ADHD and Guyanese Children: Recognising Ability, Supporting Learning

(Kaieteur News) – A child may understand complex ideas, hold deep philosophical conversations, and think critically, yet struggle to finish an exercise, stay seated, or remember instructions. Read Part 1 of last week and all preceding parts for a comprehensive, clinical understanding of ADHD in children, women and perimenopause, men and relationships, professionals, and entrepreneurs.

In Guyanese homes and classrooms, teachers remark on report cards, for example, that a named child “has the potential but is distractible, talks too much or makes careless mistakes,” “too troublesome,” or “always dreaming”. These remarks should prompt curiosity about a child’s needs. Based on provisional research results, which I am now widening, the Guyanese school-age population is between 15-20% neurodivergent, of a total of 57-67,000 school children aged 5 to 18. 13-14% have ADHD. That’s about 5 children in a class of 25-30 who are neurodivergent, or 3 in the same class have ADHD. Around 51 – 48% of the top 1% at NGSA and CSEC, respectively, are neurodivergent. Reference to neurodivergence, means ADHD, Autism, Specific Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia.

As clinical psychologists, we refer to neurodivergent children as gifted children. Those still failing to evolve will say they are special needs children; how discriminatory. A gifted child, especially boys with predominantly hyperactive–impulsive ADHD, may grasp a mathematical or scientific concept quickly but interrupt explanations, leave his seat, answer before questions finish, or struggle to wait his turn during group activities. His understanding exceeds his ability to inhibit an immediate response. As a result, classroom participation and friendships may suffer despite exceptional reasoning skills.