3 tips to help your child with ADHD do well in school

Staying focused in school is even harder for kids with ADHD. As a parent, there are ways to help keep your child on track if you're concerned about their education.

• During the school year, it can be difficult to know how well your child is doing in school.
• If your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), you may be particularly concerned about your child's process.

Luckily, there are many things that you can do to stay connected with your child's school and track their progress throughout the year.

First and foremost, see if there are programs already in place to help children with ADHD.

• Many schools have programs in place to help children with educational problems like ADHD.
• Some schools have special classes that children can take to help them focus better, while others create a "team" that monitors the child's progress and makes reports to the parents on a regular basis.

Before your child starts the school year, it is also a good idea to talk to your child's teachers about the difficulties that your child tends to experience.

• During this meeting, be sure to exchange email addresses with the teacher so that you can easily check in with them anytime you would like an update. Many teachers are more than happy to provide this information.
• Some schools use an online system where parents can log in and see their student's grades from week to week.
• Other schools use a texting system that alerts parents to upcoming tests or progress reports so that parents always know what type of work the child is doing and when grades will be sent out.

If you are not certain when you should be checking on your child's progress, and you are afraid you are contacting the teacher too often, try using a checkpoint system.

• Check in during or after an event. For example, check in after the first report card makes it home, at parent/teacher conferences, or before holiday and/or seasonal breaks.

Remember, when it comes to your child's education, it is important for you as a parent to take an active part.

• Finding resources, facilitating good communication and following up by utilizing checkpoints is a good way to ensure that you are informed about your child's progress.