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Monthly NewsNote
November 2005
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Homework Problems – A Diagnostic Clue for ADD
I have written about homework problems and ADD often because I feel homework is
frequently a significant part of the difficulty that is ADD. In fact, homework
problems are often the first ADD symptoms to present themselves, even though the
ADD might not be formally diagnosed until years later. So when homework problems
appear, it’s important for parents and therapists to take a good look at
what’s going on and why.
Here is an example from an office evaluation that took place a week ago. Jane
is in fifth grade, reasonably popular, and liked by her teacher. She has always
been considered an underachiever, but as fifth grade progresses she is falling
behind. Her teacher feels homework problems are the cause.
What are the problems? Sitting down and just “doing it” seems an
insurmountable task for Jane. She sits down for a few minutes, then gets up
for some trumped up reason, and eventually returns for a short time. This leads
to the work being done poorly or perhaps not at all.
Enter Mom who must sit next to Jane to keep her focused. This helps with homework
but often leads to parent-daughter conflicts and an unhappy mother many days
a week.
The message to this point is that if you are a parent or therapist working
with a child with homework problems, consider ADD. And if distractibility is
part of the problem, pay even more attention to the possible diagnosis of ADD.
The reason I see homework as a good diagnostic tool for ADD is because it demonstrates
most of the features of the condition. In no particular order it shows distractibility,
restlessness, boredom, disorganization, procrastination, impulsivity and a low
frustration tolerance.
So when I start an evaluation I often ask about homework first. This is for
two reasons. One is because if they’re present, I can learn about many
ADD symptoms fairly quickly. The other is because homework is usually an emotionally
charged area, and it is therapeutically useful for the child and parent to talk
about. We get the chance to build the patient-therapist relationship by discussing
their problem, and it also allows me to tell them that we can help, which is
reassuring. From that point I can develop the ADD evaluation and decide on a
treatment plan.
Of course, the subject of how to handle homework once ADD is diagnosed is far
more complex than this newsnote can deal with successfully. I suggest that you
review and perhaps print out “Homework and ADD – Parents Alert”
archived under NewsNotes and “Attention Deficit Disorder and Homework”
in the Newsletter Library. There you will find some specific and hopefully useful
suggestions.
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