Neurodiversity Awareness Day - Understanding ADHD

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

For children, there are two main areas of difficulty associated with ADHD…

• Inattention - This involves forgetting things, difficulty concentrating, organising themselves or focusing on what a teacher is saying.

• Hyperactivity and Impulsivity – Symptoms include struggling to stay still, fidgeting, interrupting people, overtaking people in a queue, not waiting their turn, or a lack of danger awareness.

Lots of children might have some of these symptoms at some point in their lives.

For a diagnosis of ADHD to be made, a professional has to make sure these factors are considered…

• The symptoms must be causing significant difficulties for the child, happening over a long period of time and pervasive (happening in different environments).

• A professional needs to be confident that there’s not a condition other than ADHD that might be the cause of the symptoms.

Can you treat ADHD?

ADHD isn’t just ”bad behaviour” and it isn’t caused by a particular parenting style.

There is evidence-based help out there to manage or improve their child’s symptoms, including…

• In-school interventions and adaptations that can help support a child with ADHD.

• Free advice and support for families and children on managing symptoms.

• For some children, there are medications that can help.

Five tips for managing your child's ADHD

1. Encourage good sleeping habits

We know lots of children with ADHD struggle with their sleep and this can cause problems concentrating at school. Speak to your GP or paediatrician if your child has persistent problems with sleep.

2. Make instructions simple

Avoid giving them long, complicated or multi-part instructions. Make their tasks small and give them lots of praise when they get it right.

3. Offer breaks

If you think an activity is going to be demanding, be proactive and build in short breaks. This will help make the activity feel more manageable.

4. Keep a simple routine

Routines help children, including those with ADHD, focus on one thing at a time. If they know what they are doing every day, this helps them to keep organised. Make sure their meals are regular, including a good breakfast so that they are not hungry at school.

5. Help them understand their ADHD

As a parent, you should talk to your child about their ADHD. You could focus on the positives of having ADHD and highlight your child’s unique strengths - from their personality, to their passions. Your doctor can help support you in this with age-appropriate resources for children about ADHD.

Did you know?

Channing Tatum has ADHD… He says “ I’ve always had way too much energy, so I’m always looking for new things to do, to channel that energy.”

Emma Watson has ADHD…

She says “I don’t want other people to decide what i am. I want to decide that for myself.”

Ryan Gosling has ADHD…

He says “I’ve learned it’s important not to limit yourself. You can do whatever you really love to do, no matter what it is.”