ADHD Symptoms Depend on the Situation

Children with ADHD tend to behave better under these certain circumstances:

1. New and unfamiliar settings. When situations are exciting and new, children with ADHD behave better. This is because boredom, which causes a decrease in behavior control, has not set in. For example, during the first exciting days at school with a new teacher and a new classroom, children with ADHD behave much better than when the school year becomes routine. Boredom during the school day can be reduced by using bright and colorful school materials and textbooks, which may help children with ADHD work better in school.
2. Immediate rewards for behavior. Children with ADHD pay better attention to tasks in which they are given immediate and frequent feedback and rewards.
3. One-on-one attention. Children with ADHD tend to behave better when they interact individually with others. For example, the child may seem less active and impulsive during one-on-one meetings with grandparents or friends. This also means that group situations are a difficult environment for children with ADHD.
4. Tasks in the morning. Children with ADHD often work better in school and on homework in the morning than they do later in the day. Unless a child is on extended-release medication, homework may be completed more efficiently in the morning than in the evening.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Barkley, R. A. (2013). Taking charge of ADHD: The complete, authoritative guide for parents (3rd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.