In many of our schools there is a growing number of children who are seen as a challenge and labeled as a discipline problem due to their behavior. These children are unfairly singled out as students who cause trouble, don’t behave appropriately, and always seem restless. It is these children that teachers have a tendency to pick on and accuse of the majority of problems found in a classroom. Psychologists, medical doctors and other experts in the field have identified these children as having ADHD.

Cohen (1989) noted that ADHD could only be identified by looking for certain characteristic behaviors which vary from person to person. A single cause behind all the different patterns of behavior has not yet been identified. ADHD might be a general term for several slightly different disorders. It is therefore not easy to quickly identify and label a child as having ADHD.

Those of us who work with preschool children in the public school system must go through many steps before identifying a student as having ADHD. ADHD is a behavior characterized by restless motor activity, short attention span, impulsiveness, and distractibility (Peterson, 1988).

It is believed that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is not caused by poor parenting skills, family problems, poor teachers or schools, too much TV, food allergies, or excess sugar. One of the earliest theories thought to be true was that attention disorders were caused by minor head injuries or damage to the brain. According to Diamond (1994) ADHD for many years was called “minimal brain damage” or “minimal brain dysfunction.”

Children who lack social skills or are easily distracted can give us an indication that they may have a form of ADHD. According to Beiderman (1991) approximately 4 to 6 percent of the population in the United States has ADHD. This is truly an alarming figure which many educators are not aware of. More important is the challenge of having to teach these unique children. Teachers are really not trained in dealing with these students. Many teachers may feel just as frustrated as the ADHD children themselves. It is not that the teachers do not want to deal with them, it is the fear of not having the skills or appropriate training to adequately meet their needs. What’s even just as alarming is the fact that one-half to two-thirds of the children with ADHD will continue to have significant problems with ADHD symptoms and behaviors as adults. This, will unfortunately have an impact on their lives, on the job, within the family and in social relationships.

Some researchers feel that ADHD is very likely caused by biological factors that influence activity in certain parts of our brain and that in turn have a strong genetic basis. Those studies have revealed that there is strong evidence that ADHD runs in families. Perhaps this explains the two family members who

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