A child with ADHD experiencing difficulties with work or other children will often focus on the shortcomings of the teacher and say he or she is picking on him. This tends to happen more often in large classes with few resources, where the teacher has not made special arrangements for them. These children, especially those who are sensitive, are particularly vulnerable and may find it hard to cope, and may react defensively or aggressively or even withdraw into themselves.
When the child does get upset, give him an outlet for ways of expressing feelings – for example, in physical exercise – or redirect attention to an activity he enjoys to give him a chance to calm down. Encouraging him to count to ten slowly may help him regain self-control before reacting. Getting him to focus on calming his breathing may also help.
Such a vulnerable child may often manage on his own and it is often only in the presence of others in bigger group settings that the problems are noticed. The key to success is for you to encourage support between all children in the class. Rewarding good behaviour, rather than necessarily punishing bad, making a positive comment or smiling can be effective reinforcers.
Children with ADHD benefit from having good programmes for self-esteem enhancement and very clear boundaries for behaviour. Having a less punitive approach and spending time teaching and encouraging will motivate the pupil and reap rewards for both you and child. Strategies such as helping the child feel valued and ideas for nurturing self-esteem, give further information on this.
Recognize that the often intense emotions, coupled with the hypersensitive tendencies of many children with ADHD mean that they may ruminate on issues and situations that have upset them, made them angry or feel humiliated. Sometimes this can last for days or more. They can hold grudges or want to take revenge on those they perceive were responsible and can find it extraordinarily difficult to draw a line and move on to other things.
