Video Summary - Szkolenie: MINI PRZEWODNIK -JAK WSPIERAĆ DZIECKO Z ADHD/ASD (18 maja 2026)

Key wellness/self-care and support strategies (ADHD/ASD-focused)

Don’t frame children as “difficult” → focus on children with difficulties and their coping needs.
Assume behavior is coping, not malice: “not directed at you,” not “spite.”
Use simpler vocabulary and avoid repeated explanations that don’t land—paraphrase instead of repeating the same sentence.

Name emotions and validate feelings (calm, non-judgmental tone).
In conflicts/aggression:
- First ensure safety and stop escalation (don’t just “punish”).
- Then gather perspectives: “What happened from your side?” (for both people).
- Ask about causes and triggers, not blame (“Who started it?” matters for understanding sequence).
- Avoid shouting; if you can’t regulate enough to shout less, expect less success from the child.
When instructions fail:
- Use short, concise, specific commands
- Ensure the child is actually listening
- Break complex, multi-step tasks into sequential steps

Predictability: tell children what happens when and how long.
If schedules change:
- Inform early
- Explain why
- Don’t spring changes at the last moment
Reduce sensory overload (especially in camps/schools):
- Support “quiet rest” options
- Allow downtime/offloads rather than forcing constant participation
Use “routine as a compensatory strategy” (e.g., clear plan, calm environment).
“Canary effect” framing: people on the spectrum often notice overload first—use that as a signal to adjust the environment/group intensity.

ADHD attention issues are described as difficulty controlling attention, not simply “not noticing.”
Use reward timing: quicker reward increases engagement (short tasks, mini-results).
If tasks are boring:
- Gamify / add mini-prizes
- Make tasks feel like a “challenge” rather than a chore
Procrastination reframed: not “laziness” but difficulty getting the body/brain to initiate—make tasks smaller.

Break tasks into smaller steps to increase initiation (dopamine/drive).
Use iterative structure:
- e.g., a “to-do list about a to-do list” to create momentum
Choice—but carefully:
- Provide limited choices so the group doesn’t spiral into chaos (especially with larger groups).

Seating/positioning matters (for school age):
- Avoid sitting where there’s lots of distracting activity behind them
- Consider arrangements that reduce “vigil mode” attention
Waiting during meals/transitions:
- Prepare fun structured micro-activities while waiting (movement games, quick challenges)
Group belonging is critical:
- Build cohesion early and handle conflicts continuously
- Avoid isolating or publicly humiliating the child
Avoid social pressure:
- Don’t embarrass a child in front of the group
- Avoid “threatening parents” or escalating punishments that produce the wrong incentives

Give time awareness (e.g., “10 minutes then we switch”).
Support agency through choices and clarity (“what we’re doing next”).
For teens: reduce constant pressure to “match the norm”; support coping methods that manage internal anxiety.

Hygiene challenges:
- Make hygiene less dopamine-less: add “challenges” or playful steps (especially for younger kids)
Rest/sleep difficulties:
- Recognize bedtime can trigger emotional “processing” and overthinking
- Allow decompression time; reduce the sense that rest equals wasted time

Aggression builds up (“volcano”)—it’s rarely sudden.
Look for the accumulation: earlier boundary issues, prior overload, prior signals ignored.
Don’t focus only on consequences/punishment—instead address the buildup:
- emotions regulation
- communication of needs
- overload reduction
Violence vs aggression:
- Aggression is framed as more “in equal dimensions” (simplified)
- Violence is framed as taking advantage of power/resources

Presenter: Anna Majdak (expert and neurodiversity trainer; SWPS postgraduate leadership/head of field of study)