Reading is a vital part of a child’s development, both socially and academically. Not only does reading for pleasure help boost a child’s literacy skills, which are vital to successful academic progression, but reading can also have a major impact on their mental well-being. The National Literacy Trust found that children who are the most engaged with literacy are three times more likely to have higher levels of mental well-being than children who are the least engaged, based on their Mental Wellbeing Index.
However, in recent years, with technology making up a large part of children’s entertainment, getting children interested in reading for pleasure has been harder than ever. What is worse, however, is that children with ADHD have many more hurdles to face when it comes to engaging with reading for enjoyment. They may find it much harder to concentrate for long periods, which can make them frustrated about not being able to finish the text. And for parents of those with ADHD, these hurdles can seem impossible to overcome.
How can I help my child with ADHD get into reading?
Firstly, it is important for parents to understand what issues their child with ADHD may face while reading. Every person with ADHD is different, so knowing what struggles to look out for can help you identify the main difficulties that your child faces when reading. This may allow you to find specific reading strategies that will help your child in their reading journey.
According to Psych Central, those with ADHD can often struggle with the following when reading:
Focusing
Focusing for long periods of time is especially difficult for those with ADHD. When it comes to reading, these effects can feel amplified.
Creating an environment that encourages reading can be really helpful when it comes to retaining your child’s focus. This could mean creating a ‘book nook’ at home, as a dedicated space for your child’s reading. Your child may even enjoy helping decorate the space! Cushions, fairy lights, and bunting can help create a fun and exciting area that you can read in, which can help your child associate that space with a reading mindset. However, if you don’t have the space in your home, your local library is also a great choice! Being in an environment where other people are reading can help mimic body doubling, a common ADHD technique, which can help your child stay more focused on their own reading.
Read The National Literacy Trust’s Reading Environment Guide Here
Memory and Retention
Your child may find that they enjoy reading but also find that they forget key details, such as key plot points and characters, just after reading them. This makes enjoying a book much more difficult, as they will most likely find the storyline difficult to enjoy without these key pieces of information.
For those struggling with memory and retention issues when reading, I recommend trying out active reading strategies. For young children, parents may wish to sit and read to their child, encouraging them to ask questions about the things they have just read. For slightly older children who are reading independently, active reading can range from annotating key information while they are reading a book, to reading the book out loud to a friend for parent.
For more information, check out our page on Active Reading.
Processing Information
Unfortunately, many physical books are not formatted with the ADHD brain in mind. Certain books can have very small font sizes and margins that can make a text look incredibly dense, which can often make it difficult for children with ADHD to process the information in front of them.
If your child is running into this issue, I suggest trying out Immersive Reading. Reading text alongside an audiobook means the visual input of the text in front of them is also being supported by an auditory input. This can help them ‘fill in the blanks’ of any reading they might not have processed, while creating a more structured reading experience.
For children with access to devices such as e-readers or other digital devices, eBooks also provide a lot of accessibility tools that may make a text easier to process. In our Online Toolkit, you can find links to services such as Fast-Font, a font inspired by speed-reading techniques, that many find help their reading with ADHD.
For more information, check out our Immersive Reading and Online Toolkit pages.
Sitting Still, Managing Time and Managing Distractions
For me, these three issues stem from one similar feeling – not knowing when something is going to end. How much longer is this chapter going to be? How will I know when to put down my book? For some ADHD readers, this inner conflict can stop them from picking up a book in the first place. Sitting down for an extended period of time, where you know you will most likely be met with distractions and a desire to get up and leave is a big ask for someone with ADHD, so setting out a plan before you start reading is a vital step in a successful and enjoyable reading experience.
Pomodoro timers can be great for those with ADHD, breaking up chunks of time to focus on a task, with short intermittent breaks to allow you to recharge. Personally, I enjoy using the Pomodoro Timer Videos by Chill Pills Studio on YouTube, which also play relaxing background noises to help create a relaxing environment without any distractions.
For a bit more of an interactive experience, FocusTown is a great app and website, that puts the user in different environments, such as planes and trains, along with other users, for dedicated focus times. The app is free, but does include an in-app subscription to use its pro features.
To have a go yourself, you can click to checkout both FocusTown’s website, as well as Chill Pills Studio’s 30/10 Pomodoro Timer Video on YouTube.