Understood holds this weekly Twitter chat that aims to keep the momentum going and raise awareness of learning and attention issues. Follow along with hashtag #LDCHAT and follow users @understoodchats & @understoodorg. Experts will be available to answer your questions and concerns and share resources from Understood.org.
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Welcome to today's #LDchat! This is Dan with the Understood team. We're joined today by board-certified counselor and Understood expert @StephanieSarkis, Ph.D. to discuss strategies to help with #ADHD.
A1. (1/2) To do: Frame #ADHD as a medical issue, just like any other. The brain just processes things differently, and that is okay. Don’t do: Don’t punish your child for behavior that they don’t have control over. #LDChat
A1. (2/2) Kids with #ADHD respond well to positive reinforcement. Consequences are difficult for ADHD brain to process. Catch your kid being good! #LDChat
In short, @HowardKiyuna, yes to both. It is a highly heritable (genetic) disorder that impacts executive function performance in frontal lobes of https://t.co/3F4QqR3q1j is highly comorbid with anxiety, depression, and others. #LDChat
Correct, @spteacherjames. #ADHD is an issue with motivation, not focus. Hyperfocus is just as much a symptom. It is a dysregulation of motivation. #LDChat
Exactly, @inventivesrise. We are always trying our best at that moment. Kids with #ADHD try extra hard, all the time - and only get half the amount of schoolwork done. It's incredibly frustrating. #LDChat
A2: Don't tell them that they are lazy, stupid or unmotivated. Of course, none of us willingly or knowingly would tell our kids that... but sometimes they sense our frustrations. Walk away if you are feeling this.. come back with a positive approach #ldchat
A1: In the not helpful category: Weren’t you listening? If you would pay attention..., would you finish your sentence already, what are saying (rolling eyes), and in some cases Still (meaning all day for the rest of the year and every ensuing year) #LDchat
Also, a study found that if you aren't taking stimulant medication, you may score 10 to 15 points lower on an IQ test - not giving an accurate assessment of IQ. #LDChat
A2: Don't tell them that they are lazy, stupid or unmotivated. Of course, none of us willingly or knowingly would tell our kids that... but sometimes they sense our frustrations. Walk away if you are feeling this.. come back with a positive approach #ldchat
A2. (1/2) Accommodations - essential for #ADHD. Put in 504/IEP plan: Recess is never taken away, for any reason. Seating near front of classroom. All instructions in writing. Handwriting not counted as a grade. Spelling tests and reports given orally rather than written. #LDChat
A2: (2/2) Continued accommodations for kids with #ADHD: Movement in classroom isn’t penalized. In addition, multimodal learning is v. important, also incorporating movement in classroom. Kids with ADHD can run errands for teacher – leadership role, and kid gets to move. #LDChat
A2: I know of plenty, but I like when teacher circle back to the original question during the lecture/discussion. #ADHD kids can space out. This is more effective then calling on them when you know they have tuned out - embarrassing! #LDChat
@Ianatan_Duine So important to never ridicule or isolate from peers. Also, really consider whether the child truly needs to be corrected - let some things go. #ADHD#LDChat
A1: "Just calm down!" - Giving blanket statements as 'solutions' for behavior related to #ADHD is not only completely not helpful, but sweeps their needs under the rug! #ldchat
By knowing which #ADHD symptoms your child struggles with, the teacher can find ways to help him be successful in the classroom. Here are tips for parents to help them talk with their child's teacher. #LDchathttps://t.co/0ZKJlTrPge
A2: I know of plenty, but I like when teacher circle back to the original question during the lecture/discussion. #ADHD kids can space out. This is more effective then calling on them when you know they have tuned out - embarrassing! #LDChat
A2: Moving the kid with #ADHD around in the classroom rarely works - they talk to everyone! I like environments that help them move, bounce, fidget - so they CAN pay attention. #LDChat
A2: Chunk it up! Make lessons interactive! Vary instructional style so that kids have an opportunity to engage with new material in exciting ways. Eg: teach for 10 min, group work for 15 min, 10 min whole class discussion, repeat. #LDchat
A2. Teach coping skills directly. The more you teach proactive strategies for kiddos with #ADHD, the more you'll be building their self determination so they can advocate for themselves rather than relying on adult prompts. #ldchat
A2: Moving the kid with #ADHD around in the classroom rarely works - they talk to everyone! I like environments that help them move, bounce, fidget - so they CAN pay attention. #LDChat
There are many reasons why kids with #ADHD may cheat in school. Learn why it may be happening and how to talk to the school and your child about it. #LDchathttps://t.co/5BHdQKnkZw
A2: Also, just allowing them to learn how they need to learn. Is it really the end of the world if they're standing up or folding paper during math class?! #ldchat
