Deafness and ADHD
When children have more than one additional need, it’s important to consider both and how they interact with each other.
At school he’d be desperately trying to mask it while being told off and forced to sit down. He’d pick his fingers, jiggle his legs, bite his nails and try to be ‘normal’, but he was miserable and not coping. Now his teachers are aware of his ADHD, he’s allowed more sensory breaks in order to be himself.”
Kate is mum to Xander (10) who's profoundly deaf and has autism and ADHD.
Understanding ADHD
ADHD is a lifelong, neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person’s behaviour and ability to concentrate. The condition will vary from person to person and throughout their life.
People with ADHD may share some of the same characteristics, such as:
- impulsive decision making
- disorganisation (losing things or being late)
- hyperactivity, including difficulty with concentrating and being easily distracted, restless or fidgety
- difficulty regulating emotions, becoming easily angry or upset
- sensitivity to sensory input (such as sounds, textures or lighting)
- Becoming easily overstimulated and overwhelmed.
Find out more about possible signs of ADHD and how to support your child with ADHD (YoungMinds).
Diagnosing ADHD
Children might show signs of ADHD at an early age, but most children aren’t diagnosed until they’re at least 6 years old. A diagnosis is most likely to happen after a change in surroundings, such as starting or changing school. If a deaf child also has ADHD, this will often be diagnosed later than a hearing child because some of the indicators of deafness are similar to those of ADHD.
These include:
- not paying attention
- problems with communication
- behaviour or learning style (reliance on visual cues)
- poor academic performance (not doing well at nursery or school)
- being emotionally overwhelmed or tired at the end of the day
Professionals need to be sure that these behaviours are caused by ADHD, not deafness, before they can make a firm diagnosis.
Girls and boys often experience ADHD differently. Many girls and young women are not diagnosed with ADHD until later in life. Signs of ADHD in girls and young women are more likely to include:
struggling to relax
finding it hard to make decisions
social anxiety (feeling uncomfortable in social situations)
Signs of ADHD in deaf children include:
- difficulty concentrating and focusing
- unable to organise tasks or stay on one task at a time
- hyperactivity (constant fidgeting or being unable to sit still)
- impulsiveness (acting without thinking or with no sense of danger)
- being unable to wait their turn or finding it unusually difficult to share
If you think your child might have ADHD, speak to your GP, health visitor or Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) and ask for a referral for a possible ADHD diagnosis.
For more information about ADHD, visit the NHS website.
Before a child is diagnosed with ADHD they may be placed under a 10-week period of 'watchful waiting' to see if their symptoms improve. You may be invited to an ADHD-focused group education programme that is offered to parents and carers. This training is to teach you ways of supporting your child and yourself.
If the professionals agree that your child should be assessed for ADHD, this will usually be done by a professional or a team of clinicians. This can include a child psychologist, a paediatrician and a healthcare professional with expertise in ADHD diagnosis.
Ideally, the team should include professionals who have expertise in both deafness and ADHD (although this isn’t always possible), as well as family members and professionals who know the child best.
Parenting deaf children who have ADHD
We’re still learning about the impact of ADHD on deaf children, especially when it comes to late diagnosis of ADHD. This is because symptoms are sometimes mistaken as the “normal” behaviour of a deaf child by some medical professionals.
Since ADHD and deafness will affect children in different ways, there isn’t one approach that works for every child. Finding what works for your child will often be trial and error. Young Minds have tips for helping your child with ADHD, including being understanding, building healthy routines and managing triggers.
Below are some suggestions for how you can help your deaf child with ADHD.
Communication
Be open and supportive of your child and allow them to communicate in whatever way they can.
Whatever method of communication your child uses, it should be used consistently – both at home and in education. A speech and language therapist and other professionals working with you will be able to provide support and advice.
Children with ADHD may struggle with listening to and understanding instructions. Whether you speak or sign, try to give simple instructions using as few steps as possible.
- Make sure they’re looking at you and giving you their full attention.
- Speak calmly and clearly.
- Break down tasks into individual steps.
- Check with them that they’ve understood.
Deaf children with ADHD may benefit from supports such as visual calendars, timers or cues for routine activities and objects of reference to help them understand. For example, asking your child to brush their teeth and then put on their pyjamas will be clearer than asking them to ‘get ready for bed’. Making sure their toothbrush and pyjamas are kept within eyesight will serve as visual reminders.
Behaviour
All behaviour is a form of communication. Deaf children with ADHD can display challenging behaviour. This can be due to the frustration of not being allowed to move about or have sensory breaks, or being told off for being late, disorganised, or losing things.
It can be difficult to know why your child is behaving in a particular way, but it’s important to work with them to try to find the cause. Once you know how they feel and the reasons behind their behaviour, you can look or ask for the right support.
Education
Some deaf children with ADHD will struggle at school due to their symptoms. You can ask for support from your child’s education setting or your local authority (council). Depending on where you live in the UK, the additional support your child could receive in education will be different and have different names.
Find out more about getting additional support in education in:
If you get additional support for your child, it will be written in a legal document. These legal documents will set out your child’s special or additional needs, their recommended school placement and the support that has been agreed.
The different professionals supporting your child should work together to make sure your child’s needs are met and frequently reviewed.
Emotional health and wellbeing
ADHD is not a mental health condition. However, deaf, neurodiverse children have a higher chance of developing problems with their emotional health and wellbeing than hearing children. Being aware of this risk can allow you and your child to take steps to develop emotional resilience and wellbeing.
The National Deaf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Deaf CAMHS) may be able to help if you have any concerns about your child’s mental health.
Order or download our free resource 'What are you feeling?' for activities and exercises to help your child learn to identify and process their emotions.
Full references for this webpage are available by emailing
informationteam@ndcs.org.uk