ADHD

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with concentration, attention, and impulse control, which negatively impacts on a person's day-to-day life (Australian Psychological Society). It is estimated that ADHD affects approximately 8% of children ages 4-17 years old in the U.S. (American Psychiatric Association). ADHD begins in childhood and often lasts into adulthood, although some symptoms can improve over time.

It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving from time to time, however children with ADHD do not grow out of these behaviors. Children with ADHD often have difficulty sitting still, following directions, settling into quiet tasks, act before thinking things through, and are easily distracted by things going on around them. These difficulties can cause problems at school, at home, or with friendships.

There are three types of ADHD, depending on a child's difficulties:

• Predominantly inattentive - the child mostly has symptoms of inattention rather than hyperactivity or impulsivity.

• Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive - the child mostly has symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity, rather than inattention.

• Combined - the child has symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

Deciding if a child has ADHD is a process that involves several steps. Unlike many medical conditions, there is no single test to diagnose ADHD. Assessments are often completed by professionals with training and experience in diagnosing ADHD, which includes pediatricians, primary care physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health workers, or other allied health professionals.

It is important to remember that for very young children, skills of attention, concentration, and impulse control are still developing. It is normal for children at this age to have short attention spans, be easily distracted, or act impulsively, and this is not necessarily a sign of ADHD. Therefore, a proper assessment by a professional is needed to determine whether a child's behavior is typical or not typical for their age and stage of development.

Children with ADHD often have other mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, or oppositional defiant disorder. Often times, these children have low self-esteem, poor social skills, and difficulty regulating their emotions. Many children with ADHD experience bullying and are excluded from social gatherings. Their peers may label them as "weird" or a "misfit". If you think your child may have ADHD, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional about what you can do to best support your child.

There are a variety of treatment options available for children with ADHD. The best treatments meet the needs of the child, family and educators, and are often provided by a team of professionals working together with the family. Often times, a combination of effective treatments and interventions are used including:

• Medication

• Psychological strategies

• Behavioral parent training

• Social skills training

• School-based interventions

It is recommended that you talk to your medical provider, educators, and other professionals involved with your child to develop the best treatment plan for your family.

Homework

Homework can be a source of frustration for a child with ADHD. As a parent, you can reduce that frustration by creating an organized and comfortable work space at home for your child to do his or her homework. This should be a space that is near an adult, but away from potential distractions. When your child has a designated homework space, they can get into the homework habit each time they sit there to do homework. Your child will begin to associate that space with being focused and productive and will learn how to organize and structure his or her time and thoughts.

• Involve your child in setting up a homework space.

• Help your child stay organized.

• Make sure your child has all the necessary materials (paper, pencils, etc.).

• Use color-coded folders for organization (e.g. green-completed work).

• Remove or minimize distractions (e.g. face away from doors, windows, TV).

• Keep pets in another room.

• Makes sure the work space is free from clutter.

• Allow your child to work on the floor if they prefer, but away from distractions.

• Pick a space where you can keep an eye on your child, but do not hover.

• Use a timer or silent clock so your child knows the difference between work time and break time.

• Some children work better with a familiar background noise rather than silence. Experiment with what works best for your child.

• Some children focus better if they can stand, walk, or move around while doing activities like reading, memorizing, or being quizzed. Try it out and see what works best for your child.

• Get your child a planner to record daily homework and reminders.

• Help your child by going through their assignments with them. Show them how to read the directions carefully.

• Write important information down so your child can reference it again.

• Help your child to organize homework assignments into manageable parts:

  • • Divide tasks into smaller chunks

    • Work on one section at a time

• Use a timer to manage attention:

  • • Schedule 5-10 minute breaks to allow your child to move around, grab a healthy snack, or get a drink

    • Work with your child to see when and how often breaks are needed

• Praise your child for effort and be specific in your praise:

  • • Give positive feedback to show you are noticing their effort and perseverance

    • Remain optimistic, patient, and hopeful. Take a break yourself if needed!

    • Reward your child's efforts to continue trying their best with specific praise:

      • • Instead of saying, "Good job", try saying "I like how you kept trying even when the math problems got harder."

        • Replace, "You are doing great!" with something more concrete. For example, "You went back and re-read the directions. That extra step was a good idea!"

REMEMBER: Your child is trying really hard! As Dr. Ross Green would say, "Kids do well if they can" - if they can't, then something is getting in their way. Be compassionate and try to understand what your child needs to do better, and how you can help.

Reference: Children and Adults with Attention-Deficity/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)

For more resources and fact sheets on ADHD, please visit this website: https://chadd.org/understanding-adhd/adhd-fact-sheets/