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Children with ADHD demonstrate difficulty with sustaining attention and executive functioning. Attention and executive functions are a set of higher-order cognitive abilities that allow a student to establish and meet goals for him/herself as well as solve problems effectively. Executive functions include the ability to decide what deserves attention and for how long, to create a road map to reach a goal, to organize things within a system, to manage time effectively, to hold information in mind while working towards a goal without getting derailed, and to monitor and evaluate progress towards a goal. Executive functions also allow a person to think before they act, manage their emotions, begin tasks in a timely fashion and persist with those tasks until they are completed. Finally, executive functions allow a person to be flexible so that they can adapt to changing conditions. Students with weaknesses in attention and executive functions often know what they are supposed to do, but fail to consistently and independently do what they know.
Plan for You
1. Consider requesting an evaluation for an individualized education plan (IEP) or request a 504 plan with some or all of these modifications:
- Verbal instructions that are short, concise, and paired with visual cues.
- Copies of lecture/lesson notes
- Additional time to complete in-class assignments, exams, standardized testing. Untimed tests (when possible) and double the allotted time (when time is a necessary constraint) are highly recommended.
- Homework modification/reduction that require your child to demonstrate mastery on a fewer number items with focus on quality rather than quantity
- Distraction free environment for tests such as a student learning center rather than a group format administration
- Multiple opportunities during the day to take breaks to help your child manage his/her activity level. For example, giving responsibilities such as delivering attendance sheets to the main office, distributing/collecting classroom papers, and other tasks that would provide "natural" breaks during the school day.
- Allowance of minimally distracting sensory activities such as use of squeeze balls, fidgets, band around the chair that can be used for bounding his/her feet, Hokki stool or similar chairs.
- Preferential seating in the classroom in close proximity to the teacher, away from potential distracters (ex. Away from the hallway door, windows, pencil sharpeners, etc). He/she may benefit from sitting next to children who are more focused to serve as a model.
- A behavioral plan. It would be helpful to include your child in the development of such a plan with the teacher if possible. This could help your child address behaviors and consequences, as well as identify rewards. Implementation of this plan should be done both at home and at school on a regular basis and should be implemented consistently among teachers and parents. Would benefit from constant feedback that prompts and improves performance. Consequences and rewards should be implemented in the environment they are earned whenever possible.
- Enrollment in a study skills class (if available) that teaches attention, planning, organization, time management, reading, memory, and test taking skills
2. Provide student support within the classroom
- Respectful fidgeting as increased sensory stimulation actually can improve a student's ability to sustain attention for longer periods of time. Examples include use of a fidget item (squeeze ball), chewing gum, being allowed to stand while working or use wobble stools or do chair push-ups, pass out class materials, run errands, exercise band around legs of the chair.
- Use of noise-cancelling headphones or listening to music during assignments to better screen out distractions.
- Use of visual reminders to focus (ex. Post-it note at corner of desk, laminated class schedule on desk).
- Support network with encouragement to obtain the phone number of at least one person in class your child can call if part of the lecture/lesson or homework assignments was missed.
- Children with ADHD often have difficulty with social interactions because they may behave impulsively or say or do inappropriate things. Social skills training may be helpful and some school provide such classes or clubs. This can sometimes be accomplished with mentoring with an older student and with facilitated peer interactions.
3. Provide support at home
- Give your child short, clear directions and have him/her repeat it back. Obtain eye contact prior to giving instructions to make sure you have your child’s full attention.
- Teach him/her the response delay technique of counting to 5 or 10 before responding verbally or physically to an event which will hopefully give him/her time to consider potential consequences of his/her behavior.
- Provide a homework environment that is free of both visual and auditory distractions.
- Help develop consistent routines for completing homework and getting organized.
- Segment homework into smaller time or task chunks and build in short (10-15 minutes) breaks/rewards afterward each segment. Allow your child to be involved in determining the type of break/rewards they would like such as reading, talking to a friend on the phone, playing video games.
- User of a check list and timer can be helpful in developing self-management skills.
- Consider having an after-school homework club or in-home tutor oversee homework completion to relieve stress on the family if it becomes excessive. College student mentors to oversee homework and teach study skills are available at Club Xcite (www.exciteway.com). The book "Seven Steps to Homework Success" by Sydney Zentall PhD/Sam Goldstein PhD and “Ending the Homework Hassle” by John Rosemond both provides valuable tips on facilitating homework completion.
Websites & Podcasts
https://childmind.org/healthyminds/
Books
- Seven Steps to Homework Success by Sydney Zentall PhD/Sam Goldstein PhD
- Ending the Homework Hassle by John Rosemond
- Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
- The Mislabeled Child by Brock and Fernette Eide.
- Taking Charge of ADHD by Russell A. Barkley
- ADHD: What Everyone Needs to Know by Stephen Hinshaw & Katherine Ellison
- The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child by Alan Kazdin
- ADHD - What Every Parent Needs to Know by American Academy of Pediatrics
- Thriving with ADHD - workbook for kids
ADHD Classes
ADHD Center for Success
https://sandiegoadhdcenter.com/
12625 High Bluff Drive #201
San Diego, CA • 92130
Phone: (858) 481-4988
Fax: (858) 792-5095
San Diego BRAINWORKS
https://www.sdbrainworks.com/contact-us
5752 Oberlin Drive
Suite 112
San Diego, CA 92121
Tel: 858 914-1347