It is a challenge to make an ADHD child read and learn.
With a smile on my face, I entered my son’s school confidently since it was Card Day. He has ASD with ADHD and the symptoms observed on my son during his initial assessment were hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness and lacking in focus. This means it will be very challenging to make him sit down and listen to the teacher.
“Most diagnoses of ADHD originate with teachers’ observations. In the typical case, a child has been a persistent pain in the neck in school–not paying attention, not completing assignments, disrupting class with excessive movements and verbal outbursts,” Peter Gray Ph.D. points out.
He will also be very impatient when it comes to studying, especially when being taught how to read. I have been a regular visitor in the first grade Student Development Center since it’s necessary to communicate with the grade level counselor. By the end of first grading, all his teachers know of my son’s disorder and quite frankly, they’ve been very helpful and understanding.
So, I walked towards his classroom with acceptance in my heart. I know deep inside that his English/Reading subject grade will be very low. You see, I enrolled him in a traditional school since many other ASD and ADHD children were able to cope and manage their difficulties. I have been hoping that my son too will be able to do it.
“Mommy,” the homeroom teacher said. “Your son failed English.” This is Mrs.Pantinople and she is Michael’s (my son) English teacher. I shook her hand and smiled at them both.
I think they were puzzled at my happy reaction. I said, “Ok. I anticipated that. What can we do aside from his Educational Therapy twice a week, his Speech Therapy once a week, his Occupational Therapy twice a week and his online sessions?” They were shocked of how many therapy sessions and different treatment programs my son had to undergo each week. I was still maintaining my smile.
Mrs.Pantinople said, “I would like to have a one on one session with Michael twice a week for thirty minutes each session so that I can re-orient him the basics of reading.” I asked her how much I needed to pay and she said that this is free of charge. My smile grew even bigger as I thanked for the free service.
The homeroom teacher of my son assured me that they will do everything in their power to help him. And that was a step towards assisting and supporting him with his troubles. He wasn’t dumb or slow. It’s quite the opposite, actually. He has ADHD and ASD – a behavioral problem caused by genetic influences. My boy is very smart, but easily gets bored and is very impatient. This is why he has therapy daily, for him to be able to cope.
Now, I asked his Educational Therapist as to what I can do at home to help him be patient while learning how to read. She gave me a few tips:
- She told me to read together with my boy. Every night, I read him a short story. The therapist said that it is good practice for his listening skills. “It’s hard for kids with ADHD to listen to instructions, particularly instructions that involve multiple steps,” Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. says.
- The therapist also told me to make him imagine the scenario of the story that I read to him. Making him describe the events will improve his thinking and communicating skills.
- It is also a good way to hone his imagination if you ask your ADHD – “What do you think will happen next?” His comprehension skills and ability to focus on the story will be utilized.
- When he is reading on his own, let’s say his Science or Math book (he loves this subject and is performing really well in his tasks), I ask him to tell me what it’s all about. The therapist also told me that this can help him verbalize what he is thinking.
Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. also advises to, “Do it together. It’s easier for kids to do frustrating or unpleasant tasks if they have company.”
My boy is 7 years old and as of his last assessment, he has a developmental delay in his reading skills. As a mother of an ASD with ADHD child, my stress is over my head. But this is it for me and him. I just have to do what I can to help my child read and function in life.
Note: A mother in my boy’s school overheard the conversation I had with his teachers and asked me “How much does therapy cost?” I told her that the OT charged $165 per hourly session. The speech therapist’s price is $140 per hour. His educational therapist asked $100 for 60 minutes. The online sessions at BetterHelp were much cheaper and very supportive indeed.