Joel D. Lazar, Ph.D.

3262 Holiday Court, Ste. 220   1267 Rosecrans Ave., Ste. E
La Jolla, CA 92037                San Diego, CA  92106
619-540-6038

How To Help Your Child With ADHD Symptoms

Primary Symptoms of ADHD include:

Distractibility- Child has difficulty paying attention and concentrating.
Impulsiveness- Child acts before thinking of the possible consequences of their actions.
Overly Energetic- Child has difficulty sitting still and remaining in their seat.

Special Needs of the Child include:

Increased   Structure,    Support    and   Supervision
Changes in    External  Stimulation

Interventions That Parents and Teachers Can Try:

Start by tracking when and how often specific behavioral concerns occur to look for patterns and to set initial goals for improvement

Create a routine at home (and in the classroom) for the child to get used to

Be consistent in your expectations and in enforcing your rules calmly

Give the child a warning before an activity ends to prepare them for this transition

Catch your child behaving well and reward this with positive attention. Focus on:
	When your child cooperates with directions without excessive reminders
	When your child shows good attention	
	When your child completes tasks or activities that they start
When your child is sitting calmly
When your child is paying attention in group activities
When your child is able to wait their turn calmly
When your child shares toys with their peers
When your child remains quiet when it is not time to talk
When your child verbalizes their feelings appropriately

Give reminders of classroom and house rules and expected behaviors often

Remind the child of the expected behavior on the way to errands, such as going to stores or to doctor visits 

When giving directions:
	Give one step at a time if necessary
	Be sure your direction was heard/ attended to by:
		Touching your child on the shoulder or arm before giving a direction
		Kneeling down for important directions so that you are able to talk to 
			your child eye to eye
		Asking for eye contact before giving a direction
		Having the child repeat the direction to you to be sure they heard it

Be realistic in your expectations for the child
	Shorten the duration of groups or activities if necessary
Allow the child to fidget in their chair if they are quiet and paying attention 
If the child is not distracting others, consider allowing them to walk around the 
	room or participate in another activity calmly

Increase external structure for the child at home and in school
	Be present while the child completes a direction (ie. getting dressed for school)
	Sit the child in the front of the room, near the teacher
	Sit the child away from friends and distracting (ie. other ADHD) children 	  
	Sit the child away from distractions, such as windows
	Sit the child further than arm’s reach from peers, walls and toys
	Create subgroups or smaller groups to reduce distractions

Help the child organize their work, papers and their room
	Create files/ separate notebooks for each subject and homework
	Check that papers are filed properly every evening after homework is complete
	Give specific directions regarding things to organize in their room

Prepare a brief reminder list (ie. 3 x 5 card) of behaviors for the child to keep in mind
For younger children you can use pictures of the child doing the desired behaviors or drawings of these behaviors until they can read well
	Create a reminder for:   their classroom desk   their bathroom    their bedroom

Seek positive outlets for the child’s high energy
	Have the child be the parent’s or teacher’s helper
	Have daily opportunities for the child to be outdoors and active
	Suggest activities when the child gets fidgety- puzzles, blocks, reading, videos

Some children do better when it is quiet and others when multitasking
	Remove objects they can fidget with during homework or class work
	Consider whether background music or TV is a help or a distraction