Those with ADHD need special approach.

• Position: YOUR LIFE

Teachers and parents need to learn new methods to help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, declares a researcher from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

"Fads and how-to lists are more prevalent than methods based on educational research," contends Sydney S. Zentall, professor of special education and psychological sciences and author of ADHD and Education: Foundations, Characteristics, Methods and Collaboration. "Because students who have ADHD spend the majority of their time in general educational settings, it's critical to get scientific information to the people who are going to help them learn how to live in society."

ADHD has three main symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, and may be displayed in the form of fidgeting, failing to pay attention, or misbehaving. These youngsters are more sensitive to the loss of stimulation and get bored easily, Zentall explains. "These are children with invisible disabilities. They look like normal children, but often don't have adaptive...