COLUMBUS, Ohio — Virtual schooling during this pandemic have been difficult on almost every family, especially those with children who have ADHD.

What You Need To Know

  • Like many kids, fourth grader Nathan Gibson likes to have fun, whether it’s playing with his rubiks cube or his pets. And like many kids across Ohio, Nathan has ADHD

  • Nathan isn’t alone; David McCahon Linares was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago and says there’s plenty of distractions at home

  • The coordinator for the Central Ohio CHADD organization, which tries to improve the lives of people affected by ADHD, says the transition to remote and hybrid learning for students and parents has been an adjustment

“Well, when he was three, we had originally had autism spectrum label. And then, when he turned seven, it was kind of time for a reevaluation just naturally and progression of age. And when we went to the autism center when he was seven, that was when they said kind of all the markers for autism were basically non-existent, but the ADHD was like, through the roof,” said Lacy Taylor, Nathan Gibson's mother.  

With the pandemic changing how students learn this school year, Gibson isn’t a fan of learning from home. 

“There’s no teachers here. And when I’m at home, I’m just sitting there and it’s like, “Ugh! So boring.” 

That’s a challenge not just for Gibson, but also his mother, who is a single mom and full-time teacher, who says it can be a struggle. 

"He has to be brought back multiple times. You know what I mean? Or he’ll finish something half way, but he won’t click the submit button, so he’s got to be watched a little bit closer,” said Taylor. “I will be teaching all day and then coming home to work with him on homework, and by that time, you know, medications already worn off, he’s had a full day of playing and hanging out with whoever I was able to secure child care with. And, you know, sitting down to do homework was quite a fight. So, I mean, there were nights where, you know, we’re both in tears. We’re both frustrated.” 

Nathan isn’t alone. David McCahon Oinares was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago. And says there’s plenty of distractions at home. 

“This is right here," he said while holding up his phone. “Also, sometimes, since you have so much freedom at home, sometimes you procrastinate on work.” 

The sixth grader says school is pretty easy for him with the occasional pothole in the road, as he puts it, and there are some positives to learning remotely. 

“You could work anywhere in your house, you could be eating a bowl of cereal while doing algebra homework. I could be sitting with my dog while reading a book for an assignment," said Oinares. "I usually lay down on my bed and that works for me because I’m comfy and I’m doing work.” 

Christine Kotik is the coordinator for the Central Ohio CHADD organization, which tries to improve the lives of people affected by ADHD. She says the transition to remote and hybrid learning for students and parents has been an adjustment. 

“Managing their time, coming up with, you know, we have so many days where we’re at home if they’re in a blended today, what does that look like? How do I know what work to do? How long to do it for? So they struggle setting up a routine and a structure. And if they don’t do that, then they’re struggling to get their work done.” 

Kotik is also an ADHD coach, so she’s had to find new ways to work with her students, especially when many of them have been in front of a computer all day.

“As a coach, it’s made me kind of move out of my box and think, what does that look like as they’re working? How can I be engaging to them? They may be watching videos all day, some of these students, and they definitely don’t want to get on and just listen to me or do that again. So it’s figuring out ways to be engaging with that.” 

The organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or CHADD, and educational therapist Shari Gent, M.S., NCED released several takeaways from asking ADHD students about remote learning, including the need for time to socialize and take breaks from sitting, a regular schedule with teacher interactions, having a parent or adult present for younger students, recording sessions, and minimizing the number of platforms students and families need to learn. 

“The most important thing at the end of the day, that to me is that children still, and people always laugh when I say this, they love school! Right? That’s the goal of school should be that people want to learn and continue that. And if we make this right now so difficult and hard for them, there’s a longer term effect here,” said Kotik.