MHM Magazine

Issue 3 | 2022 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 17 MHM apart from ADHD, that may be affecting a child’s scholastic progress. What are educational assessments? Educational assessments are standardised assessments that can include an intellectual assessment (IQ assessment), and scholastic- based assessments which examine reading, writing and mathematical ability. These are used to establish a holistic view of any difficulties that might be hampering academic ability. The prevalence of ADHD and learning difficulties: Maughan & Carroll (2006) highlight research which indicates a significant overlap of literacy difficulties and ADHD and found that there is often a bidirectional effect on learning difficulties and behaviour related problems. They indicate that approximately 15% to 20% of children with learning disorders meet the criteria for ADHD and that 25% to 40% of children with ADHD may have a reading disorder. Furthermore, Pham & Riviere (2015) estimate that there is a 31% to 45% comorbidity rate between a Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) and ADHD. Learning disorders, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, auditory processing difficulties among others, may mimic symptoms of ADHD, such as inattention, disorganisation, and difficulties with concentration. Children with ADHD also struggle with working memory and short-term memory because of inattention. A child that is struggling to learn in the classroom may disrupt other learners to distract from their challenges, making it seem like they don’t want to do their work, when they are in reality, unable to do the work. Therefore it’s important to establish whether there are other barriers to learning aside from ADHD. Learning disorders are often overlooked in children with ADHD. In addition, a large portion of children with ADHD present with language and speech related problems (Hong, 2014). Hong (2014) further highlights that there is a shared symptomology and genetic risk for learning disorders and ADHD. If a child hasn’t received early intervention and optimal treatment for ADHD at a young age, secondary learning disorders may occur. This is because a child with ADHD might lose out on vital information during their foundation phase at school due to factors such as inattention and working memory difficulties. These foundation skills form the basis for equipping a child with the essential tools for learning as they progress through school. If required, an educational assessment can help motivate for assessment accommodations at school (which are specific adaptations and modifications to support the child with learning). These can include extra time for tests and examinations, spelling concessions, a reader and a scribe, separate examination rooms and curriculum modifications. Based on the above information, one can see the benefits of assessing a child with ADHD for additional learning difficulties. Given the high co- morbidity rate, and symptoms which may either mimic each other or overlap, an educational assessment can enable parents and teachers to have a clearer idea of a child’s specific challenges and be empowered to offer appropriate support. Below are some practical tips that doctors can provide parents on how to help their children with ADHD when it comes to homework: • Explain to the parent how important rules, structure, and boundaries are for a child with ADHD. Some examples to guide a parent to implement these can include: - Scheduling a set time to do homework and sticking to it. Children with ADHD function better with structure and routine. - Create a homework station, a spot where their child can do their homework every day. The space should suit the needs of their child (this may be a quiet area, dynamic seating, or fidget toys for sensory stimulation). - Arranging homework tasks according to subjects. - Create an organised binder for assignments and homework tasks. Colour coding different subjects can also assist e.g., all natural sciences related work goes in the “blue section”. It’s useful to provide a space where the teacher can write notes to the parents and instructions on what needs to be done. - Using visual charts and weekly/monthly planners to record daily work and note important dates. • Remind the parent that it is important to minimise distractions (windows, doors, pets, television, etc.) in the homework area to help keep their child focused on the task at hand. Parents should give their child one thing at a time and encourage them to finish what they set out to do before moving onto the next task. • Children have limited attention span and it’s important to advise parents that they should rather encourage short bursts of activity instead of doing