helping my adhd child with homework

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13 No-Excuses Homework Rules for Students with ADHD

Help your child succeed with tried-and-true rules, like taking away the cell phone and encouraging study breaks. make nightly homework a little more pleasant with these tips..

Sit with your child and talk through what needs to be done. Once she starts to work, you may fold laundry, knit, or read in the same room. At some point, she may ask you to leave. If so, go.

Get him moving.

Physical activity — walking on a treadmill or fiddling with pipe cleaners — increases alertness for mental activity. Encourage your student to walk around the house reading aloud from a book. Chances are, she will soon settle down and be able to focus on her work.

Use medication.

Talk with your doctor about prescribing a short-acting medication for after school. When medication is working, students stay focused and complete homework more quickly. They also tend to remember the material they studied.

Set the stage.

Make your child feel comfortable as he starts his homework. Have him wear comfortable clothes, and make the sure the environment doesn’t distract him. Some kids need a quiet room with no distractions, while others need a little background noise.

Make it fun.

Writing the definitions of 25 vocabulary words is boring. Turn it into a game. Post words and definitions around the house for your child to match. Have him jump on the trampoline while learning multiplication facts. Talk with his teacher about ways to make homework active.

[ Free Resource: Solve Your Child’s Homework Problems ]

Avoid interruptions.

Once the student begins homework, hold his telephone calls until break time or until homework is completed. You may have to take his cell phone away to keep him from texting.

Spice things up.

If a homework assignment is boring, play music or TV at low volume. For reading, break assignments into segments marked by colored paper clips. When the student reads as far as the clip, he can take a well-deserved break.

Skip missing information.

Students with ADHD often look for excuses to stop doing their homework. So if he needs information to answer a question, have him work around it, leaving a blank that can be filled in later that night or the next day.

Nag no more.

Ask your child how many reminders she’ll need to stay on task in order to finish an assignment. If she says she’ll need two reminders, stick to that number. When she’s off track, state that you are giving a friendly reminder and then walk away. At any point when you see that she’s doing the right thing, praise her diligence.

[ 10 Secrets to Studying Smarter with ADHD ]

Check for completion.

Rather than arguing with your child over the quality of the work he’s producing, hold him accountable only for completing the homework thoroughly. Leave the quality check to the teacher.

Help the right way.

If your child gets “stuck” from time to time when doing homework — solving a math problem, say — don’t do it for him. Ask your child if there are similar problems in his notes or if there’s an example in his textbook. This encourages problem-solving and self-reliance, and takes you out of the equation.

Take a break if no homework has been assigned.

Don’t require your child to study on those rare days when he doesn’t have anything to do. Use the time to have fun with your child. You will deepen family relationships and build his self-esteem.

Find a tutor.

If you find it hard to help your child with schoolwork, find someone who can. A junior or senior high school student may be ideal — and charge a modest fee — depending on the need and age of your child.

[ Scripts to End Every Homework Fight ]

Readers’ Choice: Best Tips For Homework

• Physical activity breaks
• Accommodation for reduced homework
• A reminder note or a timer to let the child know when it’s time to start
•  Limiting homework time to an hour total, doing it in 10-minute bursts.
• Parent writes down child’s responses to questions
• Having a snack before starting homework
• A homework club/program with peers
• Breaking homework assignments into small pieces
• A reward after finishing homework
• Doing homework in the morning

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Schoolwork at Home with ADHD

At a glance.

Without classroom structure, kids with ADHD often find it hard to get on track and stay on track • Whether managing virtual schooling or homework, these simple strategies can help your child be more productive while doing assignments at home

Create a Designated Workspace

A neurotypical brain is capable of filtering out multiple inputs, but the ADHD brain struggles to tune out noise and distractions in the workplace, making it exceptionally hard to focus.

To give the ADHD brain a hand, create a specific workplace for your child that is as distraction-free as possible. Ideally, this is a space that is only used for working, so the brain learns to associate it with quiet concentration. To the degree possible, this space should be separate from main living areas where other family members might be moving around or making noise. If your child is particularly sensitive to noise, he may also benefit from noise-cancelling headphones and listening to white noise.

Chunk Assignments

One feature of ADHD is difficulty with planning, organizing, and initiating tasks . To make homework less overwhelming and help your child develop planning skills, help to break down assignments into clearly defined  chunks,  or steps. For example, instead of “Write book report,” help develop a specific list of what has to be accomplished, such as, “1. Read book. 2. Come up with a thesis statement. 3. Write outline…” etc.

Have your child focus on completing one chunk at a time, and monitor his progress as he works. It helps to give feedback (with as much  positive   feedback as possible!) on their working style as they go.

Use the Pomodoro Technique

Teenagers and young adults often benefit from a time management method called the  Pomodoro Technique , which structures work time around frequent short breaks. The Pomodoro Technique works as follows:

• Select the task to work on
• Set a timer for 25 minutes
• After the 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break
• After four “pomodoros” (or 25-minute chunks), take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.

There are several apps that help keep track of pomodoros, such as “PomoDone,” “Focus Keeper,” or “Marinara Timer.”

For younger children, or teenagers with severe ADHD, this technique should be adjusted down to shorter intervals. Many young kids with ADHD can’t focus for more than 5-10 minutes. Find the amount of time that works—long enough for them to make progress but not so long that they get overly antsy, frustrated, or tired—and use frequent breaks to help them stay regulated.

Encourage Movement

Many children and teens with ADHD move around like Energizer Bunnies. While this may seem distracting, it’s actually the body’s way of compensating for  understimulation  in the brain. So to help your child focus, find ways to integrate movement into their work. This could mean having them stand up while doing work, or even doing work while walking or wiggling around, if the assignment allows. For work that has to be completed in one set place, allowing them to use a fidget toy can make a big difference in their ability to focus.

Outside of actual work time, it helps to take frequent “brain breaks” where movement is encouraged. Have you ever noticed that you tend to be more clear-headed after exercising or going for a walk? This is even more the case for those with ADHD. Whether it’s taking a 5-minute dance break, doing some jumping jacks or burpees, or taking a walk around the block, getting the body moving will help to stimulate their brains and give them an extra jolt of “focus” for the next round of working.

Most importantly, do your best to be patient with the process. Because ADHD has many different presentations, some strategies will work better for your child than others. Do a little trial and error, and check in often about what helps the most. Whenever you find something that works, take the opportunity to celebrate! Your child is working hard to overcome his struggles, and so are you. Keep up the great work!

This article is adapted with permission from the Sasco River Center in CT . Caroline Segal, a psychotherapist at the Sasco River Center, specializes in the treatment of child and adolescent anxiety, depression, trauma, and behavioral issues.

Related Smart Kids Topics

• ADHD: An Overview
• Exercise: Good Medicine for ADHD
• Improving Executive Skills

Teaching Students with ADHD

Adhd parenting tips.

• ADHD in Children: Signs, Symptoms, and Help
• ADHD in Adults: Symptoms, Effects, and Self-Help

Tips for Managing Adult ADHD

• ADHD Medications for Children and Adults  

Adult ADHD and Relationships

Adhd tests and diagnosis.

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Setting up your child for school success

Tips for working with teachers, tips for managing adhd symptoms at school, tips for making learning fun, tips for mastering homework, adhd and school.

School can be a challenge for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—but here’s how you can help your child or teen succeed in the classroom.

Reviewed by Tatiana Rivera Cruz, LICSW , a clinical social worker/therapist at ADHD Advisor who specializes in ADHD, depression, anxiety, grief, couples counseling, family conflict, trauma, and PTSD

The classroom environment can pose challenges for a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD). The very tasks these students find the most difficult—sitting still, listening quietly, concentrating—are the ones they are required to do all day long. Perhaps most frustrating of all is that most of these children want to be able to learn and behave like their unaffected peers. Neurological deficits, not unwillingness, keep kids with attention deficit disorder from learning in traditional ways.

As a parent, you can help your child cope with these deficits and overcome the challenges school creates. You can work with your child to implement practical strategies for learning both inside and out of the classroom and communicate with teachers about how your child learns best. With consistent support, the following strategies can help your child enjoy learning, meet educational challenges—and experience success at school and beyond.

Remember that your child’s teacher has a full plate: in addition to managing a group of children with distinct personalities and preferences, they can also expect to have at least one student with ADHD. Teachers may try their best to help your child with attention deficit disorder learn effectively, but parental involvement can dramatically improve your child’s education. You have the power to optimize your child’s chances for success by supporting the steps taken in the classroom. If you can work with and support your child’s teacher, you can directly affect the experience of your child with ADHD at school.

There are a number of ways you can work with teachers to keep your child on track at school. Together you can help your child learn to find their feet in the classroom and work effectively through the challenges of the school day. As a parent, you are your child’s advocate. For your child to succeed in the classroom, it is vital that you communicate their needs to the adults at school. It is equally important for you to listen to what the teachers and other school officials have to say.

You can ensure that communication with your child’s school is constructive and productive. Try to keep in mind that your mutual purpose is finding out how to best help your child succeed in school. Whether you talk over the phone, email, or meet in person, make an effort to be calm, specific, and above all positive—a good attitude can go a long way when communicating with the school.

Plan ahead. You can arrange to speak with school officials or teachers before the school year even begins. If the year has started, plan to speak with a teacher or counselor on at least a monthly basis.

Make meetings happen. Agree on a time that works for both you and your child’s teacher and stick to it. If it’s convenient, meet in your child’s classroom so you can get a sense of their physical learning environment.

Create goals together. Discuss your hopes for your child’s school success. Together, write down specific and realistic goals and talk about how to help your child reach them.

Listen carefully. Like you, your child’s teacher wants to see them succeed at school. Listen to what they have to say—even if it is sometimes hard to hear. Understanding your child’s challenges in school is the key to finding solutions that work.

