Supporting a child with ADHD

This video (Hindi) provides easy to use strategies and tips by experts to help a child with ADHD, presented by The Jai Vakeel Foundation.

It discusses signs that would help a parent identify ADHD. It also shares practical ways for parents to understand and support their child’s unique learning style and strengths.

How to identify signs of ADHD

• May have concerns in understanding the concepts of turn taking or task completion.
• May be easily disturbed and unable to focus for long periods.
• These signs may be indicative of a child having ADHD, though these are not definitive for the diagnosis of ADHD. A thorough evaluation by your child’s developmental pediatrician for further guidance may be required.

How can I support my child with ADHD?

• Understanding your child
  • It is important to understand that your child is not being lazy or stubborn. He is not behaving this way, just to bother you.
  • Your child has a neurodevelopmental condition called ADHD, due to which he may behave differently.
  • The sooner you accept this and your child, it will be easier for you to support meaningfully and effectively

• Understanding behaviours

Situations of overwhelm or frustration may often lead the child to behave differently.

As parents it is important for you to:

1. Help the child understand what is expected of him.
2. Teach them activities he can do instead.
3. Teach them coping strategies.
4. Acknowledge and appreciate the desired behaviours of your child.
5. Please remember that they are children after all and may make a mistake. Scolding and punishing their reactions to difficult situations will never be helpful.
6. It is essential that all members of the family follow these steps.

Daily visual schedule 

• Create a daily visual schedule based on the child’s day to day activities
• The visual schedule should contain all the things that the child does according to the specific time
• Break down tasks into simple, short activities. This will help the child carry it out with less help and without being overwhelmed

Sleep routine

• It is important that the child has healthy sleeping habits, that will ensure that the child is well rested and ready for the day.
• On an average, children require around 9-10 hours of sleep

Physical activity

• It is equally important for the child to have sufficient physical activity.
• Physical activity not only keeps the child healthy, but also helps them use their excess energy in a healthy manner
• Engage the child in simple household activities 
• Physical activities can be climbing stairs, arranging things around the house etc.

Healthy eating habits

• It is important to maintain healthy eating habits
• Excess sugar, oil or processed food may be harmful for health and may lead to issues that might cause the child discomfort

Excess screen time

Limit screen time in form of laptops, television or mobile phones

Create a calm environment

A specific environment for the child without any distractions or disturbance may be helpful for the child.

Teaching new skills

• While teaching new skills, remember to make the activities fun and enjoyable so that the child is not bored of the activities. 
• For example, while teaching the child to identify letters of the alphabet, you can ask the child to circle or colour the letters in the newspapers

Coping strategies

When the child is angry, overwhelmed and is indulging in self-inflicting behaviours-

• First remove anything that may harm the child or others around.
• Take them to a safe and calm corner and help them relax.
• Talk to them only after they have calmed down.
• Do not scold or punish the child for the behaviour.
• Communicate with them in a gentle manner and help them find alternate coping strategies.

Engaging the child

There are many activities in which children can be engaged meaningfully

• Painting
  • Activities such as painting can help develop new skills in your child.
  • Make it fun. Find new ways to paint like using cotton, vegetables or earbuds etc.
  • Once learnt, this skill can also be used to express themself or keep themself busy.

• Board games
  • Playing board games is another way to engage the child meaningfully all the while having fun.
  • Many skills such as turn taking, communication can also be improved by playing boards
  • When family members participate in board games, it also strengthens the bond between them

• Household chores

• • Not all activities are required to be table top activities. Children learn many things by carrying out simple day to day household errands.
  • Washing and sorting vegetables, helping to lay and clear the table, folding clothes are some simple activities that the child can be busy with at home.

What not to do

It is important to understand that your child may behave and react to situations differently due to their condition

• When overwhelmed, it is important to step away from the situation.
• Take a break and help calm yourself by taking a walk, or listening to music or reading a book
• Raising your voice on your child will never be helpful. It may in turn result in other unwanted behavioural concerns in the child.

Kids & adults who have ADHD often struggle to pay attention to just one thing – they demonstrate symptoms of inattention, distractibility & hyperactive-impulsive behaviour.

It is important for us to be understanding and accepting of the child and their condition before we start helping them. This will help the child’s progress as well as overall well being. 

The video includes important coping techniques you can use to help your child overcome daily challenges & help them become successful with daily tasks.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified practitioner for effective diagnosis and management.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.