The following collection of suggestions are intended for parents and teachers of children of all ages. Some suggestions will be obviously

more appropriate for younger children, others for older, but the unifying themes of structure, education, and encouragement pertain

to all.

1. Make sure what you are dealing with really is ADHD. It is definitely not up to the teacher to diagnose disorders nor is it the parents , but together you can and should raise questions. Specifically, make sure someone has tested the child's hearing and vision recently and make sure other medical problems have been ruled out. Make sure an adequate evaluation has been done. The responsibility for seeing to all of this is the parents', not the teacher's, but the teacher can support the process. An evaluation can be done in most school settings at no cost to you. An evaluation that involves the teacher would be of the utmost value.

2. Ask your child what will help.

These kids are often very intuitive. They can tell you how they can learn best if you ask them. They are often too embarrassed to volunteer the information because it can be rather eccentric. But try to sit down with the child individually and ask how he or she learns best. The best plans to handle ADD are when children are involved in the decision process. It is amazing how often their opinions are ignored or not asked for. In addition, especially with older kids, make sure the child understands what ADHD is.

3. Organize yourself! It has been found in prior research that as many as 25-30% of parents who have a child with ADHD have ADHD themselves. Slow down, focus and be a role model of self-control and positive behavior. This is one of the most important steps toward treatment success!

4. Make lists. Make lists. Children with ADD benefit greatly from having a table or list to refer back to when they get lost in what they're doing. They need reminders. They need previews. They need repetition. They need direction. They need limits. They need structure.

5. Post clear concise rules.

Have them written down and in full view. The child will be reassured by knowing what is expected of them. Research suggests, if you do something everyday for approximately sixty days, it should become a habit, and part of your unconscious.

6. Repeat directions.

Repeat directions. Write down directions. Clarify directions.But always give time to respond BEFORE you repeat the directionPeople need to hear things more than once. But no more than twice

7. Make frequent eye contact.

• You can "bring back" achild with eye contact. Do it often. A glance can retrieve a child from a daydream or give permission to ask a question of just give silent reassurance.

8. Set limits, boundaries.

Limits are containing and soothing, not punitive. Do them consistently, predictably, promptly, and plainly and you alleviate stress for the child.

9. Don’t debate your rules Don't get into complicated, lawyer-like discussions of fairness. These long discussions are just a diversion. Take charge. Allow debate or discussion and allow gray areas of your limits and you create stress for the child and for yourself.

10. Have as predictable a ADULT schedule as

possible.• Transitions and

unannounced changes are very difficult for these children. Post it on the refridgerator. Refer to it often. If you are going to vary it, as most do, give lots of warning and preparation. as the time approaches.

11. Have as predictable a CHILD schedule as

possible Try to help the kids make their own schedules for after school in an effort to avoid one of the hallmarks of ADD: procrastination.

12. Go for quality rather than quantity of homework

Children with ADD often need a reduced load. As long as they are learning the concepts, they should be allowed this. They will put in the same amount of study time, just not get buried under more than they can handle.

13. Monitor progress often. • Children with ADHD benefit greatly from

frequent feedback. It helps keep them on track, lets them know what is expected of them and if they are meeting their goals, and can be very encouraging.

14. Break down large tasks into small tasks.

This is one of the most crucial of all teaching techniques for children with ADD. By breaking the task down into manageable parts, each component looking small enough to be do-able, the child can sidestep the emotion of being overwhelmed. In general, these kids can do a lot more than they think they can. other ways, too

15. Let yourself be playful,

have fun, be unconventional, be flamboyant. Introduce novelty into the day. People with ADD love novelty. They respond to it with enthusiasm. Every once in a while, if you can let yourself be a little bit silly, that will help a lot.

16. Watch out for over-stimulation.

Like a pot on the fire, a child can boil over. You need to be able to reduce the heat in a hurry. The best way of dealing with chaos in the classroom is to prevent it in the first place.

17. Seek out and underscore success as much as possible.

These kids live with so much failure; they need all the positive handling they can get.

18. Memory is often a problem with these kids

Teach them little tricks like mnemonics, flashcards, etc. They often have problems with what Mel Levine calls "active working memory," the space available on your mind's table, so to speak. Any little tricks you can devise --cues, rhymes, code and the like -- can help a great deal to enhance memory.

19. Use outlines.Teach outlining. Teach underlining. These techniques do not come easily to children with ADD, but once they learn them, the techniques can help a great deal in that they structure and shape what is being learned as it is being learned.

20. Announce what you are going to say

Say what you are about to say…………….. before you say it AND THEN ……Say it. Then say what you have said. This kind of structuring glues the ideas in place. Don’t confuse this with repeating, this is rephrasing.

21. Simplify

Simplify choices. Simplify scheduling. Simplify instructions. The simpler the verbiage the more likely it will be comprehended. And use language. Like color coding, colorful language keeps attention.

22. Use helpful feedback …avoid sarcasm or statements that belittle.

23. Full hands Busy Hands

If you have a very active child, who tends to get into mischief when you turn around, give them something to do. "Sort these towels," "Count these noodles,“"Cut out pictures from a magazine." For a child who walks too fast, have them carry a box or other item that will slow them down and keep them by your side. Keeping a child occupied will keep the child out of trouble.

