| Many adolescents who have been diagnosed with | | | | speed of learning. |
| Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit | | | | 4) Choose a treatment program with a low youth to |
| Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience a number | | | | staff ratio. Children with ADD/ADHD often require |
| of behavioral and academic problems that can limit | | | | greater amounts of attention from adults and tend to |
| their success in interpersonal relationships, school, and | | | | act out more when they don't receive it. Oppositional |
| individual achievement. These adolescents may lack | | | | behavior resulting from insufficient amounts of attention |
| self-control, have greater difficulty making friends and | | | | can be diminished when there is enough adult |
| finding acceptance, be more likely to abuse | | | | supervision to go around. Remember, however, that |
| substances, become involved in delinquency, or | | | | the lower the student-to-staff ratio, the higher the cost, |
| experience anxiety, mood, and behavioral disorders. | | | | so this factor must be balanced with financial |
| Most health care and psychological professionals | | | | considerations. |
| agree that the best way to treat ADD/ADHD is with | | | | 5) Choose a treatment program that minimizes |
| the use of both medication and behavioral modification | | | | distractions. Many adolescents with ADD/ADHD have |
| techniques. The National Institute of Mental Health | | | | difficulty focusing on priorities which can result in many |
| (NIMH) recently conducted a study that found that | | | | partially completed projects and goals and few |
| children with ADD/ADHD who received both | | | | accomplishments. The fewer the distractions and the |
| behavioral treatment and individually tailored medication | | | | greater the expectation for accountability, the more |
| had the greatest improvement in oppositional behavior | | | | likely a teen is to make substantial strides in personal |
| academic outcomes. | | | | growth and achievement. Common distractions include |
| Upon diagnosis, many children and adolescents with | | | | but are not limited to excessive access to members |
| this disorder are prescribed medication as a first | | | | of the opposite sex, unnecessary activities or activities |
| attempt to control the symptoms. However, many | | | | that are overwhelming, and large student populations. |
| youth do not respond well to medication alone and the | | | | 6) Choose a treatment program that teaches skills for |
| symptoms of the disorder may be quite pronounced | | | | improving interpersonal relationships. Many adolescents |
| or serious even with medication. If you have reached | | | | with ADD/ADHD lack the skills needed for building and |
| the conclusion that you can no longer deal with the | | | | maintaining positive relationships. Look for a program |
| symptoms of your child's disorder effectively in your | | | | that provides opportunities for teens to improve their |
| own home due to excessive behavioral and academic | | | | communication, especially with respect to giving and |
| problems, you may want to consider a program that | | | | receiving feedback and communicating honestly. |
| offers a specialized academic program and behavior | | | | Additional social skills that should be emphasized |
| modification therapy. As you research treatment | | | | include appropriate anger management, impulse control, |
| options that can mitigate the effects of ADD/ADHD, | | | | and delaying gratification. Mastering these skills will |
| look for schools and programs that possess the | | | | ensure that youth will have greater success making |
| following characteristics: | | | | and maintaining healthy relationships in real life situations. |
| 1) Choose a treatment program that offers a | | | | 7) Choose a treatment program that has a systematic |
| significant amount of structure. Adolescents with ADD | | | | way of developing self-esteem. Teens with ADD |
| ADHD typically struggle to use large segments of free | | | | ADHD may have formed a negative self-image due to |
| time productively but tend to thrive in environments | | | | the amount of negative feedback their behavior elicits |
| that provide limits and teach self-discipline. A structured | | | | from others and their self-perceived lack of |
| program should include a rigorous daily schedule and a | | | | competence in academics, interpersonal relationships, |
| well-defined set of rules. Adherence to a routine while | | | | etc. Programs with a strong self-esteem component |
| acquiring of productive habits can greatly counteract | | | | should foster identity development and encourage |
| common symptoms of the disorder. | | | | teenagers to drop self-imposed labels and limitations |
| 2) Choose a treatment program that fosters and | | | | and put away image pretenses that some youth use |
| encourages individual accountability. Such a program | | | | to protect their own vulnerabilities. |
| will enforce consequences for inappropriate behavior | | | | 8) Choose a treatment program that allows for |
| and affirmative reinforcement for positive behavior. | | | | increased independence and leadership as behavior |
| This type of a setting shows teenagers what types of | | | | improves. Such a program will recognize the need |
| behavior are acceptable and also helps them to | | | | adolescents with ADD/ADHD have for autonomy by |
| experience the rewards of acting in socially | | | | gradually increasing self-monitoring and personal |
| appropriate ways. | | | | responsibility over time. |
| 3) Choose a program that offers an engaging and | | | | 9) Choose a treatment program that is able to |
| individualized education component. Many teens with | | | | regulate and monitor medications. The successful |
| ADD/ADHD struggle to adapt to large classrooms and | | | | program should be able to safely store, administer and |
| traditional lecture-style instruction. Academic settings | | | | adjust medications as needed. |
| that make use of hands-on learning, multimedia | | | | Russ has been working with troubled teens for several |
| presentations, and other diversified, interesting | | | | years. He has a Bachelor's degree and is working |
| instructional methods are more likely to hold students' | | | | towards his Master's degree. He has worked in |
| attention. Even with the right kind of instruction, teens | | | | several troubled teen programs and has the ability to |
| with ADD/ADHD may not learn at the same pace as | | | | relate to parents as well as their children. He currently |
| other students. An effective academic setting will | | | | operates a website offering help with choosing a |
| acknowledge the need for flexibility by maximizing | | | | troubled teen program as a free service to parents. |
| accountability while allowing for differences in the | | | | |