The ADHD Child And The Great Distraction Myth
View PDF (printable) versionBy Tellman Knudson
One of the great myths of working with the ADHD child (and anyone with ADHD symptoms for that matter) today is: "Take away all extra distraction and stimulus so the ADHD child can focus." This is just not true, and I will show you why.
There was an ADHD child I was working with...his mother worked in a fitness gym, and I had an office there. At my office, I would see this ADHD child to try to help with his ADHD symptoms.
His mother was often really frustrated. Whenever she was trying to close up the fitness center to go home at night, her ADHD child was running all over the place...he wasn't listening to anything she said...making a mess...taking all the exercise cushions and scattering them...basically tearing the place apart. She was trying to clean up and go home for the night, and she was at her wit?s end.
One night, I was locking up my office for the night and I said to his mother, "Pssst...watch this." This particular ADHD child was only about six. He had eight different diagnoses of ADD, OCD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder on top of his ADHD symptoms, and everything else. But I said, "Hold on, let me show you something simple."
Then I said to the ADHD child, "Hey, try this... All those cushions you're throwing all over the place, I'd like to see if you can do this. I don't think you can. I don't think that you're smart or fast enough to do this, but if you can, prove me wrong."
I said, "Try to balance them all up on one hand while you're looking up at the ceiling, while you're reciting the alphabet backwards."
The next thing I knew, this ADHD child had all these cushions from the workout machines balanced on one hand...AND he was looking up at the ceiling, and reciting the alphabet backwards.
I said, "Ok, let's see if you can remember where each one of those cushions go, and if a single one of them is out of place, you have to start over." The fact is, it didn't really matter where they went. But this ADHD child, even though he was only six, he remembered precisely where they all came from.
One at a time, he put all these cushions back squarely, exactly where they were supposed to go, and he didn't argue, because I didn't give him anything to argue with. I gave him something challenging to do that needed to be done that occupied all his senses at once.
At the same time, we turned the music up in the fitness center while we were at it. We turned it loud to give him more auditory sense, and bam! He had focus instantly. Why does this work? How does this happen?
There are some different theories about how this happens, and I read about one amazing theory in a book called Healing ADD by Daniel Amen. He?s a medical doctor, and he talks about the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the part of your brain that?s actually responsible for doing a few things. One is for balancing your emotions, for maintaining a balanced emotional state, also the ability to actually plan ahead and think in advance. Finally, it allows you to do things in a sequenced, step-by-step structure, to essentially make a list of things to do and do it in steps A through G.
A linear person focuses on one thing. This activates that part of the brain we were talking about earlier, the prefrontal cortex. Their emotions get balanced. They're able to think ahead, plan ahead and do things in sequence. That?s pretty good for focusing on one task at a time, such as doing the dishes. It?s a monotonous, step-by-step kind of thing.
If a person with ADHD symptoms, or an ADHD child, focuses on one thing, generally what happens is, your brain, the part of your brain that is in control of doing things in sequence, planning ahead and doing things in order, literally shuts down.
The activity in your brain just goes "plop," and what happens is your brain starts looking for other things to stimulate it so it can stay active, except it?s going on "randomizer," meaning it will just soak up whatever?s coming into your senses.
The point is, if you feed an ADHD child's senses with things that are related to what they're trying to accomplish, they'll stay focused on accomplishing that thing.
This is the big difference between people with ADHD symptoms and people without ADHD symptoms, that gets really misunderstood.
Someone who sees an ADHD child struggling to stay focused on one thing, usually tries to help by "taking away all the distractions" actually taking away more stimulus from the ADHD child's environment, and trying to force their brain to focus even more on just that one thing.
Because that is what works for a person without ADHD symptoms, right? However, as I've shown, that is the worst thing to do to the ADHD child.
When you give an ADHD child (or adult) enough things to do at once, as well as a stimulating environment, they can do anything at all, they are in their element, and they really shine. If you'd like to learn more surprising secrets about how to help the ADHD child and others with ADHD symptoms focus and thrive, see below.
