Ways to Help Your Kid Cope With ADHD at School

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a learning disability. This condition can be crippling for a school-going kid. The symptoms, like the inability to pay attention and difficulty sitting still and controlling one’s impulses, pose a threat to learning. And while children show differences in their cognitive abilities like learning and attention, recognizing and respecting their differences is crucial in a school environment. And even more so for a child with a learning disability.

A holistic approach is essential for such children. An active teacher-student engagement that is coherent and trust-ensuing works wonders. An easy exchange of relevant information on the needs of the special child during learning is the key. Here, the result-driven approach of the teachers and the parents help to tackle the problem early. Hence, building strategies to create a healthy and supportive school environment stands paramount.

Let’s take a closer look at this!

A Quick Overview

School days are the most memorable times of our lives. But for a kid affected by this disability, it might seem like a long, dubious journey. The otherwise happy learning hours in the school can pose innumerable challenges for a child with this condition. Classroom etiquette, like sitting in a place, listening with attention, and connecting with peers, can seem like running a marathon. The affected kids might find it troublesome to concentrate on lessons and remember the instructions.

Moreover, the conventional learning setup seems rather unconducive for a child with this condition. The neurological difference in a child with this disorder proves detrimental to mainstream academic training. Incompatible with traditional schooling methods, the affected child gets frustrated, fidgety, and disruptive in the classroom. But this should not be mistaken for the unwillingness of the child. It is about the difference in the processing and storing of new information.

The crux of the matter is that ADHD-affected brains work differently! While the hallmark traits of hyperactivity and lack of focus taper down as the affected child grows up, executive functions like functional memory and emotional stability stand out with age. However, this can be addressed under careful monitoring and timely guidance.

Research Your Child’s Diagnosis

It isn’t easy to diagnose this disorder in younger children. This is because many preschool kids exhibit symptoms similar to this disorder. Certain life situations, such as separation from parents, death, and certain medical conditions, may cause ADHD-like symptoms even in unaffected kids. Hence judicious research on the symptoms is crucial to arrive at the diagnosis.

The lack of definitive tests can make the diagnosis of the disorder tedious and misleading. Thus arriving at the diagnosis of the disability is not straightforward. It requires a meticulous approach. And curating relevant information about the kid’s behavior from several sources like parents, school, and caregivers can prove beneficial.

Per the standard protocol, a doctor observes the child regularly for six months. They conclude the diagnosis of the disorder after observing six or more distinct symptoms in a child consistently. The American Academy of Pediatrics provides the above guidelines.

Some of the characteristic symptoms are:

• Fidget or Wriggle.
• Not paying attention to the instructions.
• Inability to maintain silence.
• To talk excessively.
• Intrude or interrupt others.
• Getting easily distracted.
• Poor time management.

Based on the symptoms, your doctor might categorize the disability as follows:

• Hyperactive or Impulsive type: The child is restless but attentive.
• Inattentive type: The child is not disturbing but lacks focus.
• Combined type (Hyperactive and inattentive).

Your doctor might go for a physical examination, ask for a medical history, and sometimes even a non-invasive brain scan.

Create a Plan for Success With Their Teacher

An affected child may throw a heap of challenges for a teacher in a traditional classroom setting. Such a kid with aberrative behavior could disrupt the normal functioning of the classroom. The child who is impulsive, loud, and off-sync in cognition with his counterparts often demands undivided attention from the teacher.

Yet, a teacher’s involvement, concern, and commitment can bring a world of difference in the child’s learning process. So how should a teacher overcome this challenge?

• Patience, Perseverance, and creativity aligned with goodwill can turn tables in the given scenario. A positive attitude pays off.
• Showing empathy with a deep understanding of the underlying disability is the first step toward change.
• Consider the child as your partner and communicate the most – expected outcomes from the individual. 
• Reinforce positive changes through immediate and sincere recognition by rewards or words of appreciation. 
• Discuss in private regarding inappropriate actions or ignore minor unintended mistakes.

Furthermore, some practical strategies that a teacher can adopt to help students with ADHD focus, stay on task, and deliver great results are:

• Accommodation: Necessary practical measures for easy learning in school.
• Instruction: Clever teaching strategies tailor-made for the management of the condition.
• Interventions: Effective ways to oversee the behavioral and cognitive deficits in the affected kids.

Creative teaching aids for ADHD-affected children are:

• Assign work that suits the student’s skill level.
• Offer choices.
• Provide visual reminders.
• Increase active class participation.
• Encourage hands-on training.
• Reduce potential distractions.
• Use positive peer models.
• Prepare for transitions.
• Allow for movement.

To help students with ADHD perform at school, teachers play as a guiding light. But it is important to understand that a teacher needs to address several issues in a classroom. Thus, a teacher might need extra help from parents to address their child’s disability.

