Thriving in the New Normal: How COVID-19 has Affected Alternative Learners and Their Families and Implementing Effective, Creative Therapeutic Interventions

COVID shelter-in-place directives have increased stress families of kids who are alternative learners-those with ADHD, ASD and LD. Already struggling to manage emotions, to begin and finish home and school tasks and maintain social connections, these kids have lost critical in-person academic, therapeutic and peer support systems. Meanwhile, tension at home has increased as parents, untrained in special education and often dealing with their own attention and learning challenges, have to deal with work, financial and housing responsibilities while tutoring their children without necessary training. Increased anxiety, higher levels of reactivity and persistent disappointment further complicate family relationships. Interventions to help families of kids who are neurodiverse, alternative learners are most effective when they rely on the 5 C's method of successful ADHD parenting. Working together for effective solutions based on meaningful incentives reduces family conflict, improves kids' participation and fosters parent-child cooperation. When therapists apply this model and assist families in using it, they strengthen emotional attunement and shift the family narrative away from problem-saturated thinking toward resilience and thriving.

Automated summary

The COVID pandemic has increased stress for families of alternative learners, such as those with ADHD, ASD, and LD, who have lost critical in-person support systems. The lack of training in special education for parents has added to the tension at home, leading to higher levels of anxiety and reactivity. Interventions based on the 5 C's method of successful ADHD parenting can help reduce family conflict, improve children's participation, and foster cooperation between parents and children.