Executive Functioning Resources
Strategies for Supporting
Students with ADHD or Executive Functioning Challenges
These are strategies that may or may not work for your child. It sometimes takes “trial and error” to find what works for them as individuals!
They are helpful for ALL students too!
- Movement/ Brain Breaks and Fidgets/weighted blanket – If your child is extra wiggly and hyperactive, have them go get something from the car, bring something heavy up the stairs, or across the house (large book)or bedroom, do a quick walk around the house, or watch a dance/movement video. click here for websites/videos all about movement!
- Fidgets or foot band can help absorb extra energy, freeing up the energy to focus. There are tons of fidgets out there, so make sure it does not make noise and fits in the palm of your child’s hand. This should be a tool not a toy.
*Tip – use and old bike tire tube (bike shops should give them away for free) as a strong food band – cut and tie tightly to the base of the desk or chair. You can also find foot or “thera bands” online. - Weighted lap pad/blanket - can be an amazing sensory tool or toy to help improve your child’s attention, focus, or ability to calm down and relax. This small blanket sits on your child’s lap as they sit at their homework chair or dinner table. You can find some for sale online or find tutorials on how to make your own.
- Fidgets or foot band can help absorb extra energy, freeing up the energy to focus. There are tons of fidgets out there, so make sure it does not make noise and fits in the palm of your child’s hand. This should be a tool not a toy.
- Combine Written and Oral Instructions – At home, you might tell your child to go clean their room and put away their clothes then write it down on a white board in their room and say it at the same time. Or if there is a routine with the same steps each time, you can make a sign with each step laid out for daily use.
*Some kids also need specific directions. Saying “Clean your room” might be too broad of a statement and they may not know where to start. They may need step, by, step instructions (i.e. all stuffed animals go in this box - designate a box labeled “stuffies”, dirty clothes go in the hamper, etc.). Take a picture of the finished product and post as a visual so that kids have a reference for what the task should look like once it’s complete.
- Use a Checklist – have kids cross off each task as they complete it.
Make bed- Brush teeth
- Get dressed
- Put dirty clothes in the hamper
*Tip – Laminate and post chore charts or task checklists in the location of the house where they will complete the tasks and have kids check it off using a dry erase marker. This helps them make the connection between the task and the environment where the task needs to be completed. (i.e. post the steps to brushing teeth or bathroom nighttime routine, in the bathroom)
- Use a Checklist – have kids cross off each task as they complete it.
- Giving Directions and Rehearsed Listening:
- Giving Directions – Keep it short, and concise. Too much “fluff” will go in one ear, and out the next. Also, make sure they know the procedures for the directions you are giving.
(i.e. “trash please” VS. “the garbage is overflowing, I need you to take out the trash please, the garbage man is coming tomorrow.”)
- If you are asking a child with ADHD to do something, ask it in front of his or her face, making sure they are looking at you. The child should be in a quiet place with all technology off. There room should be somewhat free of distracting or stimulating objects. This may mean actually taking them into another room before you tell them what to do.
- Rehearsed Listening – When giving information to family members we may say, “Listen up! Dinner is in five minutes, go wash your hands”. With children with ADHD, you might need to be more consistent. Every time you want the person to pay attention, you should first start with some well-learned cue words such as – “Listen up, New Flash! This is important!” This will cue your child to pay attention. Make it fun and have your child come up with the cure phrase – this will help with buy-in.
- Giving Directions – Keep it short, and concise. Too much “fluff” will go in one ear, and out the next. Also, make sure they know the procedures for the directions you are giving.
- Completing Independent Work – It could help to designate a tidy work space where the child goes only to do work – if they can associate a certain space with a “work space” they are more likely to focus on work when in that space.
- While your child completes work:
Check in periodically to ensure they are on task, or to see if they need help.
Listening to calming music (without words) can help keep their focus on the task, rather than the distractions around them.
Use a timer to help with short attention spans – work for 10 minutes, take a 5 minute break, and increase stamina over time.
- I like these timers that visually show passage of time (they also help with time management). You can also use a kitchen timer.
- You can also create work completion goals, vs. time goals (i.e. instead of working for 10 minutes, have them complete 2 problems, or 1-3 sentences before taking a break.)
Break it up – Kids with ADHD get overwhelmed when they see long instructions or assignments, making it difficult for them to know how/where to begin.
- Break up the assignment into smaller, more doable parts - while numbering instructions or highlighting individual instructions with different colors. This is a valuable strategy to teach kids.
- Use a blank note card to cover up the problems or parts of the assignment the student is not working on, so they can focus on just the problem they are working on.
