Why Children With ADHD Need Structure and Routines

Why Children With ADHD Need Structure and Routines ADHD Parenting Print Why Children With ADHD Need Structure and Routines By Keath Low Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD. Learn about our editorial policy Keath Low Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 13, 2019 ADHD Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Living With In Children 10000 Hours / DigitalVision / Getty Images If youre parenting a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), youve likely heard how important it is to expose such children to routines  and a structured environment. But what does that mean exactly, and how does structure help? With this overview, get a better understanding of why routines are the key to caring for children with trouble focusing. Understanding Structure Structure is a term one hears a great deal as it relates to parenting children with ADHD. So, what does structure look like? Simply put, a structured environment is one that is organized and predictable. When your child has day-to-day routines and a schedule to follow, this creates structure in their lives. Consistent house rules, expectations, and consequences that are clearly understood by your child (and positively reinforced by you) help maintain a predictable environment. In a structured environment, your child knows what to expect. This knowledge creates a sense of security, which is why most children benefit from structure whether they have ADHD or not. How to Organize Your Home to Help a Child With ADHD Structure and ADHD Many children are capable of structuring their  chores, schedules, and activities and of developing good habits on their own. For a child with ADHD, however, this is a much more difficult undertaking because of how the disorder functions. Children with ADHD struggle with the ability to regulate themselves. This means they find it challenging  to stop impulsive behaviors and keep their focus when there are so many distractions pulling them in different directions. The symptoms of ADHD lead to problems with self-control. As a result, children with ADHD need more external controls (i.e. structure) in order to help them manage symptoms. When you build in external controls at home, you are helping your child to experience more successes and also teaching them good habits and skills along the way. With structure, children learn to set aside the same block of time to complete their homework or to establish a bedtime and morning routine. Simple moves  such as taking a shower and picking out clothing for school the night before can make getting to school on time the following morning much easier. A Helpful Analogy One way to help explain structure is to use an analogy. Structure is a lot like scaffolding. In other words, the routines, the reminders, and limits you set and the consistency you provide is a lot like the scaffolding used on tall buildings. This scaffolding provides support as the building is going up, or “growing.” Similarly, when you create structure at home, you are providing the support needed to help your child be successful and develop greater competence. As a result, your childs  self-confidence  grows. Eventually, this will help your child develop skills to organize and structure their lives as they move into adulthood. Helpful ADHD Resources