CHADD
Aug 7, 2025
Question: My daughter has ADHD and feels left out at school. She has trouble picking up on social cues, and I can see the toll it takes on her self-esteem. How can I support her so she can improve her social skills and build stronger friendships? - A Parent of a third-grade student
ADHD Information Specialist: I’m sure it is heart-breaking to watch your child feel left out because she struggles to pick up on social cues. You might see her avoid eye contact, hang back instead of joining in with other children, or be left out of peer groups. She may miss a signal when it’s her turn to speak or say something out of line without realizing it. Over time, these moments can make her feel isolated and damage her self-esteem. The good news is that she can learn to strengthen her social skills with practice, patience, and the right support.
“So many of the children I see in counseling have the same problem—feeling left out and lonely,” say Cathi Cohen, LCSW, a certified group psychotherapist. “Feeling alone and disconnected from peers is a distressing thing for a child to experience. And it’s not only the children who suffer. As parents, you also feel frustrated and hopeless at not knowing how to help your children make the friends they so strongly desire. Children affected by ADHD in particular have unique social challenges that frequently get in the way of acquiring good social skills.”