WWYD...?

[OneStepAtATime]

DS was working on math this afternoon.  We had already worked with manipulatives and had done some practice problems.  I had to leave to drive DD down the street to a student council service project at a local church.  I told DS to just do whatever problems he could without me and when I got back we could keep working together.  

 

I took longer than I planned and didn't get home for about 40 minutes.  He had finished the lesson we were working on and was nearly done with the one for tomorrow.  He got all the problems correct!  Whoohoo!  And in record time, which may or may not be a good thing, but was definitely interesting.

 

However, he had his headsets on and was listening to a book on his Kindle while he worked.  It was a book he had already read several times so it wasn't brand new material.  He says he would like to do that more often.  I honestly don't think this is a good idea, but he DID get all the problems correct. He says it keeps him focusing.   :huh:

 

Another thing, while I normally scribe quite a bit for him because of the dysgraphia, he wrote everything out himself.  It isn't great, and sizing is all over the place, but it is definitely legible.  If this encourages him to write more on his own and build up that muscle strength and muscle memory...and he were to consistently still get problems correct...and I limited it to only after we have done several problems together to confirm his understanding...and only with books he has already read before...I don't know.  It still seems like this would be interfering with long term retention....

 

Maybe just once in a while?  Never again?  All the time?  Anybody know any research in this area to say one way or another if this is a really bad idea?  What say the wonderful ladies here on the LC board?

[MiMi 4under3]

If it was my DS, I'd be willing to experiment with him using the headphones and audiobook again, to see if the good results continued. If it proved to work, I'd allow him to use this technique perhaps frequently.

 

I don't have any experience with this, though.

[Heathermomster]

The only subject DS physically writes is math. My DS prefers listening to audio as he works so I allow him to listen to instrumental music.

[OneStepAtATime]

Interestingly, DD loves to listen to music.  DS not at all.  It distracts him.  I assumed that an audio book would be even worse.  I guess I may have been wrong...

[prairiewindmomma]

My oldest listens to Percy Jackson on repeat on his mp3 player most days during school.  Kid3 (also dysgraphic and attention issues) can only listen during certain subjects, but his work is noticeably better for those subjects.

 

I don't claim to understand it, but we are going with the flow. I've noticed that their other compensatory attention behaviors (tapping, rocking, gum smacking) all stop when the audio is on.

 

 

[OneStepAtATime]

My oldest listens to Percy Jackson on repeat on his mp3 player most days during school.  Kid3 (also dysgraphic and attention issues) can only listen during certain subjects, but his work is noticeably better for those subjects.

 

I don't claim to understand it, but we are going with the flow. I've noticed that their other compensatory attention behaviors (tapping, rocking, gum smacking) all stop when the audio is on.

Interesting. Well, I guess we will give it a whirl for a bit and see how it goes....

[jar7709]

My DS listens to music on headphones during his table time. It definitely helps his focus. I was and still am the same way, it used to drive my mother batty--this was in a pre-headphone era and she would hear my music and assume I couldn't possibly be doing my homework well. Neither he nor I am officially dx'd but it obviously helps us.

[Dagne]

I think it's worth trying for another day or two. My niece, who has ADHD and just started her PhD in physics, does all of her schoolwork while half-watching reruns of old sitcoms. She says it keeps her from getting distracted by other things (a dripping faucet, cars driving by, etc.) and helps her to work at a decent pace. 

[kbutton]

I frequently do better with some noise, but I attribute this to being a kid who actually did homework in study hall, which was often relatively noisy (in a big cafeteria). I can't do noise directly into my ears with headphones for long though--totally different for some reason. 

 

I think it's worth a try, but I would restrict him to familiar content and such.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ds with ADHD (and an Aspie) listened to heavy metal while doing schoolwork.  He claims it helps him to focus.  