Ways in which parent-teacher camaraderie can help a school kid with a learning disorder include:

• Communicate and collaborate: A teacher needs to communicate with the parents regarding the student’s progress to reinforce their efforts. At the same time, a parent needs to communicate the special needs of the child and their typical behavior. A daily behavioral report card or a school-home card can be initiated where parents appreciate the kids for their achievements at school.
• Focus on small wins: To set unrealistic goals may not work for children with this condition. Hence setting goals that are just above the student’s current level of performance is vital.
• Bring awareness: A triad participation of the school, teachers, and parents is essential to develop an assessment report necessary to design effective interventions.
• Plan extra support: Plan individual tracking systems for assignments, tests, and time management. The inputs can be from parents, teachers, schools, psychologists, and older peers.
• Follow visible indicators: Measure the success of the interventions from key indicators of progress rather than a reduction in symptoms.
• Design the interventions strategically. Anticipate irregularities in its execution. Go on the offense rather than the defense.
• Know your rights: Students with this disability are eligible for support and specialized instructions. Parents and teachers should consider possible options, one being special education support through an individualized education plan or IEP and the other being educational accommodations (e.g., preferential seating, reduced workload) through a Section 504 plan.
• Request progress reports and plan a final conference with the school: As a parent of an affected child, it is mandatory to be aware of your child’s timely progress. Hence, periodic evaluation reports and discussions play a significant role.

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Keep Records, Notes, and Any Communication With the School

Health and school records are indispensable documents for any ADHD kid. As a parent of an affected child, it is your prime responsibility to update and maintain all relevant documents concerning the health and academic pursuits of the child. Recording and documenting periodical appraisals can facilitate your child’s academic and behavioral progress. It allows one to adopt required treatment modifications.

You should keep and update the following records:

• ADHD evaluations: Collect all records that are vital in your child’s diagnosis. These facilitate the identification of the type of ADHD.
• Medical investigations for any other condition with symptoms similar to this condition.
  
• School progress records: Document all school appraisal documents, timely school plans, and progress reports. This will help in devising new school plans.
• Individual education plan: Ask for copies of the individual education plan if your school has opted for the same. You might need to share this information with your child’s healthcare provider.

Provide Positive Support

A positive relationship with teachers and school personnel will improve a child’s chances of becoming successful in school. These are some of the strategies that one can adopt:

• Start early: Before school starts, get to know the people with the concerned authority, like the principal and teachers. Get a brief about the policies and rules of the school. Take feedback on the performance of the school to handle behavioral problems.
• Share what you have learned: Share knowledge about this learning disability with the school personnel.
• Suggest books and educational programs. Discuss beneficial ideas and solutions with concerned people in school.
• Build a bond with your child’s teacher: Before school begins, get to know your child’s teacher in person and her ways of teaching. Find out if the teacher has experience teaching children with this disability, her approach, and her teaching style. Also, discuss your child’s symptoms and all the bleak points of their behavior that might interfere with their performance in school.
• Make a school plan: Work with the teacher to design a plan that best suits your child. Discuss how one can cut down the disruptive behavior in school. This might boost the learning and conduct of the child in school. Discuss the Individual Education Plan and several accommodation strategies to accomplish the learning outcomes.
• Ask for help: Ask for tutoring or mentoring sessions. Engage with the school’s counseling program for better management of the condition.

Be Patient and Understanding

Parenting can be yet another striking factor in the treatment. Parent’s response to this disability can either make it good or worse. If your child is affected by this disorder:

• Be involved: Learn everything you can about this learning disability. Follow the treatment your child’s health care provider recommends. If your child takes necessary medicines, give them the recommended time.
• Know how this learning disability affects your child: Every child is different. Identify specific problems your child has due to this condition. Ask your child’s therapist about ways to treat it.
• Focus on teaching your child one thing at a time: Do not try to work on everything. Take small steps. Pick one thing at a time.
• Work with your child’s school: Talk to your child’s education planner. Look out for the options your child has. Choose either IEP or 504 plan.
• Connect with others for support and awareness: Look for support organizations and groups to get updates on this condition and its treatment.
• Find out if you have this disability: This disorder runs in families. Parents might not know if they have this disability. If parents are diagnosed and treated, it helps them to be their best with their affected child.
• Discipline with purpose and warmth: Figure out the right approaches to discipline your child. The kids with the given condition might be sensitive to criticism. Therefore, choose motivation and support as ways to mend their behavior.
• Set clear expectations: Talk to your child about what they want to do rather than what they should do.
• Spend special time together: Talk, share, and enjoy with your child. Give the child quality time. Compliment positive behaviors.
• Your relationship with your child can sing a song of victory: These kids with learning disabilities tend to think they are nasty, making things wrong and letting others down. Let your child know that you believe in them and see all the good things in them. Prepare your child for the world with lots of love and resilience.

When to Seek Professional Help

Usually, parents are the first to identify the symptoms of this learning disability in a child. You can approach a general practitioner or a pediatrician who can recognize certain patterns in a child’s behavior and refer your child to a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. They can counsel your child, treat with medications if required and demonstrate several coping strategies.

Get Started With a Trusted Therapist on DocVita Today

ADHD can be managed and dealt with successfully. However, there could be several roadblocks in the way. In kids, it is a tricky condition to deal with. It can prove to be misleading on several occasions. Hence, picking the right help guides and information channels is critical.

This is where DocVita steps in. DocVita distinguishes itself by providing reliable medical assistance through its highly acclaimed specialists. You can do this from the comfort of your home from anywhere in India or beyond.

Book an appointment for a consultation with the experts of DocVita today, and stay rest assured!