Back-to-school is a challenging time for most families. Your children are adapting to new schedules, homework, after-school activities, and more. And if your child has a complex illness or condition like ADHD, your family faces additional challenges when it comes to managing ADHD behaviors.
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can interfere with your child’s school performance because sitting still and paying attention is challenging.
There Are 3 Subtypes of ADHD
- Predominantly Inattentive: Most ADHD symptoms fall under inattention.
- Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive: Most ADHD symptoms are hyperactive and impulsive.
- Combined: There are a mix of both inattentive symptoms and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
Common Symptoms of ADHD Inattention
🔸Lack of focus on tasks or play
🔸Difficulty paying attention to details
🔸Making careless mistakes in schoolwork
🔸Trouble following through on instructions and completing schoolwork
🔸Avoidance of tasks requiring focused mental effort
🔸Not appearing to listen, even when spoken to directly
🔸Not able to organize tasks and activities
🔸Losing things
🔸Easily distracted
🔸Forgetting to do chores and other daily activities
Common Symptoms of Hyperactivity and Impulsivity
🔸Fidget or squirm in their seat
🔸Have difficulty staying seated
🔸Difficulty doing an activity quietly
🔸Be in constant motion
🔸Run around or climb in inappropriate situations
🔸Overly talkative
🔸Interrupt and blurt out answers
🔸Interrupt in conversation
🔸Intrude on conversations, games or activities
🔸Struggle waiting for their turn
These symptoms can make school difficult. So some practical back-to-school tips for ADHD can help get your child’s school year off to a better start. Sometimes you need some extra support and new ADHD school strategies to help your child make the transition back into the school year routine.
In my practice, I focus on using natural methods to address ADD/ADHD. This includes diet, supplements, detoxification, and techniques that regulate the nervous system.
Managing ADHD Behaviors: Quick & Simple School Strategies
💡 Alternate Nostril Breathing
This breathing technique helps regulate the nervous system and calm fear and anxiety. Have your child go through the following steps:
- Sit down and relax.
- Place their right hand over their nose with their thumb on the right side of their nose and their ring finger on the left. (Their pointer and middle finger will hover above their nose.)
- Cover the right nostril with the thumb while inhaling and exhaling.
- Release the right nostril.
- Cover the left nostril with the ring finger while inhaling and exhaling.
- Repeat the process twice more.
💡 Grounding
When your child needs some help settling down, grounding can help them connect to their bodies and the world around them. This simple and effective practice can help calm down and focus. There are a number of child-friendly grounding methods:
- Senses Countdown: Guide your child to find 5 things they can see, 4 things they can touch, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste.
- Be a Tree: Have your child pretend to be a tree. Their body becomes the trunk, their arms become the branches.
- Box Breathing: Breathe in for a count of 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4. Do this a few times. If visual images help your child, have them picture a box while they breathe, with the four sides representing the four steps in the process.
💡 Exercise
Moving the body is great for physical health, emotional balance, and regulating the nervous system. It’s important for all kids to get daily exercise, but there are added benefits to children with ADD/ADHD. Exercise doesn’t have to be complicated – playing, dancing to music, or participating in a game or sport will all do the trick.
💡 Get Outside
A recent study concluded that ADHD symptoms are reduced for most people by being in green outdoor settings. When the weather permits, take your child outside – preferably somewhere with grass and trees. You can practice the above techniques outside as well.
💡 Sleep
Sleep is critical for brain health. The brain detoxes at night. So if your child is not sleeping deeply or for long enough, their detoxification system will not be able to effectively clear and clean out the brain. If your child is having trouble sleeping, try these sleep techniques:
- Create a bedtime routine to add consistency and calmness so your child can fall asleep more easily.
- Improve sleep hygiene to make sleeping more comfortable. Darken the room, remove extra toys from the bed, and turn down the temperature.
- Avoid evening screen use. The blue light emitted by electronic devices has been shown to interfere with circadian (sleep) rhythms. Putting away electronic devices in the evenings can help your child tune into their natural sleep rhythms.
Get Some Support
I offer a number of resources for families interested in learning how to heal ADHD holistically (and other conditions caused by brain inflammation).
💡Join My Free Facebook Group
When it comes to managing ADHD behaviors, having a supportive community of parents navigating similar challenges can be invaluable. Join my free Facebook group where you can connect with others, share experiences, and access valuable resources tailored to your child’s needs. Together, we can make the journey a bit easier.
💡Sign Up for Foundations in Healing Jumpstart
Ready to dive deeper into holistic approaches for your child’s ADD/ADHD? My 8-week program, Foundations in Healing Jumpstart, offers personalized guidance on diet, supplements, detoxification, and nervous system regulation. Enrollment is open now for the September 2024 cohort.
💡Book a Free Consultation
Need personalized advice and support for managing your child’s ADD/ADHD? Book a free consultation with me to discuss tailored strategies that can make a real difference. I’m here to help you find the best path forward for your child’s health and well-being.
References:
- https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-to-know-about-alternate-nostril-breathing
- https://www.counselorkeri.com/2019/04/02/help-kids-manage-worry/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321805#how-to-do-it
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1448497/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/symptoms-causes/syc-20350889
