Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders as the Main Social and Pedagogical Problem.

Prepared: T.M. Polovych

Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders as the Main Social and Pedagogical Problem. Coping with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Questions for Discussion

• Why is the problem of people with mental disorders so significant?

Sо that at least one child of five should periodically mental health problems. People with mental disorders often cannot take care of their health as effectively as people without mental health problems.

 Mental disorders are common in all societies. A person suffering from mental illness requires long-term treatment and rehabilitation. This requires considerable social and material resources, which affects the economy of society.

• How can the mental disorder affect the life of the child?

Mental illness - is primarily a disease is a condition that is based on certain changes in the nervous system of the child. In the absence of adequate treatment, these changes can be amplified and lead to irreversible changes of mind. Mental disorders can affect the health of the child, characterized by changes in thinking, mood or behavior.

• What are the main problems of the families of mentally impaired children?

The main problem is the adoption of a diagnosis of a child with intellectual disabilities, which requires parents and super patient. Every family with a child with intellectual disabilities, have their own characteristics, their psychological climate that somehow affects the child. Another problem is the constant psychological stress of parents as children with intellectual disabilities need much more than is healthy, physical, spiritual and physical costs. And also the problem of abuse of interaction with society, the lack of reliable information on the possibility of correction and treatment.

• Is there the difference between socio-pedagogical support of the family in Ukraine and other developed countries? Give some examples

In contrast to other developed countries in Ukraine inclusive education is the period of adaptation and organizational and technical correction. Under development is oblikuvannya framework and standards of social work professionals. Not fully established cooperation with parents, which is a factor in ensuring corrective effect on the child. In general, the educational system in Ukraine has limited knowledge of methods and techniques to be used.

•What services are developed well in Ukraine?

In Ukraine inclusion in the development of a well developed current-inclusive resource centers designed to help children get a quality education. Experts working on new, more progressive and qualitative approaches to working with children with special educational needs.

• Why is there the difference of mentally impaired children statistic data in Ukraine and other countries?

Because in Ukraine there is no full statistical state records of children who have impaired mental and physical development as an obstacle to inter-departmental barriers, lack of a common categorization, different approaches to keeping these children and others.

• What disorders are the most widely spread?

The most common disorders are disorders of behavior, nervous - mental and emotional disorders.

•What else mental disorders, excepting ADHD and ASD, do you know?

What is their significance in our country?

Depression, Schizophrenia, intellectual deficiency, post traumatic stress disorder.

Mental disorders cause suffering to many people in our country and affect the lives of their relatives. Every fourth person has a particular mental disorder at some time in their lives. In the world the most important factor that leads to disability is depression. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are credited to the most severe diseases that violate normal human activity. Although the prevalence of mental disorders is enormous, in many cases, these disorders remain undetected and they do not pay enough attention.

• In your opinion, are the changes in inclusive educational policy useful for people with ADHD and ASD? What changes are the most significant?

Today a lot of talk about the value of integration of children in a normal environment of peers, the development model of inclusive education. I believe that these changes will be beneficial only when proper training for working with children with ASD and ADHD. And a large amount of available information and literature. Unfortunately at the moment when the decision RPI experts child goes to kindergarten, it is not only stressful for her and her parents, but also for professionals kindergarten. Especially if they had not had the experience of direct work with children and ADHD ASD.

Analyzing the state of inclusive education today can only speak of an innovative process that allows for training and education of children with different starting opportunities at different levels of educational vertical. To become a positive experience of inclusion, should be provided with certain conditions, otherwise it will lead to a situation where a child with special needs is only physically present in regular school, but it is not integrated socially.

 • What would you change in the system of social and pedagogical support of people with mental disorders such as ADHD and ASD in Ukraine? Why?

I have created the conditions required for self-development of  ASD and ADHD, in which is made active life personality. Whatever was not favorable socio - pedagogical support, the results depend on the activity of the individual.

Key Issues of the Topic

1. The nature and main symptoms (and their sings) of Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorders.

The three main problems when ADHD - is:

- lack of attention;

         - impulsivity;

- excessive motor activity, mobility.

Impulsivity and hyperactivity of children with ADHD manifested in the continuous excessive physical activity, inability to sit long in one place, when they are required. These children say much, interrupting the conversation of others inappropriately interfere with the dialogue of others, showing impatience when to expect something (such as their turn in the game) acting without thinking about the consequences and even the rules. Impulsivity and excessive activity not conducive to productive student achievement, but most academic difficulties caused by negligence is that manifests itself as follows.

General characteristics of a hyperactive child: violation of the emotional sphere and as a consequence of uncontrolled emotional reactions, irritation, depression, manifestations of aggression, increased reactionary, difficulty with changes in activity, problems with discipline, inability to work towards a distant goal, the constant need for encouragement and punishment, low self-esteem .

