| |
| |
|
Parenting Information |
|
|
|
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What Do We Mean by Attention Anyway?
When we talk about attention, we are talking about two different kinds of abilities: The ability to focus on a specific task put in front of us to do, such as school work, and the ability to pay attention in a more global sense to the world around us, to be able to pay attention to the buzz of the lights overhead, and the touch of the clothes on your skin, and the children playing outside of the classroom. These are two different kinds of attention. One definition of "paying attention" is "sustaining and selecting to the right cue." One part of this definition is that the child has to pick the right thing to pay attention to. That's the "selecting" part of the definition. A better word might be "filtering." The brain is supposed to filter out distractions, or stimuli which compete for our attention, but might not be important at that moment. Many children with attention problems pay attention to everything in the world around them equally, such as giving equal time to the touch of the clothes on their skin, the buzz of the lights overhead, the kids outside the classroom, and the math worksheet in front of them. This, of course, is a problem if he needs to be paying attention to only a math worksheet or a similar task. Many children with Attention Disorders have trouble concentrating on the specific task in front of them, especially if they are working on something like school work or chores that are only moderately interesting, or not interesting at all. These kids have to be very motivated, very excited, very interested in what they're doing in order to pay attention. This Is NOT My Child? Now, you might be thinking, "This is not my kid. I have a kid who could play Nintendo, and be so focused that the house could burn down around him, and he'd never notice." Well, that could be. A lot of these kids could do just exactly that. Nintendo is interesting, its challenging, and its fun. Kids get immediate feedback, they could play Nintendo for hours. But just put a math worksheet in front of them and see how different it is. They have a terrible time paying attention to something that's not interesting or that's not motivating, which accounts for about 85% of school work, and about 100% of chores. Part of the problem with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a lack of FLEXIBILITY with attention. A person without ADHD has the ability to shift from attention that is focused on a specific task at hand to the kind of attention that is global many times in just a few seconds. At will those without ADHD can shift from reading a book, to scanning the room to know where our kids are and what they are doing, and then very quickly returning to focus on our reading. Without ADHD we have flexibility in our ability to focus. We can shift from specific focus to global focus at will and very quickly. Individuals with ADHD do not have this same flexibility of focus. Those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder have a very difficult time shifting from a global focus, such as they might have at recess or lunch break, to a specific focus that would be required when they return to the classroom to study math and work on the math worksheet in front of them. This is why kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder could play Nintendo, be really focused on that task, and not notice the house burning down around them. Or you telling them to talk out the trash. Paying Attention to the Right Thing A second type of problem with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is sustaining attention to the task long enough to finish the task. We may call this "attention span." Many children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may be able to focus attention to the correct task for a while, but then can't sustain it for very long. Their "attention span" is very short for their age. Unless kept highly motivated, these children have a very hard time staying focused long enough to finish the work that they start. They are often seen as fidgety, easily distracted, and "day-dreamers." These are the people who may start five different projects, but fail to finish any of them. They may begin to clean their rooms, but after a short time become distracted by their toys or baseball cards and forget all about the job that they are supposed to be working on. Often children like this are not impulsive or hyperactive. They just appear to be "space-cadets," unfocused, or lazy. Children with only the Inattentive Type of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder tend to be females (60% females to 40% males). They are the least likely Attention Deficit Disorder subgroup to receive any help for their condition, especially the boys with Inattentive ADHD. Kids who are just ADHD Inattentive Type are like space-cadets. They are in a brain fog. They are like Winnie the Pooh. They are often seen failing to pay close attention to details, or having trouble keeping their minds focused on a task, especially with school work or chores. They often don't seem to be listening. They are often disorganized. They often will try to get out of doing their homework because it is just such a boring task. They are the kids that will spend two hours to complete a 20 minute homework assignment, and then fail to turn it in to the teacher the next day because they have lost it in their back pack or sent it to the Bermuda triangle of homework assignments. Parents and teachers can learn more about the different types of ADHD, and specific treatment strategies for each type, by visiting the ADHD Information Library. Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.