[Lecka]

I used to do some studying while watching tv.  It helps to have something to tune out -- it keeps me from paying attention to other things.  It is something he already has listened to several times -- if it was something new and so more interesting -- he might be tempted to listen to it more.  But something familiar -- I don't think it would do anything to hurt my retention if I did that. 

[OneStepAtATime]

Ran out of likes.  Thanks Jean,  thanks Lecka!

[PeterPan]

Onestep, I thought FOR SURE you were gonna say it turned out he used the tm!!!   :lol:   Then it turns out your only problem is being shocked that people listen to audiobooks while working!  Oh to have such problems!  :D  Seriously, this is not a problem.  Respect him.  If it works, it works.  He's old enough to have some dialogue here and tell you these things.  :)

 

There was a thread on this maybe a month ago on maybe gen or chat.  I used to listen to english music while memorizing my russian.  I used to listen to audiobooks while reading.  Just because it's a less common thing doesn't mean it's wrong, mercy.  If it's working, it's working...

[OneStepAtATime]

Onestep, I thought FOR SURE you were gonna say it turned out he used the tm!!!   :lol:   Then it turns out your only problem is being shocked that people listen to audiobooks while working!  Oh to have such problems!   :D  Seriously, this is not a problem.  Respect him.  If it works, it works.  He's old enough to have some dialogue here and tell you these things.   :)

 

There was a thread on this maybe a month ago on maybe gen or chat.  I used to listen to english music while memorizing my russian.  I used to listen to audiobooks while reading.  Just because it's a less common thing doesn't mean it's wrong, mercy.  If it's working, it's working...

:lol:

 

Well, I'm sure the look on my face was a bit ...stressed?  confused?  worried?... when I walked in the door.  I thought goodness either he only did a few problems and quit to listen to his book or he used all his time listening to an audio book and we still have a lot of math to tackle.  Then I looked closer and realized he was still working,  So then I thought oh, boy, I bet there are going to be a lot of mistakes.  Then I looked at how far he had gone and how many were obviously correct on the page I was looking at.  Then I didn't know what to think.  :)

 

Then he told me he really liked listening to his book while doing his math and wanted to do it again.  I decided quickly to reserve judgement until I had checked all of his work, contemplated a bit and consulted with you lovely people.  :)  He awaits my decision.  I think we will definitely try this out (but only with books he is very familiar with, as mentioned up thread, so he doesn't get so engaged in the story).

 

You guys rock!  Thanks for the feedback!   :hurray:  :laugh:

[Garga]

My thoughts:

 

I read somewhere that listening to music can help people focus, but only if it's music they're very familiar with. New music would distract. I suppose the same could be said about books?

 

My dh has ADHD and routinely watches cricket matches while studying. (The man has been a student for about 38 of his 46 years. He's always taking a class on something.)

 

I knew a bazillion kids in school who did well and who also watched tv while they did their homework.

 

When I did the routine part of my entry level job (many years ago) I would routinely listen to books on tape while working. However, when a more difficult task came up, I'd have to turn off the tape and concentrate. I canNOT learn and listen to music/books etc while I'm learning, however. Not at all. I prefer complete and total silence.

 

If I were you, I'd try it out, based on the first 3.5 points above. I'd just ask him to listen to old stuff that he's familiar with so he's not too distracted by a new story.

 

And it would be with the caveat that if his work started to suffer or his understanding became too shallow that he'd have to back off from listening while working.

[OneStepAtATime]

My thoughts:

 

I read somewhere that listening to music can help people focus, but only if it's music they're very familiar with. New music would distract. I suppose the same could be said about books?

 

My dh has ADHD and routinely watches cricket matches while studying. (The man has been a student for about 38 of his 46 years. He's always taking a class on something.)

 

I knew a bazillion kids in school who did well and who also watched tv while they did their homework.

 

When I did the routine part of my entry level job (many years ago) I would routinely listen to books on tape while working. However, when a more difficult task came up, I'd have to turn off the tape and concentrate. I canNOT learn and listen to music/books etc while I'm learning, however. Not at all. I prefer complete and total silence.

