5 Tips To Help Your Child With ADHD Focus In School

Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face challenges in the school setting. The way the brain functions in a child with ADHD means they can become distracted easily by various stimuli, both external and internal.

ADHD is a condition characterized by hyperactivity and attention issues, but kids with ADHD also have challenges with impulse control that makes the classroom environment even more challenging. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that nearly 10% of children in the United States are diagnosed with this condition as teens, making it quite prevalent.

So what helps kids with ADHD focus at school? What can parents do to help ADHD students? There’s a lot to understand about this condition, and you likely want the answers to these questions and more. Luckily, there are steps teachers and parents can take to help kids with ADHD. Read on to find out tips to help your child with ADHD focus in school, and some ADHD teaching techniques that can make a huge difference.

What Is ADHD?
ADHD is a condition characterized by things like problems sustaining attention, impulsive behavior, and hyperactivity. There are three subtypes of ADHD:

• Predominantly inattentive
• Predominantly hyperactive or impulsive
• Combined

Children of school age with ADHD often have issues with poor school performance, problems with relationships, and low self-confidence. Sometimes symptoms can become less severe as a person gets older, but no one can outgrow ADHD and the symptoms that accompany it completely. Strategies to help a person with ADHD cope with their symptoms are always the best course of action.

What Are The Symptoms Of ADHD?
The biggest symptom of ADHD is inattention and hyperactivity or impulsive behavior. Typically, kids will start experiencing these symptoms before age 12, and some even as young as three. Symptoms are mild in some children but can range up to severe in others. Additionally, symptoms can differ between boys and girls. Statistically, boys may be diagnosed more often than girls, but that may only be because the symptoms traditionally seen in kids with ADHD are different between boys and girls, and clinicians may not understand the symptoms in girls as well as they do boys.

Children with inattentive ADHD may experience these symptoms:

• Making careless mistakes because they haven’t paid attention to details
• Appearing as if they aren’t listening, even when you are speaking directly to them
• Having issues staying focused when playing or during other tasks
• Having problems following through on instructions and failing to finish chores or schoolwork
• Issues with organization, especially during activities or tasks
• Doesn’t like tasks that require them to focus, such as homework
• Often losing things they need to complete something, such as pencils to do their homework
• Is distracted easily
• Forgetting to do activities during the day, such as chores

For children who have the hyperactive or impulsive ADHD subtype, you may see these symptoms:

• Squirming or fidgeting when trying to sit still
• Always has to be in motion
• Having problems staying in their seat when they need to, such as in a classroom setting
• Climbing or running around when it’s not appropriate
• Talking a lot
• Interrupting others by blurting out answers
• Having trouble waiting their turn
• Interrupting conversations or activities

In some respects, the symptoms you see in children with ADHD can be brushed off as normal developmental behavior. However, kids who have ADHD will experience challenges in all parts of their lives, not simply school or home. If your child has problems with hyperactivity at home but does great in school, this may be caused by something other than ADHD.

See a doctor for possible ADHD diagnosis if you are concerned about symptoms. They may refer you to a specialist to dig deeper, but you want to ensure first that a child’s challenges are not the result of some other cause that can be found during a medical evaluation.

How Can I Help My ADHD Child Focus In School?
Even if you can’t be with your child all the time, there are some things you can do at home to help kids with ADHD work on their focus and attention. A few things you may want to do at home include:

1. Establish a homework routine – A daily routine centered around homework can help to keep your child on track, but make sure to work in frequent breaks and give them some time to transition from being at school to being at home before you begin. Figure out the routine that will work best for them to help reduce distraction and procrastination.
2. Create an environment free from distractions – Find an ideal learning spot for your child at home that can help them with distractions. Each child is different, so you may have to experiment to find what works best.
3. Help them – Don’t simply sit your child down at their desk and give them their schoolwork. Instead, sit with them for a while to ensure they understand the assignments and what needs to be done for each.
4. Oversee as needed – Some kids with ADHD need a lot of adult supervision to stay on task. As your child gets older, they may not need such constant supervision, so follow their lead.
5. Break up big assignments – You don’t want your child to feel overwhelmed by the things they're working on, so make sure to help them break up big assignments into smaller pieces. They’re less likely to be distracted this way.

Teaching Strategies For Students With ADHD
In school, several things can be done to help a child with ADHD focus their best. Teachers should:

• Keep expectations consistent
• Create clear classroom rules
• Reduce distractions in the classroom
• Reward good behavior
• Give feedback frequently
• Allow plenty of breaks
• Be flexible
• Provide tools for restless kids, such as silly putty
• Don’t give students too much to do

Many people live productive and happy lives with ADHD. The key is for teachers and parents alike to learn what they can about this condition and take measures to set a child up for success.

Featured image by Ben Mullins on Unsplash