Share information. You know your child’s history, and your child’s teacher sees them every day: together you have a lot of information that can lead to better understanding of your child’s hardships. Share your observations freely, and encourage your child’s teachers to do the same.

Ask the hard questions and give a complete picture. Be sure to list any medications your child takes and explain any other treatments. Share with the teacher which tactics work well—and which don’t—for your child at home. Ask if your child is having any problems in school, including on the playground. Find out if they are eligible for any special services to help with learning.

Developing and using a behavior plan

Children with ADD/ADHD are capable of appropriate classroom behavior, but they need structure and clear expectations in order to keep their symptoms in check. As a parent, you can help by developing a behavior plan for your child—and sticking to it. Whatever type of behavior plan you decide to implement, create it in close collaboration with your child and their teacher.

Kids with attention deficit disorder respond best to specific goals and daily positive reinforcement—as well as worthwhile rewards. Yes, you may have to hang a carrot on a stick to motivate your child to behave better in class. Create a plan that incorporates small rewards for small victories and larger rewards for bigger accomplishments.

Find a behavior plan that works

Click here to download a highly regarded behavior plan called The Daily Report Card, which can be adjusted for elementary, middle, and even high school students with ADHD.

Source:  Center for Children and Families

Developing an individualized education program (IEP)

An IEP is a free service in the United States that outlines unique accommodations to help your child with ADHD reach set goals in the classroom. For example, an IEP might include: 

• Extra time for your child to spend on quizzes and tests. 
• Learning plan tailored to their specific needs.
• Relocation to a classroom environment with fewer distractions. 

An IEP will also include specific, measurable goals so you can keep track of what’s working best for your child. 

As a parent, you can refer your child for an IEP. However, to be eligible, your child may need to undergo an evaluation that involves a review of their performance in classwork and observations of their behavior. A team of professionals—which might include teachers and healthcare providers—will conduct the assessment and then work with you to come up with a plan.

ADHD impacts each child’s brain differently, so each case can look quite different in the classroom. Children with ADHD exhibit a range of symptoms: some seem to bounce off the walls, some daydream constantly, and others just can’t seem to follow the rules.

As a parent, you can help your child reduce any or all of these types of behaviors. It is important to understand how attention deficit disorder affects different children’s behavior so that you can choose the appropriate strategies for tackling the problem. There are a variety of fairly straightforward approaches you and your child’s teacher can take to best manage the symptoms of ADHD—and put your child on the road to school success.

Managing distractibility

Students with ADHD may become so easily distracted by noises, passersby, or their own thoughts that they often miss vital classroom information. These children have trouble staying focused on tasks that require sustained mental effort. They may seem as if they’re listening to you, but something gets in the way of their ability to retain the information.

Helping kids who distract easily involves physical placement, increased movement, and breaking long stretches of work into shorter chunks.

• Seat the child with ADHD away from doors and windows. Put pets in another room or a corner while the student is working.
• Alternate seated activities with those that allow the child to move their body around the room. Whenever possible, incorporate physical movement into lessons.
• Write important information down where the child can easily read and reference it. Remind the student where the information is located.
• Divide big assignments into smaller ones, and allow children frequent breaks.

Reducing interrupting

Kids with attention deficit disorder may struggle with controlling their impulses, so they often speak out of turn. In the classroom or at home, they call out or comment while others are speaking. Their outbursts may come across as aggressive or even rude, creating social problems as well. The self-esteem of children with ADHD is often quite fragile, so pointing this issue out in class or in front of family members doesn’t help the problem—and may even make matters worse.

Correcting the interruptions of children with ADHD should be done carefully so that the child’s self-esteem is maintained, especially in front of others. Develop a “secret language” with the child with ADHD. You can use discreet gestures or words you have previously agreed upon to let the child know they are interrupting. Praise the child for interruption-free conversations.

Managing impulsivity

Children with ADHD may act before thinking, creating difficult social situations in addition to problems in the classroom. Kids who have trouble with impulse control may come off as aggressive or unruly. This is perhaps the most disruptive symptom of ADHD, particularly at school.

Methods for managing impulsivity include behavior plans, immediate discipline for infractions, and a plan for giving children with ADHD a sense of control over their day.

Make sure a written behavior plan is near the student. You can even tape it to the wall or the child’s desk.

Give consequences immediately following misbehavior. Be specific in your explanation, making sure the child knows how they misbehaved.

Recognize good behavior out loud. Be specific in your praise, making sure the child knows what they did right.

Write the schedule for the day on the board or on a piece of paper and cross off each item as it is completed. Children with impulse problems may gain a sense of control and feel calmer when they know what to expect.

Managing fidgeting and hyperactivity

Students with ADHD are often in constant physical motion. It may seem like a struggle for these children to stay in their seats. Kids with ADD/ADHD may jump, kick, twist, fidget and otherwise move in ways that make them difficult to teach.

Strategies for combating hyperactivity consist of creative ways to allow the child with ADHD to move in appropriate ways at appropriate times. Releasing energy this way may make it easier for the child to keep their body calmer during work time.

Ask children with ADHD to run an errand or complete a task for you, even if it just means walking across the room to sharpen pencils or put dishes away.

Encourage a child with ADHD to play a sport —or at least run around before and after school—and make sure the child never misses recess or P.E.

Provide a stress ball , small toy, or another object for the child to squeeze or play with discreetly at their seat.

Limit screen time in favor of time for movement.

Dealing with trouble following directions

Difficulty following directions is a hallmark problem for many children with ADHD. These kids may look like they understand and might even write down directions, but then aren’t able to follow them as asked. Sometimes these students miss steps and turn in incomplete work, or misunderstand an assignment altogether and wind up doing something else entirely.

Helping children with ADHD follow directions means taking measures to break down and reinforce the steps involved in your instructions, and redirecting when necessary. Try keeping your instructions extremely brief, allowing the child to complete one step and then come back to find out what they should do next. If the child gets off track, give a calm reminder, redirecting in a calm but firm voice. Whenever possible, write directions down in a bold marker or in colored chalk on a blackboard.

One positive way to keep a child’s attention focused on learning is to make the process fun. Using physical motion in a lesson, connecting dry facts to interesting trivia, or inventing silly songs that make details easier to remember can help your child enjoy learning and even reduce the symptoms of ADHD.

Helping children with ADHD enjoy math

Children who have attention deficit disorder tend to think in a “concrete” manner. They often like to hold, touch, or take part in an experience to learn something new. By using games and objects to demonstrate mathematical concepts, you can show your child that math can be meaningful—and fun.

Play games. Use memory cards, dice, or dominoes to make numbers fun. Or simply use your fingers and toes, tucking them in or wiggling them when you add or subtract.

Draw pictures. Especially for word problems, illustrations can help kids better understand mathematical concepts. If the word problem says there are twelve cars, help your child draw them from steering wheel to trunk.

Invent silly acronyms . In order to remember the order of operations, for example, make up a song or phrase that uses the first letter of each operation in the correct order.

Helping children with ADHD enjoy reading

There are many ways to make reading exciting, even if the skill itself tends to pose a struggle for children with ADHD. Keep in mind that reading at its most basic level involves stories and interesting information—which all children enjoy.

Read to children. Make reading cozy, quality time with you.

Make predictions or “bets.” Constantly ask the child what they think might happen next. Model prediction: “The girl in the story seems pretty brave—I bet she’s going to try to save her family.”

Act out the story. Let the child choose their character and assign you one, too. Use funny voices and costumes to bring it to life.

How does your kid like to learn?

When children are given information in a way that makes it easy for them to absorb, learning is a lot more fun. If you understand how your child with ADHD learns best, you can create enjoyable lessons that pack an informational punch.

• Auditory learners learn best by talking and listening. Have these kids recite facts to a favorite song. Let them pretend they are on a radio show and work with others often.
• Visual learners learn best through reading or observation. Let them have fun with different fonts on the computer and use colored flash cards to study. Allow them to write or draw their ideas on paper.
• Tactile learners learn best through physical touch or movement as part of a lesson. For these students, provide jellybeans for counters and costumes for acting out parts of literature or history. Let them use clay and make collages.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Sure, kids may universally dread it—but for a parent of a child with ADHD, homework is a golden opportunity. Academic work done outside the classroom provides you as the parent with a chance to directly support your child. It’s a time you can help your child succeed at school where you both feel most comfortable: your own living room.

With your support, kids with ADHD can use homework time not only for math problems or writing essays, but also for practicing the organizational and study skills they need to thrive in the classroom.

Helping a child with ADHD get organized

When it comes to organization, it can help to get a fresh start. Even if it’s not the start of the academic year, go shopping with your child and pick out school supplies that include folders, a three-ring binder, and color-coded dividers. Help the child file their papers into this new system.

• Establish a homework folder for finished homework and organize loose papers by color-coding folders. Show your child how to file appropriately.
• Help your child organize their belongings on a daily basis, including backpack, folders, and even pockets.
• If possible, keep an extra set of textbooks and other materials at home.
• Help your child learn to make and use checklists, crossing items off as they accomplish them.

Helping a child with ADHD get homework done on time

Understanding concepts and getting organized are two steps in the right direction, but homework also has to be completed in a single evening—and turned in on time. Help a child with ADHD to the finish line with strategies that provide consistent structure.

• Pick a specific time and place for homework that is as free as possible of clutter, pets, and television.
• Allow the child breaks as often as every ten to twenty minutes.
• Teach a better understanding of the passage of time: use an analog clock and timers to monitor homework efficiency.
• Set up a homework procedure at school: establish a place where the student can easily find their finished homework and pick a consistent time to hand in work to the teacher.

Other ways to help your child with homework

Encourage exercise and sleep. Physical activity improves concentration and promotes brain growth. Importantly for children with ADHD, it also leads to better sleep , which in turn can reduce the ADHD symptoms.