 

If I were you, I'd try it out, based on the first 3.5 points above. I'd just ask him to listen to old stuff that he's familiar with so he's not too distracted by a new story.

 

And it would be with the caveat that if his work started to suffer or his understanding became too shallow that he'd have to back off from listening while working.

Thanks for the feedback, Garga.  And I agree, this is an experiment only. We will have controlled parameters and see how it goes... :)

[texasmama]

Go for it! Absolutely!

 

One kid concentrates much better on read alouds while playing iPad games.

[geodob]

Behind this, is the way that attention works?

At any moment, we are maintaining multiple points of attention.

Though they organized into levels, with Primary, Secondary and Tertiary.

 

Primary attention is our controlled focus of attention.

Then Tertiary attention has a major role in attending to our posture and movement, and operates at an automatic level.

In between, we have Secondary attention, which is a sort of 'roaming attention'. That keeps and eye and ear out for any change around us?

Also keeps an on the time.

But sitting quietly in a room, doing school work?

Leaves Secondary attention with nothing to attend to?

So that it can then become disruptive, in finding something to occupy it?

 

Where the audio books keeps secondary attention occupied.

But it is important that the book is already familiar, so that it doesn't have to bother Primary attention.

 

Though sitting on Balance Balls while doing school work, equally occupies Secondary attention.

 

But these different levels of attention underlie Attention Disorders?

Where their is a lack of distinction, between Primary and Secondary Attention.

[OneStepAtATime]

Behind this, is the way that attention works?

At any moment, we are maintaining multiple points of attention.

Though they organized into levels, with Primary, Secondary and Tertiary.

 

Primary attention is our controlled focus of attention.

Then Tertiary attention has a major role in attending to our posture and movement, and operates at an automatic level.

In between, we have Secondary attention, which is a sort of 'roaming attention'. That keeps and eye and ear out for any change around us?

Also keeps an on the time.

But sitting quietly in a room, doing school work?

Leaves Secondary attention with nothing to attend to?

So that it can then become disruptive, in finding something to occupy it?

 

Where the audio books keeps secondary attention occupied.

But it is important that the book is already familiar, so that it doesn't have to bother Primary attention.

 

Though sitting on Balance Balls while doing school work, equally occupies Secondary attention.

 

But these different levels of attention underlie Attention Disorders?

Where their is a lack of distinction, between Primary and Secondary Attention.

We don't have that diagnosis but I have wondered.  DS, when he was in 1st grade, asked his teacher to move his desk as far from the other students as possible because he felt he was getting too distracted.  And in Kindergarten his teacher told me that sometimes he would ask if he could go sit in a corner to work instead of his table because the movement of the other students at his table "confused his brain".  He doesn't switch gears easily, either...

[PeterPan]

Onestep, just for your trivia, what happens if you give him caffeine?

[OneStepAtATime]

Onestep, just for your trivia, what happens if you give him caffeine?

He won't drink a caffeinated or even a carbonated beverage.  He drinks milk, water and lemonade.  That's it.  He hates everything else.  So I honestly have no idea... :)

[PeterPan]

Hot chocolate?  I don't know how hard and fast the rule is, but in general caffeine (a stimulant) will tend to have a flipped effect (more tired, more sedate) on adhd kids.  

[OneStepAtATime]

Hot chocolate?  I don't know how hard and fast the rule is, but in general caffeine (a stimulant) will tend to have a flipped effect (more tired, more sedate) on adhd kids.  

Dear DS hates chocolate, too.  And a whole host of other things, as well.  Mainly textures bother him but any sort of strong flavor wigs him out also (strong meaning anything above absolutely bland) :tongue_smilie: .

