Homeschool Accommodations for ADHD: Hyperactivity

The beauty of home schooling a child with ADHD is that you can try as many accommodations as you like for your student.  However, the challenge is that many parents do not know exactly where to begin.

Accommodations are changes we make to the environment or learning process that allow a student to function and learn despite their disability, but they do not attempt to correct the disability.  Before we make accommodations, some general principles:

Keep your goals in mind.  Your goal is NOT to replicate the public school setting.  Your child does NOT have to sit in their seat and work on worksheet after worksheet from 8 until 3 every day.  

Some reasonable and important goals include:

Your child learns necessary academic material.

Your child enjoys learning.

Your child learns coping strategies for ADHD symptoms.

Your child learns character.

Do not hesitate to get a professional evaluation by a specialist.    ADHD often occurs with other problems affecting learning, such as autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, anxiety, and various sensory processing disorders.   Hyperactivity is often a byproduct of these disorders and not necessarily due to ADHD alone.  Be aware, however, that the best professional to see may depend on the type of learning problem.  Many physicians, for example, do not even believe that sensory processing disorders are real disease entities.  For more on the different types of specialists, please see my article Doctor, Psychologist, Psychiatrist--Who's Best for ADHD?

Ask your child for input.  ADHD is a chronic problem.  Some children grow out of it, but many do not.  So your child is embarking on a journey where they must learn coping skills.  The very first skill to learn is to know the questions to ask to know if something is working or not working.  Your child may not always be correct, and may not always be aware of what is happening, but its a good practice to encourage them to understand what is being done and why.

Now for the accommodations.  Not every accommodation will work for every child, but these are some to try.

Schedule in exercise.   Many home schooling families do sports.  However, this is not enough for a child with ADHD.  To help a child with ADHD who must sit for some part of the day, it is important to schedule some form of physical activity every day, even if it is just going outside for a walk, or weeding the garden.  Exercise is also  an important habit to get into as a lifetime coping skill.    So, invest in some good outdoor play equipment, buy rainy weather gear, and kick your kids outside to play every day.

Know when to take a break.  If your child is getting restless, ask them if they need help, or if they need to take a break.   With younger children especially, pushing for that "one more thing" often leads to a meltdown.  So stop if your child needs to.  Set a timer for 5 minutes, so that they know when they need to come back.  

Sit with them.  This can be boring for the parent unless they have something they can do quietly (like paying bills or answering emails).  You may also need something you can put down quickly (like folding laundry or crocheting) if your child or children are not able to wait for you to finish what you were doing when they need help.   But it does help.

Allow movement.  You might teach your child how to fidget quietly or do isometric exercises to be able to endure seated tasks.  However, your child does not need to sit to learn, so be patient and allow them to move as long as they are still learning.  You might have them listen to recordings or DVDs while seated on a wobble cushion, bouncing on an exercise ball, or running on a trampoline or treadmill.  Some children do well with standing to do written work, at a standing desk or counter, for example.  Other children do best if movement is incorporated into the lesson.

Provide quieting sensory input.  Some children find a weighted vest or lap pad calming.  Others may quiet with music or white noise.   Others may need something to touch (but not play with).   Still others may find sensory input overwhelming, so be sensitive to your child's feedback.

Address distractability and inattention.  Many times  one symptom of ADHD may be the product of another.  For example if a child is working hard to pay attention, he may fidget more.

As always, its important to periodically take stock of the situation and see what is working and what isn't.   If things aren't going well despite accommodations, it may be in the best interests of everyone to pursue further treatment.

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