ADHD/ADD Children and Schooling | Child Safety Articles | 4akid

ADHD/ADD Children and Schooling

Discovering your child has ADD/ADHD can be demotivating and can make you feel uncertain as to your child’s schooling and their future. However, as a parent you need to know that there are millions of other parents in the same situation as you, and through treatment, guidance, assistance and understanding, your child will excel both at school and in their private lives.
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD include the following:

• Fidgety and squirms
• Difficulty listening and concentrating
• Easily distracted
• In constant motion
• Have difficulty in playing quietly
• Does not finish tasks
• Loud behaviours
  At least 6 of these symptoms must be evident for a regular and continuous basis of more than 6 months. If your child has these symptoms, they need to be taken to a doctor who will then make a diagnosis taking everything into account including medical histories and behaviours.
  Studies have shown that a combination of both medication and behavioral therapy is the best treatment for ADD/ADHD children.

School can be extremely difficult for both the ADD/ADHD child and their parents, but with an effective plan, your child can thrive at school. You as the parent need to work with your child and their teachers. You have to act as your child’s advocate in the classroom. You need to plan ahead before the school year and be open and honest with all teachers and caregivers. Meet with your child’s teachers as often as possible. Share all your information on your child including their development and their challenges, and always give a full and complete picture.

Children with ADD/ADHD respond well to specific goals as well as daily positive reinforcements, coupled with rewards when possible. Distraction is a huge problem, and this includes noise, passer bys or developing thoughts in the classroom. They also have difficulty focusing. The best advice to deal effectively with the above, for both at home and as school is as follows:

1. Get your child’s teacher to seat the child away from doors and windows in the classroom. This also needs to be done at home, so there is less distraction.
2. Ask the teacher to try including physical movement into some of the lessons, and ensuring you include this at home too.
3. Divide large tasks into small ones, to ensure they focus properly, and then allow for breaks often.
4. Give consequences for misbehavior straight after the event, and make sure the child knows exactly what they are being punished for. In addition make sure you recognize good behaviour.
5. Instructions made by both parents and teachers must be brief and must allow the child to do everything one step at a time, then when that task is completed, they move on to the next task.
6. Try using pictures, images, sounds, silly acronyms and games to help them focus and concentrate on their work.
7. A great method is to read your child’s work to them, and then allow them to act out the scenes and stories.
8. An important point that all behavioural therapists agree with is to use auditory and visual methods both in the classroom and for homework.
9. Make a homework folder with a chart on what they need to cover and by what date. Use checklists and colours to co-ordinate the work, and set up a reward system.
10. Allow your child a break every 10-15 minutes!!!

Follow these methods as best as you possibly can, and you will definitely see a difference in your child’s work. Your child will grow and develop both in the classroom and at home. Working together with your doctor, teachers and your child will ensure the school year runs as smoothly as possible, and that your child remains a happy and confident child.