Help your child eat right. Scheduling regular nutritious meals and snacks while cutting back on junk and sugary foods can help manage symptoms of ADHD.

Take care of yourself so you’re better able to care for your child. Don’t neglect your own needs. Try to eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, manage stress , and seek face-to-face support from family and friends.

More Information

• Homework Help for ADHD - Tips for children with ADHD. (National Resource Center on ADHD)
• Supporting School Success - Including how to get your child organized, enlisting the school’s help, and seeking evaluation. (American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry)
• Motivating the Child with Attention Deficit Disorder - How ADHD symptoms interfere with classroom expectations and how to realistically motivate your child. (LD Online)
• Step-by-Step Guide for Securing ADHD Accommodations at School - Meeting your child’s educational needs with ADHD accommodations at school. (ADDitude)
• Contents of the IEP - Guide to developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) with school staff to address your child’s educational needs. (Center for Parent Information and Resources)
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association. Link
• AACAP. Supporting School Success. (n.d.). American Academy of Adolescent & Child Psychiatry. Retrieved August 12, 2021, from Link
• Teaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices– Pg 1. (2008). [Reference Materials; Instructional Materials]. US Department of Education. Link
• Gaastra, G. F., Groen, Y., Tucha, L., & Tucha, O. (2016). The Effects of Classroom Interventions on Off-Task and Disruptive Classroom Behavior in Children with Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review. PLOS ONE, 11(2), e0148841. Link
• CDC. (2019, November 7). ADHD in the Classroom . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link
• “Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) (for Parents) – Nemours KidsHealth.” Accessed February 15, 2024. Link

More in ADHD

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School success kit for kids with adhd.

Tools and strategies to help manage time, stay focused, and handle homework

Writer: Rae Jacobson

What You'll Learn

• What are some ways to help kids with ADHD get organized?
• How can parents help kids plan ahead?

For kids with ADHD, the right approach to school can mean the difference between good grades (and the confidence that comes with them) and  “I lost my homework… again.” Here are a few suggestions for tools and strategies to help kids with ADHD get set for success.  

First, get the materials you’ll need. Find, and test, a good planner or calendar so your child can get comfortable using it. There are lots of other tools that can help kids stay on time and on task. Get back-ups of items that often get lost. For example, if disappearing socks (or keys, or gloves or hats) are slowing you down, getting more can help you get out the door on time.  

Talk with your child about how to tackle challenges. For example, if paying attention is hard, they could agree to sit at the front of the classroom. If homework is a big issue, setting up a structured, regular homework routine will help. You can also pick a quiet, organized space where kids can work with fewer distractions.  

 If kids take medication, make sure they’re doing so regularly. Go over potential problems with teachers and work together to come up with a plan for what to do if they come up.  

For a lot of kids with ADHD, past difficulties can make it hard to feel good about school. Let your child know that the past is something you can both learn from, and agree to start from a clean slate. Talk about any anxieties they have, and work together to make a plan to support them emotionally throughout the year.  

For kids with ADHD , the right approach to school can mean the difference between good grades, and the confidence that comes with them, and another round of, “I lost my homework … again.” Here are a few suggestions for tools and strategies to help kids with ADHD get set for success.

• Calendar(s):  Whether it’s the New Year, the new school year, or any time a resolution is made to be better organized , calendars are key to kids with ADHD. Your child should have a  school calendar  with enough space to allow them to write down and organize (by color-coding!) assignments. We recommend a separate calendar for social engagements and after-school activities. Additionally, it helps to add everything to a  digital calendar  with a reminder function that can push notifications to their phone. Another feature of online calendars is the  sharing function.  This allows them to share their calendar with parents and teachers and helps everyone stay on the same page.
• Backup Items:  Avoid morning (and afternoon, and evening) panic by having  multiples of items that are easily lost . Think about the things that tend to go missing: If disappearing socks are slowing you down, get more socks. If stealthy shoes (or keys, or gloves or hats or transit fares) are making them late, keeping backups on hand will help them get out the door on time.
• Head of the Class : Literally. Sitting in the front of the room not only helps kids avoid the distractions (and temptations!) of back-row chatter and note-passing — it also  promotes accountability . The harder it is for kids with ADHD to slip through the cracks, the better. When kids sit up front, it’s easier for the teacher to notice if they’re having a hard time and give you both a chance address the issue  before  it becomes a problem.
• Set Up a Homework Routine:  Having a structured, regular homework routine will help kids and parents get work done without squabbles when it’s time to hit the books. Designate a quiet, organized space where kids can work with minimal distractions. Schedule regular breaks for them to get up and move around — not screen breaks! — and don’t forget snacks to help keep blood sugar and focus going strong.
• Prioritize:  Kids with ADHD often have trouble knowing which assignments should take priority. Here is where  color-coding  can really come in handy. Arm them with highlighters— and backup highlighters! Assign each color a priority level. For example pink would be “high,” blue, “medium,” and green, “low.” Having a pre-established system will help them build skills and get a sense of what to do when. You can also use apps like  Remember the Milk , which allows users to add due dates, priority levels, and estimates of how much time each task will take.
• Time Management:  The eternal battle. Learning to effectively manage time is the grail for kids with ADHD. In addition to calendars,  task timers  like  Focus Booster  can help kids get better at judging how much time each task will take, and let them know when it’s time to move on to something new. Timers aren’t just helpful with homework and chores — they can also use one during longer tests to remind her him to switch sections and use their time efficiently.
• Structured Play Dates:  If your son or daughter with ADHD has trouble making and keeping friends , play dates with structured activity, where you can tell them what’s expected of them, can ease their anxiety about fitting in socially.
• Medication Check-in : Kids who have  stopped taking meds during summer  should begin taking them again before school starts so they have time to adjust. And when school starts it’s important to pay close attention to how it’s working over the full day (including mornings!) and adjust the schedule so kids aren’t crashing during the last few periods or having mid-math homework meltdowns after school.
• Concentration Aids:  White noise generators help block distractions and boost productivity. Try apps like  Simply Noise  that offer a few “types” of noise (pink or brown noise, rainstorms, calming music, etc) so kids can choose what works best for them. You can also use a  white noise machine  or run a loud fan at home to help kids during homework.
• Recording Apps:  No matter what accommodations kids have, paying attention to lectures and verbal instructions is a big part of doing well in school. Help kids stay on track by using recording apps with dictation functions. That way they can review any missed information later on.
• Check the Policy:  Assistive technology can be great for kids with ADHD, but a lot of it relies on smartphones. If your child uses apps to help them during school make sure you  check his school’s cell phone policy.  If it’s strict, you’ll need to address it during IEP meetings.
• Save and Share:  Sometimes it seems like ADHD and Murphy’s Law are one and the same. If homework can be lost, left behind or vanish, it’ll happen. If your child is working on an important paper or project encourage them to use programs like Google Docs that  are set to save frequently and backup to online servers . This way, he’ll have access to documents wherever he goes and won’t run the risk of losing his work if the computer encounters a problem.
• Get Moving:  Studies show that  exercise has a positive impact on focus and attention in children with ADHD. When you’re thinking about school schedules and after-school activities, include things that get kids get moving. Make sure you’re signing kids up for things they’ll actually like, whether that’s basketball, gymnastics, hiking or real-world Quidditch. What they’re doing isn’t important as long as they’re getting exercise and forming positive associations with physical activity.
• Give the Teacher a Heads Up:  If you’re not planning on having an IEP for your child, it’s still a good idea to let their teachers know they learn differently . A quick heads up gives teachers insight into potential behavioral issues how to support them throughout the semester.
• Practice Advocating:  Parents shouldn’t be the only ones talking with teachers. The best thing your child can do to ensure a bright future is learn to become their own advocate. Whenever possible, put them in charge of talking to teachers or peers about their ADHD . Practicing advocacy skills now will help them gain the confidence they’ll need to succeed later in life.
• A Clean Slate:  For a lot of kids with ADHD, past difficulties can make it hard to have a positive outlook on school. Fears of messing up socially, failing in school, and disappointing parents and teachers are very real for kids with ADHD. Let your child know that the past is something you can both learn from, but otherwise agree to work from a clean slate. Talk about any anxieties they may have around school, and work together to make a plan to support them emotionally throughout the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can help your child with ADHD focus in school by introducing more structure and organization into their daily life. For example, experts recommend color-coded calendars to help track and prioritize assignments. Seating the child at the front of the class will also help them stay on track by limiting distractions. Parents can also set up regular homework routines and some form of exercise after school.

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Home / Expert Articles / Conditions / Diagnoses / ADHD / ADD

Simple Homework Tips for Kids with ADD and ADHD

By robert myers, phd.

Homework can be difficult for most kids during the school year, but it can become a major challenge when you have a child with ADHD. But here’s some good news for exhausted parents: if you take the right steps now, at the beginning of the school year, homework hassles can be kept to a minimum. The key is to be organized and plan ahead to minimize the frustration your child is bound to experience around multiple homework assignments. Begin by tackling the two most important places: school and home with these homework tips for kids with ADHD and ADD .

At the beginning of the school year, meet with your child’s teacher (or teachers) to find out what the expectations are regarding homework. Try to work out a system where they can let you know in advance what homework will be assigned either on a week-to-week basis or for the whole semester. Many teachers are even willing to keep you informed by e-mail. You should check with your child’s teachers periodically to make sure that things are going well. And definitely remember to ask them to inform you whether assignments are being turned in on time.

Another big problem for kids with ADHD is that they often forget to bring their books home. You may be able to work out with the school, particularly if your child has a 504 plan, to get an extra set of books. This way, your child will have a set of books at school and a set of books at home.