 

I finally got him to tolerate leafy things by making him eat a tiny piece of lettuce every single day for years and years.  He hates the feel but it doesn't freak him out anymore.  You should have seen our brushing teeth routines in the early years.   :willy_nilly:  

 

I guess I could ask him to try an experiment with me...he MIGHT be amenable.  :)  

[Pen]

Haven't read other replies, but I'd go with almost all the time as long as it seemed to be working.

 

(My brother does almost all of his legal writing work in noisy cafes. He cannot seem to concentrate in quiet.)

 

Sometimes I think it would be good to work without the headphones and background story so that in situations when he has to do that it is not impossible. Though conceivably he could get accommodations to allow that if he needed it someday.

 

My ds is working on quad ruled paper, but I still find locating his answers and so on to be very difficult, so we started co-correcting his work. He has to find the answer and so on, while I look at the answer key. If they don't match, and if we agree that the answer key is right (it isn't always) he now figures out what went wrong. My new view is that he needs to be able to read his writing, but I don't. 

[OneStepAtATime]

Haven't read other replies, but I'd go with almost all the time as long as it seemed to be working.

 

(My brother does almost all of his legal writing work in noisy cafes. He cannot seem to concentrate in quiet.)

 

Sometimes I think it would be good to work without the headphones and background story so that in situations when he has to do that it is not impossible. Though conceivably he could get accommodations to allow that if he needed it someday.

 

My ds is working on quad ruled paper, but I still find locating his answers and so on to be very difficult, so we started co-correcting his work. He has to find the answer and so on, while I look at the answer key. If they don't match, and if we agree that the answer key is right (it isn't always) he now figures out what went wrong. My new view is that he needs to be able to read his writing, but I don't. 

Thanks for the response, Pen.  Everyone here seems to feel o.k. with this and he DID do really well, so we are going to try this in a limited and controlled fashion to see how it goes.  

 

I know my kids function way differently than I do.  Getting help with thinking outside the box has been great.  Thanks everyone!

 

And Pen, I wanted to comment about the last part of your post since it tickled me so.  My dad (and my husband and one of my nephews for that matter) had atrocious handwriting.  Just awful.  When I was growing up I remember Dad always relying on my mom to read his handwriting since he couldn't always decode it.  His own handwriting.  Too bad I can't go back in time and pass on your philosophy to poor Mom.  I think she really would have appreciated it!   :lol:

[PeterPan]

OneStep, are you reading anything on sensory these days?

[OneStepAtATime]

OneStep, are you reading anything on sensory these days?

Nope.  We just kind of have dealt with it.  So many other things on the plate over the years (deaths in family, estates to be settled, business to salvage and restructure, my breast cancer and botched operations, then of course there was the dyslexia/dysgraphia/dyscalculia etc. :) .  Sensory stuff has just been way down the list of priorities, KWIM?   :laugh:

 

If you have a suggestion, I'm all ears.  

[PeterPan]

 

If you have a suggestion, I'm all ears.  

Uh, get the eval?  :)  I'm just piecing together things.  You've mentioned several times he's very different from your dd.  Those are some pretty significant sensory issues.  We waited so long with dd, by the time we started it seemed like voodoo.  Dd is just SO sensitive to things.  There's a book someone recently mentioned (Too Fast, Too Bright, Too Loud??? something like that).  I know you're wishing for evals.  I'm just saying if it ever moves into the realm of doable, I'd be adding that one to the list for him.  Meanwhile you could look up brushing or just some sensory techniques.  

[OneStepAtATime]

Uh, get the eval?   :)  I'm just piecing together things.  You've mentioned several times he's very different from your dd.  Those are some pretty significant sensory issues.  We waited so long with dd, by the time we started it seemed like voodoo.  Dd is just SO sensitive to things.  There's a book someone recently mentioned (Too Fast, Too Bright, Too Loud??? something like that).  I know you're wishing for evals.  I'm just saying if it ever moves into the realm of doable, I'd be adding that one to the list for him.  Meanwhile you could look up brushing or just some sensory techniques.  

Yeah, additional evals would be nice.  

