ADHD in children and what parents can do to help
By Ramita Anand
Founder of ElevateRA
With ADHD being one of the most common neuropsychiatric and behavioural disorders in children and young people, it is essential for us to think about best practices to support pupils both at home and at school.
It might be worth reminding ourselves that ADHD is a brain-based disorder. Kids can’t overcome symptoms of ADHD by “trying to concentrate harder” or by willing themselves to “pay attention”. Brain imaging studies have shown that people with ADHD have structurally different brains than people without ADHD. There is a common misconception around kids being ‘lazy and purposely not paying attention’. This simply is not the case. Although it can be difficult at times, it's important to remember that a child with ADHD cannot help their behaviour.
Common symptoms of ADHD include impulsivity, fearlessness, inattention and at times chaotic behaviours which can make everyday activities overwhelming and stressful for both children and the adults looking after them. Young folks with ADHD can find it challenging to suppress emotions and therefore may not stop to consider a situation or the consequences before they act. It is important to look for signs of emotional distress, anxiety or depression as these can make the ADHD symptoms and disruptive behaviours worse.
Though ADHD is more often diagnosed in boys, many girls are also prone to ADHD. However, they are simply overlooked or missed because their challenges seem to present differently than the more understood and common ways we observe it in boys. Girls with ADHD have been known to largely suffer from emotional challenges witnessed in increased levels of stress, anxiety, self-esteem and in self-harm. This is also observed in the way they may have difficulty forming and maintaining healthy friendships more than seen in boys.
How to support children with ADHD
Routines and clear instructions
Children with ADHD benefit from regular routines and concise instructions that are very specific. Do break instructions down into structured steps with visual representations where possible, so they can refer back to that should they need to.
Clear boundaries
Ensure expected behaviour with what is or is not appropriate is clearly explained. Pupils thrive when provided with structure and have boundaries in place. These boundaries are just as important at school as they are at home, for example around time on devices.
Positive reinforcement
Always aim to reinforce positive behaviour with immediate praise or rewards particularly for any effort students have put in. Be clear, using enforceable consequences, such as taking away a privilege, if boundaries are overstepped and follow these through consistently.
Social situations
Have a time limit on how long social outings or play dates will last and communicate this clearly beforehand, avoiding times of hunger or exhaustion. When there are signs of struggle, providing distractions or allowing some quiet time with mindfulness tools around breathing can help.
Movement
Getting lots of physical activity and providing as many movement breaks throughout the day as possible will help children regulate and even sleep better.
Ramita Anand, a trained teacher (with a Science and Special Educational Needs specialisation), mother, author, and podcast host who has founded ElevateRA mentoring services, aimed to empower and work with pre-adolescent girls on crucial life skills. The evolving modern world is leaving many young girls facing challenges that hinder self-worth, academic and social progress. Ramita is on a mission to employ preventative educational tools to set up girls with a strong foundation.
Passionate about helping girl’s wellbeing, ElevateRA originated to work in conjunction with the conventional approaches in education, in order to equip young folks with the skills of confidence, empathy, resilience, emotional intelligence, kindness, that will serve them throughout their lives.
Her background is in Education, with 20 years of classroom-based teaching experience, with her last teaching role at St Christopher's School, where she was the Department Head for Learning Enrichment as part of the school’s SENCO programme.
Further information on Ramita's work can be found here: Elevate.RA Mentoring Services, Her book Amazon Best Seller, Girl Elevated: 5 steps to empower girls in early adolescence to be their best, and the Elevate podcast, conversations with thought leaders, educators, creatives and activists on how we can best empower girls.