How To Keep A Child With ADHD On Task

Trouble focusing is a hallmark symptom of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Many parents find that trouble with task completion affects their child's ability to succeed in school and other areas of life. However, improving focus is possible for children with ADHD. Often, it is a matter of discovering what works for each unique child.

So, what can you do to help your child focus? In this article, we'll discuss ways to keep a child with ADHD on task, such as using rewards and incentives, breaking big tasks into smaller tasks, and ensuring the environment is right.

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Can A Child With ADHD Concentrate On A Task?

It is possible for kids with ADHD to concentrate on tasks. The fact of the matter is that people with ADHD have brains that work differently, so using a fresh approach that caters to these differences can be a game-changer. While it may take trial and error, parents can help their children focus.

Tips For Helping Your Child Focus On Tasks

Helping kids who struggle with paying attention or staying focused is about more than the task itself. Kids with ADHD tend to experience symptoms into adulthood most of the time, so if your child can build skills to help them finish tasks now, it'll help them later in life, too. With all of that said, many parents wonder, "What works?" Try these strategies to help your child improve focus and stay on task.

Try Joon

Joon is a new app designed for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their parents. Using an app like Joon is an excellent way to keep your child focused on important daily tasks and routines. How does it work?

Joon is a to-do app that doubles as a game. Parents sign up for Joon first with the Joon Parent App and create a task list for their child. When children finish tasks, they receive rewards in the game that let them care for a virtual pet, called a Doter.

Joon helps kids focus on routine activities like brushing their teeth, doing homework, or finishing household chores. 90% of children who use Joon finish all of the tasks parents assign. Even better, it's backed by child psychologists, teachers, and occupational therapists.

With a total of over 3.6k reviews from parents like you, Joon is rated an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars in the app store.

Click here to try Joon for free.

Offer Rewards And Incentives

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool for kids with ADHD. Many kids benefit from reward systems such as token systems, sticker charts, and apps. Incentives like small objects and fun experiences tend to work well and promote good behavior without breaking the bank.

Positive feedback in the form of words can help a child stay motivated, too. Give your child praise as they work on a task.

Make The Task Engaging

Most people would say that they're more apt to stay on task if they enjoy what they're doing. Help your child learn or focus more effectively by making a task fun. Parents can engage their children in a task more effectively by turning it into a game or making it more hands-on.

Create A Checklist

People with ADHD often find themselves easily distracted or sidetracked, but forgetfulness is a very common symptom affecting task completion, too. As a result, people of all ages with ADHD benefit from external tools like morning checklists, to-do lists, and calendars to keep them organized.

Create a checklist that is easy for your child to refer back to so that they know what they're supposed to do and can mark it off once they're done. When kids mark things off of their checklist, it can help them feel accomplished, which is an added bonus.

Checklists can be digital or physical. Some people use both! Read our list of the best to-do apps for kids with ADHD.

Break Tasks Up

Big tasks can be overwhelming, which may mean that kids lose focus, motivation, and confidence. When your child is met with a big task, break it down into smaller steps to make it less daunting. This can help with anything from math problems to cleaning.

Use Timers

Alongside trouble focusing, many kids with ADHD face difficulty with time management. Timers can help your child focus on tasks, keep track of time, and switch from one task to another at the appropriate time. Usually, parents can find timer apps for free.

Pay Attention To The Environment

Make it your goal to reduce distractions and create a soothing, focused environment for your child to help them stay on task. During homework time or any other instance where you need kids to focus, block distractions (like television) out.

Note that not all stimuli will distract a child; some may actually help a child focus. For example, soothing background noise, such as white noise, can aid focus and is a helpful option to consider.

Give Kids Time To Move Around

Your child might be more apt to experience trouble focusing if they have been seated for too long. Research shows that physical activity can help children with ADHD with cognitive function, social skills, and impulse control, alongside other proven benefits of exercise, like better mental health and sleep.

What activities should you try? Team or individual sports, dancing, walks, play, or anything else that allows your child to get moving work. What matters is that your child enjoys it and gets the benefits.

Let Kids Fidget

Similar to giving your child time to move around, research shows that fidget toys can aid focus in children with ADHD. A study on students with ADHD vs. students without ADHD found that the children with ADHD experienced improvements in focus when they played with fidget spinners. This is yet another example of how a child with ADHD might respond to stimuli differently. Give your child a simple fidget toy, like a pop-it toy, silly putty, or fidget spinner, if they benefit from using them.

Maintain Structured Routines

Maintaining structured routines can help a child with ADHD tremendously. Create a routine for homework time, household chores, getting ready for school, after-school activities, and any other important daily tasks, like preparing for bed or taking medication. That way, your child will get into the habit of doing things like homework. Remember to write in breaks during homework time and other lengthy or sedentary tasks.

Use other tips, like trying the Joon app and writing a checklist, to help your child stick to a new routine.

Get Your Child Support At School

If your child is struggling to maintain focus in the classroom, there are a couple of ways to help. Talking with your child's teacher or teachers about their ADHD symptoms and needs is a great place to start. Many kids with ADHD benefit from and have school accommodations via a 504 plan. School accommodations for a child with ADHD may include but aren't limited to changes in classroom seating arrangements (to help kids avoid distractions), extra breaks during the school day, and more time on tests. Specific classroom or school accommodations will differ for every child based on their needs.

Pay Attention To Mental Health

ADHD is associated with emotional dysregulation and a higher prevalence of diagnoses like anxiety and depression. It is not uncommon that kids experience mental health challenges alongside ADHD. Unfortunately, some mental health conditions and challenges can lead to or worsen problems with focus, school performance, and behavior.

It is crucial to discuss mental health at home, teach your child to use coping skills (e.g., deep breaths) when overwhelmed, and find additional help for your child if needed.

Treat ADHD Symptoms

The first strategies used to treat ADHD generally include a combination of behavior therapy, medication, and lifestyle interventions. Here are some tips for managing ADHD symptoms in kids:

• Stay up-to-date on your child's medication routine, ensuring they take their prescription(s) as directed.
• Look for a therapist if your child might benefit from behavior therapy. Younger children usually benefit from parent training, whereas older kids might attend individual therapy.
• Pay attention to your child's diet, sleep, and other lifestyle factors, like physical activity, that may affect symptoms in kids with ADHD.

Talk with your child's doctor (or another appropriate medical professional) before you make changes to their treatment plan. Medical providers can also help troubleshoot unmanaged symptoms in kids with ADHD. Every child with ADHD is different, and there are many treatment options out there.