Tips For Helping Your ADHD Child Succeed In Preschool

Posted on: 9 August 2016

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) typically have trouble in school, and this can be a concern for parents. If you have a three or four-year child and want to enroll him or her in preschool, there are several things you should be aware of if your child has ADHD. Children with ADHD can succeed in school; however, there may be some extra steps you will need to take to ensure that your child behaves well while there and learns the things he or she needs to learn. Here are several things you should know about kids with ADHD and preschool.

Typical Problems Preschool Kids Have With ADHD

When a child has ADHD, he or she may struggle with the following issues:

  • Problems focusing on tasks
  • The inability to finish things he or she is working on
  • Getting along with others
  • Following instructions and rules
  • Sitting still

A typical preschool child is between the ages of three and four, and a child this old only has an attention span of 8 to 10 minutes. Children this age with ADHD will have an even shorter attention span. Preschool teachers fully understand this about young kids, and they take this into consideration when planning activities for the children that come to preschool.

One thing you should do when enrolling your child in preschool is talk to the staff to let them know about your child's condition. By knowing of your child's condition, the teachers can have a better understanding of your child's personality and behavior, which will help them know how to instruct, guide, and teach your child in ways that might be better for him or her.

Preschools With Strict Disciplinary Policies Might Be The Best Option

Kids with ADHD often seem to do better when they take medication for this disorder, but they also do well when they learn their boundaries. In order for a child with ADHD to learn boundaries at preschool, the teachers must be strict. This means that they must have strict rules and consequences, and that they follow through with enforcing them whenever it is necessary.

With this type of structure, your child is more likely to catch on to these rules and follow them in order to avoid the consequences of breaking school rules.

Another technique that works well for children with ADHD is positive reinforcement. If the school uses this technique, your child may have a better chance of succeeding while there. With positive reinforcement, the teachers praise the children when they do good things. For example, if a child picks up a crayon another child drops, the teacher might offer praise to that child for helping another student. Positive reinforcement encourages children to do well, and this is primarily because most children thrive on praise.

Keep Up With Doctor Visits

ADHD is a disorder that sometimes fades with age, but it can also be something that is hard to diagnose. In some cases, doctors may believe a child has ADHD when really the child may have some other type of learning disorder. As a parent, you should keep up with doctor visits for your child so you can stay in tune with what is going on with the child. Regular doctor visits can help you understand the issues your child has, and they can help you ensure that your child is receiving the right type and dosage of medication. These visits will be very important as you enroll your child in preschool, so that you can help the teachers understand the child's condition.

If your child has ADHD and is ready for preschool, you may want to talk to several schools in the area before choosing the right one for your son or daughter. Contact a school like Advantage Learning Center to get started.

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Going Back To School

After spending years away from school, I realized that I needed to get a degree if I wanted to advance at all at work. However, I was really nervous about heading back into the classroom with people that were around 30 years younger than I was. Although I was really nervous about it, I picked out my hippest outfit, gathered together some school supplies, and registered for classes. This blog is all about continuing your education, going back to school, and doing what you want to with your life for the first time. After all, you can be anything you want to be with the right education.

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