Dennis is eleven. While school has always
presented difficulties for him, the progression into middle school has
almost caused the frustration to come close to intolerable. Dennis
possesses exceptional intelligence, however his performance in school
has been fluctuating drastically. He has found it almost impossible to
keep a consistent performance level. In any attempt to closely listen to
his teachers, Dennis finds that his mind drifts away to various
unrelated topics, leaving him with feelings of apathy and mental
exhaustion. This tired feeling, in turn, causes Dennis to try and stay
alert by constantly moving around. This "excessive fidgeting" distracts
the teacher as well as the other students in the class and, as a result,
Dennis is punished. It is this vicious cycle that stirs up feelings of
frustration and confusion for Dennis each and every day.
Dennis' active and vast imagination has been creating more harm than good and causes him to miss out on important things that are happening in his life. Each day is a struggle for him, whether it be his problems with holding still, waiting his turn, or refraining from interrupting others while they are speaking.
He deeply wishes he could control his behavior more and harbors strong feelings of self-consciousness about his inappropriate actions. At times he even refrains from saying anything at all, in order to avoid punishment or embarrassment.
Dennis' inability to adapt to middle school has caused him to strongly dislike it altogether. He has found it hard to get along with his peers, which pushes him further into isolation. Some of the students have been teasing him and calling him names, such as "stupid." After time, a child like Dennis will eventually ponder whether such accusations are in fact true. Dennis frequently asks himself if he really is "stupid," being that he has no concrete reason or excuse for his forgetfulness and lack of concentration. He does not really know why he does the things he does sometimes.
In addition to his classmates, Dennis also has problems with his teachers as well. Academic expectations increase significantly as the transition from elementary school to middle school is made. Teachers may have more students to teach and, in turn, less time to spend with those students like Dennis who are struggling. In trying to teach students lessons about hard work and responsibility, teachers are less tolerable of forgotten assignments and incomplete projects. With seven classes this year, Dennis struggles to keep all of his work organized.
Dennis possesses a strong desire to do well. He works very hard on his school assignments and appears to dedicate most of his evenings to his homework. However, his grandmother, whom Dennis lives with, notes that the actual time spent on a given assignment is quite miniscule. His frequent trips to the bathroom, the kitchen, the pencil sharpener, or to check on his pet snake are what really takes up most of his time. Another concern of Dennis' grandmother is the possibility of depression. His relentless frustration with school and his lack of interest in what used to be his favorite activities, like building model airplanes and cars, could be seen as possible symptoms of depression.
Because of her deep concerns about Dennis' mood, Dennis' grandmother set up an appointment for him with his doctor. His doctor considered the possibility of either depression or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as being the reason for Dennis' behavior. Uncomfortable with all of the new treatments available for ADHD, Dennis' doctor referred him and his grandmother to a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist performed a detailed interview and examination on Dennis, in addition to collecting information from the school about Dennis' performance and behavior. In the end, she concluded that Dennis met the criteria necessary to be diagnosed with ADHD, specifically the inattentive subtype. As education about ADHD is critical for children, parents, and teachers, the psychiatrist gave Dennis and his grandmother informative reading material to take home and also pass along to the teachers at the school. During their next visit, Dennis and his grandmother discussed with the psychiatrist the possibility of beginning a long-term stimulant medication that would help Dennis in school as well as at home when trying to tackle his homework.
Two months have passed and both Dennis' academic and social performance have improved significantly. The one persisting problem for Dennis, though, seems to be his organization. However, he has been working with a tutor through the school in order to improve his organizational strategies. Going through this experience has opened the eyes of Dennis' grandmother to the history and common symptoms of ADHD. She even suspects that she may have a type of this disorder herself, given that she has a reputation for being "flighty" and always losing things. As she looks at her grandson now, she realizes that Dennis will probably encounter challenges with attention and organization for most of his remaining life. He may even have to deal with feelings of isolation and being "different" from his peers. However, Dennis' grandmother is excited to see that her grandson is improving in school and appears to be much "happier" in the rest of his life.
Dennis' active and vast imagination has been creating more harm than good and causes him to miss out on important things that are happening in his life. Each day is a struggle for him, whether it be his problems with holding still, waiting his turn, or refraining from interrupting others while they are speaking.
He deeply wishes he could control his behavior more and harbors strong feelings of self-consciousness about his inappropriate actions. At times he even refrains from saying anything at all, in order to avoid punishment or embarrassment.
Dennis' inability to adapt to middle school has caused him to strongly dislike it altogether. He has found it hard to get along with his peers, which pushes him further into isolation. Some of the students have been teasing him and calling him names, such as "stupid." After time, a child like Dennis will eventually ponder whether such accusations are in fact true. Dennis frequently asks himself if he really is "stupid," being that he has no concrete reason or excuse for his forgetfulness and lack of concentration. He does not really know why he does the things he does sometimes.
In addition to his classmates, Dennis also has problems with his teachers as well. Academic expectations increase significantly as the transition from elementary school to middle school is made. Teachers may have more students to teach and, in turn, less time to spend with those students like Dennis who are struggling. In trying to teach students lessons about hard work and responsibility, teachers are less tolerable of forgotten assignments and incomplete projects. With seven classes this year, Dennis struggles to keep all of his work organized.
Dennis possesses a strong desire to do well. He works very hard on his school assignments and appears to dedicate most of his evenings to his homework. However, his grandmother, whom Dennis lives with, notes that the actual time spent on a given assignment is quite miniscule. His frequent trips to the bathroom, the kitchen, the pencil sharpener, or to check on his pet snake are what really takes up most of his time. Another concern of Dennis' grandmother is the possibility of depression. His relentless frustration with school and his lack of interest in what used to be his favorite activities, like building model airplanes and cars, could be seen as possible symptoms of depression.
Because of her deep concerns about Dennis' mood, Dennis' grandmother set up an appointment for him with his doctor. His doctor considered the possibility of either depression or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as being the reason for Dennis' behavior. Uncomfortable with all of the new treatments available for ADHD, Dennis' doctor referred him and his grandmother to a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist performed a detailed interview and examination on Dennis, in addition to collecting information from the school about Dennis' performance and behavior. In the end, she concluded that Dennis met the criteria necessary to be diagnosed with ADHD, specifically the inattentive subtype. As education about ADHD is critical for children, parents, and teachers, the psychiatrist gave Dennis and his grandmother informative reading material to take home and also pass along to the teachers at the school. During their next visit, Dennis and his grandmother discussed with the psychiatrist the possibility of beginning a long-term stimulant medication that would help Dennis in school as well as at home when trying to tackle his homework.
Two months have passed and both Dennis' academic and social performance have improved significantly. The one persisting problem for Dennis, though, seems to be his organization. However, he has been working with a tutor through the school in order to improve his organizational strategies. Going through this experience has opened the eyes of Dennis' grandmother to the history and common symptoms of ADHD. She even suspects that she may have a type of this disorder herself, given that she has a reputation for being "flighty" and always losing things. As she looks at her grandson now, she realizes that Dennis will probably encounter challenges with attention and organization for most of his remaining life. He may even have to deal with feelings of isolation and being "different" from his peers. However, Dennis' grandmother is excited to see that her grandson is improving in school and appears to be much "happier" in the rest of his life.
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