Maximize Your ADHD Child's School Performance

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who, since 1986, has worked with ADHD children and their families. In this Parenting Ideas article, he offers suggestions for helping kids get the most out of their school experiences.

"Get to really know and understand your child's needs at a deeper level. Keep in mind the difference between real 'needs' and things that you 'want.' Real 'needs' would include resources that your child must have in order to function at acceptable levels. Have documentation to back up what you think is a need. Be able to express this information to his school, doctor, etc.

"Dr. Cowan also stresses the importance of asking questions. Most professions have their own 'language' and parents need to push both doctors and educators to explain things in everyday language. Not only will this help parents understand their child's diagnosis better, but it will help parents determine whether the "professionals" they're talking too really know their stuff or not. Read more at ParentingIdeas.org.

Stone Mountain School, a therapeutic boarding school for boys, is set in a rural area of North Carolina which removes common distractions and allows boys struggling with academics and behaviors a chance to learn how to control their emotions while earning school credits.

Learning Disability Specialist Offers Study Tips

Students with learning disabilities like dyslexia and ADHD often have a hard time studying for tests and quizzes. Learning disabilities specialist Alexa Taylor has developed a list of strategies to help students who struggle in this area.

"Duplicate normal study places. If studying in the library is a habit when class is in session, don't switch to studying in the dorm, where roommates and television can be distractions."

Other suggestions include using different study styles throughout the day, and mapping out a specific written study schedule.

LearningDisabilitiesInfo.com is a great resource for parents of children with learning disabilities.

Study Shows Working Memory Training can Help

Cogmed is the name of a computer program which trains and develops working memory. In a recent breakthrough study, an institute in Sweden used the program to redefine the way attention problems are understood and treated. Now, researchers at Harvard University have conducted a study of their own which supports the initial findings.

"'Our pilot study indicated that the training of working memory in a school setting may be a feasible, safe, and effective way to help children with ADHD that warrants further investigation,' [Dr. Enrico] Mezzacappa concluded in the study."

Mezzacappa goes on to say that the program helps stimulate cognitive skills and overall development, and makes treatment for ADHD possible within schools systems, to students who might otherwise receive no treatment at

Stone Mountain, a school for boys with ADHD, helps boys deal with their behaviors while earning credits for school. Visit StoneMountainSchool.com to learn more.

The Role of Executive Function

"Executive function" refers to the brain's ability to take in and organize information in ways that allow a person to accomplish goals - whether short or long term. A helpful analogy might be to think of executive function as performing the same tasks for the brain as a conductor does for an orchestra - organizing and guiding different instruments to play alone or together, loudly or softly - to accomplish the goal of playing a certain piece of music. Deficits in executive function may cause academic problems for students with ADD or ADHD.

"Although the impact of executive function deficits on school success is profound, this fact is often unrecognized by many parents and teachers. I learned the hard way with my own son that a high IQ score alone is not enough to make good grades."

In particular, poor working memory - one attribute of executive function - affects a student's ability to recall past events, prepare adequately for upcoming events, remember instructions, or memorize facts. Students with ADD or ADHD will greatly benefit from modified lessons that take executive function issues into consideration. Writing demonstrations, active learning techniques, and modified testing are just a few.

Cedars Academy is a specialized boarding school for non-verbal learning disorder (NLD) and Asperger's. Learn how they can help your child today at CedarsAcademy.com.

A Guide to Teaching ADHD Students

A child with ADHD spends as much time in the classroom as any other child, so his teacher's ability to interact well and teach effectively is vital. This article from David Blitz gives tips for teachers who have ADHD students.

"The first step in being successful in teaching an ADHD student is being able to develop with him/her a good rapport and a positive relationship. Like with any other student, the ADHD student is more likely to respond to you positively and you are more likely to be able to help them reach their true academic potential if your interaction with them is in a positive and non-judgmental manner."

Other tips include using positive reinforcement, creating a good learning environment, and breaking down lessons into smaller segments that are easier for an ADHD child to understand.

Need a good ADHD boarding school? Find one at Boarding Schools Info.com.

