Back-to-School - ADHD and Sensory Accommodations

Over the years, we tried different accommodations to help my son through his school day. These are some suggestions that worked for him if you can get approval from your school.

PreK - 2nd Grade - Fidgets and Compression Shirts

If you've tried different fidgets before, one challenge can be finding the line between being helpful or causing an additional distraction. My son struggled using fidgets that could easily be dropped, rolled, or used as a projectile in the classroom. My solution to that was some beads on a ribbon which I either safety pinned or sewed inside his pants pocket. He could pull out the ribbon and slide the beads around. Sometimes he would leave it in his pocket and play with the beads.

My son has always loved the feeling of being wrapped up. We used weighted blankets, weighted lap pads, and a sensory swing at home. To help during his school day, he would wear silky compression shirts underneath his uniform. I would purposely buy them a size smaller, so they would fit him snugly. It was like getting a secret hug all day long!

3rd - 5th Grade - Chewing and Desk Placement

Chewing is something that can be calming and allow for better concentration. If my son was going to have a test or attend an assembly that would require sitting still time, I would send him with gum. If he was having a difficult time settling down after an activity (transitions were always a challenge), he would go to the nurse where I kept a supply of chewy candy. He would take a chew break, as we called it, and then go back to class. They do need to be old enough to understand the proper disposal of gum, but it was a huge help.

Finding the right desk placement is essential. You may find the front works best for paying attention to the teacher. Sometimes the back of the classroom works a bit better. That was where my son preferred. When we started watching his habits and looking for possible triggers, I noticed he would fidget more and get uncomfortable if he felt like he was surrounded. He did not like the feeling of people behind him. While you can't avoid every situation, I did start to request that he be seated at the back or on an aisle. Anything to give him the idea of some extra space. He still gets super annoyed if anyone is peaking over his shoulder!

6th - 8th Grade - Put Them in Charge and Put Them to Work

When we made the transition to junior high, we tried to give my son more control over the accommodations he might need. He started to drop his trips to the nurse and he didn't opt for special testing. As he got older, he became more aware of how his brain was wired a bit differently. Including him in the process and giving him some ownership over his symptoms was good preparation for high school. He would maybe take an extra bathroom break if he felt he needed to move or walk around a bit, but he also knew that sometimes a break was coming when he would switch classes.

The one big request I made to his teachers at this stage, was to put him to work. If they needed a desk moved, garbage taken out, chairs on top of desks, something taken to the office..whatever it was. He was your guy. He would gladly take the sensory input of pushing/pulling/moving, even if he wasn't aware of how it was helping him at the moment.

There is not a one size fits all solution for kids needing accommodations. You need to keep trying different things to find what works for your kid. Keep in communication with teachers about anything new you are trying to implement, so they can help you determine if it is helpful.