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from my positive experiences with my adhd son now 16 yrs old i totally agree that having music in the background helped him concentrate. it was loud too so much so that i could not think, however he found himself achieving much more homework than without music. he taught me this as i was always nagging him to work in a quiet environment.
The first commenter obviously is still having trouble controlling his attention. He didnt read the article, or misunderstood it. The author was not saying that ADHD isnt real, he was saying that removing distractions is not an effective way to help a child with ADHD focus. How he missed the point of the article is beyond me.
I have many friends, and family with ADD or ADHD, I have also worked with many children in the schools with ADHD. I have seen the change in them when they recieve the medication they need, the change is amazing. ADD is a real problem. Wouldnt you like to know ways to help yourself or others that does not have to rely of medications. I dont believe the artical was saying ADHD is a myth but the fact that we have to remove all distractions for them to focus is a myth. From my experiance I would have to agree with that conclusion. ADD and ADHD adults and Children have amazing potental to focus on what they desire to focus on, as most people due. The key is to work with the individual where they are at and keep an open mind to anything that might help them be the best person they can be.
the problem is that you diagnose the external.distractions ARE NOT THE ISSUE! the abbility and intrest in distraction is.
stop looking at it from out side,there is no external problem,theres only the inside,give him a REASON to focus and he will with amazing potential.
im add/adhd.etc/etc,want some insight? start f*****g looking at the PERSON and not the prognosis. theres a difference between the gifted and the diseased.
When I read this all I could think of was Tom Cruise and his comments re depression. Articles like this are highly irresponsible.
As an adult that grew up wondering what was wrong with me, why was I so different? Always feeling depression, anxiety.. The hyperness.. The sadness... Sorry Folks, ADHD is REAL. As real as Depression and it can bring on depression due to the loneliness our disability/disorder inflicts on us.
Yes, some of us are different, some can get better with behavior modification and other alternative vitamins.. but many of us, that isnt the option.
I grew up in the Caribbean. I didnt have TV to watch all day; didnt want to anyways. The ocean was my playground. Water is safe there, free of lead, so that wasnt the cause. No there wasnt lead base paint in my home.
My mother had us eat the 5 food groups with every dinner, no, missing breakfast and lunch. And a Salad was included every day. So, that wasnt the problem either.
She had be taking a vitamin b complex and massage therapy - that helped a bit, but no that didnt cure me either.
So, as an adult, suicidal emotions were rampant. Ive stayed away from Drugs, alcohol, and anything that could be addictive (oops, I do smoke cigarettes, hard to stop, as they REALLY do calm me down) - didnt want to try any street drugs as I was scared of really liking them, and what the outcome would be. I dont even like taking any medication for basic pains either, headaches, back pain. Nothing
Doctors thought maybe bi-polar - no, cause the emotions were to rapid; Depression - those pills caused me to become suicidal; Maybe I had a personality disorder they thought - those pills made me a raving lunatic;
Could it be ADHD? I asked.. My son has it, my father shows the signs. No, they said.. You are too old, Adults dont have adhd. The kids grow out of it by the time they are 14 --- YEAH RIGHT !!!! said with sarcasm - No ONE and I mean NO ONE wanted to acknowledge that I had ADHD! and NO ONE wanted to help me!
Finally, Adults have finally been recognized. The first time I tried any medication was in a clinical study. Literally I could start SEEING better, HEARING better, not only did I get to pay attention more, feel more focused, feel more part of the society that seemed to shun me, so different.. I was able to become a part of it. It happened immediately.
Everyone around me noticed the results immediately - it was like I entered the world of being human. I fit in.
Unfortunately the drugs do build up in my system, and I have to cycle them, off and on. Am I aware? you bet, after a couple of weeks, I know, it is time to get on them again; People who are close to me (there arent many- I still have a hard time opening up to others, more out of habit today) let me know when again, because I am driving them insane. Unfortunately there isnt a magic cure, YET, and it is all different for different people.. but I can assure you.
Sorry Charlie -- Doctors dont really like giving ADHD medication as many of the Naysayer Dr