Navigating Back-to-School with ADHD: Tips for a Successful Start
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The new school year is here, and with that can come a lot of exciting changes, such as new teachers, classrooms and friends. But the change that comes with returning to school can also be difficult, especially for the estimated 7 million children in the U.S. who live with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their families1. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes it challenging to focus and control behavior2. The back-to-school transition may be difficult for children, including those with ADHD.
For families managing ADHD, everyday responsibilities can feel overwhelming. From getting out the door in the morning, to navigating school, homework and evening tasks, every transition can bring new challenges3. But with a few simple strategies, children can wake up feeling more ready to step into the day with confidence.
Environmental modifications help structure a child's environment, and for children with ADHD, this support could help them in many areas of their life4. Children with ADHD can benefit from structure and task-specific guidance, especially around times of transition4. One way to do this is by helping your child set up a process for getting ready in the mornings, doing homework, and going to bed4. Checklists can be an important way to provide your child with that task-specific guidance, both at home and in the classroom4. Even with the checklist, you might find you need to help your child with ADHD stay on track by providing cues. You can provide both verbal and visual cues to remind them to focus on the task in front of them4.
Children with ADHD are often able to focus better with movement. To help with this, you can provide your child with tools to help them focus, such as a stress ball4. You can also provide movement breaks at home by going for a bike ride, or at school by taking a walk down the hallway4.
Children with ADHD often need extra time to complete tasks both at home and at school4. Consider allowing extra time for some chores and providing verbal and visual cues along the way. You can talk to your child's school about classroom modifications, such as a resource teacher, extra tutoring, or alternative testing options4.
It's important to remember that children with ADHD are often faced with more negative feedback than positive throughout their day. Whenever possible, it's important to provide praise and acknowledge accomplishments to help strengthen their self-esteem4.
These strategies may help those with ADHD, but each person has individualized needs and should work with their healthcare provider to determine what works best for them as they get into the swing of the new school year.
Interested in Learning About Treatment Options to Start the School Year?
Chatting with your child's doctor about available treatment options to treat ADHD symptoms is an important step that may help your child shine for the new school year.
There are several treatment options to explore; one option is JORNAY PM® (methylphenidate HCl), a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant prescription medicine used for the treatment of ADHD in people 6 years of age and older. JORNAY PM may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in people 6 years of age and older with ADHD. JORNAY PM is meant to be taken at night and starts working as you wake up, with ADHD symptom support that lasts into the early evening. Please see Important Safety Information, including Boxed Warning for abuse, misuse, and addiction below.
Here's something to remember:Everyone's body is different. That's why it's important to work with your healthcare provider to learn more about JORNAY PM, including possible side effects, to see if it may be right for your child.
To learn more about JORNAY PM this back-to-school season, talk to your doctor and visit jornaypm.com.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
JORNAY PM is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it contains methylphenidate and has a high chance of abuse and misuse and may lead to substance use problems, including addiction. Misuse and abuse of JORNAY PM can lead to overdose and death, which is increased with higher doses of JORNAY PM or if it is used in ways that are not approved, such as snorting or injection. Your healthcare provider (HCP) should check for signs of abuse, misuse, and addiction before starting and during treatment with JORNAY PM. JORNAY PM may lead to physical dependence after prolonged use, even if taken as directed by your HCP. Tell your HCP if you or your child have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.
JORNAY PM can be a target for people who abuse prescription medicines or street drugs. Keep JORNAY PM in a safe place to protect it from theft. Never give your JORNAY PM to anyone else, because it may cause death or harm them. Selling or giving away JORNAY PM may harm others and is against the law.
JORNAY PM should not be taken if you or your child is allergic to methylphenidate or any of the ingredients in JORNAY PM or is taking or has taken an antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the last 14 days.
JORNAY PM may cause other serious side effects, including:
- Risks for people with serious heart disease. Sudden death has happened in people who have heart defects or other serious heart disease. Your HCP should check carefully for heart problems before starting JORNAY PM. Tell your HCP about any heart problems, heart disease, or heart defects. Call your HCP or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if there are any signs of heart problems, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting during treatment.
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate. Blood pressure and heart rate should be checked regularly during treatment.
- Mental (psychiatric) problems, including new or worse behavior and thought problems, new or worse bipolar illness, new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices or seeing or believing things that are not real) or new manic symptoms. Tell your HCP about any mental problems, or about a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression. Call your HCP right away if there are any new or worsening mental symptoms or problems during treatment.
- Painful and prolonged erections (priapism) in males. If painful and prolonged erections happen, get medical help right away.
- Circulation problems in fingers and toes (peripheral vasculopathy, including Raynaud's phenomenon). Signs and symptoms may include fingers or toes feeling numb, cool, painful, sensitive to temperature, and/or changing color from pale, to blue, to red. Tell your HCP about any circulation problems in fingers or toes. Call your HCP right away if any signs of unexplained wounds appear on fingers or toes.
- Slowing of growth (height and weight) in children. Children should have their height and weight checked often while taking JORNAY PM.
- Eye problems (increased pressure in the eye and glaucoma). Tell your HCP about any eye problems. Call your HCP right away if changes in vision or eye pain, swelling, or redness occurs.
- New or worsening tics or worsening Tourette's syndrome. Tell your HCP if any new or worsening tics or worsening Tourette's syndrome occurs.
Before taking JORNAY PM, tell your HCP if you or your child:
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if JORNAY PM will harm an unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. JORNAY PM passes into the breast milk.
Tell your HCP about all of the medicines that you or your child takes, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. JORNAY PM and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Especially tell your HCP if you or your child takes medicine to treat depression, including MAOIs.
Avoid drinking alcohol during treatment with JORNAY PM. This may cause a faster release of the medicine in JORNAY PM.
The most common side effects of methylphenidate include decreased appetite, trouble sleeping, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, stomach pain, weight loss, anxiety, dizziness, irritability, mood swings (affect lability), increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure.
The most common side effects of JORNAY PM in clinical studies in children ages 6 to 12 with ADHD include trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, restlessness (psychomotor hyperactivity), headache, nausea, mood swings and vomiting. These are not all the possible side effects of JORNAY PM.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visitwww.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is JORNAY PM?
JORNAY PM is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant prescription medicine used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in people 6 years of age and older. JORNAY PM may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in people 6 years of age and older with ADHD. It is not known if JORNAY PM is safe and effective in children under 6 years of age.
Please see Medication Guide, and full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning.
Pharmaceutical Drug Advertisement Sponsored by Collegium Pharmaceutical Inc.
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References
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Data and Statistics on ADHD." Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/data/index.html
2National Institute of Mental Health, "Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know". Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-what-you-need-to-know
3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "School Changes - Helping Children with ADHD" Accessed July 17, 2025. https://archive.cdc.gov/#/details?url=https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/articles/school-changes-helping-children.html.
4Betker, C. (2017). Environmental Strategies for Managing Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder, Journal of Childhood & Developmental Disorders, 3(4), 24. DOI: 10.4172/2472-1786.100062
Source: BrandPoint
