ADHD – ATTENTION DEFICIT / HYPERACTIVE DISORDER

There are 3 types of ADHD:

ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder is the inability for a person to maintain their focus (it is not attention seeking).

HD – Hyperactive Disorder is when a person has difficulty controlling their impulses. They may be constantly in motion.

ADHD – Combine ADD and HD

EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES

• Break down inactive tasks into small portions and combine with active tasks, and frequent breaks.

• Let scout know what activities they will be doing and what will be expected of them in advance.

• Go over directions one on one with scout if needed.

• Make eye contact when giving instructions.

• Allow for scout to take a break from tasks that require high focus.

• Give scout active assignment, like leading the group, ceremony, or song.

• Avoid overly active activities (over excitation can lead to bad behaviors). Watch for signs of over aggression and call a break. Some activities that can trigger this are:

• Sports

• Competitive games

• Field trips

• Allow scout to wander or drift when waiting and wait until just before task to ask them to focus.

• Maintain a calm tone throughout talking and activities, and especially if correction is required.

• Ignore bad behaviors (unless safety is at risk). (I know this is hard, but it will be worth it)

• If discipline is necessary, make sure it is calm, quick, consistent, and removes attention from the boy. Focus not on what was wrong, but what should have been done.

• Praise good behaviors for all scouts frequently

• Provide a buddy for the scout who balances their disposition

• Place a calm scout with a hyperactive scout

• Place a focused scout with an inattentive scout

• Ask scout and their family about effective methods (triggers for bad behavior to avoid, methods that work, etc.)

• Too much activity around the scout can make focusing difficult. Have scout work in a quieter place to complete tasks that require a high amount of focus.