You have probably observed that
your preschool child with ADHD needs stimulation and is always looking for
something to do, which in many cases involves a screen. Therefore, it may be
your cell phone, an iPad, a tablet, a computer, or a television. Do parents
(including me!) employ
these screens as a respite from
the behavior that our children exhibit that is negative or socially inappropriate?
Absolutely! Who could blame you? No one! What is the influence of screens on
preschool children with ADHD?
Screens offer preschool children
with ADHD the opportunity to hyperfocus, or to lock in with intense
concentration. These children need stimulation, and rewards and screens satisfy
these needs. Preschool children with ADHD may become what I call “zoned out,”
whether they are
watching a television show or
playing a game on an iPad. You may be confused by the term “hyperfocus” and ask
yourself, “What is she talking about? My child has difficulty focusing so how
can she be talking about an intense focus?”
Hyperfocus
is the ability to zero in intensely on an interesting project or activity for
hours at a time . . . the tendency for children and adults with attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) to focus very intently on things
that interest them. At times, the focus is so strong that they become oblivious
to the world around them (Flippin, 2005, np).
Have you called your preschool
child with ADHD to a meal, or asked him a question when he just stares ahead
and does not answer you? Children and adults with ADHD have difficulty shifting
attention from one thing to another. If they are doing something they enjoy or
find
psychologically rewarding, they
will tend to persist in this behavior after others would normally move on to
other things. The brains of people with ADHD are drawn to activities that give
instant feedback (Barkley, 2005, np). Preschool children with ADHD appear to
exhibit less hyperactivity and/or inattentiveness during a period of
hyperfocus, which typically occurs when they watch a television show, play a
computer game, or a game on their iPads.
Is hyperfocus a good thing? It is
advantageous to intensely focus on completing a puzzle or building an intricate
Lego structure. Many young children play iPad games or watch television.
However, there may be damaging effects of these screen-involved activities
depending on the
length of time that they are
engaging in them. There is much research that indicates that there may be some
negative side effects as related to your children using screen time.
As your child grows, keep in mind
that too much screen time or screen time that is of poor quality has been
linked to
• obesity
• irregular sleep schedules and
shorter duration of sleep
• behavioral problems
• loss of social skills
• violence
• less time for play
(www.mayoclinic.org, 2017, np)
A better goal for the parents of
preschool children with ADHD for their child is to build their child’s
creativity and independent play, which they are not going to do while he is
concentrated on a screen. If your child is sitting on the couch staring at the
television watching a show, or playing a game on an iPad, is he using his mind
for creative play? My opinion is probably not, though there is room for some
imagination when a child is accessing apps. I am not advising you to never
permit your child to have screen time. Instead, I am saying that it would
be smart on your part to limit
the time that your child spends on screens, as well as make sure that he
independently plays.
Should you permit your child to
use a screen during a meal? Just to return to your desire to keep your child
seated at meals once again, please do not permit him to use any device
with a screen that might zone him out during meal time. Meals should be a
social time of finding out about your child’s day and simply conversing about
everything. If your child is using an iPad or a mobile device during a meal, he
will only be paying attention to exactly what he is doing in a hyperfocused
way. In other words, your child may not be accessible to you during these meals
if he is viewing anything with a screen.
That being said, why would you
introduce your preschool child with ADHD to apps? Why would you not just have
your child play with typical toys? As I have said before, preschool children
with ADHD, especially those who are hyperactive, need stimulating materials and
activities to grab their
attention. Therefore, apps for preschool children with ADHD are worth trying if
you think that these children will be successful at them. They should be
colorful and interesting to your child, however, accompanied by pleasing sounds
and positive reinforcement.
More later… questions??
