MetroWest Daily News – Column: Parenting Children with ADHD During the COVID-19 Crisis

This column originally appeared in the MetroWest and Milford Daily News on April 20, 2020

At Wayside Youth & Family Support Network, where I’ve worked as a psychologist for 22 years, over 20 percent of our youth are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

At Wayside Youth & Family Support Network, where I’ve worked as a psychologist for 22 years, over 20 percent of our youth are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Our trained clinicians, parent support specialists and special education teachers work with families to help manage the emotional and behavioral health needs associated with ADHD.

Now, as a result of COVID-19, parents are doing the work previously shared by a team of people. There’s no expectation that any parent should be able to take on any of the above roles, let alone master them.

To help, I compiled a list of tips and resources with help from John Allen, a lead Family Support Specialist at Wayside’s MetroWest Community Services program.

Behavior Management:

• If your child takes medication, contact your provider to make sure you have refills and to determine if their dose needs to be changed while they are not in school. Contact your pharmacy to see if it’s possible to have the prescription mailed.

• Expect more behavior issues and remember that your child is not acting willfully when they are disorganized, loud, messy, easily distracted or unable to wait their turn.

• Establish a routine and stick to it. Based on your child’s age, have them brainstorm with you what works best for them. There is more buy in when they are part of the plan.

• Set clear expectations and rules that are age appropriate. Give consequences based on their emotional age rather than their actual age.

Schoolwork:

• A timer is your best friend! For homework, start by setting the timer for 10 minutes and gradually increase the amount of time. Build their self-esteem (an issue for kids with ADHD) by starting with information they already know.

• Children with ADHD can be anxious. Avoid battling with your child if they are getting frustrated. John emphasizes that your relationship with your child should be more important than schoolwork.

• Focus on your child’s strengths. Children with ADHD are often very creative thinkers. Tap into what their passion is (if it’s sports, have them create a Google slideshow about their favorite team or athletes) and let them run with it!

Monitor social media:

• Encourage appropriate social media use and monitor it – FaceTiming, gaming and making TikTok dance videos are all fun and safe ways for them to stay connected to their friends.

• Consider relaxing screen time rules. Local PBS stations will be offering additional educational programming for the foreseeable future. It might be a break you both will need.

Lauren Barry, Ph.D., is director of clinical initiatives and data analytics at Wayside Youth & Family Support Network.