Jessica Bennett, Staff Writer

            Getting up and going to school is a daily struggle for most students – but those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder sometimes have it much worse.

            However, UB researchers believe they have found a way to help students with ADHD adjust to school rules and succeed academically.

            The causes and effects of ADHD have eluded medical professionals for decades. It’s hard to treat a medical condition if the cause is unknown, but UB researchers are taking important steps forward to discover new ways for students with ADHD to manage their condition with minimal help from medication.

            During a recent presentation, The Center for Children and Families and Greg Fabiano, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education, gave an overview of ADHD, spoke about the importance of the study’s findings and the need for further research about the condition.

            There is currently no test to determine whether a child has ADHD, which is why Fabiano sees continued research as vital to helping those with the disorder. Currently, ADHD diagnosis is based on observation and behavior and there is no known cause, leaving ADHD management difficult and a cure out of the question.

            “There’s some evidence that part of the brain – the frontal lobes of the brain – kind of control how well you can plan ahead for things, how well you can organize things,” Fabiano said. “That part of the brain in people with ADHD is underactive, so that part doesn’t work so well, and because of that you see the impulsive behavior.”

            Currently, the only proven effective management techniques are behavioral therapy - in which patients learn how to teach themselves to focus their minds - having clearly established rules and setting up a reward system for good behavior. The new study links rewards for good behavior between school and home, creating a constant environment for the student and increasing his or her ability to maintain focus, which helps counter the ADHD.

            Fabiano explained that the study – which was done over the course of a school year – was conducted as a day camp for the children. The study had two groups – those who received a daily report card on their behavior and those who did not. The students who received the report card showed improvement in classroom behavior and focus. Parents were able to discuss their child’s progress at home and implement a reward system that motivated students to focus in school.

            Fabiano pointed out that if school and home are linked in a constant set of expectations and rewards, then students with ADHD can improve their ability to focus with less struggling and perhaps, eventually, less medication.

            “This may be something that just about every kid with ADHD should have in school,” Fabiano said.

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