- Many ADHD children are particularly lured by the computer, which is a very promising tool. A number of non-violent computer games are available that offer problem-solving techniques using characters, narrative, and humor.
- A 2001 study reported that children with ADHD had better attention and functioning when they spent time in a natural setting.
- Swimming, tennis, and other sports that focus attention and limit peripheral stimuli are often appealing. ADHD children often do not do well with team sports, although they are interested. Children with ADHD are less likely to become distracted in sports that require constant alertness, such as football or basketball. In baseball, positions such as pitching or catching are preferable to the outfield, where attention easily wanders. Finding a coach that understands the child’s difficulties is very helpful.
- Some experts are enthusiastic about martial arts, such as Tae Kwon Do, which can offer an appropriate and controlled emotional outlet, help to focus attention, and teach self-restraint, self-discipline, and tolerance. Care should be taken to select an instructor who makes such goals a priority.
- Learning an instrument may be one of the best ways for an ADHD child to develop a more rhythmic and balanced sense of self. Music, even simply listening to it, is often very important for these children. (Parents may have to tolerate music that does not please them.)
Management at School
Even if a parent is successful in managing the child at home, difficulties often arise at school. The ultimate goal for any educational process should be the happy and healthy social integration of the ADHD child with his or her peers.
Preparing the Teacher. Although teachers can expect that at least one student in every classroom will have ADHD, there is currently little training that prepares them for managing these children. The teacher should be prepared for the certain behaviors in the child with ADHD:
- Students with ADHD are often demanding, talkative, and highly visible.
- Inattention is a major factor in low academic performance. It causes them to frequently forget homework or miss assignments. Children with ADHD often require frequent reminders or visual cues (such as posters) for rules and regulations. Having the child sit in the front of the classroom may be helpful for both increasing attention and reducing noisy activity.
- Lack of fine motor control makes taking notes very difficult, and handwriting is often poor. Using a typewriter or computer can compensate for this. One useful skill that has helped some children is learning to type at an early age, around the third or fourth grade.
- Rote memorization and math computation, which require following a set of ordered steps, are often difficult. (Children with ADHD may do better with math concepts.)
- Many children with ADHD respond well to school tasks that are rapid, intense, novel, or of short duration (such as spelling bees or competitive educational games), but they almost always have problems with long-term projects where there is no direct supervision.
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