Additional Support

ADHD & Education

ADHD qualifies as a special educational need (SEN), and it can also be described as a particular learning difference (SpLD). Your child is entitled to support to help them flourish in both social and academic settings.

NICE guidelines state some environmental modifications that can minimise the impact of ADHD in everyday life.

Examples may include changes to seating arrangements, changes to lighting and noise, reducing distractions (for example, using headphones), optimising work or education to have shorter periods of focus with movement breaks (including the use of 'I need a break' cards), reinforcing verbal requests with written instructions and, for children, the appropriate use of teaching assistants at school.

Keeping in touch with school

Good communication between parents and schools is crucial for success. Ways to improve this include regular calls or texts, daily reports if needed, giving positive feedback with the child around, and sharing information for the child's best interest.

Classroom tips

Use a clear, visual schedule and sit close to the teacher and away from distractions. Encourage positive role models and group learning.

Give warnings before changes and maintain eye contact when giving instructions. - Keep instructions simple and avoid asking too much at once.

Help the child get started, check they have what they need, and make sure they understand the instructions.

Repeat instructions in a positive way and check their progress often.

Support the child in asking for help and make sure they understand the material, not just how long they can stay focused.

Adjust tasks as needed.

Provide wobble cushions, and/or fiddle toys when indicated.

Homework

Children with ADHD might take three times as long to complete homework at home compared to school.

If homework is hard, discuss with the teacher for solutions like:

Doing homework as part of their daily routine

Creating a system to remind teachers to remind the child about homework

Designating a homework spot outside the bedroom

Scheduling homework for late afternoon after school

Breaking homework into smaller tasks with breaks in between

Offering to help or supervise the child and review their work

If the issue persists, consider if the homework is too much or if it could be adjusted. Also, think about alternatives like using a computer for handwriting or having the parent help as a scribe. Additionally, see if the child can stay at school to finish homework.

ADHD & Friendships

People with ADHD are seen as lively, adventurous, and fun. They often bring others into the moment. But ADHD can sometimes make it hard to maintain friendships. Hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness can make it hard to communicate and build lasting friendships.

People with ADHD often have great qualities in relationships:

They're outgoing, social, funny, and great at making others feel welcome.
They're fun, easy to talk to, good at making friends, and open-minded.
They're lively, energetic, and quick to adapt.
They're resilient, creative, clever, and quick-witted.
They can hyper-focus on tasks and on others.

Sometimes they can struggle with:

Dependency on others for planning, organising, and reminding tasks.
Being impulsive, often angry, and easily losing patience can cause fights and regrettable actions.
Struggling to control strong feelings and sudden shifts in mood can cause issues living with others.
Being very active and restless can make it hard to relax and be still when needed.
Easily getting distracted, like losing focus in conversations or ignoring someone.
Having trouble with communication, such as talking too much, not waiting to speak, and constantly interrupting.
Struggling with managing time, staying organized, and remembering things like appointments, special events, and keeping in touch.

Tips for building and maintaining relationships

Social situations

Keep social situations short and sweet. Invite friends to play but keep playtimes short so your child does not lose self-control. Do not aim to do this when your child is feeling tired or hungry, such as after a day at school.

Plan activities in advance

For younger children

Put away any toys that your child would not want to share.

Plan activities that leave little unstructured time or include going to a play area.

Have built in snack breaks.

Limit the time of the get-together.

Limit the amount of people.

For older children

Try and focus on promoting a skill in the run up to the activity, such as cooperation or sharing e.g. ‘letting other people enjoy the activity too’ or ‘remember to let other people have a go’.

Stay within earshot but allow some independence.

Structure activities that are more age appropriate but still leave little unstructured time.

Consider active activities such as a trampoline park, or somewhere your child can expel excess energy.

Have a debrief afterwards and ask how they found it and give some specific positive praise.

ADHD & Self Esteem

It can be difficult for children and young people with ADHD to build positive self-esteem. There can be some unfair stigma attached to the ADHD diagnosis and research shows that having low self-esteem is more common in those with ADHD.

There are several ways to help increase self-esteem:

Praise

For some with ADHD it can be hard to follow instructions or stick to a task; when a task or chore is given with a simple outcome, such as making the bed or putting toys away in a certain amount of time, it can help develop feelings of positivity.

Simple instructions followed by praise builds ‘I can do it’ feelings, rather than negative self-talk.

Instructions are best kept short and precise to prevent overload.

Recognise efforts

Sometimes, and despite best efforts, things will not go to plan, and things can be challenging.

When this happens, try and make an effort to notice what your child is trying to achieve. When things go wrong, focusing on small improvements can help develop larger skills.

Daily time together

Try and spend some time with your child doing something you can enjoy together. A small game, or trip to the shop together builds secure attachment. As does spending time with them engaging in their hobbies, for example, watching a video on their topic of choice or watching an episode of a TV programme they like. Secure attachment and positive self-esteem go together.

Recognise and accept when things are difficult

Despite best efforts, there will be occasions when things feel strained or stressful. Accepting this and providing reassurance is vital to developing emotional regulation.

Sometimes children with ADHD have difficulty making connection between their behaviours and consequences, this is a good opportunity to help them make connections and strategies to make different decisions going forward.

It is also important to recognise your own feelings and taking a step back or time out when needed. It’s okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust.

ADHD & Diet

Diet does not cause ADHD or cure it, but certain dietary adjustments might help improve symptoms.

E-numbers

E-numbers are synthetic food dyes and preservatives added to improve appearance and taste.

Certain additives associated with heightened hyperactivity include:

E102 Tartazine (yellow)

E110 sunset yellow (orange yellow)

E122 Azorubine Carmosine (red)

E133 Brilliant Blue (blue)

E211 Sodium benzoate (preservatives)

Caffeine

Caffeine can affect a child's behaviour. To reduce its impact, opt for decaffeinated foods and drinks and limit chocolate and fizzy drinks.

Hydration: Aim for 6 to 8 glasses of fluid daily. If this is a struggle, place a one-litre water bottle in the fridge for them to easily monitor their water intake.

Top tips for mealtimes

limit snacks and keep food high in fat and sugar out of reach
structure mealtimes
use a visual planner, so your child knows when it is meal and snack time
have protected mealtimes with no other distractions

Involve your child in food

take your child to the supermarket (during the quiet hour, if possible) and let them choose some new foods
use food cards or pictures to help them choose new foods

involve them in food preparation/cooking/baking

reward charts for eating all meals or specific foods.

ADHD & Safety

A child with ADHD might struggle with understanding information and deciding about risks, or they could act quickly and be more likely to get hurt.

It is important to be mindful of their safety around:

Traffic
Swimming pools, rivers and lakes
Tools such as lawn mowers
Medicines, cleaning supplies or poisonous chemicals

One of the most effective ways to reduce risk is to make changes to the environment e.g. keeping certain things locked away or out of reach, or having someone accompany you if going somewhere that may have additional risks.

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