DD college lanyard woes (ADHD)

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My DD is meant to wear a lanyard at college with her student pass in it - she needs it to get in/out of buildings, buy lunch etc. She has ADHD and lost/forgot it most days last year until she started keeping her pass in her phone case and all was well from then on.

Fast forward to yr13 and shes Head Girl and been told she has to physically wear the lanyard to lead by example. Day 3 and she’s lost it already and is distraught.

Anyone got any tried and tested tips or solutions to help?

If there is a sensory issue there it’s not just a matter of trying or learning. Sometimes it’s not about memory, it’s about not being able to tolerate something.

Can you stick an Apple Air-tag on it? It's the only way my sister can find ANYTHING except her phone. Either that or the only thing to do is to pin it to her.

She loses it because it she takes it off because it annoys her. She only removes it momentarily but then she puts it down and then "poof" it has gone from her head and she no longer remembers it ever existed. The magic of ADHD!

Ok, so there's a sensory issue that means she can't "just wear it." But the lanyard needs to be worn somehow and not lost. So the next step is to figure out what options are viable that will help her to keep hold of the lanyard in a way that is acceptable to the school and her. Simply shrugging and saying "she can't help it" is no more helpful than saying "she cares more about her phone."

That's why my first question, which may have appeared flippant, was relevant. I have worn a lanyard for over 20 years of my adult working life and never lost it because I simply never take it off. I have, on the other hand, lost watches, smart cards and even on one occasion a pair of trousers, mostly because they get accidentally chucked in the communal hospital laundry. I nearly lost my wedding ring down a sink and in a patient's bed recently! So why is she taking it off, when/where is she taking it off, where is she putting it when it comes off? Those are questions that can help come up with ideas for solutions, whether that's trying a different material for the lanyard, using a belt/pocket clip instead, or having a set pocket in her bag where it always goes. It's not easy and may not be right first time, but it needs thinking about.

Some oddly aggressive replies here.

An extendable keychain hanging from her belt hook or pinned to her blazer/jumper should work. The tile suggestions are a very good idea.

Can they give her a clip so that she can attach it to clothing rather than wear it around her neck> It is a common sensory issue to not be able to wear things around your neck so they should have an alternative for SEn pupils

Attach an Apple AirTag tag or similar so that she can locate it if lost. I have them on my keys as I'm always misplacing them.

If she can remember to take her phone, she can remember the lanyard. Or would if it was at all important to her.
Can she set a reminder on her phone?

At many workplaces this is also a requirement. How is she losing it, should just put it on and keep it on?

She doesn't need to tie it, she can get belt clips like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275922221554?_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339019731&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A275922221554%3B{GCLID}&adtype=pla&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=9197144&gbraid=0AAAAADmMgihf0DqWC-FxSDZqhWVQc_4X7&gclid=CjwKCAjwqonVBhA4EiwA9wYJ3bVD6ACJLV9n_1DZYSc5YkXJfD-iKYQDaK4EiFZJL7d5zNXYG0JTABoCybcQAvD_BwE

That comes across like a joke but I suspect it isn’t. It’s a lanyard. She’s not a toddler. I’m sure there’s a way she can ensure it has no contact with her skin and keep it on.
She just doesn’t want to
wear it and is kicking up an unnecessary fuss. What’s she planning to do at work?

This thread is so depressing.

try one of these https://amzn.eu/d/0eustzSY i can’t wear stuff round my neck due to a skin condition so use this on my belt loops instead for work.

I don’t understand what you mean. The
OP and her DD sound desperate to sort it out.

This is about safeguarding and she needs to wear her photo ID, as we all do. Where I teach, they have colour coordinated lanyards as well, to identify year groups.
She can either pin the card to her top somehow, and show the lanyard some other way.
All the students do seem to manage this, someway or another, although I had a girl in my tutor group who couldn't cope with a lanyard, so she just had the whole thing pinned to her clothing.
Her Mum also put a reminder on her phone that she got before she left the house.
This avoided the sanctions for not wearing one.
Perhaps your DD could do the same?

Congrats to DD on being head girl!
I second the retractable holder that clips on to belt loops or button holes, I used these at work for keys. Or if it has to be around her neck I would attach a crocodile clip to the back of the card holder and clip to her clothes, so it’s secure and the fabric doesn’t have to sit right against her neck

It does sound like the issue is that she doesn't like wearing it, so hopefully the suggestions will help.

I would also say giving her lanyard a home when she doesn't wear it can help. Ds puts his in the side pocket of his bag (as did i when i needed one) and DD hangs her on the hook by the door.

I also spend an enormous amount of time hunting down lost phones, thankfully usually in the house and always on silent!!

If there is a sensory issues around wearing the lanyard, that’s the reason she’s taking it off. It could also be that this is one responsibility too many for her.

She’s been asked to wear it to set an example to others, so she’s probably taking it off when not around others, and that’s why it gets lost. The solutions you’ve mentioned here may work for those who don’t have ADHD but very possibly won’t for someone with the condition, and OP says they’ve tried various workarounds. She also says DD has missed a lot of college last year because of the continuing issues around the lanyard so clearly it’s a significant problem.

I actually think the solution here is for the school to realise that ADHD is a disability and that they need to make reasonable accommodation for it, up to and including not wearing the lanyard at all if it continues to cause problems - particularly if it causes so much distress that her education is suffering. I understand the need to wear an ID but surely an ID badge that can clip to outer clothing would be a better solution.

She’s disabled. The lanyard is causing sensory issues so reasonable adjustments for her disability are necessary. And those same reasonable adjustments will be available in a work environment. If you think that what OP has described here is just a stroppy teen not wanting to do something then you clearly don’t understand ADHD so why are you commenting ?

Congratulations to your daughter on being head girl!

I'm not sure how much the issue is remembering it in the first place vs losing it at school.

For remembering it
-keeping it in a really obvious place (hook by the door)
-getting a really bright lanyard and card holder
-getting one she really likes (sounds daft but creating a positive association can help - my DS has one with his fave anime character, he has not lost it yet despite losing everything else!)

To avoid losing it
-the bright lanyard/holder helps (if she puts it down it is very visible)
-airtag or similar to help find it if lost

If she is losing it because she's taking it off
-try DIY-ing a different lanyard from a fabric that's more comfortable (a soft rope type material maybe that doesn't have scratchy edges)
-a cardholder on a clip with an extendable cord than can be clipped on to waistband, jacket etc.
-trying to encourage her to create a habit like physically checking before leaving a room that she has it on her.

I have worked in a college and if there are genuine issues is the sensory part, they should allow it to be put on a clip or magnet instead.

And if it’s a requirement that causes problems for someone with a disability there will be reasonable adjustment to suit both parties. I don’t understand why you’ve come to a thread about disability if you don’t understand the first thing about that disability.

haven't read to the end but I used to have a similar problem at work, the lanyard used to irritate my neck, I started tucking the lanyard under my shirt collar problem solved.

At work, many of us use retractable clips, not lanyards. My work doesn’t allow waist clipping, the easiest clip point, for security reasons. The badge has to be displayed higher, so that gets a bit tricky, but it is still manageable, even with sensory issues.

Work is rarely as rigid as school.

A reasonable adjustment works both ways and there have been a number of suggestions on here to help

Oh lovely - a reason for men to stare at your boobs

think I quoted the wrong post sorry !