Saturday, December 4, 2010
Athletes with ADHD Inspiring Others
Click on the title and it will bring you right to the article. Pretty cool, huh??
Friday, December 3, 2010
Here is my Same Blog Entry on TV Watching and Childhood Depression without the Link so you can Forward it to Others
Children with ADHD do what we call hyperfocus at times. This hyperfocus is actually zoned in concentration on something of interest. I can hear you asking what is she talking about? My child is so distractible that he has difficulty focusing. However, if you think about it, there are times when your child concentrates so intensely that when you ask him a question or tell him that dinner is ready, that he does not even answer you. This hyperfocus often happens when children with ADHD watch television or play a computer game.
So, is this hyperfocus a good thing? It is a good thing when he hyperfocuses on something that is interesting and productive, such as playing Legos or completing a puzzle. Most children play computer games, video games and watch television. However, the length of time that the child with ADHD does these activities may be damaging to him. When a child watches television, or plays a computer or video game for too long a time period, there is a danger over time that this insular experience may lead to him becoming clinically depressed. There is much research on this topic that you can check out.
Now remember, I am NOT saying that the child with ADHD should not watch any television or play video or computer games. I am also NOT saying that your child will definitely become depressed. However, I would set up a kitchen timer and after your child has been involved with these activities for one hour, I would make him stop watching television, or playing those computer and/or video games.
I know it is tempting if things are quiet for once in your house (we have ALL felt this way!) and you have to make dinner as well as take care of all of your other children’s needs, i.e., homework, etc., that when everything is quiet, you most likely would want to leave it as so. Children can certainly watch television as well as play video and computer games, but just be careful about how long they are actually playing.
So, is this hyperfocus a good thing? It is a good thing when he hyperfocuses on something that is interesting and productive, such as playing Legos or completing a puzzle. Most children play computer games, video games and watch television. However, the length of time that the child with ADHD does these activities may be damaging to him. When a child watches television, or plays a computer or video game for too long a time period, there is a danger over time that this insular experience may lead to him becoming clinically depressed. There is much research on this topic that you can check out.
Now remember, I am NOT saying that the child with ADHD should not watch any television or play video or computer games. I am also NOT saying that your child will definitely become depressed. However, I would set up a kitchen timer and after your child has been involved with these activities for one hour, I would make him stop watching television, or playing those computer and/or video games.
I know it is tempting if things are quiet for once in your house (we have ALL felt this way!) and you have to make dinner as well as take care of all of your other children’s needs, i.e., homework, etc., that when everything is quiet, you most likely would want to leave it as so. Children can certainly watch television as well as play video and computer games, but just be careful about how long they are actually playing.
Monitoring your Child’s Computer and Television Time: Can Too Much Computer, Video Game Playing and/or Television Viewing Make your Child Depressed?
Children with ADHD do what we call hyperfocus at times. This hyperfocus is actually zoned in concentration on something of interest. I can hear you asking what is she talking about? My child is so distractible that he has difficulty focusing. However, if you think about it, there are times when your child concentrates so intensely that when you ask him a question or tell him that dinner is ready, that he does not even answer you. This hyperfocus often happens when children with ADHD watch television or play a computer game.
So, is this hyperfocus a good thing? It is a good thing when he hyperfocuses on something that is interesting and productive, such as playing Legos or completing a puzzle. Most children play computer games, video games and watch television. However, the length of time that the child with ADHD does these activities may be damaging to him. When a child watches television, or plays a computer or video game for too long a time period, there is a danger over time that this insular experience may lead to him becoming clinically depressed. There is much research on this topic that you can check out.
Now remember, I am NOT saying that the child with ADHD should not watch any television or play video or computer games. I am also NOT saying that your child will definitely become depressed. However, I would set up a kitchen timer and after your child has been involved with these activities for one hour, I would make him stop watching television, or playing those computer and/or video games.
I know it is tempting if things are quiet for once in your house (we have ALL felt this way!) and you have to make dinner as well as take care of all of your other children’s needs, i.e., homework, etc., that when everything is quiet, you most likely would want to leave it as so. Children can certainly watch television as well as play video and computer games, but just be careful about how long they are actually playing.
So, is this hyperfocus a good thing? It is a good thing when he hyperfocuses on something that is interesting and productive, such as playing Legos or completing a puzzle. Most children play computer games, video games and watch television. However, the length of time that the child with ADHD does these activities may be damaging to him. When a child watches television, or plays a computer or video game for too long a time period, there is a danger over time that this insular experience may lead to him becoming clinically depressed. There is much research on this topic that you can check out.
Now remember, I am NOT saying that the child with ADHD should not watch any television or play video or computer games. I am also NOT saying that your child will definitely become depressed. However, I would set up a kitchen timer and after your child has been involved with these activities for one hour, I would make him stop watching television, or playing those computer and/or video games.
I know it is tempting if things are quiet for once in your house (we have ALL felt this way!) and you have to make dinner as well as take care of all of your other children’s needs, i.e., homework, etc., that when everything is quiet, you most likely would want to leave it as so. Children can certainly watch television as well as play video and computer games, but just be careful about how long they are actually playing.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
How does a Child with ADHD Feel when his Teacher Reprimands him in Front of the Class for Calling out instead of Raising his Hand?