Children with attention disorders, particularly those with a 504 plan, are entitled to accommodations to make school demands appropriate to their abilities. So for example, in math or other subjects with long lists of questions or problems, the accommodation states that the school must allow the child to do every other question or problem, rather than the entire list that’s been assigned. Talk to your child’s teachers about your child’s abilities and the accommodations that can be made. It can make the difference between enduring endless hours of frustration at homework time and having your child succeed.

Moving now to the home front, it’s important, if possible, to have a quiet time in the home where there’s no TV and no other media to distract your child. You might even stop phone calls during homework time. And if you have a project that you’ve brought home from work, consider doing it while your child is doing his schoolwork. (But be available for help if necessary.) This helps younger children with ADHD to understand that homework is a normal part of life—just another responsibility that needs to be met, and it also sets the right mood for focusing and concentration.

It’s best to have a scheduled time for homework and a quiet place to do it. For older kids, it may even be a good idea to set up their own “office”. This could be a space in their room, the living room or kitchen where they do their homework on a regular basis. You might even put up a bulletin board with all their long-term assignments and due dates. What this provides is a way to make it easy to have all the materials they need and to keep them on task.

If you know what your child’s assignments are, you should review them together. Make sure that they understand what they need to do. In particular, be certain they understand the directions completely. If they have homework for several different subjects, you can eliminate much of the hassle simply by helping them to organize their time.

It may be a good idea to break homework into sections. You can set aside time for each specific subject, with some relaxation breaks in between. High school age kids with ADHD certainly can do an hour of homework at a time without a break, while first graders may only be able to go for 10 to 15 minutes without a break. You need to determine what you feel is a reasonable amount of study time for your child, and then help him or her to manage their time appropriately. When they complete their homework successfully, use fun activities such as on TV or video games (or whatever your child enjoys) as a reward.

Finally, a big problem for kids with ADHD is that even when they get the homework completed, they forget to turn it in to the teacher. It’s wise to have a notebook with a clipboard or a separate folder for homework for your child. Remind him or her to check the clipboard or folder at school for each class to be sure that they turned in all the work. Then, before they leave school, they should check it once again. If they find any assignments that were not turned in they should take it to the teacher or the office and hand it in before they leave the campus. Most teachers will accept an assignment later in the day from a child they know to be attempting to cope with ADHD.

The internet also has great resources to help you and your child gather information for homework projects. These include Kid Info www.kidinfo.com , Fact Monster www.factmonster.com and Searching for Stuff-Kid’s search tools www.slco.lib.ut.us/kids_search.htm .

Related Content: 8 Tips for Parents of Children with ADHD ADHD, LDs, ODD? How to Stop Doing Too Much for Your Special Needs Kid

About Robert Myers, PhD

Dr. Robert Myers is a child psychologist with more than 30 years of experience working with children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD - ADHD) and learning disabilities. Dr. Myers is Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at UC Irvine School of Medicine. "Dr. Bob" has provided practical information for parents as a radio talk show host and as editor of Child Development Institute's website, childdevelopmentinfo.com . Dr. Myers earned his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.

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keepingthefaith My 12-yr old is officially diagnosed with ASD/Anxiety/Mood Disorder/Depression.  I recently withdrew him from public school.  The admin was using detention and taking away his break time to motivate him to do his work at school.  He has an IEP for every accommodation conceivable, but he was refusing to write More paragraphs and essays.  I pulled him out after the school took away his "safe room" and started piling on consequences.  My question is, how am I going to get him to write paragraphs and essays when we start homeschooling?  He sees a behavioral therapist and a psychiatrist and is on meds to focus.  He is a bright boy, usually coring three grade levels ahead.

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How to Help a Child with ADHD Do Homework

Last Updated: March 29, 2022

This article was co-authored by Laura Marusinec, MD . Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care. This article has been viewed 12,838 times.

Getting a child with ADHD to focus on their school work can be a challenge, especially if there are assignments, readings, and due dates involved. You can help a child with ADHD complete their homework with flying colors by introducing methods for learning at school and at home. You should also focus on staying positive and supportive of the child with ADHD so you both feel a sense of accomplishment when the homework gets done.

Preparing for Homework at School

• You may ask the teacher to hand out a typed assignment sheet to take home, especially if the child has attention deficits that make it difficult for them to copy down the homework in their notebook.

• If the child tends to forget to hand back in their assignments, their teacher can include a sheet for a parent to sign once the homework has been completed and packed in the child’s bag. This will serve as a reminder to the child’s parent to check that the homework has been done and is packed in the child’s school bag.

• The “study buddy” system can help the child make sure they bring home the books they need for the assignment. It can also ensure the child with ADHD stays organized.
• Another option is to get the child to join a homework club, where they spend time with other students and a tutor after school to get their work done. This can be useful if the child’s medication is still working after school and you want to keep them motivated to do their schoolwork.

• You can then work with the child's teacher to modify the IEP so the child has less homework or a lightened workload. For example, as part of the child's IEP, maybe the teacher assigns only the odd-numbered math problems for the child or five homework questions instead of ten. This can help the child still learn and get their work done, without being overly stressed or frustrated.
• You may also talk to the child’s teacher about spreading out the child’s assignments so they are not due all at once as part of the child's IEP. You may sit down with them and create a schedule of assignments that will fit the child’s abilities and time management skills. This can make the child feel less overwhelmed, but still get their work done.

Helping the Child at Home

• Having your own copy of the child’s assignments will also allow you to read them over beforehand. You can then help the child with the assignment and break it into manageable chunks for the child.

• You may set the homework time for right after school, especially if your child does well with staying in “school mode” at the end of the day. Or you may give the child a break after school and then prepare them for homework time ten to fifteen minutes ahead of time.
• Some children do well with warnings a few minutes before homework time, such as reminders to “get their brain turned to homework” or “have their mind set to homework mode.”

• Keep the child’s homework spot stocked with school supplies, an extra set of school books, and folders for their assignments. You may also make sure they have a reading lamp and lots of writing utensils in their spot.
• Make sure the homework spot is free from distractions such as TV, phones, or frequent visitors. A room through which other family members are constantly passing, for instance, may not be the best spot.

• For example, you may block out the child’s homework in 20 minute chunks, followed by short breaks. You may schedule 20 minutes on math homework, followed by a five minute break. Then, the next 20 minutes may be on social studies homework, followed by another five minute break.
• You may also set a timer for 20 minutes and place it in front of the child so they stay motivated. Once the timer goes off, you may then allow them to take a five minute break to do something else.

Staying Positive and Supportive

• Try to encourage the child to come up with an answer on their own before you help them. You do not want to do their work for them or allow them to lean on you too much.
• If you notice the child has reached their threshold, but they have not finished their work, do not try to force them to keep going. Speak to their teacher about assigning less work so the child can still get some work done.

• You can also use verbal praise as a reward. A simple “Great job!” or “Excellent!” can encourage the child to stay positive and focused as they do their assignments.
• You should offer the child a reward if they get good grades on their homework. You may take them on a fun outing or get them an item they really want as a reward for doing well.

• You should also make sure they have put their completed homework in their bag so it is ready to turn into their teacher. This will ensure the homework ends up in the right hands and that the child gets graded by their teacher.

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How to Get a Child with ADD to do Homework

Homework can be tricky for children with ADHD, especially after they’ve spent all day at school.

When children come home from school, they want to play, spend time with their friends and family, or watch TV. Homework is simply not something most children are excited about, but most kids are willing to do it because they have accepted that it is a requirement and there will be negative consequences if it is not completed.  

Unfortunately, it is often difficult for children with ADHD to sustain their focus long enough to do their homework, making them resigned to the negative consequences of not completing their work.

This is because the ADHD child’s brain is “stuck” in a certain pattern of dysregulation that doesn’t allow them to sustain concentration on non-stimulating tasks or perform certain executive functioning tasks, such as planning, organizing, and prioritizing their assignments. In a way, ADHD children are physically incapable of self-regulating and performing certain tasks because their brain won’t allow them to engage with the task.

However, with the right homework plan, it is possible to help motivate ADHD children to complete their assignments on time, study for tests, and become responsible, successful students. While completing schoolwork will likely always be more difficult due to their struggles with focus, there are strategies that can help mitigate this weakness and maximize their available resources to increase their productivity.

In this article, we will cover some effective ADD homework strategies for children that can improve their study habits. This article will also discuss the Drake Institute’s non-drug treatment protocols used to help children reduce or resolve ADHD symptoms by achieving a healthier state of brain functioning, resulting in long-term symptom relief.

Diet for ADD

Learning how to study with ADD can be difficult, especially if your mind and body are not receiving the necessary resources for the brain to function optimally. That’s why providing children with a healthy and nutritious diet should be a top priority for every household, as diet is the foundation of productive thinking and behavior.

Without a healthy diet, children suffering from ADHD will find it even more difficult to concentrate on their schoolwork, and this is especially true if their diet consists of sugary soft drinks, candy, and processed fast foods. Indeed, if your child is not eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, they are more prone to misbehaving and performing poorly on their assigned tasks.

For parents with ADHD children, avoiding processed foods loaded with artificial colorings and high sugar content should be a top priority, as both of these ingredients can have detrimental effects on behavior and health.

As a general guideline, ADHD diets should consist of essential trace minerals such as Zinc, Iron, and Magnesium. Foods that are heavy in these minerals include:

• Beef & Lamb
• Nuts such as cashews, pecans, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts
• Sesame seeds
• Beans & Lentils
• Low-Fat Dairy
• Dried fruits such as figs, prunes, apricots, dates, and raisins

Parents should also take great care to ensure that their children are eating enough healthy fats, as every cell in the human body (including our brain) is made up of fats, and some reports have shown that in some children, Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is 40% as effective for ADHD as Ritalin, minus the side-effects. Healthy sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include:

• Coldwater fish (e.g., mackerel, tuna, salmon, and sardines)
• Cod liver oil
• Flaxseed and chia seeds
• Soybeans & Tofu

Even if your child doesn’t have ADD, providing them with a healthy diet is one of the best ways to ensure that they will grow up to be healthy and productive.