 

Poor DS.  Despite sensory issues, he was actually my really easy child (comparatively) because he was upbeat, eager to learn ANYTHING, loved the world, was willing to push through and work as hard as needed to do well, etc.   Things are so different now.  DD is the easier one, now.  She is picking things up, her attitude has really improved across the board, she seems truly happy for maybe the first time in her life.  DS seems to just be limping along at the moment.  But I know these things go in phases.

 

Anyway, I'll check on the book.  

 

DS went home with friends after co-op today.  He missed breakfast this morning (my bad; he has to be up for at least an hour before he can eat or he gets nauseated and he only had 30 minutes to eat so he chose not to), then I found out when I picked him up this evening that he wouldn't eat ANYTHING while he was at their house.  He hadn't eaten since dinner yesterday.  Poor guy was starving by the time he got home.  He just didn't think any food they had would feel good in his mouth or have the right taste.  :tongue_smilie:

[geodob]

Given his issues with different food textures and tastes.

Perhaps you could do a test with him?

Where he listens to an audio book, while eating?

 

As it would be interesting to see if that made a difference?

While you describe it as 'hating' things.

It is quite likely a 'hyper-sensitivity'?

 

 

[wendyroo]

Onestep, just for your trivia, what happens if you give him caffeine?

 

He won't drink a caffeinated or even a carbonated beverage.  He drinks milk, water and lemonade.  That's it.  He hates everything else.  So I honestly have no idea... :)

 

This is our issue too.  I would love to try giving Peter a bit of caffeine in the mornings to see if it would help him focus a bit, but I can't figure out a way to get it into him....he refuses coffee and tea no matter how much sugar/honey/milk/etc I add.  He hates coke and mountain dew even if I let them sit out overnight to get rid of the carbonation.  He won't/can't swallow a pill, and when I tried grinding up a bit of no doze and secretly adding it to his breakfast, he rejected the whole meal.

 

Wendy

[OneStepAtATime]

This is our issue too.  I would love to try giving Peter a bit of caffeine in the mornings to see if it would help him focus a bit, but I can't figure out a way to get it into him....he refuses coffee and tea no matter how much sugar/honey/milk/etc I add.  He hates coke and mountain dew even if I let them sit out overnight to get rid of the carbonation.  He won't/can't swallow a pill, and when I tried grinding up a bit of no doze and secretly adding it to his breakfast, he rejected the whole meal.

 

Wendy

Wendy, I don't know about you, but when I was thinking of having kids, I honestly never thought, ever, even for a moment "Goodness, what if my child hates caffeine?  How will I force/trick/cajole the little darling into taking some?"   :lol:

 

Parenting is a weird journey.  Just really, really weird.  :)

[kbutton]

OneStep--your boy's sensory and attention issues sound like a cross between both of my boys, lol! 

 

As for music, I would have him lead on when he needs it or doesn't. In our house, if my son is vocalizing a lot (this takes many, many forms), he needs music. If music still doesn't do it, then we're just hung. So, your son may need it most of the time, but he may have a "tell" that either you or he can figure out. Sometimes the music does end up as a bit of a distraction--this is unusual, but it happens, usually with new music. At least yours does it with headphones...mine does not.

 

I think for my son, the music is partly something to tune out and partly something to arouse him to a level he can do work.

 

The caffeine flip is very obvious in my husband's family. Not so obvious in my kids or DH himself. My older son is doing well on ADHD meds (had to start with a very low dose, and we're increasing), but he seems to be relatively neutral to caffeine. I know people buy caffeine pills if their kids are willing to swallow them but won't drink coffee or tea. 

[OneStepAtATime]

OneStep--your boy's sensory and attention issues sound like a cross between both of my boys, lol! 

