Any ideas that have worked to teach your ADHD teen/child to not interrupt all the time?
He has done this for so long, I can't get him to see it. He does not do it with teachers or sports coaches though. Family and peers, OMG.
He asks a question and while the person is answering, he is either asking another or giving his thoughts on what he thinks the answer is! I am seeing him do this more and more with team mates, so called friends now and not just his family!
Very annoying.

I have seen some success with some parents using breathing excercises (telling the child to stop and take deep breaths) but I don't know if the children had AD/HD or if it was all the parents did to stop the butting in.

Try searching using the term IMPULSIVITY.

I think skills for verbal impulsivity has been written on in the past.

It will have severe social consequences, gosh.

Kids will avoid or tease him and he won't understand why.

Try searching using the term IMPULSIVITY.

I think skills for verbal impulsivity has been written on in the past.
Thanks, I never tried the SEARCH before....

My son does the same thing. He consistantly interrupts when I'm speaking with anyone but him.

I try and explain to him that it's rude and he needs to wait until I'm done, but it's pointless. He genuinely doesn't seem to understand why he needs to wait. It's classic impulsivity, I guess.

It will have severe social consequences, gosh.

Kids will avoid or tease him and he won't understand why.
Yes, I have tried to explain that to him but he just doesn't get it. He just turned 13 and his social skills are equal to a 9 yr old. Actually, some 9 yr olds seem more "with it" as far as that goes, but they aren't ADHD!

My son does the same thing. He consistantly interrupts when I'm speaking with anyone but him.

I try and explain to him that it's rude and he needs to wait until I'm done, but it's pointless. He genuinely doesn't seem to understand why he needs to wait. It's classic impulsivity, I guess.
Yes exactly! But my son is shy so if I am speaking to someone he doesn't know well, he will wait! He is getting worse though. He is growing out of his shyness.
I understand it is impulsivity, but whats with asking questions and not wanting to hear the answer?

I've had some luck in just ignoring him completly. No asking him to wait, no telling him to stop interrupting, I just keep on doing what I'm doing, or continue on in my conversation like he nnever said a word. Later I would tell him why I did what I did, and that I'll keep doing it until he gets it. He's finally getting that "Excuse me" and waiting for a response until he talks. It's not the easist approach though, and it'll take time.

I've had some luck in just ignoring him completly. No asking him to wait, no telling him to stop interrupting, I just keep on doing what I'm doing, or continue on in my conversation like he nnever said a word. Later I would tell him why I did what I did, and that I'll keep doing it until he gets it. He's finally getting that "Excuse me" and waiting for a response until he talks. It's not the easist approach though, and it'll take time.Thanks for your reply. I have tried but it just has created him to not let up until you have to tell him to stop! ugghhh. This is what he is now doing with his peers and he has "learned" that if he is being ignored, he will just have to keep talking until someone answers him. Unfortunately, its usually with a rude comment that hurts his feelings and never gets it. He just doesn't get the ignoring thing and what it implies even after many years of telling him!
Why can't he learn these social cues? Even when told what they mean....

Oh yeah, mine did that too. I just kept on ignoring him (and taking Advil). It got really bad there for a bit, but he did finally learn that even if he jumps up and down on my foot naked, screaming at the top of his lungs I wouldn't respond (not that it got that bad).

If he really doesn't learn social cues, could it be Asperger's? I know that's one of the biggies in determining if someone has it. Just a thought. :)

I tend to think that some of this is social awareness and internal emotional self awareness.

1. They aren't picking up on nonverbal cues of others.

2. Can't see how they 'impact' others when they cut them off.

3. They also are not good at internally self monitoring their feelings and bodily states (e.g. emotional and Physical tension at needing to get msg out).

4. They need to get the idea that a conversation is not a one person monologue. A person feels irrelevant, diminished and "not heard" if they are "talked at" or "interrupted".