Children with ADHD often call out in school instead of raising their hand. We will address how to diminish that behavior in my next post. However, it is imperative to discuss your child’s feelings which are not often easy to access, particularly if he is young. One of my younger children to whom I teach social skills told me that the other day when the children in his class were supposed to be sitting on the rug in school, he called out instead of raising his hand. His teacher then said to him, “Johnny, I gave you those instructions two times already. Why didn’t you listen?” I asked him how her saying that to him in front of the class made him feel.
It is oftentimes difficult to get young children with ADHD to gain access to their feelings and to express them. We talked about how he felt by using the “Talk Blocks” by Innovative Interactions, LLC. The idea is that a child chooses two blocks that tell how he felt when something happened to him as well as two blocks that say what he needed to do after it happened. This young boy can read well, so he looked at the four sides of the blocks in order to pick two blocks that described his feelings. He placed two blocks in their square holes, and then proceeded to read the blocks to me that said that he was embarrassed and frustrated, which served as great conversation starters.
I then asked him to choose two blocks that described what he needed to do after he felt embarrassed and frustrated. He then chose two blocks, one of which said that he need to talk and the other block said that he needed to walk. The act of choosing those blocks made him think about his feelings as well as what he needed to do in order to give himself an outlet for those feelings.
The blocks that Johnny chose are seen here. Let me know if the “Talk Blocks” help you to encourage your child to discuss his feelings and what actions he would take in order to find an outlet for his feelings.
It is oftentimes difficult to get young children with ADHD to gain access to their feelings and to express them. We talked about how he felt by using the “Talk Blocks” by Innovative Interactions, LLC. The idea is that a child chooses two blocks that tell how he felt when something happened to him as well as two blocks that say what he needed to do after it happened. This young boy can read well, so he looked at the four sides of the blocks in order to pick two blocks that described his feelings. He placed two blocks in their square holes, and then proceeded to read the blocks to me that said that he was embarrassed and frustrated, which served as great conversation starters.
I then asked him to choose two blocks that described what he needed to do after he felt embarrassed and frustrated. He then chose two blocks, one of which said that he need to talk and the other block said that he needed to walk. The act of choosing those blocks made him think about his feelings as well as what he needed to do in order to give himself an outlet for those feelings.
The blocks that Johnny chose are seen here. Let me know if the “Talk Blocks” help you to encourage your child to discuss his feelings and what actions he would take in order to find an outlet for his feelings.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Presentations
Please write to me if you would like me to come to your school and/or parents' group to give a presentation on social skills. You can click on my profile on my blog and then click on my website for contact information, or you can write to me on my blog.
How would Parents Find Out if their Child has been Rejected by his Peers at School?
It is vital to keep communication open with your child with ADHD. Sometimes a young child with ADHD, say six or seven, for example, may appear to be happy and self-assured. However, if a child has a diagnosis of ADHD, one can assume that he has exhibited inappropriate behavior in school. Sometimes parents may appear to overlook their child’s symptoms of ADHD at home, because he has always exhibited those symptoms. They may look at those symptoms as simply part of their child’s behavioral repertoire.
The child with ADHD may appear to be happy at home while he is being rejected at school. How would you know if your child has had a negative experience at school? Try to encourage a conversation about a time in school where he might have had a negative experience, perhaps at recess, for example.
The other day, a child came to see me who appeared happy and energetic. I began a conversation with him about whether or not he went out today at recess since it was raining, He told me that his class had stayed inside. I then asked him what he did inside and he said that he played with Legos. I then asked him if there had ever been a time that he was outside at recess when the other kids rejected him. He told me that there was a time recently when everyone was playing kickball and after he was “up,” the other boys told him that “you stink at kickball.”
I wanted to encourage more conversation about that incident when he was rejected by his peers, so I asked him to draw what had happened to him on that day. He drew a picture which included him walking away by himself after the boys told him that he “stinks” at kickball. Needless to say, we then talked more about his feelings. He said that he had felt very sad. We also discussed why he walked away and what he could do next time.
What do you think that he should have done, walked away or been assertive with the boys who were rejecting him?
The child with ADHD may appear to be happy at home while he is being rejected at school. How would you know if your child has had a negative experience at school? Try to encourage a conversation about a time in school where he might have had a negative experience, perhaps at recess, for example.
The other day, a child came to see me who appeared happy and energetic. I began a conversation with him about whether or not he went out today at recess since it was raining, He told me that his class had stayed inside. I then asked him what he did inside and he said that he played with Legos. I then asked him if there had ever been a time that he was outside at recess when the other kids rejected him. He told me that there was a time recently when everyone was playing kickball and after he was “up,” the other boys told him that “you stink at kickball.”
I wanted to encourage more conversation about that incident when he was rejected by his peers, so I asked him to draw what had happened to him on that day. He drew a picture which included him walking away by himself after the boys told him that he “stinks” at kickball. Needless to say, we then talked more about his feelings. He said that he had felt very sad. We also discussed why he walked away and what he could do next time.
What do you think that he should have done, walked away or been assertive with the boys who were rejecting him?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)