And when it comes to mitigating the effects of ADD and ADHD, we feel that the optimal method is to combine ADHD diets with clinical ADHD treatments, like brain map-guided neurofeedback, as nutritious diets can reinforce and maximize the improvements in brain functioning brought on by our non-drug treatment protocols. 

Create a Homework Schedule

When it comes to ADD and homework, creating a homework schedule is one of the best ways to improve a child’s productivity.

By creating a homework schedule, children will know exactly what they will be doing once they get home (so long as the schedule is enforced), so there’s no guesswork involved from either the parent or the child as to when the work will be completed. However, this doesn’t mean that there won’t be arguments about the schedule and whether it’s fair: children with ADD intrinsically struggle with non-preferred asks, and a homework schedule won’t make these issues magically disappear.

That being said, a homework schedule can help students be more disciplined and productive because, without it, most children would rather turn on the TV, play a video game, or browse social media instead of completing their homework. In children with ADD, these issues are exacerbated, as their ability to plan and organize their day (executive functioning) is already hindered due to their attention deficit disorder.  

When creating a homework schedule, remember to include breaks, as most children will need a few minutes to relax so that they can better focus on their work. Many researchers have pointed out that the average attention span of children and adults is only around 20 minutes. Beyond this point, it becomes increasingly difficult to pay attention to the task at hand. So, by giving children a brief, 5-10 minute break, they will be better able to focus on their assignments without becoming too tired or fatigued.

Knowing when to schedule these homework breaks will require a bit of trial and error, as every child is different. However, including a break as part of the schedule somewhere around the 20 or 30-minute mark is generally a good place to start. During these scheduled breaks, it would be a good idea to have healthy snacks readily available to ensure that your child has enough energy to power through their assignments. Parents should encourage children to stand up and walk around during these breaks, but to avoid activities that are too stimulating or too far away from the task at hand.

Finally, there are two other important aspects to creating a homework schedule that parents should keep in mind: place and time.

In general, it’s a good idea to have a designated “homework space” for your child to work in that is free of distractions. As part of the schedule, the child should work in this space each day since this will help the child get into a “work mode” that allows them to concentrate on their tasks.

Time is the last aspect of creating a homework schedule, and this too will require a little bit of trial and error. In some cases, your child may need a break from schoolwork and might not be ready to jump into their homework as soon as they come home. Instead, they may need to go outside and play or go on a long walk before they can re-engage with their schoolwork. On the other hand, many children are more than willing to dive straight into their homework as soon as they get home so that they can watch TV later in the day or play video games with their friends.

In the end, it’s up to the parents to determine when “homework time” will begin, and once the time is set, everyone must abide.  

Monitor Distractions

From smartphones to televisions, there are a whole host of things fighting for your child’s attention.

As mentioned, part of the solution to this problem is to create a “homework space” that is free of distractions; however, this doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your child will be more productive.

Sometimes, your child might feel “alone” or “claustrophobic” in a workspace that is too sterile or boring, which can actually decrease their ability to concentrate. 

As many of us can attest, sometimes we need a “slight” distraction while working or performing schoolwork, like listening to the radio or having the TV on in the background, as these things can provide stimulation that helps some children to concentrate.

However, even background noise can be distracting for some students, especially if they have ADD. This is why parents need to monitor the effects of these distractions to see whether they improve or decrease productivity. Furthermore, while background noise may be beneficial for some people, individuals with ADHD will likely have a lower threshold for what is “too distracting.” For example, having the TV on is likely to be entirely too distracting for individuals with ADHD, and they will likely have better success if background noise consists of things such as music, ambient sounds, or even white noise.

If your child seems to work better while listening to music, then this “distraction” should be fully integrated into the homework schedule.

Be Present During Homework

Being there for your child when they’re working on their homework can be critically important to their success, especially when a difficult problem comes up.

By being present, children are less likely to become frustrated or to give up when they encounter a problem that they can’t solve because they know that they can turn to you for support.

Try setting a good example and sitting with your child reading a book, a magazine, or doing some other quiet, sedentary activity that is similar to studying and doing homework, proving to your child that it’s possible to sit still and focus for an extended period of time. Don’t forget to leave your smartphone behind!

If you can’t be there during “typical” (early afternoon) homework hours, you might want to consider trying to align your child’s homework schedule with your work schedule so that you can be there to help when they do need it. Being able to provide support to your child during a task that is challenging to them can be crucial to their success. Even if you are not actively providing guidance, simply knowing that someone is there to support them can be invaluable in maintaining their focus, motivation, and self-confidence.

Find a Study Buddy

When a child with ADD gets stuck on a homework problem, they’re likely to get frustrated, which in turn can cause them to misbehave.

In many cases, a parent can help their child work through a difficult homework problem, but sometimes having a “study buddy” will be even more effective, especially if the children are friendly and have academic strengths that complement each other.

However, it’s also important that parents ensure that their child is studying when with their study buddy, as sometimes this arrangement can cause children to goof around and not take their homework seriously. There also has to be some monitoring to make sure they are not simply being provided with answers by their partner. While this partnership may not be appropriate for everyone, for those who can work through these “temptations,” the benefits of such an arrangement can be significant.

This isn’t to say that parents should hover over their child when they’re with their study buddy, but monitoring the rate at which homework is being completed and its correctness will be important when determining the effectiveness of the study buddy.

That being said, if the homework is taking a little bit longer to be completed, but it’s being done correctly, and your child is happy about doing it, then that’s a tradeoff that might be worth making.

Provide Positive Feedback

Something that often gets overlooked is positive feedback for turning in assignments on time, receiving high marks, and abiding by the homework schedule.

Positive feedback is also often the best answer to the question of “how to get kids to do their homework,” as both children and adults like attention and rewards, and will alter their behavior to earn more of them.

However, obtaining attention can be accomplished in a variety of ways—not all of which are healthy and productive.

This is especially true when it comes to completing schoolwork: if your child makes an effort to adhere to their homework schedule and to achieve good grades, but isn’t rewarded, they will have less incentive to continue behaving in this manner. While it is tempting for parents to view this behavior as simply “doing what they are supposed to be doing,” there needs to be an acknowledgement that for individuals with ADHD, as this is an accomplishment that likely took significant effort. That additional effort is an accomplishment for these children and should be acknowledged and rewarded.

Therefore, it would be wise to reward your child for good behavior, especially behavior that results in positive grades at school.

Many parents have found success using a star chart that keeps track of their child’s weekly progress, where these stars can be “cashed in” for a reward of some kind, like extra time for playing video games or perhaps a snack of their choosing. How these stars are rewarded is up to the child’s parents, but it’s probably best to be a little lenient to incentivize homework and positive behavior.

For example, completing a homework assignment might be worth 1 star, but completing the homework correctly might be worth 2 or 3 stars. Extra stars can also be rewarded for other, non-homework related tasks, like taking adequate notes in class, remembering to bring the correct books home from school, and keeping their study materials (notebooks, binders, etc.) tidy. 

Talk to the Teacher

Finally, if your child is still struggling to complete their homework despite adhering to a homework schedule and everything else mentioned above, it might be time to talk to their teacher.

Some teachers will be more than willing to adjust the amount of homework your child is receiving on a day-to-day basis, so long as the problem is presented clearly, calmly, and without placing any blame on the teacher.

In addition to not placing blame, it’s probably best to discuss your child’s struggles in a face-to-face conversation, as too many things can get lost in translation over the phone, through emails or text messages.

When discussing your child’s struggles with homework, it’s important to mention how your child is trying as hard as they can to complete their assignments, but despite these efforts, the homework is taking an inordinate amount of time. Make sure to discuss all of the structure and accommodations being provided at home and be open to the teacher’s suggestions of things that may provide additional benefit for the child.

When this occurs, some teachers will allow parents to sign off on homework once the child has worked on it for a certain amount of time. Other teachers might substitute the current homework for something else that might be more suitable for your child’s needs. Accommodations can also be formally provided by requesting an IEP or 504 plan that addresses these concerns.

In short, conversations with your child’s teacher should be solution-oriented, face-to-face, friendly, and focused on improving your child’s academic performance, while still requiring them to perform at the best of their abilities.

ADD Treatment Options

When it comes to treating ADD, there are a few options available to parents, including stimulant ADD medications , and non-drug treatment options like the ones found at the Drake Institute.

Treatment of ADD or ADHD with medication is a widely used treatment option, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best in terms of safety and long-term improvement. Many stimulant ADD medications carry a significant number of negative side effects, including:

• Nervousness
• Change in personality
• Loss of appetite
• Suppressing growth rate
• Weight loss
• Upset stomach
• Psychotic reactions
• increase in blood pressure and palpitations
• Risk of substance abuse

In addition, many people develop a tolerance for these medications over time, which results in the individual needing a higher dosage to obtain the same level of symptom reduction. Unfortunately, when the dosage of these medications increases, so does the likelihood that they will experience one or more of the negative side effects associated with the medication. It should also be noted, that treating attentional deficits with medications is not necessarily correcting the cause of the problem, meaning that if an individual were to discontinue these medications, their symptoms are likely to return.

Popular ADD medications include Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, and Dexedrine, and while these drugs can work for some people, parents must understand all of the associated risks.

Non-Drug ADD Treatment at the Drake Institute

Learning how to study when you have ADD doesn’t require taking medications.

At the Drake Institute, we fully believe that children can experience symptom reduction without the use of ADHD medications, which is important since many of these medications carry a significant number of negative side effects.

Through the use of advanced treatment technologies such as qEEG Brain Mapping, Neurofeedback, and Neuromodulation, children can actually improve their brain functioning and sustained focus, resulting in better performance at school and work.

