| When we talk about attention, we are talking about | | | | very quickly. Individuals with ADHD do not have this |
| two different kinds of abilities: The ability to focus on a | | | | same flexibility of focus. Those with Attention Deficit |
| specific task put in front of us to do, such as school | | | | Hyperactivity Disorder have a very difficult time shifting |
| work, and the ability to pay attention in a more global | | | | from a global focus, such as they might have at |
| sense to the world around us, to be able to pay | | | | recess or lunch break, to a specific focus that would |
| attention to the buzz of the lights overhead, and the | | | | be required when they return to the classroom to |
| touch of the clothes on your skin, and the children | | | | study math and work on the math worksheet in front |
| playing outside of the classroom. These are two | | | | of them. This is why kids with Attention Deficit |
| different kinds of attention. One definition of "paying | | | | Hyperactivity Disorder could play Nintendo, be really |
| attention" is "sustaining and selecting to the right cue." | | | | focused on that task, and not notice the house burning |
| One part of this definition is that the child has to pick | | | | down around them. Or you telling them to talk out the |
| the right thing to pay attention to. That's the "selecting" | | | | trash. Paying Attention to the Right Thing A second |
| part of the definition. A better word might be "filtering." | | | | type of problem with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity |
| The brain is supposed to filter out distractions, or stimuli | | | | Disorder is sustaining attention to the task long enough |
| which compete for our attention, but might not be | | | | to finish the task. We may call this "attention span." |
| important at that moment. Many children with attention | | | | Many children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity |
| problems pay attention to everything in the world | | | | Disorder may be able to focus attention to the correct |
| around them equally, such as giving equal time to the | | | | task for a while, but then can't sustain it for very long. |
| touch of the clothes on their skin, the buzz of the lights | | | | Their "attention span" is very short for their age. Unless |
| overhead, the kids outside the classroom, and the | | | | kept highly motivated, these children have a very hard |
| math worksheet in front of them. This, of course, is a | | | | time staying focused long enough to finish the work |
| problem if he needs to be paying attention to only a | | | | that they start. They are often seen as fidgety, easily |
| math worksheet or a similar task. Many children with | | | | distracted, and "day-dreamers." These are the people |
| Attention Disorders have trouble concentrating on the | | | | who may start five different projects, but fail to finish |
| specific task in front of them, especially if they are | | | | any of them. They may begin to clean their rooms, but |
| working on something like school work or chores that | | | | after a short time become distracted by their toys or |
| are only moderately interesting, or not interesting at all. | | | | baseball cards and forget all about the job that they |
| These kids have to be very motivated, very excited, | | | | are supposed to be working on. Often children like this |
| very interested in what they're doing in order to pay | | | | are not impulsive or hyperactive. They just appear to |
| attention. This Is NOT My Child... Now, you might be | | | | be "space-cadets," unfocused, or lazy. Children with |
| thinking, "This is not my kid. I have a kid who could play | | | | only the Inattentive Type of Attention Deficit |
| Nintendo, and be so focused that the house could burn | | | | Hyperactivity Disorder tend to be females (60% |
| down around him, and he'd never notice." Well, that | | | | females to 40% males). They are the least likely |
| could be. A lot of these kids could do just exactly that. | | | | Attention Deficit Disorder subgroup to receive any help |
| Nintendo is interesting, its challenging, and its fun. Kids | | | | for their condition, especially the boys with Inattentive |
| get immediate feedback, they could play Nintendo for | | | | ADHD. Kids who are just ADHD Inattentive Type are |
| hours. But just put a math worksheet in front of them | | | | like space-cadets. They are in a brain fog. They are |
| and see how different it is. They have a terrible time | | | | like Winnie the Pooh. They are often seen failing to |
| paying attention to something that's not interesting or | | | | pay close attention to details, or having trouble keeping |
| that's not motivating, which accounts for about 85% of | | | | their minds focused on a task, especially with school |
| school work, and about 100% of chores. Part of the | | | | work or chores. They often don't seem to be listening. |
| problem with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is | | | | They are often disorganized. They often will try to get |
| a lack of FLEXIBILITY with attention. A person without | | | | out of doing their homework because it is just such a |
| ADHD has the ability to shift from attention that is | | | | boring task. They are the kids that will spend two |
| focused on a specific task at hand to the kind of | | | | hours to complete a 20 minute homework assignment, |
| attention that is global many times in just a few | | | | and then fail to turn it in to the teacher the next day |
| seconds. At will those without ADHD can shift from | | | | because they have lost it in their back pack or sent it |
| reading a book, to scanning the room to know where | | | | to the Bermuda triangle of homework assignments. |
| our kids are and what they are doing, and then very | | | | Parents and teachers can learn more about the |
| quickly returning to focus on our reading. Without | | | | different types of ADHD, and specific treatment |
| ADHD we have flexibility in our ability to focus. We | | | | strategies for each type, by visiting the ADHD |
| can shift from specific focus to global focus at will and | | | | Information Library. |