ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. A child with ADHD has far more obstacles to overcome in a school environment to become a successful student.  Children with ADHD often overlook or miss details, make careless mistakes in schoolwork, have problems sustaining attention during lectures, seem to not listen when spoken to directly, fail to finish schoolwork on time, have problems organizing tasks and keeping materials and belongings in order, struggle with managing time, and meeting deadlines.   As a parent, it can be extremely difficult to deal with a child who seemingly does not listen or who is constantly forgetting to do things.  This leads to a frustrating and stressful home environment when it comes time to complete homework assignments. Hiring an outside professional is often the key to helping keep the peace at home and improving your child’s independence.

Individualized teaching can play a huge part in boosting your student’s confidence.  It is not uncommon for a child with ADHD to be extremely intelligent, yet is failing or doing poorly in their classes.  This is often due to their lack of executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, and study skills.  A child starts the school year out strong, but slowly begins to fall behind as they fail to hand in assignments in a timely fashion.  They continue to dig themselves deeper into a hole, and their self-esteem begins to plummet as they become more and more over-whelmed and defeated and often just give up.  This causes stress in the household because it can be perceived as laziness or complacency, however having an independent person who can connect with your child in a neutral setting can diffuse this tension and frustration around learning and enable the child to be more attentive and willing to learn.  Having additional support and a “cheerleader” in their court can give your child the confidence they need to succeed.

A tutor can also help a child with ADHD by providing them with executive functioning tools to help them stay on top of their work.  They can provide academic support when a child doesn’t grasp a certain concept, homework support to assist them in completing tasks in a timely fashion and study skills/test prep assistance.  Unlike a classroom teacher that has to cater to the masses, a tutor can develop a personalized approach to teaching by incorporating your child’s interests and applying a variety of teaching tools that fit your child’s learning style.

Nothing can be more frustrating than helping your child cope with ADHD, especially when it causes disciplinary and academic problems, leading to a feeling of helplessness and endless stress and anxiety for both you and your child.  As an expert in the field, I have seen many successful cases where a child with ADHD has turned their academic careers around with the support of a strong tutor who provided their student the tools to succeed.  These tool ultimately end up being life-long skills that they can utilize into adulthood ensuring a bright and successful future for your child.