 

As for music, I would have him lead on when he needs it or doesn't. In our house, if my son is vocalizing a lot (this takes many, many forms), he needs music. If music still doesn't do it, then we're just hung. So, your son may need it most of the time, but he may have a "tell" that either you or he can figure out. Sometimes the music does end up as a bit of a distraction--this is unusual, but it happens, usually with new music. At least yours does it with headphones...mine does not.

 

I think for my son, the music is partly something to tune out and partly something to arouse him to a level he can do work.

 

The caffeine flip is very obvious in my husband's family. Not so obvious in my kids or DH himself. My older son is doing well on ADHD meds (had to start with a very low dose, and we're increasing), but he seems to be relatively neutral to caffeine. I know people buy caffeine pills if their kids are willing to swallow them but won't drink coffee or tea. 

Thanks kbutton.  Just for clarification, he isn't actually listening to music, which he honestly doesn't enjoy or seek out in any way.  He was listening to a book he had read several times.  He actually carries his Kindle around with him everywhere.  He loves it so much.  Far more than the cd player he used to listen to audio books on.   I had never let him listen to books while doing school stuff though.  I was sure it would interfere with retention/output since it is words.  But maybe I was way off since he did great.  Going to try it out... :)

[kbutton]

Thanks kbutton.  Just for clarification, he isn't actually listening to music, which he honestly doesn't enjoy or seek out in any way.  He was listening to a book he had read several times.  He actually carries his Kindle around with him everywhere.  He loves it so much.  Far more than the cd player he used to listen to audio books on.   I had never let him listen to books while doing school stuff though.  I was sure it would interfere with retention/output since it is words.  But maybe I was way off since he did great.  Going to try it out... :)

 

Sorry to be confusing. Music is just the parallel way my son likes to work to your son and the audio books. I was just describing his way of handling it or showing that he needs it vs. when it's a distraction in case you can find a parallel behavior in your son. I was typing fast and didn't realize I led with "as for music." I meant, "as for noise of some kind." I offered the information since you are concerned about what he should do if he can't have the background audio. In my son's case, the need comes and goes, and he has associated behaviors or signals that are somewhat obvious. And without him using headphones, it's background noise to all of us, whether we like it or not, so we are highly motivated to find the minimal amount of noise required!

[OneStepAtATime]

Sorry to be confusing. Music is just the parallel way my son likes to work to your son and the audio books. I was just describing his way of handling it or showing that he needs it vs. when it's a distraction in case you can find a parallel behavior in your son. I was typing fast and didn't realize I led with "as for music." I meant, "as for noise of some kind." I offered the information since you are concerned about what he should do if he can't have the background audio. In my son's case, the need comes and goes, and he has associated behaviors or signals that are somewhat obvious. And without him using headphones, it's background noise to all of us, whether we like it or not, so we are highly motivated to find the minimal amount of noise required!

I see.  I think I understand what you mean about the associative behaviors.  Thanks so much for the feedback.  :)

 

DS, unfortunately, is in a house with two members that only like the noise they make.  They can't stand any noise DS makes.  So in defense of self he started using head phones a lot while I was out of town several months ago so he wouldn't get criticized.  The behavior has continued and since it has brought peace between family members, I haven't argued the point too much.  Thankfully, he has a really great headset that is less damaging to the ears than ear buds.  

 

Best wishes.

[OneStepAtATime]

Just a quick update.  He sometimes listens to books while he does his work but whether he does or not is his choice.  Only criteria is he has to work with me first and he must listen to a book he is very familiar with.  So far, he does very well and has actually been more enthusiastic about doing math even when he doesn't choose to listen to a book (usually because the battery on his Kindle died or he left it upstairs and doesn't want to go get it).  Just the idea that if he wants to he can listen to his book while doing problems seems to have upped his enthusiasm.  But definitely he has not had issues with missed problems while listening so I guess we will continue the practice.  :)

 

Best wishes to all...

