ADHD Awareness Month

The month of October is ADHD Awareness Month.

We have lots of great tips, resources, tools and advice to share with you.

What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
What does ADHD feel like to a child or young person?
What would an outsider notice?
What can we learn about ADHD to be more perceptive, understanding, and helpful to people with ADHD?

We’re kicking off the month with some tips shared with us by a local parent of a 16 year old with ADHD.

Lynette said: “These are what I use with my son.

“He’s 16, and 5ft 7”.

“Obviously me being 5ft2/3 he’s much taller than me. I’m fortunate as he’s never been aggressive with me ever (even when in meltdown).”

“As for his meltdowns, he was a runner so I had to catch him and bear hug him until he calmed down.
“Break down jobs into bite sized chunks.
“Be specific. I.e. my husband covered his meal with a pan lid, then later asked our son to clingfilm it. The result was meal and pan lid clingfilmed.
“Make a list when breaking jobs down, for example list everything they need to do to clean their bedroom.
“Either a whiteboard or an enlarged copy of their school timetable, include any after school activities.
“Buy in food for your ADHD-er to snack on. If medicated, they get hungry when meds wear off and will eat your out of house and home if your not careful.
“Put a bin in their bedroom for rubbish, it makes it easier for when they clean it and you could also get them to empty it in a morning.
“Buy in some chamomile tea, it helps me calm down when I get frustrated with him and helps my anxiety.”

These tips show some practical, and easy to implement strategies that have helped Lynette and her son in everyday tasks.

Could a visual cue like a whiteboard or large timetable help your child to stick to their schedule?
You know what you want them to do, but do they?
Be specific and make lists of everything that needs to be accomplished for a task to be finished.

Do you have some ideas to share that have helped you, your child or your family?

You are the expert in your own lives and there are lots of parents and carers eager to try new techniques. To share your experience email the SEND Local Offer Coordinator, lauren.thompson2@nelincs.gov.uk.
The website is read by parents and carers, professionals, and children and young people.

This content was originally published on, NEL SEND Support, the Facebook group Lynette runs with two other parents.