The current Corona pandemic has brought new challenges for managing childhood and adolescent ADHD.

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Whereas the discussion of ADHD often centers around school, the current crises has brought the conversation to the home.

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Living in confinement and with limited social interaction and outlets for physical activity is very challenging and asks for a reassessment of the child’s ADHD management.

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For starters, a discussion with the child of the challenges he or she is facing, the efficacy of current treatment and its side effects, should be had at home. If medication was stopped, how is he/she managing without?  If behavioral therapy was interrupted, can it be resumed online?

 

David, aged 9, in a well-natured child and generally gets along with his older brother, Michael, aged 13. However, lately, David has had a short fuse and has been taking out his anger mostly towards his brother. Their parents were at their wit’s end and so was Michael until he cried: what do you want from me, already? His parents shrugged their shoulders and moved on to something else. 20 minutes later he emerged from his room and said that he has no privacy, sharing his room with his brother and asked if he can have his room to himself for one hour per day. David’s parents let his older brother use their room for one of his online classes, allowing David time alone. This did not abate all outbursts, but gave David some of the calm alone time he sorely needed.

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Different children will react to the situation different, but nearly all will experience some stress. They may be concerned of their own health or those of others, frustrated with current limits of activity, or experience the natural stress that develops when people live in close quarters with little outlet or privacy. This stress will only exacerbate ADHD symptoms.

 

Talking about the situation and reassuring them is vital.

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Some parents were surprised when I mentioned continuing treating ADHD while schools are closed, yet described all the symptoms of ADHD as displayed by their children’s behavior at home.

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However, management of ADHD needs to be customized for the individual child’s needs at this time.

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Jack, a 15-year-old high-schooler has found that sitting alone in his room with headphones and laptop helps him concentrate and he is less distracted than when sitting in a busy classroom. He has recently asked if he can use shorter acting medication to be used for independent learning sessions.

 

Aviv is concerned about her son, Yoav. He has ADHD, and usually takes medication only when at school. In the afternoon and during weekends, she is able to help him manage symptoms with parenting skills she has learned from a child psychologist. However, being at home with him all day and managing ADHD 24/7 is too much of a challenge. She tried taking Yoav off medication once confinement started, but now she is thinking that he needs a long-acting medication.

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Medication may be adjusted for the needs while at home. With the limited hours of instruction, some children can benefit from shorter-acting medication. Other children who are having more difficulty managing at home may need longer acting medication. The point being, discuss it with your pediatrician or ADHD specialist and see what options there are and how they can help. See what online services are available in your HMO.

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Working together, we can get through this crisis.