MORE RESOURCES:
parenting - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Navigating in the New World: Parents and Teenagers Growing Together One of the most prevalent myths of our modern culture is the one that says, "Adolescence is a time of inevitable conflict." You will hear doctors say it, and teachers, and therapists, and pastors, and even parents. Develop Your Childs Genius: Improving Concentration and Focus Some people can concentrate on an assignment, to the exclusion of all distractions around them. My husband, who is an avid reader, can sit at a public place and read, no matter how much noise exists around him. Youth In A Changing World IntroductionChildren are the gifts of God to parents. That young child will in no time at all grow up to become a resposible future leader if he is well catered for. An Overview of Alternative Treatments for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Since so many would rather avoid the use of stimulant medications for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder if possible, a growing need for the development of alternative treatments for ADD ADHD has developed over the past twenty years. Although there are many products that claim to help any child with ADD ADHD, the truth is that there are only a few non-medication treatments for attention deficit disorder that have actually undergone even the simplest of clinical trials. 5 Steps to Raising an Optimistic Child I had just completed a session with 17-year old Julie who suffered from severe depression. Julie believed she was a total failure and would never be able to change anything in her life. Public Schools --- Why On Earth Do We Need Them? From the time the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620 until the 1850s, most parents taught their children to read at home or sent their children to small private or religious grammar schools. Education was voluntary and local governments did not force parents to send their children to state-controlled schools. Fundraising For Your Preschool Or Daycare Center Most day cares are non-profit organizations that must operate within a tight budget that covers the costs of facilities, staff and all of the equipment and materials for operating a quality and stimulating environment for children. It's a balancing act with little room for extras for the center or it's staff. Are You Reading to Your Kids? Over a number of years there have been issues raised concerning the literacy levels of eight year old children in schools. The number not meeting minimum literacy levels was almost at 30% only a few years ago. Parental Internet Control Tips The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all time. Parental Internet Control will protect our loved ones from internet filth like pornography and hate material just a click away. Parenting Univeristy: Potty Training 101 When your child shows signs of potty training readiness, it's time to purchase some essential potty training items. There are many new products which can help to make potty training quick and easy for both you and your child. How to Find The Best Time To Be With Your Kids "Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well." -Josh BillingsIf parents want to be able to make best use of time with their children, then it is crucial for a parent to start becoming alert to the state that their children are in. Empty Nest Syndrome Paula's last child had just gone off to college and Paula was struggling with a deep inner emptiness. While she knew this day was coming, she was not really prepared for the intense hollowness that welled up within. Lets Read! The Benefits of Reading to Your Children Parents, when you help your children learn to read, you help them open the door to a big, exciting world. As a parent, you can begin an endless learning chain like this: You read to your children, they develop a love of stories and poems, they want to read on their own, they practice reading, and finally, they read for their own information or pleasure. Public Schools Can Waste 12 Years of Your Child's Life For over fifty years, public-school officials and politicians have tried one education fad after another. They have all failed. The Child Chef If you really want to get your children to eat better, and have a better understanding of healthy foods, let them help in the picking and cooking of those foods. When you go shopping, let your children pick out a fruit or vegetable to cook that week. Its OK to Say No In the last 20 years we've all been introduced to a new style of parenting that is much more democratic than most of us experienced, growing up. Families are more child- centered than they were before, we no longer advocate spanking as an effective form of discipline, we often allow children to negotiate for privileges or things, and we're much more involved in our children's lives than most of our parents were in our lives. Whats Mine Is Mine You are at the grocery store with your daughter and she pulls out her hard-earned fifty cents and begins to buy a candy. Your son is at home with his soon to be step-Dad and fifty cents is jingling in your pocket. The 411 on Natural Colic Remedies Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell you that colic is one of the most excruciating experiences ever imaginable. Nothing is worse than seeing one's baby in pain and not being able to help take it away. How to Stop Bad Behavior Before it Starts Coping with a child's bad behavior, perhaps more than any other aspect of parenting, can cause stress, family disfunction, and a general loss of harmony in your home. Over time, negative behavior cycles can become ingrained in a family's way of interacting with each other 1. Examining Drugs for ADHD, Particularly Strattera In memory of 14 year old Matthew Smith; 11 year old Stephanie Hall; and 10 year old Shaina Dunkle and other children who have died from the use of psychotropic drugs for "ADHD".The Eli Lilly company has been marketing a new drug for those who are labeled as ADHD known as Strattera.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
