ADHD Treatment For Teens

Residential Treatment Center for Teens with Attention Disorders

Attention Disorders are generally identified early in life and manifest through behavioral problems in school, with difficulty understanding, completing tasks, or being easily distracted by others. It is estimated that 5 percent of school-age children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the most common type of attention disorder. Untreated ADHD has been shown to have long-term adverse effects on academic performance, relationships with others, and social-emotional development. Residential treatment centers that take a holistic approach can help teens with attention disorders learn more effective study skills and social-emotional fluency.

The guide is meant to be comprehensive, but as such, not every section will be applicable to everyone. Instead, we invite you to click on the links in the table of contents to jump to the sections that most interest you.

Table of Contents

  1. How Does New Focus Academy Help Teens with Attention Disorders?
  2. What are the Causes of Attention Disorders in Teens?
  3. What are the Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Teens?
  4. How Do Attention Disorders Relate to Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders?

How Does New Focus Academy Help Teens with Attention Disorders?

At New Focus Academy, our holistic approach integrates clinically sophisticated techniques to engage teens in educational, vocational, experiential, and social skills training. Therapists and coaches provide constant supervision, support, and positive reinforcement to help build life skills needed to thrive in everyday life.

Our Autonomy Development Model is based off the idea that as teens develop greater social and emotional fluency, they can rely on others as a resource, rather than primary caregivers. Based on their individual strengths and needs, each student works towards their personal goals.

Our special education teachers are trained to recognize the root causes of attention issues and incorporate specific strategies in the classroom that look at these issues as learning differences rather than a reflection of their ability. With small class sizes, teachers are better able to offer individualized attention to students without anyone feeling singled out for struggling to focus and stay on task.  Many teachers implement peer-tutoring, which strengthens communication and collaboration skills, especially among peers with similar learning styles. When classroom instruction is altered to accommodate the majority of students, students realize that they are not alone in struggling with certain things.

What are the Causes of Attention Issues in Teens?

Not all attention problems are related to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Psychologists are hesitant to label attention issues in children, as they tend to have shorter attention spans due to their stage of neurological development. By the time they reach adulthood, their brains are better able to focus on tasks and make rational decisions.

  • ADHD. Difficulty paying attention is widely associated with signs of ADHD. It is the most diagnosed form of attention disorder, although there may be several underlying explanations.
  • Learning Disorders. If a teen is struggling with a different learning style, they may require more focus in particular subject areas. Frustration with trouble grasping a specific concept can look like someone just isn’t paying attention to instructions. Instead, they may benefit from a task being broken down or explained with a fresh perspective.
  • Sensory Processing Issues. One of the reasons teens on the autism spectrum are often diagnosed with ADHD is that they are easily distracted by sensory input. Hypersensitivity to sensory input or slower sensory processing speed can make “simple” tasks seem more overwhelming.
  • Stress. Students usually have a lot more going on outside the classroom than just homework. This stress can interfere with one’s ability to stay present and can be easily misidentified as a sign of something bigger.

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What are the Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Teens?

There is no one-size-fits-all definition of attention issues. They are better understood as a spectrum of symptoms across multiple categories, similar to our understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Signs and symptoms of attention disorders, like ADHD, typically fall in at least one of the following categories:

Inattentive symptoms:

  • Forgetful
  • Easily distracted
  • Daydreaming constantly
  • Failure to follow directions
  • Easily bored
  • Losing things
  • Trouble understanding new ideas
  • Doesn’t listen when spoken to

Impulsive symptoms:

  • Constantly interrupts people
  • Can’t hold back emotions
  • Frustrated easily and impatient
  • Makes inappropriate comments
  • Can’t wait for their turn
  • Not thinking of the consequences of their actions

Hyperactive symptoms:

  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Can’t sit still
  • Appears restless
  • Takes risks

How Do Attention Disorders Relate to Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders?

Recent research also places ADHD into a “neurodevelopmental disorder” category rather than considering it a learning disability, which further explains the overlap in executive functioning issues between ADHD and teens with autism. For example, children with autism may struggle with impulsivity and have problems in school and with social relations — and these same symptoms can be shared by children with ADHD. A common misunderstanding is that teens with autism usually also have ADHD. While this is a common occurrence, sometimes signs of ADHD are better understood with a single diagnosis of autism. It all depends on the individual.

Psychologists have learned the hard way that treating different mental health issues and executive functioning issues individually rather than looking at how they intersect doesn’t teach teens how to apply the skills they’ve learned to other struggles that they face. Focusing on issues with attention may help improve focus in a classroom environment, but it doesn’t teach teens how to pay attention to what someone else is saying during a conversation or to pay attention to physical signs they might be anxious.

At New Focus Academy, we recognize that working with neurodiverse teens involves taking an equally diverse therapeutic approach where we continuously re-evaluate what level of support they might need. We focus on teaching core principles that guide our students to make healthier, more self-aware choices that will help them become more independent.

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