Learning with ADHD: Understanding Challenges, Recognising Strengths and Providing Targeted Support

ADHD is not only about distraction, restlessness or conflict around learning. When children and parents begin to understand the patterns behind the difficulties, they can respond more effectively — and make better use of the strengths that are often present as well. That is often where meaningful support begins.

What is ADHD — and how common is it?

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that usually becomes visible in childhood. It is typically associated with difficulties in attention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity. But one point is especially important: ADHD does not look the same in every child.

Some children are visibly restless, impulsive and constantly in motion. Others seem dreamy, forgetful or struggle to finish tasks. This is why a differentiated view matters. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health also emphasises that ADHD can vary greatly in how it presents and in how strongly it affects daily life. (Swiss Federal Office of Public Health)

When discussing how common ADHD is, it is worth being cautious. In Switzerland, there is no single “correct” figure. The numbers vary considerably depending on the study and the method used.

The FOPH Focus Report refers to earlier Swiss data suggesting that around 4 to 10 percent of school-age children and adolescents may be affected. Another Swiss federal report gives an estimate of 3 to 5 percent. More recent international reviews also show that the results depend heavily on how ADHD is measured: registry-based studies tend to produce much lower figures than surveys or clinical studies. Rising diagnosis rates therefore do not automatically mean that the “true” prevalence has increased to the same extent. (FOPH Focus Report; Swiss Federal Council / FOPH Report; Popit et al., 2024)

✦ ADHD presents very differently from child to child — simple labels and generalised numbers often do not tell the whole story.

 

Why can learning with ADHD be so demanding at school?

In school, learning is never only about “concentrating”. Children have to start tasks, organise materials, remember instructions, ignore distractions, tolerate frustration, avoid mistakes under time pressure and regulate themselves again and again.

For many children with ADHD, precisely these processes are especially demanding. Research shows that ADHD can be associated with weaker academic performance, poorer outcomes in reading and mathematics, and a higher risk of school-related difficulties. This does not mean that every child with ADHD performs poorly. But it does mean that school often requires significantly more energy. (Loe & Feldman, 2007)

At home, parents often see this very clearly: homework takes forever, evenings are filled with reminders, negotiations and frustration, and over time the relationship itself can become strained. Teachers face their own challenge as well. They want to help, but they also have to manage a whole class. ADHD is therefore never only a feature of the child. It is also a question of fit between the child, the expectations placed on them, the environment and the available support. (Swiss Federal Office of Public Health)

✦ The difficulty is often not a lack of ability, but the need to manage attention, impulses, frustration and organisation all at the same time.

 

Seeing ADHD only as a deficit misses the point

As important as it is to take a realistic view of the difficulties, it is equally unhelpful to see ADHD only as a problem.

In recent years, several studies have shown that many people affected by ADHD also describe positive aspects — such as creativity, spontaneity, humour, high energy, strong inner drive or hyperfocus in situations that genuinely interest them.

This does not mean that ADHD should generally be described as a “superpower”. For many children, adolescents and adults, ADHD is associated with real distress and everyday challenges. But it is just as inaccurate to see only the deficits.

A more balanced perspective is this: ADHD can bring difficulties — and at the same time, resources. The better someone understands their own patterns, the more consciously they can use them. High energy can be disruptive in the wrong environment, but highly valuable in the right one. (Sedgwick, Merwood & Asherson, 2019)

✦ ADHD can be demanding — but it can also be connected with energy, creativity and strong focus on areas of genuine interest.

 

What can the school system do?

The school system is not powerless. In the Canton of Zurich, various support services are available within the public school system. One particularly important form of support is Integrative Support (IF). Among other things, it helps children with general learning and builds on their individual strengths.

The School Psychological Service also advises parents, teachers and schools on questions related to children’s development and educational support. These services are free of charge for parents.

Depending on the situation, reasonable accommodations may also be considered so that children with an impairment can be assessed under fairer conditions. In the Zurich brochure on reasonable accommodations, ADHD is explicitly mentioned as an example — for instance, when a child is allowed to briefly stand up and move during an exam. (Canton of Zurich)

At the same time, research also shows that not every standard measure automatically has a strong effect. A systematic review concluded that the evidence for many school-based accommodations is limited. This does not argue against support — it argues against schematic solutions. What matters is what fits the individual child. This is also where good educational work begins: not simply applying a list of measures, but observing carefully, adapting thoughtfully and working closely together. (Lovett & Nelson, 2021)

✦ Schools can provide support — but support becomes truly effective when it genuinely fits the individual child.

 

How can parents support their child in practical terms?

Parents do not need to become teachers or therapists. But they can shape the learning environment in ways that make it easier for their child to get started.

One well-supported approach is Behavioral Parent Training, a form of parent training focused on managing behaviour. The CDC summarises that parent training can help children improve their behaviour, self-control and self-esteem.

In everyday learning, this often comes down to very practical steps: a clear workspace, as few distractions as possible, small and manageable tasks, short feedback loops and specific positive feedback.

Instead of saying, “Just concentrate,” it is often more helpful to give clear and concrete guidance, such as:

“Start with task 1 only.”
“Highlight the most important information first.”
“You started today without arguing — that was a real step forward.” (CDC)

A useful question is also: When does it work better?

At what time of day?
For how long?
With which breaks?
With what kind of explanation?

Many children with ADHD are not fundamentally unmotivated. More often, they need an environment that fits their individual profile more closely. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health also emphasises that support should be individual and multimodal. (Swiss Federal Office of Public Health)

✦ Clear structure, small steps and specific feedback often help more than pressure or constant reminders.

 

Our experience

From our perspective, ADHD is a broad spectrum. Comparisons within this group are often not very useful. One child may struggle mainly with organisation, another with stamina, another with frustration or exam pressure.

That is why individualised support matters so much. What is often difficult to implement in a full classroom can be addressed more specifically in one-to-one learning support: making learning goals visible, structuring tasks, building effective learning strategies, tracking progress and adapting the learning environment to the child.

Our approach is built around exactly these principles: individualised support, motivation, learning strategies, self-regulation and visible progress.

✦ What is often difficult to achieve in a classroom setting can be built more deliberately and made visible in individual learning support.

 

Highlights

  • ADHD does not look the same in every child and prevalence figures depend strongly on how ADHD is measured.
  • Schools can provide support, but in everyday practice they often face real limits.
  • Parents can help in very concrete ways: with structure, small steps and clear feedback.
  • ADHD brings challenges, but it can also be connected with energy, creativity and hyperfocus.
  • The decisive factor is not a standard recipe, but the fit between the child, the environment and the support provided.

Conclusion

ADHD should neither be minimised nor romanticised. It is a real developmental condition that can significantly affect learning and daily life. At the same time, a purely deficit-based view is too narrow. Many children and adults with ADHD also bring valuable strengths and resources.

Good support therefore means both: taking the challenges seriously and developing strengths deliberately.

For parents, this means looking closely, getting to know their child well and asking not only what does not work, but also when things work better and why. That is often where the most effective support begins.

✦ ADHD does not need quick judgements or romanticised “superpower” slogans. It needs understanding, clear structures and an individual view.

 

ADHD needs more than quick judgements — it needs real understanding, clear structures and an approach that truly fits the child.
If you would like to better understand how your child can learn in a calmer and more effective way, please get in touch with us.

References

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