms must be taken into consideration before reaching a diagnosis of ADHD.
   What makes ADHD different from other conditions is that the symptoms are excessive, pervasive, and persistent. That is, behaviors are more extreme, show up in multiple settings, and continue showing up throughout life.
   No single test will confirm that a person has ADHD. Instead, diagnosticians rely on a variety of tools, the most important of which is information about the person and his or her behavior and environment. If the person meets all of the criteria for ADHD ^[10,11], he or she will be diagnosed with the disorder.
4. Other Mental Health Conditions Often Occur Along With ADHD

   • Up to 30% of children and 25-40% of adults with ADHD have a co-existing anxiety disorder. ^[12]
   • Experts claim that up to 70% of those with ADHD will be treated for depression at some point in their lives. ^[13]
   • Sleep disorders affect people with ADHD two to three times as often as those without it. ^[14]
5. ADHD is Not Benign

   ADHD is not benign.^[15] Particularly when the ADHD is undiagnosed and untreated, ADHD contributes to:
   • Problems succeeding in school and successfully graduating. ^[16,17]
   • Problems at work, lost productivity, and reduced earning power.^{[18,19,20,21]}
   • Problems with relationships. ^[22,23]
   • More driving citations and accidents. ^{[24,25,26,27]}
   • Problems with overeating and obesity. ^{[28,29,30,31]}
   • Problems with the law. ^[32,33]
   According to Dr. Joseph Biederman, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, ADHD may be one of the costliest medical conditions in the United States: “Evaluating, diagnosing and treating this condition may not only improve the quality of life, but may save billions of dollars every year.” ^[34]
6. ADHD is Nobody’s FAULT

   ADHD is NOT caused by moral failure, poor parenting, family problems, poor teachers or schools, too much TV, food allergies, or excess sugar. Instead, research shows that ADHD is both highly genetic (with the majority of ADHD cases having a genetic component), and a brain-based disorder (with the symptoms of ADHD linked to many specific brain areas). ^[35]
   The factors that appear to increase a child’s likelihood of having the disorder include gender, family history, prenatal risks, environmental toxins, and physical differences in the brain. ^[36]
7. ADHD Treatment is Multi-Faceted

   Currently, available treatments focus on reducing the symptoms of ADHD and improving functioning. Treatments include medication, various types of psychotherapy, behavioral interventions, education or training, and educational support. Usually a person with ADHD receives a combination of treatments. ^[37,38]

Facts Via: http://www.adhdawarenessmonth.org/adhd-facts/

ADHD: Transitions Conference: From High School to Higher Education

Listen to this insightful episode of Attention Talk Radio, featuring interviews with Ashleigh Fowles, conference chair, and keynote speaker, Dr. Russell Barkley, taken place from Lynn University’s annual Transitions Conference.

If you are impacted by ADHD and are looking to maximize your learning experience, or if you are interested in learning more about the conference, you won’t want to miss this show.

Listen here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/attentiontalkradio/2013/11/25/adhd-transitions-conference-from-high-school-to-higher-education

Breaking News…

The number of American children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is on the rise with more than 1 in 10 kids ages 4 to 17 being diagnosed, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.