Brain Mapping

At the core of everything we do at the Drake Institute is Brain Mapping , as it provides us a window into how the patient’s brain is functioning and where the dysregulation is occurring.

In the case of ADD, brain mapping can help identify which parts of the brain are under or over-activated and contributing to the child’s struggles with school. During treatment, we’ll target these regions to improve brain functioning, which can help minimize the effects of the child’s attention disorder.

Once brain mapping is complete, the findings are compared to the FDA-registered normative database to identify which regions are deviating from “normal” activity patterns.

When dysregulation is discovered, a treatment protocol using Neurofeedback and Neuromodulation is designed specifically for the patient’s unique situation. This customized process allows us to provide better results compared to treatment protocols that use a “one size fits all” approach. It should also be noted that by addressing their underlying cause of the child’s difficulties, the subsequent improvements obtained through neurotherapy are typically long-lasting and do not require continued maintenance, like medications do.

Biofeedback & Neurofeedback

Biofeedback and Neurofeedback treatment is a non-invasive, non-drug treatment protocol that helps the patient retrain the brain to more optimal functioning, thus increasing their ability to complete homework or other assigned tasks.

During Neurofeedback treatment, the brain is not artificially stimulated and drugs are not administered; in fact, nothing invasive is performed at all.

Instead, Neurofeedback involves placing sensors on the patient’s head that records and displays the patient’s current brain functioning patterns, providing real-time feedback into how their brain is operating. When patients can witness firsthand how their brain is functioning, they are better able to self-regulate and improve brain functioning for concentration, which in turns, helps reduce the manifestation of negative symptoms.

One example of Neurofeedback treatment is one where the patient’s brainwave patterns are converted into a computer game where a car is driving down the highway. When the patient’s brain shifts into a healthier functioning frequency, the car moves and stays in the proper lane and an auditory tone is triggered. This tone is then repeated every half second that the patient sustains this healthier mode of thinking, which helps improve and stabilize this brave wave pattern.

With continued treatment, Neurofeedback treatments like the one described above will help the patient learn how to improve sustained focus on even nonpreferred tasks. Furthermore, with practice and repetition, the underlying dysregulation that caused the child’s difficulties can actually be improved, resulting in a “stronger” brain and long-lasting benefit.

Neuromodulation

Finally, the Drake Institute utilizes Neuromodulation therapy to support, enhance, and accelerate therapeutic improvements gained through Neurofeedback. This approach has been so successful that we’ve fully integrated it into our existing treatment protocols in 2019.

What is Neuromodulation?

In short, Neuromodulation provides therapeutic neurostimulation of dysregulated brain functioning by stimulating brainwave patterns that the patient is deficient in. Once established, the brain can then mimic or emulate this pattern to form healthier brain wave activity. This treatment protocol can also increase blood flow in damaged areas and reduce inflammation.

This treatment technology is so safe and effective that it is now used worldwide in renowned medical centers such as Harvard University School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, UCLA School of Medicine, and many others.

Contact the Drake Institute

If your child is struggling with their schoolwork due to ADD or ADHD, please don’t hesitate to call us for a free consultation. Our non-drug treatment protocols have provided many students with long-term symptom relief, helping them to achieve and go farther in school than they ever have before.

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"They started biofeedback right away to produce more alpha brain waves. I went daily for 4 weeks I believe? It was relaxing. My brain learned what to do. It CURED me."

"The treatment involves doing different protocols, you start to notice a difference after a couple weeks. The Drake Institute, and their treatment method is the way of the future! It absolutely was an answer to our prayers."

"I was hesitant to go to The Drake Institute but was at a loss on how to help my son. I can not thank Drake and Maria enough I don't think we would be where we are today without it."

“David F. Velkoff, M.D., our Medical Director and co-founder, supervises all evaluation procedures and treatment programs. He is recognized as a physician pioneer in using biofeedback, qEEG brain mapping, neurofeedback, and neuromodulation in the treatment of ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and stress related illnesses including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and high blood pressure. Dr. David Velkoff earned his Master’s degree in Psychology from the California State University at Los Angeles in 1975, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta in 1976. This was followed by Dr. Velkoff completing his internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology with an elective in Neurology at the University of California Medical Center in Irvine. He then shifted his specialty to Neurophysical Medicine and received his initial training in biofeedback/neurofeedback in Neurophysical Medicine from the leading doctors in the world in biofeedback at the renown Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. In 1980, he co-founded the Drake Institute of Neurophysical Medicine. Seeking to better understand the link between illness and the mind, Dr. Velkoff served as the clinical director of an international research study on psychoneuroimmunology with the UCLA School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Pasteur Institute in Paris. This was a follow-up study to an earlier clinical collaborative effort with UCLA School of Medicine demonstrating how the Drake Institute's stress treatment resulted in improved immune functioning of natural killer cell activity. Dr. Velkoff served as one of the founding associate editors of the scientific publication, Journal of Neurotherapy. He has been an invited guest lecturer at Los Angeles Children's Hospital, UCLA, Cedars Sinai Medical Center-Thalians Mental Health Center, St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, and CHADD. He has been a medical consultant in Neurophysical Medicine to CNN, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, Univision, and PBS.”

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3 Homework Strategies for Teens With ADHD

How they can get their homework done..

Posted September 28, 2023 | Reviewed by Ray Parker

• What Is ADHD?
• Find counselling to overcome ADHD
• Completing homework can be difficult for kids with ADHD.
• Phones can be a major distraction for children with ADHD, so take them away before they start working.
• With the body-double method, a child works on their homework in the same room with another person.

It’s the start of a new school year, the honeymoon phase is slowly beginning to fade, and the rigor of academics is taking off. Every year, I begin the new school year with a mountain-high amount of hope that the summer served as a source of maturation and consolidation of a new set of skills. In many ways, I’m correct and my three children show a new level of growth.

For kids with attention -deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ), or executive functioning struggles, the start of a new school year often comes with a greater need for organization of school materials, time management , prioritization, and study skills.

One thing I hear from parents is that their child may spend hours "working" on homework and have nothing to show for it. How can that be? Well, I went to my best source of information: adolescents.

The responses were honest and raw. I heard that they start their homework, but then the phone dings, or they get an idea about a show or a game, and look it up (because they can). Before they know it, so much time has passed and little or no progress on their assignments has been made.

This is usually the time when a parent checks in and the young man or lady tries to "look" busy, but truly, no real work has been done. Or, teens have said to me that’s when they “bark” at their parents and ask to be left alone. Part of that response is the awareness that they have been sitting in front of their homework for a while but little has been done, and the other part is pure frustration and procrastination .

And this cycle continues on and on, for hours. Sound familiar?

Let’s talk about a few strategies that you can initiate at home that will help with building those executive functioning skills while getting their homework done.

The Body Double Method

Some of us get the most done when nobody is around, with no sound, in the silence. For some of our children and adolescents with ADHD, it helps to have another person in the same room or nearby.

Perhaps it’s knowing that the person is present and can check in at any time that maintains focus and improves productivity . Some of us need the presence of another person to regulate and ground us. That person doesn’t have to say or do anything, they just need to exist. This is known as our body double.

Speaking from experience, my preference is to set my computer at the kitchen counter and work while my kids are around me. I have always preferred the buzz of other people in the background, rather than working alone.

My son, on the other hand, prefers to work in his room because he finds our "human sounds" too distracting. My daughter likes to work on her homework sprawled out, in the middle of my kitchen floor. We each have our preferences and those preferences can even shift from assignment to assignment.

If you’re not sure if your child or adolescent needs you to serve as her body double, ask her. If she isn’t sure, experiment. That is, set your child up on the same floor as you are, perhaps at the kitchen table or in your dining room (or another room that has a table and a chair). Ask your child to complete one assignment and then assess it. Was it helpful to work near you or was it too distracting?

If your child responds that he was able to get through his assignment quickly and with focus, you have your answer. Now you know that your child is going to need to set up at a table or workspace somewhere by you, instead of sending her up to her room.

Put the Phone Down and Nobody Gets Hurt

Distractions are around our children with ADHD all the time. The chirping bird or the passing truck can very easily result in a turned head. For many of our children and adolescents, their ability to filter out background sound is difficult.

They may hear all sounds in the environment at an equal level. Imagine if you couldn’t filter out the buzzing of the lawnmower while you were sending an email. It can be overwhelming and exhausting.

Now, let’s compound that with a vibrating phone or the "ping" that signals your child that someone has reacted to the last SnapChat—omg, I need to check. The temptation is there to check Instagram every time your child doesn’t want to start a writing assignment or finds that chapter in social studies really boring .

Let’s take away a layer of distraction that is tangible. Ask your child to turn their phone in once they begin their homework. All of the texts and other social media notifications will be there once they return, but in the meantime, their homework will get done.

Estimate and Time It

Children with ADHD tend to think that any assignment will take the figurative "five minutes." How many times have you thought, “You’re going to finish a paper that was assigned two weeks ago in an hour?”

He may think that it will take "five minutes" given that his sense of time is not entirely accurate. To build that sense of time, I like to ask students, “How long do you think this math worksheet will take?”

Whatever the answer is, set the timer to that estimated time and let the child work. Once time is up, ask him to assess, “How far did you get on this worksheet?” If you notice he’s completed half, ask him, “It looks like you finished about half of the problems in X minutes. How much longer do you think you’ll need?”

This will begin to develop that sense of time and what is a realistic amount of time to finish different assignments. It may also take him another 50 practice runs just like this until that sense of time begins to develop.

But by the 51st time, your child may be able to say, “I think it’s going to take 15 minutes so it’s going to take 30 minutes. Whatever I think, I double it.”

Setting the timer also gives your child a sense of beginning and end. For students who struggle to begin a task, this can motivate them to begin, and for the student who struggles to sustain attention to an assignment, this gives an end in sight. Setting the timer can also bring a sense of levity to homework in that the goal is to complete the assignment before the bell rings.

