ADHD: which digital tools can help your child?
Digital technology is a valuable ally for children with ADHD. From organisation apps to visual timers and note-taking tools, the solutions available help compensate for difficulties with executive functions in a practical and effective way.
Visual timers: making time tangible
Managing time is one of the most significant difficulties in ADHD. Visual timers that graphically show time passing, such as Time Timer, make time concrete and perceptible for an ADHD brain that struggles to picture abstract durations. These timers can be used for homework time, for transitions between activities and for evening routines. Similar apps are available free of charge on smartphones.
Organisation and planning apps
Apps such as Todoist, Trello or Notion make it possible to structure tasks, create lists and set priorities in a visual and intuitive way. Automatic reminder apps compensate for difficulties with prospective memory. And digital calendars with advance alerts help ensure that appointments and important deadlines are not forgotten. These tools externalise organisation by making it visible and manageable.
Note-taking and recording tools
For children with ADHD who find it hard to take notes in class while listening to the teacher, audio recording and automatic note-taking apps such as Otter make it possible to go back over what was said in class. Voice dictation also helps reduce the writing load during the idea-generation phase. And mind-mapping apps make it possible to organise ideas in a visual and non-linear way.
Gamification apps for learning
Apps that gamify learning, with points, levels and rewards, are particularly well suited to the ADHD brain, which needs frequent feedback and regular stimulation to stay engaged. Forest, which rewards time spent away from the phone, Habitica, which gamifies daily tasks, or educational apps that turn learning into quests are effective examples.
The computer in class: the central tool
The computer, with its spell-checking, voice dictation and digital organisation features, is often the most transformative tool for a pupil with ADHD in class. Its use should be planned in the PAP, and the pupil should be trained to use it optimally. For a complete selection of the best apps for children with ADHD, dystap.io offers practical guides that are regularly updated.
