ADHD in girls - advice for adjustments in school

[MrsMAFs]

Posting here for traffic.

I have a 6 year old DD about to be referred for an ADHD assessment. I've long suspected that she is and now we are having trouble at school which backs it up.

Meeting with school next week and just wondered if anyone with experience in this area could point me in the right direction of what might be useful to ask for. I'm sure the school will be on the ball, been very supportive already and might have covered all bases but just incase anything gets missed I'd like to ask for things in place to support DD.

From what I can gather her biggest issue in school is anxiety. Worried about getting the work right. However I'll learn more in the meeting.

What we see at home is a very busy girl, always talking and moving. Has a strong sense of what's right and wrong and fair. Likes to follow rules. Very sensory. Not great with food. Regular stomach aches. Worries a lot. Very bright.

Thanks.

I would ask if they suspect ADHD or neurodiversity in general - a lot of the things you have mentioned would equally fit under an ASD diagnosis so if it is possible to be referred to both, rather than a single pathway, I would push for that.

I would ask what difficulties are the most urgent to focus on and what they are going to put in place to help?

I agree with ASD assessment too.

• movement breaks
• sensory diet
• able to have lunch and breaks in a quieter area
• use of fidget toys and ear defenders
• wobble cushion
• Give her name first and the instruction
• Time warning for transitions
• Visual timetable
• Informed of changes to the routine
• Intervention on recognising emotions and coping strategies
• take break cards

My dd was diagnosed Dyspraxic at 6 and was suspected adhd (that referral didn’t go anywhere but now been referred again 6 years on)

She had

movement breaks when she was losing focus.

A wobble cushion.
Figit toys
She may need instructions repeating

Thank you everyone. I know a visual timetable is used in school.

Repeating instructions is good I would imagine she would need this. I would need to ask her numerous times at home to do something before it registers.

I know in nursery they suspected autism. I'm not sure what will come in this meeting but adhd has defined been mentioned I do suspect they will add in autism too.

She had counselling last year and is on the waiting list for that again. I will mention movement breaks as I suspect they would help her.

@MrsMAFsthe other thing with instructions is keep them short. I went on an adhd course and they explained that if you give a string of instructions and then another one it just confuses their mind even more. When I needed my daughter to get ready in the morning it literally boiled it down to just saying teeth - hair - shoes.

Ear defenders (Loops when older) might help with any noise sensitivities causing anxieties but also help with any distracting noises.

Thank you everyone. Short instructions are a good shout. We struggle at home eith th basics like getting undressed and dressed. I'm maybe giving her too much info. I'll try that at home.

Adjustments aren't about the condition. They're about the needs a specific person has. Forget the ADHD for a moment and just think about your child needs at school to help them to be happy, safe and making good progress. What do you (and your child) think they need and use that as a starting point.

The only thing my child says is to see the counsellor.

For me, seeing how she is at home, I'd imagine she would really struggle with long periods of sitting at a desk so I feel like breaks / movement aids for when she's sat at her desk would help.

Sounds like a good start. Things can always be added, tweaked or changed as time goes on.

Movement breaks are definitely a reasonable adjustment. @Whotochoose2025 nails it. Focus on the support she needs not the diagnosis. This is how support of provided both for education and from the GP for things like sleep issues etc. you ask for support for the issue, not the diagnosis.

Try giving her a picture to do list. Google SEN getting ready list for ideas.

Thank you, support is exactly what we are after.

I think i've steered away from any aids due to knowing DPs feelings but now it is being driven by school and he slowly gets on board they are definitely things we can introduce at home.

I did go with just 'teeth' this morning instead of a sentence and will try and adopt that more at home.