Common Writing Problems for Kids with ADHD

If you have a child with ADHD, you might have noticed that some tasks are more difficult for them than others. For many kids with ADHD, writing is one task that’s especially challenging. Children with ADHD are more likely to have difficulties with writing than kids without ADHD, due to several different symptoms of their condition. 

As your child gets older and enters their high school and college years, the writing tasks that are expected of them start to get more and more challenging. It’s important that their writing skills are as strong as possible so they are equipped to succeed. 

In this article, I’ll talk about challenges with writing that are especially common in kids with ADHD, and what you can do to support them.

Why can ADHD impact writing skills?

Research has found that people with ADHD are more likely to have problems with writing than neurotypical people. One study found that ADHD was linked with a higher likelihood of written-language disorder. The difference in writing problems between girls with ADHD and girls without ADHD was higher than the same difference in boys. The kids in the study had difficulties with various writing tasks, like spelling, grammar, and handwriting.

Although it may come naturally for many neurotypical people, writing is actually a task that requires various skills and steps. ADHD can impact many of these skills, so it makes sense that kids who live with this condition often have a harder time being able to successfully complete writing tasks.

For example, for school writing assignments, a child must be able to focus on, and remember the writing prompt or instructions. Both inattention and memory problems are symptoms of ADHD. So a child with ADHD may already be behind their peers from the get-go if their condition makes it difficult to remember what they’re supposed to be writing about.

Another skill that’s required to successfully complete a writing task is to be able to organize your thoughts. After deciding what subject to write about, your child needs to plan what ideas they want to communicate and how they want to express these ideas in the written language. Kids with ADHD often have racing or disorganized thoughts, which can make this process difficult.

The process of proofreading after finishing a written task is also challenging for most kids with ADHD. ADHD causes children to have an extremely difficult time with tedious or repetitive tasks, like proofreading. It also makes it difficult to pay attention to the smaller details. Especially if they experience impulsivity, your child may not catch their mistakes while completing a writing assignment.

Lastly, kids with ADHD often have difficulties with their fine motor skills. Holding a pen or typing may be difficult for them if they experience this symptom.

Other reasons why writing may be challenging for kids with ADHD include because it’s difficult for them to get started on projects or because writing simply seems boring to them.

How to help a child with ADHD with writing

Luckily, there are ways to help your child with ADHD develop their writing skills. Keep in mind, however, that there is no cure for ADHD, and therefore your child with ADHD will never become neurotypical. And that’s okay -- neurodivergence can and should be celebrated, and there are many benefits to having ADHD.

But this also means that writing may never come as easily to your child with ADHD as it does to another child without ADHD. It’s important to support them in strengthening their skills as well as obtaining accommodations that will set them up for success. Treating ADHD symptoms is also likely to be helpful.

Here are 4 ways to help a child with ADHD with their writing skills.

Help them hold a pencil

Often, it’s a lack of fine motor skills that causes kids with ADHD to have difficulties with writing. One way to support your child is to help them learn how to hold a pencil correctly. Make sure that they’re holding their pencil in a way that allows them to get a good grip on it.

You can also train your child to use the right amount of pressure when writing. Many kids with ADHD either apply too little or too much pressure. 

Occupational therapists can provide support and treatment to strengthen your child’s fine motor skills overall. Physical aids, like special pencil grips or mechanical pencils (rather than regular pencils), could also help.

Create visual outlines

If your child doesn’t know what they’re going to write about and in what order, then it’s likely that they will have a difficult time completing any writing assignment. 

Help them organize their thoughts and ideas by using visual outlines. There are many different methods for outlining or organizing thoughts, but one is called mind mapping. Using mind mapping, your child can get all of their thoughts on paper and start to put them into categories. 

Then, help your child put all of their ideas into order. Color-coded notes may work well, but you can collaborate with your child to find a method that works for them. Make sure all of their notes are readily available and organized before your child starts actually writing.

Split it up into smaller tasks

Starting and finishing an essay can feel like a nearly impossible task for many people with ADHD. Make the task feel more manageable by breaking it into smaller chunks.

Keep in mind that what may feel like a small chunk to you may still feel overwhelming to someone with ADHD. Work collaboratively with your child, and ask them what task would feel manageable to them. It’s okay to allow them to start with tasks (or portions of the writing assignment) that feel easier to them. The important thing is to start and finish.

Give clear instructions

One reason kids with ADHD struggle with writing is because they can’t pay attention to, or forget, the writing prompt. You can help your child by making sure that the instructions are clear. 

Avoid multi-step instructions if possible. For example, instead of saying, “Write your introduction, then write a list of ways to help kids with ADHD with their writing, then write the conclusion to summarize,” you can first give the instruction to write an introduction that includes certain points. When that task has been completed, move on to the second part, and so on.

In addition, be very clear about expectations. Instead of saying, “Write a clear introduction,” say, “Write an introduction that includes a brief history of the issue, and a sentence that summarizes what you will write about.”

Takeaway

It’s common for kids with ADHD to struggle with writing and related tasks. Since writing is such an important component of overall academic achievement, it’s important to help your child develop their writing skills as much as they can. Strategies like teaching them to hold a pencil and breaking writing tasks into smaller steps may be able to help them. Natural treatment for ADHD, including occupational therapy, can also be beneficial.