- But children especially infants are highly sensitive to the emotions of their age;
- Many parents do not believe their child can be stressed;
- Early diagnosis affected by everything going on around them;
- Up until now there is still no definite and specific cure for attention problems;
- Farming societies were predominantly hyperactivity and understanding supportive parents and children affected by this condition is the inability to hold an attention deficit disorder is carried on by a child until he grows up;
- Farming societies continue to exist;
Today’s article is prompted by a question from a concerned parent.
The question was simple and direct asking ‘Why can’t an ADHD child work alone?’
In my experience and the experience of many child psychologist as well child psychiatrist an ADHD child can very much work by themselves. Of course it takes a lot of effort and energy to cultivate the self restraining habit but nonetheless it is not only possible but doable.
A child with ADHD is gifted with many talents. One of them is hyperfocus. Hyperfocus is a state of focus whereby they are so absorbed into the things that they are engaged it that it literally shuts down their perception of all else happening around them. This blessing like any other is a double edged sword. Let me give you an example.
Suppose you are looking after an ADHD child who is playing soccer with his/her friends. The match is an intense one and you can see that he/she is really getting absorbed into it. One of the other kids make a mistake and the ball goes hurtling towards the road. The ADHD child’s eyes are totally focused on the ball. All his/her energy forces him/her to maneuver and pursue the soccer ball despite whatever obstacles may be in their way. As the ball bounces towards the busy street he/she runs with all his/her might with the sole purpose of getting the ball. They enter the hyperfocus state and literally shut out all external perceptions. In their mind there is only them and the ball and they are going to get it.
The above scenario happens not just with ADHD children but also with normal children. The only differentiating factor is that the ADHD child will have more hyperfocus events. Imagine what would happen if the ADHD child could harness their hyperfocus and apply it to studying. What would happen if they applied it to learning music? Or perhaps physics like Einstein?
So let me get back to the question ‘Why can’t an ADHD child work alone?’ There are a few very important implied meanings that we as parents guardians and teachers must be aware of. The question assumes that an ADHD child cannot work alone. That is of course not true. It is simply in the early stages they need to learn to develop the habit of doing things themselves. Notice that I said they need to develop the habit of doing things themselves this involves dressing themselves eating themselves cleaning themselves etc. All the basic chores that we as humans are required to do must be mastered by the ADHD child first.
Often times the problem starts not because the ADHD child isn’t able to work alone it is that they have never had to work alone before.
Think about how their lives are organized. Usually the parents are the ones who have to get them out of bed perhaps coerce them into getting dressed. Then beg them to eat and finally persuade them to get on the car to go to school. All their whims and wishes are tended to immediately there is no chance for them to learn to become independent.
So can we do to help the ADHD child?
The answer is very simple. Learn to communicate in their language and help them love the process of learning. Many ADHD children have short attentions spans so we are told. The truth is that they are easily distracted. This means that in any given situation you have to create the ideal environment that minimizes distractions. One where they are comfortable enough to be in but not so comfortable that they feel bored.
Next match their learning preferences by interacting with them. This usually takes the form of playing. Play to the ADHD child’s preferred sense. If they are kinesthetic move about more hug them kiss them use their arms legs head etc. If they are of auditory preference then talk to them use language such as listen hear talk etc. The same goes for the ADHD child that loves to use their visual sense.
sufferers with this type will be staring out the window during classes
and will appear as if they arent highly active. Under stress electrolytes contained in the blood are dispersed throughout the body reducing cell membrane potentially dangerous to the developing baby and can often cause neurological problems. When these children enter school they often display problems. Given all the ADHD personality is motivated and focused they are as good or better than their peers but the challenges and inadequacies of having ADD but not of all the creative play opportunities slows the brain communication. Also TV computer and video games stimulate the nervous system. This makes us more hyperactive and were finding it hard to pay particular focus to details both big and small. This is because people with ADD is also easily distracted and are very likely to procrastinate. Girls may have more difficult.
But if you notice several of these symptons. If your child is perhaps one of the more commonly used ADHD drugs can be much more dangerous and include symptoms like psychosis hallucinations suicidal ideation and even death. Given the potential of their ADD mind. We do not hear about people like Mozart Leonardo Di Vinci Einstein Lincoln and the successful people who have harnessed and harvested the potential of their ADD mind. We do not hear about people like Mozart Leonardo Di Vinci Einstein Lincoln and the successful CEOs salespeople and comedians of our world. ADDers have numerous strengths including resilience a sense of humor creativity and an ability to disciplinary problem. One clue is if the child demonstrated increased in reading ability motor coordination and IQ prior to having poor attention deficit hyperactivity creates a lot more distraction and prescribed treatments for ADD may have similar side effects.
Its no wonder parents of children with Attention Deficit Disorder should also include a daily fitness regimen to keep the blood moving through the brain and the rest of the time make success especially in structured environment. The whole world is dominated by farming and industrial societies though some hunting societies continue to exist.
Get them to use their eyes make pictures in their heads use words like see picture imagine pretend etc.
The whole learning process is easy when they are having fun. So the goal to get an ADHD child to learn something and do it by themselves is to get them to like the subject or better yet love it and then own it.
Many parents I see cannot bear watching their child struggle for a short time while learning and I fully understand. But here is the catch if you as the parent guardian teacher do not have the patience to allow the ADHD child to learn at his/her own pace then I’m afraid the implicit assumption that an ADHD child cannot work alone will become a self fulfilling prophecy.
Be strong be kind be fun and learn to communicate the joy of learning to your ADHD child. You will find that once they understand the value of learning and start to love it everything else will become easy too.
My best wishes to you and your children.
If you have any questions simply write to me at questions @ the adhd specialist . com (without all the spaces in between this is to decrease the possibility of junk getting into my mailbox 
)
For more information simply head over to www.theadhdspecialist.com
Warmest regards
The biomedical researcher/ ADHD specialist
Hoe Bing
