How to help teens with ADHD succeed in high school

High school is difficult for any teen to navigate, but a few extra challenges are important for kids with ADHD to address. Pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, talks about the ways parents can help teens and encourage independence.

Transcript

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The combination of new responsibilities, surging hormones, and the high school social minefield

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creates even more pressure for students with ADHD.

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I'm Dr. Altmann. High school is an exciting time for all teens. But for kids with ADHD, it may come

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with some special challenges. The combination of new responsibilities, surging hormones, and the high school social minefield

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creates even more pressure for students with ADHD. Here's how you can help your teen succeed in the classroom.

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Help her maintain a consistent homework schedule. Assist her in creating a daily and weekly checklist

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for assignments. You can also help break big, long-term projects down into smaller steps.

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Balance supervision with self-reliance. While you'll want to closely monitor progress, you also want to foster independence.

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Rewarding your teen whenever he completes assignments on his own is a good step in the right direction. Team up with teachers.

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Chat or email regularly with your team's teachers to stay on top of any ongoing behavioral problems, difficulty with homework assignments,

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or other issues in the classroom. Get help-- you can hire a tutor to help your teen develop solid study habits.

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Remind him that getting extra support now will help him master skills to be more independent in the future. I'm Dr. Altmann.

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For more ways to help your kids thrive, watch all our smart tips.