In many ways, the problem is clear:
A child moves about a room, exhibiting both distracted and somewhat confused characteristics while completely ignoring questions put to him or her. There may even be uncomfortable squirming while seated in a chair. But the tell-tale signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children are almost always vividly apparent to the experienced doctor treating such issues.
While children with ADHD experience a multitude of chronic behavioral and academic difficulties, attributes among rural children seem to be similar to those described by studies conducted on the urban population, leading educators like C8 Sciences to believe the public health impact of ADHD has been grossly underestimated.
C8 Sciences, developers of the ACTIVATE™ neuroscience-based cognition assessment and development program, has been helping schools and families gain access to valuable tools which were previously out of reach. From exploring accommodations for students with ADHD, teaching ADHD children in various effective ways, and reaching out to kids with ADHD in school, C8 Sciences representatives have changed the face of the ADHD teaching strategies game.
According to C8 Sciences, research does not provide adequate descriptive data of children with ADHD in rural communities and until more is known about actual attributes of these children, there will continue to be disparities in access to treatment, identification and reports of the manifestations of ADHD and its co-existing conditions. Further, C8 Sciences has found that the gender ratio seems similar to those of larger studies with more boys than girls diagnosed – this raises the concern, according to C8 Sciences representatives, that ADHD may be under-diagnosed in girls in rural communities.
The fact that children with ADHD experience a myriad of chronic behavioral and academic hurdles appears to further necessitate an enhanced focus on community-based research. As such, multiple studies done by C8 Sciences suggest high rates of prevalence while describing the characteristics of children from inner city elementary schools.
The C8 Sciences Response: Beyond Traditional Accommodations for Students with ADHD
C8 Sciences approached the situation from a different, much more intuitive angle and as such has become the only education-focused organization to offer integrated computer and physical exercises – or “cognitive cross-training.” The products C8 Sciences offer are based on proprietary research developed at Yale University by Dr. Bruce Wexler, who was given a grant by the National Institutes of Health to continue treating and studying kids with ADHD.
ACTIVATE™ by C8 Sciences improves brain function directly, enabling students to learn content-based course materials more easily. The program has been designed to develop and strengthen the brain’s eight core cognitive capacities and reflect the latest research into neuroplasticity – the remarkable ability of our brain to dynamically grow, change, heal and accomplish complex tasks that sometimes seem all but impossible. The ACTIVATE™ Education program, in particular, has been credited with improving student attention via activating and strengthening brain systems vital for executive functions, while improvement has been reported in memory, self-regulation and cognitive flexibility to increase student achievement inside and outside the classroom.
ACTIVATE™ Education: Children with ADHD and ADHD Teaching Strategies
ACTIVATE™ strives to empower special education students – of rural families who did not previously have ready access to valuable tools – by not only allowing schools to sculpt IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) based on a deep understanding of each child’s cognitive functioning, but also by empowering teachers with personalized teaching and support strategies for each student based on a plethora of scientific data.
C8 Sciences continues to develop strategies that can be implemented to enhance “cultural sensitivity” of care while optimizing outcomes for the child and family within a rural community.
Making accommodations for students with ADHD has never been such an intuitive undertaking.
