ADHD Homework Help

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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by inability to pay attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and distractibility. There are three main types. The predominantly attentive type is marked by an inability to pay attention to details, sustaining attention, finishing tasks, poor organization skills, easy distraction, forgetfulness and losing items. The predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type is associated with difficulty sitting still, impulsive behaviors, excessive talking or speaking out of turn, difficulty taking turns and listening to directions. A person with the combined type has characteristics of both the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive types.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates more than 4.5 million children 5 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. The condition affects up to 7 percent of all schoolchildren, including 9 percent of boys and 5.9 percent of girls. Children with ADHD often have other conditions as well, such as learning disorders, conduct disorder, anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder and obsessive disorder.

ADHD and School

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports up to 80 percent of children with ADHD have problems with academic performance. They may have trouble paying attention to the teacher, completing assignments, lose their materials or forget to hand in homework (even if completed). Researchers say children with ADHD are especially likely to have problems in reading and math. Those with more severe symptoms were two to three times more likely to have poorer academic outcomes (like failing grades or dropping out of school). A big frustration for parents and teachers is that a child with ADHD may perform well one day and poorly the next, without any reasonable explanation for the differences in achievement.

Homework Help

Stephen Soffer, Ph.D., Child Psychologist with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, says homework can be particularly difficult for children with ADHD. A child may not remember to bring homework home, how to do the assignment or when assignments are due (particularly if they are involved tasks, like a report). They are often tired by the end of the school day and have an even harder time staying focused on homework. Here are some tips to reduce frustration levels of parents and children with ADHD:

* Stay in touch with the teacher. Make sure you are aware of what homework assignments are due and when. If a child is having a difficult time with a particular assignment, the teacher should be informed so that the child can be given additional help at school.

* Establish a routine. Try to schedule homework to be done at the same time/place every day. Limit distractions (like television, radio or phone calls).

* Gather all materials and supplies before starting. This prevents wasting time and enables the child to immediately focus on the homework.

* Break up assignments into smaller tasks. Completing a few questions or segments of an assignment at a time may reduce frustration and distraction. Take a small break after completion of each mini-session to allow the child to refresh.

* Set a time limit. Soffer says, with teacher agreement, determine a realistic amount of time to be set aside each night for homework. If the child doesn't finish an assignment within that time frame, let the teacher know how much was accomplished.

* Offer encouragement and reinforcement. Praise the child for completing assignments, particularly ones that may have been very challenging or are done well.

Soffer cautions it can take a lot of trial and error to find the homework help methods that work best for a child. However, research shows that children who receive homework help are more likely to perform better academically than those who don't get any extra support.

AUDIENCE INQUIRY

For general information on ADHD: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, http://www.aacap.org.

American Academy of Pediatrics, http://www.healthychildren.org. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov. National Institute of Mental Health, http://www.nimh.nih.gov. National Resource Center on ADHD, http://www.help4adhd.org.

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