Introduction
A presenting problem with individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is difficulty interacting with others through social skills. This article will describe several examples of how social skills can interfere with individuals, specifically children, with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and provide ways to help individuals improve their social skills.
Difficulty Making Friends
One way social skills interfere with the lifestyle of children is through difficulty making friends. According to understood.org, “Kids with ADHD often don’t notice how their behavior affects other people. They may interrupt others and have trouble filtering what they say-which could irritate others.” On a further note, one helpful way to help improve this behavior with your child is through role-playing. According to https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/add-adhd/5-ways-adhd-can-affect-your-childs-social-life?gclid=COqz0YKq4M8CFVBZhgodyi8KEg, “Role-play social situations with your child. He can play himself while you play the other child. The switch. Finish by talking about what he did well and what he could do differently.” This way, your child can practice in a comfortable place at home, initially.
Struggling With Conversations
In addition to experiencing difficulty making friends, another area where children may experience difficulty with social skills is through struggling with conversations. According to understood.org, “Kids with ADHD can easily lose the thread of conversation, misinterpret what others are saying and become distracted by unrelated thoughts.” To implement social skills to help children improve their conversation skills, according to understood.org, “Record a conversation with your child mealtime. Listen to it together and talk about where you both hear him going off-topic. Discuss other ways he could have handled it.” Therefore, by recording a conversation with your child, your child will be able to hear how they sound over a recording.
Overreacting To Situations
Another way that social skills may interfere with the functioning of children’s behavior is through overreacting to situations. According to understood.org, “Kids with ADHD might struggle with self-control. They may lash out physically when they’re upset, or have meltdowns at an age when it’s no longer appropriate.” According to understood.org, “Point out to your child the signs when he’s getting upset. Talking about what his body and voice are doing will help him learn to take his own “emotional temperature.” This way, when you allow your child to take his or her emotional temperature, you are allowing them to gain better awareness of their bodies.
Conclusion
To recap on this article, strategies pertaining to how children can improve their social skills with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder have been discussed.
Photo by stevendepolo 