- Making Clear Rules and Expectations – Create rules/expectations with your child which will help with buy-in. Post the rules visually in each area of the house and consistently reinforce them using the posted rules for reference.(*note – using pictures and visuals are encouraged for retaining information and accessing it later.)
- Reach out to Julie Harding for specific ideas.
- Reach out to Julie Harding for specific ideas.
- Increasing Structure and Routine at home (creates predictability and feelings of safety) – some children with ADHD feel better if they know that every day they can play at a certain time, do their daily chores at a certain time, do their homework at another time, and eat and sleep at a predictable time. Creating a daily visual schedule is a great way to do this.
- Reinforcement System/Token Economy – The student earns points for positive expected behavior, or for completing a task(s), and can turn those in for a reward or privilege (tangible or non-tangible). This encourages the behavior we want to see.
- Sleep – Lack of sleep will make anyone less attentive and some kids with ADHD are easily over stimulated and as a result do not get enough sleep. Limiting screen time before bed, enforcing regular bedtimes and routines, and providing calming activities (i.e. read together, listen to classical music/or a sleep app) can help.
- Breakfast and Snacking – There is good data to support the importance of children eating something before school to help with focus and readiness to learn. However, some kids are not always hungry in the morning. Rather than forcing them to eat a big meal, allow them to eat smaller snacks throughout the day to regulate their blood sugar, which will help them stay focused.
- There has also been research about what types of food might exacerbate hyperactivity or attention challenges in students. See resource below and consult with your pediatrician if this is a concern.
- Nutrition - Click here for nutrition ideas to support students with ADHD including what to avoid.
- There has also been research about what types of food might exacerbate hyperactivity or attention challenges in students. See resource below and consult with your pediatrician if this is a concern.
- Structured Activities – Most impulsive acts occur during unstructured time in the home or at school. One environmental change to make is to decrease unstructured time (this does not mean that free play is discouraged). At home, this means that rather than letting the child play all afternoon, you provide structured activities such as a backyard scavenger hunt, board game, craft time, Legos, with room for creativity and imagination, etc.
- Limit Media Use (TV/video games/social media) – The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:
Limit all media use to no more than 1 to 2 hours per day
Monitor a child's use of the media and/or co-view television with them.
*It is understood that it is impossible to limit children's viewing if the parents are watching television all day and night. Turning off the TV is the most effective solution.
- Enhance the Child's Strengths – While working on reducing these signs and symptoms is important, it is just as important to find out what your child is naturally good at and make him/her even better at it. Some children with ADHD will be spending a lot of time doing what is not naturally easy for them-going to school, focusing on academics, staying out of trouble, and getting along with others, etc. They need to also spend time doing what they like to do and can do well.
- Finding strengths: Sometimes it takes a little creativity or someone outside the immediate family to identify the child's strengths. lt can be difficult to think of sending a child to art classes when they are doing poorly on academics and in a lot of trouble; however, if that is what they are good at and can stick with, it will help their self-esteem.
- What are the strengths in your child?
- Naturally good at sports?
- Martial arts?
- Collecting things?
- Music? Dancing? Acting?
- Computers?
- Sewing?
- Cooking?
- Gardening?
- Building or fixing things?( balsa wood is great)
- Art, drawing, writing?
- Working with little kids or animals?
- Finding their way around?
- Writing stories?
- Working in the woods?
- Working on the water?
- Finding strengths: Sometimes it takes a little creativity or someone outside the immediate family to identify the child's strengths. lt can be difficult to think of sending a child to art classes when they are doing poorly on academics and in a lot of trouble; however, if that is what they are good at and can stick with, it will help their self-esteem.
Website Resources:
- Healthychildren.org – from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
- Parent Toolkit is a one-stop resource developed with parents in mind. It’s produced by NBC News Learn and supported by Pearson and includes information about almost every aspect of your child’s development, because they're all connected.
- Pathways To Success Coaching – list of supportive websites, books, magazine, study tools, apps for time management, organization and homework tracking.
- CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) National Resource Center on ADHD.
Camps and Social Groups:
- UW Summer Camp – UW college of Arts and Sciences Summer camp for students with ADHD and Autism.
- Kids Coming Together – A new social group on the plateau/Highlands area support by Lake Washington Schools Foundation. This is a free group led by teen volunteers with adult support. Parents sign up on the website for different little activities that their kids can attend. The teen mentors lead by talking with the kids, encouraging them, and helping them talk to each other.
- Aspiring Youth through Ryther – Offers social skills groups, summer camps, and parent coaching.
- ICAN –offers social groups and many other services for all ages.
- Dayspring Behavioral Health – offers counseling, and social skills groups.