5. I have a friend who is a constant topic switcher. Boy, does that ever fume my fire at times. She'll yammer on about her favorite subjects, and switch the topic on mine. Talk about being made to feel unimportant. Nothing says "you don't matter" more than switching a topic abruptly, when it is an important topic to the speaker!

6. They need to become "okay" with "silence". They need to realize that they can be "present" [as a friend; schoolmate] w/o always "filling the air" with noise/word/chatter. Breathing training can work here.

7. They need to feel and understand that constantly firing words at someone (particularly talking fast and intensely and interrupting wise and with escalated bodily tension/stance/verbal delivery pacing) is VERY emotionally tiring to the Listener. It's a turn off.e.g. Only interrupt to say "uh huh", or "i see", or "yeah" (in conversation dynamics, these are called these 'minimal encouragers'), etc, to keep the conversation moving along.


8. I find that with less intelligent ADDers are particularly painful to tolerate (even as an ADDer myself) when they yammer on. Why? Because they some of these less perceptive folks will also state the OBVIOUS facts (or things that are easily inferred)... so their audience comes to view them as (a) a bit dumb/slow, or (b) feel that as Listeners, they are being treated like idiots. (e.g. "does this person think i am dumb? why are they telling me things that i already know?!" or "Yawn".)


9. IMOE, there is a factor of poor (ADD) working memory at play here too. ADDers poor working memories mean that we will forget what we wanted to say. I guess one tip (in school), is to write ideas down that one wants to mention later (to a teacher or friend).

10. Learning to prioritize verbal messages may help too.
The test there could be: "Do you need to interrupt for an emergency?" If not, zip it. (Unless you need to yell "Help" or "Fire", etc., don't interrupt. <G>)

Perhaps some Breathing and Grounding techniques would help slow them down too. (e.g. sort of related to the development of 'self awareness'.)

Sounds like it could be boundry issues as well. Since he does not do it with coaches and teachers, he understands that they are to be respected. Maybe teaching respect and boundaries with family and peers would help. The breathing exercises are also a good idea (forgot who mentioned it). Have him take so many deep breaths after asking a question or before answering one and that should give someone else the option to voice their opinions/answers.

I tend to think that some of this is social awareness and internal emotional self awareness.

1. They aren't picking up on nonverbal cues of others.

2. Can't see how they 'impact' others when they cut them off.

3. They also are not good at internally self monitoring their feelings and bodily states (e.g. emotional and Physical tension at needing to get msg out).

4. They need to get the idea that a conversation is not a one person monologue. A person feels irrelevant, diminished and "not heard" if they are "talked at" or "interrupted".

5. I have a friend who is a constant topic switcher. Boy, does that ever fume my fire at times. She'll yammer on about her favorite subjects, and switch the topic on mine. Talk about being made to feel unimportant. Nothing says "you don't matter" more than switching a topic abruptly, when it is an important topic to the speaker!

6. They need to become "okay" with "silence". They need to realize that they can be "present" [as a friend; schoolmate] w/o always "filling the air" with noise/word/chatter. Breathing training can work here.

7. They need to feel and understand that constantly firing words at someone (particularly talking fast and intensely and interrupting wise and with escalated bodily tension/stance/verbal delivery pacing) is VERY emotionally tiring to the Listener. It's a turn off.e.g. Only interrupt to say "uh huh", or "i see", or "yeah" (in conversation dynamics, these are called these 'minimal encouragers'), etc, to keep the conversation moving along.


8. I find that with less intelligent ADDers are particularly painful to tolerate (even as an ADDer myself) when they yammer on. Why? Because they some of these less perceptive folks will also state the OBVIOUS facts (or things that are easily inferred)... so their audience comes to view them as (a) a bit dumb/slow, or (b) feel that as Listeners, they are being treated like idiots. (e.g. "does this person think i am dumb? why are they telling me things that i already know?!" or "Yawn".)


9. IMOE, there is a factor of poor (ADD) working memory at play here too. ADDers poor working memories mean that we will forget what we wanted to say. I guess one tip (in school), is to write ideas down that one wants to mention later (to a teacher or friend).