24. Have a home point or reward system

Have a behavioral modification plan for younger children. Children with ADHD respond well to rewards and incentives..

25.If the child seems to have trouble reading social cues -- body language, tone of voice, timing and the like -- try discreetly to offer specific and explicit advice as a sort of social coaching. For example, say "Before you tell your story, ask to hear the other person's first," or, "Look at the other person when he's talking."

Many children are viewed as indifferent or selfish, when in fact they just haven't learned how to interact.

26. Make a game out of things. Motivation improves attention.

27. Give responsibility!

Whenever possible give responsibility back to the child. Self-esteem is built through challenges and successes, give your child the opportunity to succeed and teach them if they fail.

28. Try a home-to-school to parent notebook.

This can really help with the day-to-day parent-teacher communication and avoid the crisis meetings. It also helps with the frequent feedback these kids need. Try to use daily progress reports.

29. Create opportunities for turn taking

Playing games with your child. Teach the skills of waiting for their turn, listening to other s and sharing.

30. Prepare for unstructured time.

These kids need to know in advance what is going to happen so they can prepare for it internally. If they suddenly are given unstructured time, it can be over-stimulating.

31. Have kids write little notes to themselves

to remind themselves of upcoming events.

32. Handwriting is difficult

There is little doubt that kids with attention problems have difficulty sitting and attending to handwriting.

Keep an eye on how much writing is being asked and reinforce your child for what they can write and up build from there.

Focusing on how much they can’t write will befrustrating and increase their dislike for writing.

33. Be like the conductor of a symphony.

Get the orchestra's attention before speaking. Gain eye contact and only speak once you have your child’s attention (You may use silence, or the tapping of your baton, to do this.)

34. Meet with teachers often.

Avoid the pattern of just meeting around problems or crises.

35. Encourage reading aloud at home.

By using story telling you can help the child build the skill of staying on one topic.

36. Exercise.

One of the best treatments for attention, in both children and adults, is exercise, preferably vigorous exercise. Exercise helps work off excess energy, it helps focus attention, it stimulates certain hormones and neurochemicals that are beneficial, and it is fun.

37. Always be on the lookout for sparkling moments.

These kids are far more talented and gifted than they often seem. They are full of creativity, play, spontaneity and good cheer. They lend to be resilient, always bouncing back. They tend to be generous of spirit, and glad to help out.

38. Work together with a co-parent, not against them.

If you have differing attitudes or ideas about parenting, take some time to discuss what approach will be best, and agree. Kids need to see unity; it gives them a sense of security and reduces manipulation.

39.

Don’t enable your child by encouraging or reinforcing the ADHD label to avoid responsibility.Work to get rid of that label and let your child be themselves….not a diagnosis. Your child is a wonderful person not a label.

40. FAMILY MEETINGS.

Plan one night a month for a FAMILY MEETING. Keep an agenda, review family rules, have everyone say something good about everyone else. Finish with fun. Play a game or eat pizza. Make it part of the family routine.

41. Eat together as a family.

This is the best time of the day to slow down, and really talk to your kids. More importantly, listen to what your kids are talking about. With today's active schedule, make a commitment to spend mealtime together, even if it is just a few times a week.

42. Buy your child a calendar and a watch.

Keep track of time and dates with your child. Have them understand time management and track days towards events.

43. The Homework Box

• Find a box for your child to decorate any way they like. Place it by the front door. When homework is completed it goes in the box every night. Creative ideas include: Magic box, favorite animal that needs to be fed homework box or locked treasure box where a pirate’s gold is placed. Have fun with it and create it together.

44. Organize your thoughts and choices out

loud with your child.

• When you have things to do share with them your system for getting them done and break it down into steps that they can easily understand.  

To Do List

45. Talk less.

Shorten what you say in to tight concise easily understood statements and your frustration level will decrease. Guaranteed.

Go to your room

How many times do I have to ask you to go to your room…you…..are starting to get……

46. Don’t use ADHD as a crutch.

There are many, many worse disabilities in the

world and many that have been overcome.

ADHD is not a reason for failure.

Deal with it, BE FRUSTRATED BY IT and overcome the difficulties

it presents but don’t use it to make deals or excuses for your child.

47. Use a homework timer

Set a kitchen timer for a set amount of time for homework to be completed in. When the timer is up, the homework is put away.

Done or undone. This will reduce the battle at home and

place the responsibility back on your child for the consequence in school.

This may be hard for a lot of parents but after a few trials it works!

48. Do not reinforce interrupting

By stopping your conversation to attend to your child’s disruption immediately every time you are inadvertently reinforcing interrupting .

Interrupting is one of the main complaints teachers have from students in their classroom. This is a learned behavior that you can help change.

49. Track your child’s behavior with notes or

data on a calendar.

Keep track of the good days and the bad. You will be able to identify patterns in your child’s behavior and ways to handle those difficult days. In addition, if you go to your pediatrician you can give him solid information to make educated decisions if necessary.

50. Go online and learn more about

ADD/ADHD There are support groups and resources

out there for you. www.helpforadd.com/ www.chaddonline.org/

www.mhs.com www.addwarehouse.com