A2: Precorrections for our hyperactive students. Identify problem behaviors, come up with agreements and alternative behaviors, and remind the student of agreement each day before class. Don’t wait for a problem to get bad. #LDchat
A3: (1/3) “Reduced homework” on 504/IEP. @AmerAcadPeds recommends 10 mins of homework per grade of child. Make sure child’s stimulant meds are still effective. Consider asking prescriber about adding a short-acting stimulant to overlap the long-acting has worn off. #LDchat#ADHD
A2: Environments that enable students to learn other than strictly via the teacher's verbal presentation. Visual presentations, combined with either chairs that turn or bounce or environments that allow pacing - all help a lot! #LDChat
A3. (2/3) Do homework for short periods of time - up to 30 mins, dep. on child’s age and focus. Take 15 minute breaks, go outside and move around – outdoors and exercise can help “reset” the #ADHD brain. #LDChat
A3. (3/3) Have child sit on a seat that moves – like an exercise ball - or use “stand-up desk” while doing homework. Stimulating the cerebellum through movement can help the frontal lobe focus. These also help in classrooms. #LDChat
So much this! Write the learning goal on the board, keep cycling back to it and make sure to summarize points often! ALWAYS review the lesson at the end of class. #ldchat
Yes! Getting the full picture of a child instead of relying so heavily on scores and numbers is a huge part of understanding them holistically. #LDChat
Love this! I have found center based instruction hugely beneficial for this reason exactly. Varied activities and a real easy way to differentiate in real time. #LDChat
A3: Parents have the toughest job often keeping kids focused at home due to pets, friends, video games, tv etc. I have found that understanding why they have a hard time focusing is the critical, and often missing element in understanding ADHD folks. #LDChat
A3: Parents have the toughest job often keeping kids focused at home due to pets, friends, video games, tv etc. I have found that understanding why they have a hard time focusing is the critical, and often missing element in understanding ADHD folks. #LDChat
I totally agree. Building conversation and movement in throughout the day so students who thrive in those contexts are praised, not "disciplined". #LDChat
A3: Not all kids thrive in a quiet, non-distracting environment as parents might think. Allow the kid to create their work-stations.. but if they are not focusing or productive, I suggest you work collaboratively to tailor this environment. #ldchat
@wcvirgo Homework is overrated - it's like asking kids to do two full-time jobs. Much of homework is busywork (former teacher here). Kids still have plenty of testing and teacher reports. #LDCHAT
A3: Categorize and make it novel. Room Cleaning Olympics - first event, books. Once they start smiling then you crank it up and compete against them. You’re also training them. It’s humbling to see how many things as parents we don’t bother to model but I do as a teacher. #LDchat
Yes! Too often these kids are told what NOT to do, which doesn’t help them figure out what they should be doing instead. It’s like the old: “Don’t think of a purple elephant!” It’s hard not to think about that colorful elephant. #ldchat
A4: (1/2) Executive function in frontal lobe of brain acts as “filter” - inhibitor of behavior. Impairment in executive function, as in #ADHD, makes it more difficult to curb interrupting or talkativeness. Make sure your child is receiving effective treatment for #ADHD. #LDChat
A4. (2/2) Know what your #ADHD child can’t control – a nonverbal cue system for speaking too loudly in social situation will temporarily help, but executive function impairment means voice volume will go back up. Stimulation medication is most effective treatment. #LDChat
#ADHD can make it hard for a child to concentrate and pay attention in school, but it affects social skills, too. Check out these 5 common scenarios and how you can help. #LDchathttps://t.co/0Wj3IfxCXP
Q3: Chunking - setting timers - explicitly stating simple and clear expectations for the tasks they're expected to complete - checklists to keep focused. #LDChat
Yes, it's also important to have work station as free from clutter as possible. Have a crate where the child can just shove all the stuff off the desk before starting homework. #LDChat
Agreed. Pick your battles! If you want a child to change a behavior, it better have a significant impact on learning. Otherwise, the teacher is making a kid’s life harder for no good reason. #ldchat
Expert Mark Griffin, Ph.D., explains how #Fortnite impacts kids with #ADHD and social skills issues. Find out what 7 things he says parents should know. #LDchathttps://t.co/sJHwfbfW8T
In addition, I can't stress enough how much better people with ADHD work when they have someone with them. It's an accountability person, and we thrive off of that. #LDChat
Yes, it's also important to have work station as free from clutter as possible. Have a crate where the child can just shove all the stuff off the desk before starting homework. #LDChat
A4: Realistic demands. Dump the socks & underwear into divided sections of drawer. Forget folding them. We’re dealing with delays in development so we should adjust accordingly. #LDchat
