ADHD ADHD :: Academic Problems Academic Problems

Elham Shirazi MD

Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist

University of Medical Sciences

Failure to complete homework

one of the biggest conflicts between parents & ADHD children

Avoiding bloody battles over homework is important !

Otherwise :Your teenager associate learning with

negative experienceIt damages parent-child relationship

11. . Take medication when doing homeworkTake medication when doing homework

determine the latest time stimulants don’t interfere with sleep

2. Set a specific time to do homework2. Set a specific time to do homeworkPoor organization skillLack awareness of timeThe biggest challenge : getting started !Involve him in selecting his starting time

33. . Set alarm to announce homework timeSet alarm to announce homework timeLet him select which alarm system to useThe alarm ring announces, not the parents !

4. Minimize distractions4. Minimize distractionsFind a place free of distractions Give him a choice of study location

5. Call a friend to confirm homework 5. Call a friend to confirm homework Obtain phone numbers early in the grading

period

. .

66. . Find a “Study Buddy” , “Study Circle”Find a “Study Buddy” , “Study Circle”Works best if the other doesn’t have ADHDStudy together review verballyThe more senses used

The more likely to learn !

7. Use color coded monthly calendar7. Use color coded monthly calendarcolor for tests, quizzes, projects, when to start

preparing

. .

88. . Divide homework into smaller segmentsDivide homework into smaller segmentsMake it more manageable Using a timer may add more interest

9. Let using a computer9. Let using a computerMany have problem with :

verbal expression, fine motor skills

Typing is time consuming !

A copy of completed work is available every time (wonderful insurance)

They often lose their schoolwork !

. .

1010. . Have him dictate themes / reportsHave him dictate themes / reportsDictate to you to type give him to editFine motor problems & slow processing

affect typing

11. Use white noise11. Use white noise Radio, ocean sounds, fans, hair dryers,.…Too easily distracted by other noises

. .

1212. . Recruit someone else for the jobRecruit someone else for the jobFriend, relative, paid professional,….

13. Find out the routine of homework 13. Find out the routine of homework assignmentsassignments

Your child often forgetsMany teachers establish routines for

homeworkFind out routines to monitor your child

. .

1414. . Find out when special projects are Find out when special projects are duedue

ADHD often forgetAsk teachers about major projects & due

dates

15. Ask teacher for written homework 15. Ask teacher for written homework assignmentassignment

ADHD often forget to copy from the boardHelpful to give them in writingParents can get it from the teacher

. .

1616. . Ask the teacher to get another Ask the teacher to get another student to remind of assignmentstudent to remind of assignment

Must be handled tactfully to avoid embarrassing

The selected student should be accepted to your child

. .

1717. . Ask the teacher to modify Ask the teacher to modify assignmentassignment

Slow reading & writing, poor organizational skills, poor memory

Spend too much time on homework

The most important thing & The purpose of homework is :

To learn information & conceptsTo learn information & concepts ! !

. .

Allow to:Allow to:photocopy pagesfill in the blankshighlight answersassign half the problems…..

If still cover the same number of concepts

. .

1818. . Use daily or weekly reportsUse daily or weekly reportsMay be limited to subjects in danger of

failingWeekend activity contingent upon

bringing a satisfactory weekly reportDesign a weekly report formKeep things simple (test grades,

completion of school - & homework)Request teacher’s signature rather than

initials

. .

1919. . Limit time spent on homeworkLimit time spent on homeworkIf takes too long soon avoid & hate

homeworkIf homework takes > 2 hours each night

won’t be productive anyway

Need to modify homework assignments otherwise

. .

20. Watch Out for Hasty Errors 20. Watch Out for Hasty Errors

If unsupervised :

may rush through homework

no matter if it is incorrect !

Just want to finish it !

. .

Review when he is finishedMark mistakes :

have him correct errorsIf frustrated :

take break to cool offIf blows up :

stay calm & lower your voice

. .

21. Give Time to Unwind 21. Give Time to Unwind before Bedtimebefore Bedtime

Take a bath Have a few minutes to himself

. .

22. Teach Him that :22. Teach Him that :

Schoolwork & HomeworkSchoolwork & Homework

Will Be DoneWill Be Done

Either Now or Later !Either Now or Later !

. .