[SandyKC]

This is our issue too.  I would love to try giving Peter a bit of caffeine in the mornings to see if it would help him focus a bit, but I can't figure out a way to get it into him....he refuses coffee and tea no matter how much sugar/honey/milk/etc I add.  He hates coke and mountain dew even if I let them sit out overnight to get rid of the carbonation.  He won't/can't swallow a pill, and when I tried grinding up a bit of no doze and secretly adding it to his breakfast, he rejected the whole meal.

 

Wendy

Do your kids like chocolate? Chocolate milk?  Or tea?  

[SandyKC]

Thanks kbutton.  Just for clarification, he isn't actually listening to music, which he honestly doesn't enjoy or seek out in any way.  He was listening to a book he had read several times.  He actually carries his Kindle around with him everywhere.  He loves it so much.  Far more than the cd player he used to listen to audio books on.   I had never let him listen to books while doing school stuff though.  I was sure it would interfere with retention/output since it is words.  But maybe I was way off since he did great.  Going to try it out... :)

 

Does your DS have ADHD? (I don't recall).. It's a common misconception that Kids with ADHD "can't" pay attention, but really they pay attention to EVERYthing, and have difficulty focusing on just one thing.  Therefore, it isn't uncommon for kids with ADHD to prefer having background music going, maybe audio books, one mom said her son likes having heavy metal on, and my DS liked to read or study with a live video game feed running.  He says it helps him focus!!

 

So, if your son focused well with the book on, I'd say go for it.  For my DS, as long as he could do the work, it didn't matter to me what else he did in addition... Sometimes it's music, but a LOT of times it's the video game feed. ;)

 

Truth be told--I think it's AWESOME when a mom and/or child finds something that works--that helps! :D

[OneStepAtATime]

Does your DS have ADHD? (I don't recall).. It's a common misconception that Kids with ADHD "can't" pay attention, but really they pay attention to EVERYthing, and have difficulty focusing on just one thing.  Therefore, it isn't uncommon for kids with ADHD to prefer having background music going, maybe audio books, one mom said her son likes having heavy metal on, and my DS liked to read or study with a live video game feed running.  He says it helps him focus!!

 

So, if your son focused well with the book on, I'd say go for it.  For my DS, as long as he could do the work, it didn't matter to me what else he did in addition... Sometimes it's music, but a LOT of times it's the video game feed. ;)

 

Truth be told--I think it's AWESOME when a mom and/or child finds something that works--that helps! :D

He has never had a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD.  But he has never had full NP eval either.  He was always a great self advocate and problem solver so if he realized he was having trouble staying on task he would find ways to fix the issue.  Which is why, in 1st grade, he requested that his desk be moved away from the other students and isolated into a corner near the teacher's desk.

 

The listening to a book thing does seem to be helping with focus.  In fact, he asked that we do flash cards while he has headsets on listening to a book so we tried it and he whipped through them very quickly.

 

Thanks for the feedback, Sandy.

[PeterPan]

He has never had a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD.  But he has never had full NP eval either.  He was always a great self advocate and problem solver so if he realized he was having trouble staying on task he would find ways to fix the issue.  Which is why, in 1st grade, he requested that his desk be moved away from the other students and isolated into a corner near the teacher's desk.

 

The listening to a book thing does seem to be helping with focus.  In fact, he asked that we do flash cards while he has headsets on listening to a book so we tried it and he whipped through them very quickly.

 

Thanks for the feedback, Sandy.

The best thing to do, when trying to decide if he has ADHD, is to watch his behavior and then guess the TOTAL OPPOSITE.  Cuz seriously, that's what it's gonna feel like when you get your evals.   :lol:   

 

In all seriousness, you might as well just assume ADHD and use the techniques.  It overlaps and will be comorbid quite often.  

 

 I have no clue why we're talking about this.  If it's to validate the need for chocolate milk, I'm all for it.   :hat:

[OneStepAtATime]

The best thing to do, when trying to decide if he has ADHD, is to watch his behavior and then guess the TOTAL OPPOSITE.  Cuz seriously, that's what it's gonna feel like when you get your evals.   :lol:   

 

In all seriousness, you might as well just assume ADHD and use the techniques.  It overlaps and will be comorbid quite often.  