When "ADHD" Meets "Academically Gifted"

Until now, there's been no official name given to kids who are unusually bright but also struggle with a learning disability such as ADHD. Because there's been no name, no distinct category, there's also been no strategy in place for educating these kids. But a non-profit group called IDL - Individual Differences in Learning Association - has begun taking corrective action on behalf of this unusual group of students that are being called "twice-exceptional learners".

"[Katharina] Boser and other members of IDL spent most of the summer in the county's Television and Media Production studio... interviewing students, teachers, parents and experts to create a two-hour video on twice-exceptional learners."

The video will be used to inform and educate school officials on the unique learning needs of twice-exceptional learners, which are also sometimes referred to as GTLD - gifted and talented/learning disabled. The goal is to help parents and educators learn how to consider not just a child's learning disability, but his learning skills and talents as well.

Schools for children with Asperger's Syndrome can help children get the most out of their education and find the best career path for them. Find one at Your Little Professor.

ADHD Medication Improves Grades

A new study has proven that ADHD medication has long-term academic benefits for children diagnosed with the condition. The study was conducted by a team from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and appears in the September edition of the Journal of Development & Behavioral Pediatrics.

"The Mayo team found that treatment with prescription stimulants, such as Ritalin, was associated with improved long-term academic success of children with ADHD... By age 13, those taking medication had improved reading scores compared with children with ADHD who didn’t receive the drugs, the researchers found."

The children who took medication also had better attendance and were less likely to be held back.

Hyper Kid, Honored Teacher

Marshall Zaun says that he was an ADHD kid before the disorder was ever recognized, diagnosed, or treated. Now 38-years old, Zaun not only managed to graduate from high school, but he graduated valedictorian. He went on to become a teacher, and was recently named the Lancaster (California) School District's Teacher of the Year.

"The son of a school nurse and a car designer, Zaun entered a regular high school but after a month switched to Silverado Continuation High School in Mission Viejo because of poor attendance... and because his mother thought it better to try a different route."

He credits his high school English teacher as being the one who "reached him" and influenced him to become a teacher, despite his ADHD. Read more at DailyNews.com.

Asperger's Syndrome in Children and Teens is considered a form of high-functioning autism. Learn more at YourLittleProfessor.com.

What Should Counseling Goals Be?

Some parents of children with ADHD choose to include counseling as part of the child's overall treatment plan. But should your goals be if your child is receiving counseling for his or her ADHD?

"First, it is important to teach the child or teen with ADHD how to recognize problems and how to solve problems. There are many good problem solving techniques that young people can quickly learn, and these are great tools to teach them."

Other goals include teaching a child how to be less impulsive, how to monitor his or her thoughts, and how to develop adequate social skills. Read more at ParentingIdeas.com.

Transitional Class Helps Students Prepare for First Grade

In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Thames Elementary school has launched its first "transitional first-grade" classroom. The classroom is made up of just a few students, and is intended to help children with ADHD and other behavioral or learning challenges develop the skills they need to transition into first-grade.

"Teacher Candace Hill's class is smaller, which means more one-on-one time. And lessons are tailored to each individual child. Some students go to a first-grade classroom for lessons, to ease the transition into second grade."

The parents of all 11 children in this first class agree that it's the best place for their children. Read more at ClarionLedger.com.

The Transition to College

College is a unique and exciting experience, but it can also be overwhelming, especially for teens with ADD/ADHD. As a parent, there are steps you can take to help your teen make a smooth transition into college life.

"Around February of his senior year, begin to withdraw your daily supervision and support. (Of course, you should warn him first!) Think of the next six or seven months as college training camp, a time for him to learn how to handle freedom. Without the help of mom or dad, he should practice living independently..."

The better prepared your child is for living on his own and managing the often hectic pace of college life, the more he'll be able to enjoy his college experience. Read more at AdditudeMag.com.

Cedars Academy, a private boarding school for boys and girls with ADD/ADHD, has a Post-Secondary Program designed to help students build their college experience after they finish their senior year. Cedar's progam gives students a year to experience college life, while still having the support of a structured environment.

Special-Needs Education Gets Special Action

Special-education teachers in the Frankfort Independent Schools are ready for big changes. At an organizational meeting Tuesday, those teachers led a discussion with district officials and parents about improving education for students with special needs at Frankfort High School and Second Street School. Read more online.

Learn about Camp Huntington special needs summer camps.