For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) school can be a difficult place. The condition can make it difficult to sit in one place for long periods of time and to concentrate on the tasks at hand. These are not universal symptoms for children with ADHD, but are examples of the challenges some young people face. This article looks to help you understand how ADHD affects learning in children and how you can find help for your child.
Symptoms of ADHD in Children
The NHS lists the following as symptoms of ADHD in children:
Inattentiveness
Hyperactivity
Impulsiveness
It can also be associated with a range of related conditions, such as depression, anxiety and learning difficulties like dyslexia.
Of course, these signs of ADHD in children can present in many different combinations. If you think your child has ADHD, you should consult your GP in the first instance. They cannot diagnose the disorder, but can help you monitor your child’s symptoms over a course of time to build up a better picture. After that, they may refer you to a specialist who can make an assessment and offer advice.
How ADHD Affects Learning
During their day at school, a child with ADHD may come across a number of challenges due to the disorder. It could be to do with starting tasks, concentrating on their work, organisation and focusing on single tasks in terms of their school work. In addition, young people with ADHD can also find it difficult to control their emotions, as well as sometimes not thinking before they speak which can cause friction with classmates and teachers.
These issues can cause young people to become frustrated as well as upset. However, there are measures you can take as a parent to help them learn and handle their anger and anxiety.
Tips to Help Children With ADHD Cope With Frustration
Exercise is an excellent way to work off negative feelings. The endorphins that physical activity gives off inside your body helps you to overcome many anxieties and improve your mood. For a child with ADHD who may have had a frustrating day at school, encouraging them to run, jump, dance, play tennis or do whatever activity brings them joy can really make a difference.
Seek out happiness. It sounds simple, but we all need some happiness after a day that has not gone as we hoped it might. For your young person with ADHD, you can play their favourite happy songs, watch a funny TV show with them or do anything that will take their mind off the challenges they have faced and make them smile or even laugh.
Putting their frustrations down on paper is another great way of letting go of a bad day. The physical act of writing about the issues they faced or drawing pictures to represent what happened can clear their minds of the negativity and help them start afresh.
Tactics to Counter How ADHD Affects Learning
To help your child learn at home, there are some simple measures you can take that will avert some of their challenges.
Create a structure for them by carrying out tasks in the same order each time.
Set limits on the length of time you expect them to work in one go. For example, undertaking bursts of 15 minutes before a break and then another 15 minutes of work is more manageable for your child than a solid block of half an hour’s work.
Remember to praise your child for work well done. Offer rewards and enticements for completing certain tasks, as well as telling them how well they are doing.
Be there to support them at all times. That one-to-one attention will really help engage them.
Tuition 4 Mastery
At Tuition 4 Mastery, we understand how ADHD affects learning in children and we pride ourselves on offering a one-to-one service that engages and emboldens students with the disorder. We provide the base from which they can flourish and learn, away from what can often be a troubling classroom environment. Make sure you contact us today to find out how we help your child thrive.
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