I write for adults with ADHD, but the heritability of the disorder means many of us will end up parenting kids with ADHD as well. In my 2018 reader survey, some of you asked for more information on how to support kids with ADHD. I’m pleased to bring you this guest post with a brief overview of the accommodations your child may be entitled to at school. If you’re looking for a more in-depth personal experience on this topic, you can’t get much better than Penny Williams’ Parenting ADHD & Autism blog.
The back-to-school transition can be stressful for any child, but especially so for children with ADHD or mental health challenges. Maybe your child is at an entirely new school this year, or just a new classroom. Either way, acclimating a new set of teachers or administrators to their concerns can be difficult. Understanding how to work with your child’s teachers will make a tremendous difference in getting proper support during the school day.
Gather the facts
If you ask for special accommodations for your child, you need a solid argument as to why they’re necessary. Familiarize yourself with facts about your child’s mental health concerns. This will help you make a case for extra support and services. Although ADHD comes up often because of its impacts on academic performance, you should know how it impacts your child’s performance specifically. This will help you get accommodations tailored to them.
Recognize that your child’s ADHD may create inaccurate perceptions among teachers and peers. Perhaps your child can’t finish assignments as quickly as her peers because she gets derailed by other thoughts. Teachers may see this as poor work ethic, a kid who doesn’t care about learning. Or maybe your child frequently gets in trouble for talking during lessons. He blurts out thoughts as they come. Without proper awareness, a teacher may not think to attribute this to ADHD.
Know how ADHD impacts your child as an individual and keep an open dialogue with teachers about these issues. This communication will jumpstart the process of securing the right support.
Know your rights
Learn what your child’s educational rights are, as well as the kind of help parents can ask for. Section 504 was created within the U.S Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to help students with physical or mental impairments in education. This section legally obligates your child’s school to provide accommodations when ADHD impairs the ability to learn.
However, 504 accommodations can only do so much. 504s provide general services to support your child, such as counseling or extended time for assignments. They’re most helpful for children who can succeed without significant academic changes. For more customized accommodations within a public school, you have the right to ask for an independent educational evaluation (IEE) to support putting an individualized education plan (IEP) into place.
Building an argument for why your child’s ADHD would benefit from this type of support is critical. The school’s administration can deny the implementation of an IEP should they feel the 504 is adequate. The IEE, along with your understanding of your child’s ADHD and how it impacts their education, will help build this argument.
What can you ask for?
There are a variety of directions to take your 504 or IEP accommodations. Building your awareness of the available options will help you ensure the school is doing all they can to support your child’s success.
504 accommodations tackle areas outside of the curriculum, like the setting where your child learns. If your child is easily distracted, you may request preferred seating. Ask for your child to be seated away from the windows or doors and closer to the board to limit distractions. Another accommodation could be to move your child to a separate, quiet space for testing to reduce distractions and provide an equal opportunity for success.
If you think these types of accommodations may be inadequate, research sample IEPs for ADHD to get a feel for what other parents have done. If your child’s excessive energy levels negatively impact their performance on testing, seek changes to can slow or prevent academic decline. This could come in the form of extended time on tests, with numerous five-minute breaks for your child to get up and move around. Maybe they would benefit from a change in test structure: a verbal format rather than a written one, which requires more focus and neater handwriting. There are plenty of options to pursue, depending on where your child needs support.
Building confidence in and out of school
Your child’s accommodations may be subtle, allowing them more privacy while managing their ADHD. However, some children need more noticeable accommodations to provide optimal support. This can draw peer awareness to their challenges. Feeling they are different from their classmates can be isolating and result in low self-esteem. This is especially so as children transition into a new school year. Your child may be surrounded by an entirely new set of kids who haven’t had a chance to get to know him yet.
As you work with your child’s school to build a system of support, keep her updated on its development. Engage in conversation about the purpose of any accommodations and how they will contribute to academic success. Emphasize that needing support is not a bad thing, and that she ought to have these accommodations if it’ll make her days easier. Should other students begin asking questions, help your child rehearse responses. Having a script to guide these conversations helps kids build the confidence to advocate for themselves.
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