For an assignment that requires a longer time to complete, set the timer for the duration of your child’s attention span. If she can work on one task for 30 minutes, set the timer for 30 minutes and go.

Once the time is up, ask your child to walk away from her work area, set the timer for five minutes, and take a break. During that break, encourage your child to move around, engage in jumping jacks, or stare out the window, but do not engage in anything electronically based. Then, set the timer for another 30 minutes, and repeat this cycle until the assignment is completed.

Try using any or all of these strategies at home, but introduce one at a time so as not to overwhelm your child. Once you introduce the strategy, don’t do it for them, but rather model how to do it so there is a level of ownership.

For example, if you want to help your son plan the upcoming week, you can stand by the whiteboard but hand the red marker to him and ask, “Do you have anything in math coming up?” If he says yes, ask him to write it. You ask, he answers, he writes.

To turn any of these strategies into a habit, practice the skill for two weeks at the very least, consistently. If it works, keep it. If it doesn’t, scrap it and try another strategy. It’s a journey but along the way, you will ultimately put your child in the driver’s seat.

Liz Nissim-Matheis, Ph.D. , is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and certified School Psychologist in private practice in New Jersey.

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ADHD – ways to help children at school and home

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can affect children's learning and social skills, and the way a family functions. Ways to help your child with ADHD include behaviour modification, home and classroom strategies, and sometimes counselling.

Strategies for school and homework

Verbal instructions.

• Keep instructions brief and clear.
• Say the child's name or tap them on the shoulder to make and keep eye contact when giving important information.
• Ask the child to repeat the instruction to make sure they understand it.
• The child may need prompting, monitoring and encouragement to keep them focused on tasks.

Written work

• Highlight important points in written information using asterisks (*), capital letters or bold text.
• Limit the amount of information that needs to be copied from the board. Instead, give handouts with this information.

Physical environment

• Keep the work area as uncluttered as possible.
• Sit the child near the front of the classroom.
• Plan seating and furniture carefully to minimise distractions, e.g. sit the child near classmates who will be good role models.

Other learning strategies

• Provide one-to-one instruction as often as possible.
• A class buddy, who gets along well with the child, can be helpful to reinforce instructions and directions.
• Make sure activities have plenty of hands-on involvement.
• Schedule the most important learning to take place during the child's best concentration time(s). This is usually in the morning.
• Give the child a checklist for what they need to do.
• Keep choices to a minimum.

Reducing over-activity and fatigue

• Build rest breaks into activities, e.g. a five-minute break for each 30 minutes of activity.
• Alternate academic tasks with brief physical exercise, e.g. the child could do structured tasks or errands such as delivering notes.
• Prepare a number of low-pressure, fun activities for when the child needs to spend a few minutes away from a task.
• Allow use of a non-disruptive fidget toy which can be kept at the child’s desk.

Keeping structure

Children with ADHD can struggle with changes to routine and need to know what to expect. The following strategies can help:

• Have a fixed routine and keep classroom activities well organised and predictable.
• Give the child advance warning when activities are changing, e.g. 'In five minutes you will have to put your work away', and remind them more than once.
• Display the daily schedule and classroom rules, e.g. attach a flowchart to the inside of the child's desk or book.
• Tell the child in advance of a change in the schedule whenever possible.

Self-esteem

• Set achievable goals and encourage the child to take part in activities where they will experience success.
• Acknowledge the child's achievements by congratulating them verbally and in written ways, such as notes or certificates.
• Focus their attention on the good parts of their written work, e.g. use a highlighter pen on the best sections of the child's work.
• Help them feel important in the classroom, e.g. acknowledging their effort to do a task even if they don't succeed.
• Near the end of the day, review with the child their accomplishments for that day.
• Attend to learning difficulties as soon as possible to restore self-confidence.

Social skills

• Involve the child in smaller groups of no more than two other children, instead of larger groups, whenever possible.
• Reward appropriate behaviour such as sharing and cooperating.
• Teach the child appropriate responses when they feel provoked. For example, teach them to walk away or talk to the teacher.
• Encourage the child to join activities where 'supervised socialisation' is available, such as Scouts or sporting groups.
• Talk with the child about the consequences of their actions upon themselves and upon others.
• Use visual prompts to remind the child to think before they act, e.g. 'STOP, THINK, DO'.

Communication between home and school

• Use a school–home daily communication book. Communicate both positive and inappropriate behaviours.
• Teachers, be sensitive to parents' feelings. Find positive things to share with them about their child on a regular basis. This can be done in front of the child.
• Make the work environment attractive, but it should be a quiet place without clutter so it is not too distracting.
• Have a regular scheduled time for homework.

Strategies for home

It’s often easy to focus on the negative aspects of a child’s behaviour, and you may feel that at times your child's behaviour is out of control. Their behaviour at home is likely to improve through a combination of rewards and reinforcement for positive 'good' behaviours, and consequences for negative behaviours.

• Consider implementing a positive behaviour system in your home. A reward chart for younger children or token economy for older children can add incentive for your child to increase desirable behaviours. Change the rewards frequently so that your child doesn’t get bored. This strategy can help switch your focus to times when your child is behaving well. 
• Have a set of family rules that are written down. Be explicit about what happens when these rules are followed (e.g. rewards) and what happens when they are not (e.g. consequences) and try to be consistent with this approach.
• Try to ‘catch’ your child being helpful, friendly or respectful and give them positive attention and praise for this behaviour. Make sure you are specific about what behaviours you really like and want to encourage. It is important for different caregivers to use the same set of rules.
• Ignore common minor attention-seeking behaviours. Turn away from your child or walk away, and respond only when they speak appropriately. Constantly attending to negative behaviours can teach a child that this is the best way to get your full attention.
• Use logical consequences for poor behaviours, e.g. homework should be completed before television, and if they take too long to complete the homework, they may miss out on watching their favourite show.
• Try to keep any consequences immediate, and ensure that they are consequences you can follow through with. For younger children, consequences should be linked to something happening that day, not on the weekend. If consequences are removal of privileges, ensure it is short-lived and the child is aware when it will be returned to them.
• Set aside small, regular sessions of one-on-one time with your child doing an activity your child wants to do. This helps to send the message that you love them and enjoy spending time with them.

Key points to remember

• Acknowledge and reward achievements and positive behaviour often.
• Attend to learning difficulties as soon as possible.
• A quiet place without clutter is important for homework.
• Talk with the child about the consequences of their actions.
• A positive behaviour system at home can help increase desirable behaviours.
• Ignore smaller negative behaviours, and use logical, immediate consequences for poor behaviours.

For more information

• Kids Health Info fact sheet: ADHD
• The Incredible Years: Parents, teachers and children training series
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• Triple P: Positive Parenting Program

Common questions our doctors are asked

My child's teacher has said that my child frequently disrupts the class. How can we manage this?

Make an appointment with your child's teacher and run through the strategies given in this fact sheet. It is important that your child is rewarded and encouraged when they behave well (e.g. they work on a task without distracting their classmates). If your child's behaviour is causing significant problems at home and school, and the strategies in this fact sheet have not helped, you may want to discuss this with your doctor. See our fact sheet ADHD .

My child has problems getting along with other children in the playground. What can we do to help?

Children with ADHD sometimes have problems following playground rules, and other children may not understand the way they behave. This may lead to social isolation or conflict in the playground. Talk to your child's teacher about what can be done to help. 

Developed by The Royal Children's Hospital Centre for Community Child Health. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

Reviewed August 2020.

Kids Health Info is supported by The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. To donate, visit www.rchfoundation.org.au .

Disclaimer  

This information is intended to support, not replace, discussion with your doctor or healthcare professionals. The authors of these consumer health information handouts have made a considerable effort to ensure the information is accurate, up to date and easy to understand. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed in these handouts. Information contained in the handouts is updated regularly and therefore you should always check you are referring to the most recent version of the handout. The onus is on you, the user, to ensure that you have downloaded the most up-to-date version of a consumer health information handout.

Amanda Logan, APRN, C.N.P.

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5 tips to manage ADHD in children

• Family Medicine
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• Child Development

Does your child have difficulty focusing on an activity or seem impulsive in behavior? When symptoms are severe enough and cause ongoing problems in more than one area of your child's life, it could be a sign of a neurobehavioral disorder, such as ADHD.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.

Children with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, school anxiety, troubled relationships and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their ADHD symptoms. However, they can learn strategies to be successful.

ADHD subtypes

• Inattentive ADHD Formerly referred to as ADD, people with inattentive ADHD display symptoms of inattention, but do not possess symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity.
• Hyperactive/Impulsive ADHD This subset of ADHD display symptoms of impulsivity or hyperactivity, but do not display symptoms of inattention.
• Combined People with combined ADHD display symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The is the most common subset of ADHD.

Learn more about the three different types of ADHD.

Gender differences with ADHD

ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in boys than girls, but research into ADHD in adulthood suggests an almost equal balance between men and women. A lower diagnosis rate among females in childhood can result because girls with ADHD are more likely than boys to have the inattentive form of ADHD and less likely to show obvious problems.

More than half of children who experience ADHD in childhood continue to have symptoms as adults. Some women only recognize their ADHD after a child has been diagnosed and the woman begins to see similar behavior in herself. Other women seek treatment because their lives spin out of control, financially, at work or at home.

ADHD treatment

While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

It's also important to work with a therapist who specializes in ADHD to learn coping mechanisms that are nonpharmacological to help with ADHD symptoms and behaviors. A therapist can enhance the effectiveness of the medication and give tools to empower those with ADHD using treatments that may involve behavioral, psychological, social, educational and lifestyle interventions.

Behavioral strategies

Here are five behavioral strategies to help manage your child's adhd:, 1. give praise and rewards when rules are followed..

