Treating ADHD with ASL
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. As you might imagine, this condition can have a serious effect on everyday life, including school for children. Individuals with ADHD find it hard to control their behavior or pay attention.
Typically diagnosed early during the school years, an estimated 3-5% of children throughout the United States have ADHD. Therefore, in the average classroom of approximately 25 children, there will be at least one child with ADHD.
It is important to continue to search for cures and remedies to conquer ADHD. There are many treatments available including psychotherapy and medication. However, many times these are ineffective and cause adverse side effects. For this reason, a drug free treatment is desirable. One such remedy that is currently being studied is the use of American Sign Language (ASL) to treat ADHD.
Studies indicate that the right hemisphere of the brain is smaller for many children with ADHD compared to those without ADHD. In particular, the PFC, caudate nucleus, and globus padillus are smaller. These parts of the brain control inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
For hearing children who learn sign language before puberty, activity in portions of the right hemisphere of the brain is more active. Research indicates that the right hemisphere of the brain in reality might increase in size from learning ASL. As a result, if this portion of the brain increases in size, attention may improve while inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity decrease.
Teaching students with ADHD using an enriching learning environment is vital to student success. This environment should include visual, audio, and kinesthetic learning styles focusing on the student’s main learning style. ASL stimulates all three of these learning styles. Students with ADHD who learn ASL are more motivated because they are engaged in the learning process- it is a fun activity. This website contains information linking the treatment of ADHD with learning ASL: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/pdf/early_acquisition_asl_innovative_approach_for_adhd.pdf .
As future teachers, we are certainly going to have students with ADHD in our class. We need to be prepared with strategies so that the students have an effective learning environment. This website has tips for teachers for dealing with students that have ADHD: http://www.childrensdisabilities.info/adhd/teaching-adhd.html .
Basic information about ADHD: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd/complete-publication.shtml
February 26th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
This is an interesting premise. I will try to follow their progress in the experiment.