Must make up any work he doesn’t complete during the week

Must be done even if it is late (even if he receives no credit)

Start with most important subjects

Do a few problems that will ensure that concepts are mastered for the next

test

Forget to Bring Home the Forget to Bring Home the Weekly ReportWeekly Report

Take / Send back to get report

Teach key skills first (academics) Can’t learn every skill you want

The most important skill must be taught first

After learning to finish his work , you can work on other issues

Work on remembering the report later

All of us forget things , not just teenagers !

Making Too Many ZerosMaking Too Many Zeros

Many make good grades if complete school Many make good grades if complete school assignmentassignment

May have lots of zeros into their gradesMay have lots of zeros into their grades

1. Monitor zeros in subjects in danger of failing 2. Monitor progress through daily or weekly

reports3. Ask teacher to be flexible in grading & to

turning in make-up work4. Have your child average his grades (How many grades of 85 does it take to bring one

zero grade up to a passing score ?)

. .

Weak organization skills Poor memory Poor work habits Knowledge gaps to overcome Don’t learn from negative consequences

May feel badly about failing But even their good intention will not

always change their behavior !

. .

Double check homework & Make-up assignments

You must work with your child

to improve completion of his homework

So that he seldom receives zeros !

Failing ClassesFailing ClassesMay not even realize that they are

failing ! may be shocked !Don’t understand full ramification of

failingDiscussing consequences of school

failure may impress him with importance of passing grades

Because of ADD even understanding this may not influence his behavior

having to stay behind not being with friends of the same

agebeing ineligible for extracurricular

activitieshaving to attend summer schoolnot graduating with classmates….

Discuss full impact of failing a class

Monitor progress if strugglingMonitor progress earlyCall teachers to find out how he is

doingUse weekly reportsMake up credits for graduation

(graduating with friends : important to many teenagers !)

Help your teenager graph his Help your teenager graph his gradesgrades

visual aid realize what grades actually mean encourage him to decrease

distance between high & low points quizzes, tests, daily grades,… may

be color coded provides concrete positive

feedback

Avoiding SchoolAvoiding School Such a negative experience Such a negative experience some don’t want to attendsome don’t want to attend Most of us avoid things we don’t do well !Most of us avoid things we don’t do well !

Emotional trauma of having to go to school Emotional trauma of having to go to school enough to make him physically sick enough to make him physically sick

some mornings some mornings They fear they can’t catch up on their school They fear they can’t catch up on their school

works & pass the classworks & pass the class they may give up ! they may give up !

. .

Set a standard for Set a standard for attending schoolattending school

Do you have a fever ?Do you have a fever ?

If he misses school expect If he misses school expect him to work on assignments him to work on assignments

Difficult to physically make an Difficult to physically make an older teenager go to school !older teenager go to school !

Have a physical examHave a physical exam

1/3 - 1/2 of ADHD :chronic health problems (recurrent RTI, allergies, asthma,…)

sinus drainage & ENT infections : feel nauseated each morning

over the counter drugs, antihistamines, decongestants,…

Developing a Developing a comprehensive strategycomprehensive strategy

to increase successesto increase successes make school less aversivemake school less aversive solving school problemssolving school problems adjusting present medication adjusting present medication

Work on sleep disturbancesWork on sleep disturbances

may play a role in school may play a role in school avoidanceavoidance

1/2 < wake up feeling tired1/2 < wake up feeling tired teachers need to be aware of teachers need to be aware of

sleep disturbances sleep disturbances

Use logical consequencesUse logical consequences

If you are sick :If you are sick : you stay home all day with no you stay home all day with no

companycompany You may also take to doctor :You may also take to doctor :

if you aren’t sick back if you aren’t sick back to school to school

Seek professional helpSeek professional help to improve school environmentto improve school environment may be school phobiamay be school phobia

Make school more positiveMake school more positive

some love to go to school :some love to go to school : visit their friendsvisit their friends favorite classes (usually non-favorite classes (usually non-

academic, art, sport,…)academic, art, sport,…)

Uneven Academic PerformanceUneven Academic Performance

A hallmark of ADHDA hallmark of ADHD Great variability in homework, test Great variability in homework, test

grades, class performancegrades, class performance Can do the work one day but not the Can do the work one day but not the

next !next !

May be viewed as lazy !May be viewed as lazy !

(Could do the work if he just wanted to!)(Could do the work if he just wanted to!) Advise teacher of this characteristic !Advise teacher of this characteristic !