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’re doing something they enjoy or find psychologically
rewarding, they’ll 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 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. Just to explain a bit more about the
negative effects of your preschool child with ADHD spending time on screens:
When your child is involved with screen time, he is inactive. Radesky and Christakis
(2016) found that “heavy media use during the preschool and early school-aged
years is associated with increases in body mass index(BMI)”(p.834).Therefore,
if your preschool child with ADHD is involved with screen time, make sure that
he gets some regular exercise as well to counterbalance his inactivity.
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.
There are two caveats, however. The first caveat is to
be aware at all times of what app your child is accessing and what activities are
included in the app. I know that parents have so much to do each day,
especially those who work. However, please supervise your preschool child with
ADHD on whichever device you choose for him to use. If you are not available to
supervise your child, please have another adult oversee him.
Additionally, you need to make sure that the
activities on the app are just challenging enough to be interesting yet not too
challenging to be frustrating to your child. The second caveat is to be aware of
advertising that maybe embedded in some Android apps.
Finally, set up some sort of timer and manage the time
that your child spends watching television or playing a game on an iPad or a
computer. Do not permit your child to watch more than one hour a day or play an
app or a game on an iPad more than one hour a day.
Just remember how young your preschool child with ADHD
may actually be in terms of being at an immature developmental level as a
result of his ADHD. Shaw et al.’s (2007) research was definitive
about the immature developmental levels of children with ADHD. In addition,
make sure to read the policy statement written by The American Academy of
Pediatrics in terms of the recommended restrictions of the use of digital media
for young children. That being said, here is a great app that you might want
your child to try!
One
Great App for your Child to Access
Breathe,
Think, Do with Sesame (Apple/Android)
I highly recommend this app, which I truly love! It
teaches problem solving of everyday problems such as the child being frustrated
putting his shoes on, not wanting to separate from his mommy when he goes to
school, becoming upset when the building he made fell down, being impatient
when he has to wait his turn to go down a slide, and being afraid of the dark
when he goes to sleep. Before I forget to tell you, you can listen to this app either
in Spanish or English, which is a real plus.
The app opens and shows a friendly monster, whose name
is Mando, telling your child to choose an activity. When he taps on an
activity, the narrator explains the monster’s problem. Then he tells the child
to tap on the monster’s belly to help him to put his hands on it. As the monster
does so, the narrator states that he is taking three deep breaths, which helps him
to calm down.
As the monster calms down, the narrator tells the
child to think of a plan to solve his problem. In order for the child to do so,
he is told to pop bubbles with thoughts of planning in them, so that the monster
can think of a plan. After the child pops the bubbles, which he just does by
tapping on each bubble, he is shown a plan of action that the monster may take.
When he is finished popping the bubbles, the monster has decided upon three plans
of action to solve his problem, which the narrator goes over again at the end of
each problem-solving example.
Therefore, the child has three possible plans from
which to choose, which the narrator states again and has the child make a
decision as to which plan to choose. The bubbles come up, accompanied by very
pleasant, light music somewhat like a triangle or a xylophone. At this point,
the child is shown the importance of developing a plan again and how to make
one, including beginning with taking three deep breaths. He tells your child to
breathe, think (of a plan), and do (carry out) the plan. The instructions
continue with the monster experiencing another problem. The same instructions
follow for each of the monster’s problems. The instructions are the same, so therefore
are predictable, which is perfect for a preschool child with ADHD who does best
with routines. This is executive function exemplified!
Another great part of this app is the parent’s
section, which is easily accessible by dragging the rectangle to the lower-right-hand
corner of the iPad. Parents are offered tips and strategies for everything from
strategies for persistence and coping with separation to other tips about
issues that are not included in the apps, such as adjusting to a move and
managing sibling rivalry. This is just awesome!
There is also a Let’s Breathe option that is explained
in more detail within the app. Finally, and really the best part, is a section where
you can encourage the monster to think of plans using your child’s own voice! Just
amazing! What a great innovation!
Here is a fabulous bonus! If you go to www.sesameworkshop.org,you
can access (for free!) videos of characters learning to be patient, not giving
up, and saying bye-bye for now. For example, when you listen to the videos, a character
talks in a rhythmic way, offering your child examples of what to do when he is waiting
so that he can remain patient. There is simply no negative that characterizes
this app for preschool children—with supervision, of course!
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