         2. Stages of ADHD diagnostics. Related disorders

None of the experts can not effectively diagnose and correct problematic behavior of the child ADHD without her parents. To the teacher could see that the child actually existing behavioral problems can be filled questionnaire specifically designed for teachers. Later, the teacher must hold a conversation with the parents of the child with the aim of motivating them for further diagnosis and application of measures to correct the disorder. Notify potential problem parents need very well in a positive way and offer them to fill in a questionnaire for parents. Parents should not feel condemned by teachers. After diagnosing the results and conclusions of a school psychologist in a child suspected ADHD, it should be referred for examination to the final diagnosis to the child psychiatrist.

Associated problems include the problem with success (performance class and homework), the problem of building relationships and communicating with others.

3. The main interventions for children with ADHD (treatment and therapies)

        The main therapeutic intervention in ADHD considered such.

1.Psyhoedukatsiya - educational work to improve the understanding of the nature and ways of correcting the disorder among parents, teachers and other professionals working with the child.

2. Behavioral therapy

At school, it is appropriate to use different strategies and methods for correcting behavior, such as a system of incentives, behavioral contracts and so on. Along child can attend group correction in rehabilitation institutions. It is important to encourage healthy communication and social skills training.

3. Psychopharmatherapy

In serious clinical cases where psychological and educational interventions do not give a significant effect on the recommendation of a psychiatrist can be appointed farmakopreparaty. In combination with behavioral therapy and properly constructed learning process, they give the best effect correction ADHD. The drugs aimed at reducing impulsivity, hyperactivity, better concentration, regulation of emotion.

4. Overview of Autism problem. Signs and symptoms of ASD

Possibilities of drug therapy for ASD nowadays limited. Issues ASD today requires increased attention from not only the child psychiatrists, but also family doctors, pediatric neurologists. It should be added that provide full quality care of these categories of patients and their families is also impossible without the active participation of national authorities as ASD is not a single disease the child or her family and social problems.

ASD - a condition that is caused by developmental disorders of the brain and is characterized by a congenital deficiency and comprehensive social interaction and communication. It can not be cured, but eventually can adjust and adapt to human social life.

ASD is characterized by features in communication, emotional cognitive and behavior.

There are signs of autism in a child:

- violations of speech;

- the lack of emotional contact with people;

- solitude;

- attacks aggression;

- weak interest in toys;

- stereotype behavior, fear of change

5. Peculiarities of ASD diagnostics

Diagnostics ASD recommended during routine checkups. He has conducted screening of children should be identified children with developmental delay.Special screening is also recommended to older children if they are a violation of social interaction and communication. In the absence of positive dynamics during the second mental evaluation of primary physician practice consultation shall appoint child psychiatrist, in his absence - children's neurologist.

6. Treatment and therapies of ASD

Working closely with a doctor or health care professional is an important part of finding the right treatment program. A doctor may use medication to treat some symptoms that are common with ASD. People with ASD may be referred to doctors who specialize in providing behavioral, psychological, educational, or skill-building interventions.

7. The main components of universal design in education. Explain each of them

Components of the universal design in education:

 1.architectural accessibility

 2.material and technical support

 3.methodological support

 4. well prepared human resources

8. The main elements of methodological support of universal design in education: individual program of development, differentiated instructions

Individual Program of Development - this is a contract between parents and school

Consists of :

1. Main information about the child
2. Information about special needs
3. Special support for the child
4. Long and short term aims in different areas (safety, behavior, social skills, independence, learning skills)
5. Adaptations and modifications
6. Terms of IPD
7. Assessment 

Differentiated instruction

A teaching approach in which lessons are presented in different ways to different groups of students in the class, depending on those students’ learning strengths.

Name five the most important problems in the sphere of socio-pedagogical rehabilitation people with mental disorders in Ukraine. Suggest the way of solving for each of them.

1. Lack of understanding of both the state and by society that mental health and mental well-being are the most important prerequisites for a high quality of life, ensuring social cohesion, social peace and stability.

2. Stigma, discrimination and social exclusion suffered by are people with mental disorders.

3. Failure and imperfection of the legal framework for regulation of psychiatric services and implementation of preventative.

4. Low awareness of specialists of primary health level in terms of diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.

5. Outdated structural and functional organization of mental health services, which surely needs to be changed in accordance with modern global trends.

6. Insufficient financing industry.

Solution: First, in my opinion, it is necessary to protect the rights of people with mental health problems, deepening awareness on mental health. To be maximally destyhmatyzovani conditions for treatment, rehabilitation, provision of specialized social and educational services to persons with mental disorders.

You also need to develop and adopt regulations on psychiatric service quality standards for the evaluation of its operations, standards of diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Significant improvements also requires system of psychiatric care and mental health.

The person must be able to receive psychiatric care, as well as any other type of medical care.

It is also necessary to reorganize specialized homes for patients with mental health disabilities with the improvement of living conditions and maintenance with a focus on the identity of the patient, a special training program.