10. Learning to prioritize verbal messages may help too.
The test there could be: "Do you need to interrupt for an emergency?" If not, zip it. (Unless you need to yell "Help" or "Fire", etc., don't interrupt. <G>)
Wow this is my son!!! all the above. So is there a solution or do I just put duct tape on his mouth!!
This is what I need to show his dr. as I have not been able to explain the severity.
Thanks!!!!!!

Where do I find info on teaching this breathing/grounding tech.? Also, is this part of ADHD or Aspbergers? Just looking for opinions so I can throw it out there to the dr. to answer.

Thanks so much to all.

I would guess it's just getting them to slow down, take some deep breaths and try to relax. I don't know if there's more to it then that.

I would guess it's just getting them to slow down, take some deep breaths and try to relax. I don't know if there's more to it then that.
Yes thanks. My immediate reaction is to think there has got to be more to it LOL

Isn't it enough to try and get them to sit still long enough to breathe? ;) :p

Isn't it enough to try and get them to sit still long enough to breathe? ;) :pOh so true!!!!:)

hi i have 2 kids that do that and it got to the point where hubby and i were gonna learn sign language but we gave up that idea as all we would get is 'what does that mean, what are you saying etc so woouldn't stop the interruptions. hubby talks to me via I.M but then the oldest one is contstantly reading interupting and commenting about what is on my screen so that dont work either. this has been going on for as long as i can remember and i must admit it is the one thing of all his behaviours that can grate on your very last nerve as you can never have a decent conversation. my oldest son is nearly 14 and this interuptions are showing not signs of stopping in fact i think it is getting worse.

Any ideas that have worked to teach your ADHD teen/child to not interrupt all the time?
He has done this for so long, I can't get him to see it. He does not do it with teachers or sports coaches though. Family and peers, OMG.
He asks a question and while the person is answering, he is either asking another or giving his thoughts on what he thinks the answer is! I am seeing him do this more and more with team mates, so called friends now and not just his family!
Very annoying.oh dear..I am 42..and I STIll strugle with interrupting!!! I hate it, I know I'm doing it..I even hold my lips shut ..lol..but I can't NOT do it..

I wish i could..I try so hard...

hi i have 2 kids that do that and it got to the point where hubby and i were gonna learn sign language but we gave up that idea as all we would get is 'what does that mean, what are you saying etc so woouldn't stop the interruptions. hubby talks to me via I.M but then the oldest one is contstantly reading interupting and commenting about what is on my screen so that dont work either. this has been going on for as long as i can remember and i must admit it is the one thing of all his behaviours that can grate on your very last nerve as you can never have a decent conversation. my oldest son is nearly 14 and this interuptions are showing not signs of stopping in fact i think it is getting worse.
Thats too funny about the IM!! I know, it is so hard to communicate to the DH when he is around, yet I feel so bad when we yell at him to stop or we leave and go into another room. This isn't good for his self-esteem which reminds me of what a teacher said "He is his own worst enemy!"

WOW.......my son too!!!:eek:

*I give him the visual cue of my finger up (like wait a minute)

*It is unrealistic to have them wait too long

*They will become frustrated because they will forget what they were going to say

*I give the cue then usually touch him in a calm way (if he is close I will rub his back or touch his shoulder/brush his arm) to assure him that I do care about what he wants to say, but he needs to wait just a few seconds or minutes

*I then praise him for waiting!!!:) Praise is important for ADHD children (or any child at that) they often struggle with self-esteem/ I positive talk him often.

These techniques have worked for me not 100% of couse...but it is much better than it was a few years ago.

This takes ALOT of patience on my behalf......but worth it in the end. I hope?:rolleyes:

When I was younger, I thought people that did that were just jerks, or mentally retarded.

Yeah, I'm very glad I am informed now and never opened my mouth back then...

Though there ARE many people that are just jerks that interrupt to be rude...

Lots of great ideas have been presented in this thread :)