| Characteristic | Look For…. |
Eating Habits | * Frequent consumption of junk food (candy, chips, carbonated beverages, etc.) *Unusual heaviness or thinness, especially if these characteristics become more pronounced over time * Lack of energy * Reluctant or inability to eat anything at lunchtime |
Physical Activity | * Improvements in speed, complexity, and agility of gross motor skills (eg., running, skipping, jumping) * Restlessness, lethargy, or inattention during lengthy seatwork (possibly reflecting a need to have a physical break or to release pent-up energy) * Overexertion (increasing the risk of injury) |
Rest and Sleep | * Listlessness and lack of energy * Inability to concentrate * Irritability and overreaction to frustration * Sleeping in class |
Health-Compromising Behaviors | * The smell of cigarettes in clothing *Physiological symtoms of drug use (eg. red eyes, dilated pupils, tremors, convulsions, respiratory problems). * Distortion in speech (eg. slurred pronunciation, fast talking, incoherence) * Poor coordination * Impaired decision making * Mood changes (eg. anxiety, depression) *Dramatic changes in behavior (eg. unusual energy, loss of interest in friends) * Signs of sensory distortions or hallucinations * Rapid weight gain and a tendency to wear increasingly baggy clothes (in girls who may be pregnant) |
Sources: Wechsler (2002, 2003).
Posted by: Elizabeth Gonzalez
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