When we talk about attention, we are referring to two different kinds of skills: the ability to focus on a specific task at hand, such as schoolwork, and the ability to pay attention in a more global sense to the world around us, so you can pay attention to the hum of overhead lights, the feel of clothing on skin, and children playing outside the classroom. These are two different types of care. One definition of “pay attention” is “hold and select the correct signal”. One part of this definition is that the child has to choose the right thing to pay attention to. That’s the “selection” part of the definition. A better word might be “filtered”. The brain is supposed to filter out distractions or stimuli that compete for our attention, but may not be important at the time. Many children with attention problems pay attention to everything around them equally, such as spending equal time with the touch of clothing on their skin, the buzz of lights on the ceiling, the children outside the classroom, and the spreadsheet. mathematics in front of them. from them. This, of course, is a problem if you just need to pay attention to a math worksheet or similar task. Many children with attention disorders have trouble concentrating on the specific task in front of them, especially if they are working on schoolwork or homework that is moderately interesting or not at all interesting. 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 son… Now, you might be thinking, “This is not my son. I have a son who could play Nintendo and be so focused that the house could catch on fire around him, and he would never know it.” .” Well that could be it. A lot of these kids could do exactly that. Nintendo is interesting, challenging and 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 hard time paying attention to something that isn’t interesting or motivating, which accounts for about 85% of their schoolwork and about 100% of their homework.Part of the problem with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is the lack of FLEXIBILITY with attention. A person without ADHD has the ability to switch from attention that is focused on a specific task to the type of attention that is global, many times in just a few seconds. At will, Those without ADHD can go from reading a book to scanning the room to see where our kids are and what they’re doing, then quickly back to focusing on our reading. ura. Without ADHD we have flexibility in our ability to concentrate. We can move from a specific approach to a global approach at will and very quickly. People with ADHD don’t have this same flexibility of approach. People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have a very difficult time shifting from a global focus, such as they may have during recess or lunch, to a specific focus that would be needed when they return to the classroom to study math and work. in mathematics. worksheet in front of them. This is why kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can play Nintendo, be really focused on that task, and not notice that the house is on fire around them. Or you tell them to talk about garbage. Paying Attention to the Right Thing A second type of problem with ADHD is keeping your attention on the task long enough to complete it. We can call this “attention span”. Many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can focus on the right task for a while, but then can’t keep it for long. His “attention span” is very short for his age. Unless they are kept highly motivated, these children find it very difficult to stay focused long enough to finish the work they started. They are often seen as restless, easily distracted and “daydreaming”. These are the people who can start five different projects, but can’t finish any of them. They may start cleaning their rooms, but after a short while they get distracted by their toys or baseball cards and forget about the job they’re supposed to be working on. Children like this are often neither impulsive nor hyperactive. They just seem to be “space cadets”, unfocused or lazy. Children with only the ADHD type tend to be female (60% female to 40% male). They are the subgroup with Attention Deficit Disorder least likely to receive help for their condition, especially children with Attention Deficit ADHD. Kids who only have ADHD of the inattentive type are like space cadets. They are in a mental fog. They are like Winnie the Pooh. They are often seen not paying close attention to detail or having trouble keeping their mind on a task, especially with schoolwork or chores around the house. They often don’t seem to be listening. They are usually disorganized. They will often try to stop doing their homework because it is so boring. They’re the kids who spend two hours completing a 20-minute assignment and then don’t turn it in to the teacher the next day because they’ve lost it in their backpack or sent it to the Bermuda triangle of homework. 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.
