How to Manage Screen Time for Children With ADHD

Screen time is a struggle for most parents. Yet, managing screen time for your child can become even more challenging with an ADHD diagnosis.

Many children with ADHD have difficulty focusing, as well as self-monitoring. Your child may also throw tantrums when they don’t get their way, causing you to cave and leaving few boundaries surrounding their screen time. So, what can you do? And why is this a critical factor to get right when it comes to managing ADHD?

The Importance of Managing Screen Time

With ADHD, your child may lose track of time when it comes to games, shows, movies, and more revolving around a screen. And quite often, screen time can be used as a reward for children, whether they have ADHD or not.

However, boundaries are important. Research shows how screen time impacts sleep—and not in a good way. Screen time delays the release of melatonin, which can make sticking to a regular bedtime difficult and cause restless nights.

This is even more critical for children with an ADHD diagnosis. For children with ADHD, impaired sleep can lead to a worsening of symptoms, such as lower tolerances for attention and concentration. So, how can you better manage screen time in your home?

Tips for Managing Screen Time with ADHD

Here are a few ways you can better manage screen time for your whole family:

• Set times for screen usage and stick to them.
• Make sure this time is consistent to avoid confusion, as well as a time that doesn’t interfere with other parts of the day, such as homework or getting ready for school.
• Have a rule where tablets or other screens are used in living or family areas so that you can easily monitor usage. Make it a rule to have no screens in the bedrooms!
• Don’t allow the usage of screens during meal times or at social gatherings.
• Don’t allow your child to grab the tablet or phone out of your bag. Make it clear that they can only use the screens when it is handed to them.
• Praise your children when they adhere to the rules and respect the limits you’ve placed around screen time. This can help encourage them to continue to follow them and offer positive reinforcement.
• Encourage your child to participate in other activities and hobbies not involving a screen, such as sports, puzzles, games, and more.

If you’re struggling, know you don’t need to do it alone. At Pathways Neuropsychology Associates, we offer ADHD coaching to help you and your child establish new habits and utilize their strengths over their weaknesses. Contact us today for more information.