Education Matters

October sees the start of ADHD Awareness Month; a time when schools and families are encouraged to share their experiences of the condition and at the same time increase their understanding of it.

ADHD, (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a sometimes controversial condition that has received negative press over the last 20 years, with some claiming that it doesn’t exist at all and is just down to bad parenting or a bad diet, or both; but to those of you who have a child who has been diagnosed with the condition, this is nothing other than insulting.

As a way of understanding what ADHD feels like for a child, imagine a trampoline and then imagine 10,000 bouncy balls bouncing on it. Now if I were to ask you to concentrate on just one bouncy ball, without being distracted by the others, you would begin to understand how difficult it is for a child with ADHD to concentrate on anything for very long without being distracted, because for them this a metaphor for their daily life.

Signs of ADHD can be:
Fidgeting / not sitting still
Lack of focus / being easily distracted
Disorganised / over emotional

Whilst this probably sounds like most children, if these symptoms seem extreme it is worth getting it checked out as ADHD is treatable. You should also inform school if it is diagnosed so they can support you and your child.

There is plenty of advice available online, but in the first instance some simple tips can help you to help your child.

Be Clear

If you give an instruction, make sure it is understood by explaining it slowly, clearly and using eye contact.

Stay Positive

Focus on the behaviour you want to see rather than the behaviour you don’t. This makes it more likely that your child will act positively as the rules have been set in a positive way.

Be Patient

Children with ADHD will make mistakes but demonstrating patience when things do go wrong will create a safe environment in which children can learn from their mistakes.