ADHD and Summertime
For many families, and certainly many students, the summer represents a time of relaxation and recharging your batteries. Indeed it should be. Still, summer is a perfect opportunity to work with your doctor to improve your child’s ADHD medicine. This is the time to optimize the dose, perhaps try new medications, or terminate medications. These changes might not be undertaken during the school year due to potential interference with academic performance or school behavior. Personally, I dislike starting or changing medications in late August or September because it interferes with the first weeks of school. July and August are great months to do this work.
Aside from optimizing your child’s medication regimen, the summer is also a great time to help your child get caught up or even get ahead before school starts again. Flashcards, workbooks and educational games are excellent ways to introduce learning into your child’s summer. Family road trips present golden opportunities for word games or logic puzzles. Getting your child interested in a book series ensures that they will continue to read. Teach your children about history as your summer travels takes you through various parts of the country or the world. Learning does not have to stop just because school is out.
Summer is often viewed as a time to take a break from routine—a decision many parents regret as the school year approaches. Although children may try to push their bed times and rise times later and later, try to encourage a regular sleep/wake routine for your child that has them going to bed around the same time each night and waking up around the same time each morning. This is a tenet of good sleep hygiene. Don’t wait until the night before school starts to shift the child back to their school sleep/wake routine; start 2-3 weeks before school starts and push the schedule back by 10 to 15 minutes each night so that they have time to adjust.
My staff and I wish you a safe, fun and productive summer.