Children with ADHD often receive and expect criticism more so than other children. This can really impact self-esteem. Some days, you might have to really look for the good behavior, but you should praise good behavior at least five times more often than you criticize bad behavior.

2. Give clear, effective directions or commands.

Make eye contact or gently touch on arm or shoulder to get his or her attention. Give brief, simple steps and short commands that get to the point rather than multiple directions or wordy statements and questions.

3. Establish healthy habits.

If your child is on a medication, it should be taken as prescribed. Contact your child's health care provider if problems arise. Make sure your child is getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet consisting of three meals, a snack and adequate fluids daily, and has an outlet for some form of daily exercise. These healthy habits will help your child to feel his or her best and help minimize ADHD symptoms.

4. Develop routines around homework and chores.

Work together to make a checklist of what needs to be done surrounding daily chores, getting ready for bed and school for your child to refer to when he or she gets off task. Encourage your child to use a daily planner so he or she is aware of all homework assignments. Have an established time and location for homework, and use a timer to remind your child to show you how the homework is going two to four times per hour. Factor in brain breaks if your child needs them and movement between tasks or use of an appropriate fidget.

5. Help your child build relationships, strong social skills and maintain friendships.

Be a good role model of behavior you want your child to use. Factor in some special time three to five days a week with your child that is conflict-free and does not involve a screen to help maintain a strong parent-child relationship. Help your child develop at least one close friendship. With younger children, parents may need to take the lead to arrange and host play dates or get kids involved in activities where there are kids the same age. Get tips for helping your child develop social skills .

Amanda Logan is a nurse practitioner in Family Medicine  in Waseca , Minnesota.

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Diagnosing ADHD

• Diagnosing ADHD is a process with several steps.
• If you think someone might have ADHD, the first step is to talk with a healthcare provider.

How is ADHD diagnosed?

Deciding if a person has ADHD is a process with several steps. There is no single test to diagnose ADHD, and many other problems, such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and certain types of learning disabilities, can also have symptoms similar to ADHD.

When to talk with a doctor ‎

Diagnosing adhd in children.

The healthcare provider will look to determine whether the child has another condition or conditions that might explain the symptoms better, or that can often occur at the same time as ADHD .

For children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends 1 that healthcare providers ask parents, teachers, and other adults who care for the child about the child's behavior in different settings, including at home, school, or with peers. Read more about recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD.

Diagnosing ADHD in adults

ADHD often lasts into adulthood. Symptoms might look different at older ages. For example, in adults, hyperactivity may appear as extreme restlessness or wearing others out with their activity.

For more information about diagnosis and treatment throughout the lifespan, please visit the websites of the National Resource Center on ADHD and the National Institutes of Mental Health .

DSM-5 criteria for ADHD

Healthcare providers use the guidelines in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth edition (DSM-5) , 2 to help diagnose ADHD. This diagnostic standard helps ensure that people are appropriately diagnosed and treated for ADHD. Using the same standard across communities can also help determine how many children have ADHD, and how public health is impacted by this condition.

The number of symptoms required for an ADHD diagnosis (by age group) are as follows:‎

People with ADHD show a persistent pattern of inattention A and/or hyperactivity B –impulsivity C that interferes with functioning or development:

DSM-5 criteria for ADHD diagnosis ‎

• Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.
• Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities.
• Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
• Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., loses focus, side-tracked).
• Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.
• Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to do tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
• Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (e.g. school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile telephones).
• Is often easily distracted.
• Is often forgetful in daily activities.
• Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat.
• Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected.
• Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may be limited to feeling restless).
• Often unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly.
• Is often “on the go” acting as if “driven by a motor.”
• Often talks excessively.
• Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed.
• Often has trouble waiting their turn.
• Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

In addition to the above criteria, the following conditions must also be met:

• Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present before age 12 years.
• Several symptoms are present in two or more settings, (such as at home, school or work; with friends or relatives; in other activities).
• There is clear evidence that the symptoms interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, school, or work functioning.
• The symptoms are not better explained by another mental disorder (such as a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, dissociative disorder, or a personality disorder). The symptoms do not happen only during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder.
• About ADHD | CDC
• Treatment of ADHD | CDC
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• Inattention. Not being able to carefully complete a task, pay attention, think about, listen to, or watch someone or something.
• Hyperactivity . Having an unusually high level of activity or excitement.
• Impulsivity . Acting on sudden desires, ideas, or feelings rather than from careful thought.
• Wolraich ML, Hagan JF Jr, Allan C, Chan E, Davison D, Earls M, Evans SW, Flinn SK, Froehlich T, Frost J, Holbrook JR, Lehmann CU, Lessin HR, Okechukwu K, Pierce KL, Winner JD, Zurhellen W; SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVE DISORDER. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2019 Oct;144(4):e20192528. Erratum in: Pediatrics. 2020 Mar;145(3).
• American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 5th edition, text revision. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

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One in two children with ADHD experience emotional problems

Cambridge scientists have shown that problems regulating emotions -- which can manifest as depression, anxiety and explosive outbursts -- may be a core symptom of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In research published in Nature Mental Health , the team found that as many as one in two children with ADHD show signs of emotional dysregulation, and that Ritalin -- the commonly-prescribed drug to help the condition -- appears to be less effective at treating this symptom.

ADHD affects around one in 14 young people under the age of 18 and in around half of these cases it persists into adulthood. The condition causes problems including hyperactivity, impulsivity and a difficulty to focus attention.

It has become increasingly clear that some people with ADHD also have self-control problems, affecting their ability to regulate emotions. For example, one in 50 (2.1%) children with a diagnosis of ADHD also have a mood disorder, such as depression, while more than one in four (27.4%) have an anxiety disorder. Many also have verbal or physical outbursts due to an inability to regulate their emotions.

These problems were thought to be a result of other symptoms associated with ADHD, such as problems with cognition and motivation. But today's study shows that emotional dysregulation occurs independently of these.

The researchers examined data from the ABCD Study, a large longitudinal cohort that tracks the brain development and mental health of children from across the United States. Data on ADHD symptoms was available for just over 6,000 of these children, allowing the researchers to attribute a score to each individual indicating their likelihood of having ADHD.

A team of scientists from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and the University of Cambridge identified 350 individuals within the cohort who had high symptom scores that met the clinical cut-off for ADHD. Two-thirds (65.7%) of these were male.

Parents or guardians of the children and adolescents in the cohort had previously completed a series of questionnaires, which included questions that related to emotional behaviour, for example:

• When my child is upset, he/she has difficulty controlling his/her behaviours.
• When my child is upset, he/she knows that he/she can find a way to eventually feel better.
• When my child is upset, he/she starts to feel very bad about him/herself.

The researchers found that half (51.4%) of the individuals in the high-symptom group showed signs of emotion dysregulation and this was independent of cognitive and motivational problems.

Among children with only low-ADHD symptoms at both ages 12 and 13 years, those with a high scores of emotion dysregulation at age 13 years were 2.85 times more likely to have developed high-ADHD symptoms by age 14 years compared with those with a low score of emotion dysregulation.

When the researchers examined brain imaging data available for some of the participants, they discovered a particular region of the brain known as the pars orbitalis that was smaller among children who scored highly for ADHD and emotional problems. The pars orbitalis is at the front of the brain and plays an important role in understanding and processing of emotion and communication as well as inhibitory control over behaviour, which may explain some of the behaviours seen in ADHD.

Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Clare Hall said: "The pars orbitalis is a well-connected part of the brain, and if it hasn't developed properly it might make it difficult for individuals to control their emotions and communicate with others appropriately, especially in social situations.

"Parents and teachers often say they have problems controlling children with ADHD, and it could be that when the children can't express themselves well -- when they hit emotional difficulties -- they may not be able to control their emotions and have an outburst rather than communicating with the parent, teacher or the other child."

Professor Sahakian hopes that acknowledging emotion dysregulation as a key part of ADHD will help people better understand the problems the child is experiencing. This could lead to using effective treatments for regulation of emotion, such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

The findings may also point to potential ways to help the child manage their emotions, for example by using cognitive behavioural techniques to learn to stop and think before they react and to express their feelings verbally, or use techniques such as exercise or relaxation to calm themselves or alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.

This may be particularly important as the researchers found that Ritalin, the drug used to help manage ADHD symptoms, does not appear to fully treat symptoms of emotion dysregulation. Identifying the problem earlier would allow for alternative, more effective interventions to help the child better manage their emotions, potentially helping the individual in adulthood.

Professor Qiang Luo from Fudan University and a Life Member at Clare Hall, Cambridge, said: "If you're having trouble controlling your emotions, this can lead to problems with social interactions, which further exacerbates any depression or anxiety that you might have. It also might mean that you're saying things or doing things that exacerbate a situation rather than calming it down. Teaching vulnerable individuals from an early age how to manage your emotions and express yourself could help them overcome such problems further down the line."

While it is not clear exactly what causes these problems in the first place, the researchers found signs of a link to possible dysfunction of the immune system, with individuals who exhibited signs of emotion dysregulation showing higher percentages of certain types of immune cell.

Professor Sahakian added: "We already know that problems with the immune system can be linked to depression, and we've seen similar patterns in individuals with ADHD who experience emotion dysregulation."

The research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Program of Shanghai Academic Research Leader and the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project.

• Mental Health
• ADD and ADHD
• Disorders and Syndromes
• Child Development
• Learning Disorders
• Child Psychology
• Adult attention-deficit disorder
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Methylphenidate
• Controversy about ADHD
• Hyperactivity
• General anxiety disorder
• Bipolar disorder

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Cambridge . The original text of this story is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Wenjie Hou, Barbara J. Sahakian, Christelle Langley, Yuqing Yang, R. A. I. Bethlehem, Qiang Luo. Emotion dysregulation and right pars orbitalis constitute a neuropsychological pathway to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Nature Mental Health , 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s44220-024-00251-z

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