 

 I have no clue why we're talking about this.  If it's to validate the need for chocolate milk, I'm all for it.   :hat:

:lol:   Me either.  I'm just going with the flow of the conversation, TBH.  

 

Well, and updating for anyone else reading this thread that is wondering what I was wondering:  How can my child possibly retain ANYTHING with a story yacking away in his ears while he works on whatever other academic endeavor he is working on?  ("Think outside the box, think outside the box, my child does not fit in a box, think outside the box" she keeps trying to remember to whisper to herself  :laugh: ).

[PeterPan]

Are you actually asking or only wondering?  I have NO mathematical evidence for this, but I guess you could posit that twice the processing speed lets him process twice as much at once.   ;)

 

[OneStepAtATime]

No not really asking anymore.  I was just saying I posted my update for anyone who might stumble upon this thread later on and be asking the same or a similar question in case they wondered what we decided and how it was working.

 

But thanks for the response, OhE.  :)

 

I was just feeling like someone else might come along and wonder the same thing so I updated the thread then the conversation just sort of continued.  :)

 

And I guess listening to a book helps that other part of his brain stay occupied long enough that he can actually think through his math.  Whatever the reason, it seems to be working.  I just have to remember to keep thinking outside the box.  :)

[geodob]

It will be interesting to see whether after doing this for a while.

Whether he no longer needs it?

Where he has gained the ability to maintain his secondary level of attention, at a constant level.  So that it doesn't needlessly intrude on his primary attention.

 

Their are studies into using a 'visual distractor' to occupy secondary attention.

Which is so far showing that it develops greater control of primary attention.

Where the distractor is no longer needed.

 

But a difference, is that they use visual distractor that needs to be acted on.

For example, imagine a green dot the size of O on the right hand side of your screen.

Which is flashing slowly, maybe once a second.

Every now and then, it changes to a green dot.

When it does, you have perhaps 3 second to click on it.

Otherwise, your screen will go blank.

 

After doing this for a while, you will probably find that you will notice as soon as it changes color.  

But that you unaware that you are keeping an eye on it.

Where your secondary attention is being used to keep an eye on it.

[PeterPan]

It will be interesting to see whether after doing this for a while.

Whether he no longer needs it?

Where he has gained the ability to maintain his secondary level of attention, at a constant level.  So that it doesn't needlessly intrude on his primary attention.

 

Their are studies into using a 'visual distractor' to occupy secondary attention.

Which is so far showing that it develops greater control of primary attention.

Where the distractor is no longer needed.

 

But a difference, is that they use visual distractor that needs to be acted on.

For example, imagine a green dot the size of O on the right hand side of your screen.

Which is flashing slowly, maybe once a second.

Every now and then, it changes to a green dot.

When it does, you have perhaps 3 second to click on it.

Otherwise, your screen will go blank.

 

After doing this for a while, you will probably find that you will notice as soon as it changes color.  

But that you unaware that you are keeping an eye on it.

Where your secondary attention is being used to keep an eye on it.

That's cool!  We need an app for that to put on our mac!  :D

[SandyKC]

:lol:   Me either.  I'm just going with the flow of the conversation, TBH.  

 

Well, and updating for anyone else reading this thread that is wondering what I was wondering:  How can my child possibly retain ANYTHING with a story yacking away in his ears while he works on whatever other academic endeavor he is working on?  ("Think outside the box, think outside the box, my child does not fit in a box, think outside the box" she keeps trying to remember to whisper to herself  :laugh: ).

 

Talking about chocolate milk because people were saying their kids didn't like coffee or soda.  Chocolate has caffeine in it too, and kids tend to like it a lot better.  It has a lower dose than coffee too, which can be "enough" for littler kids.  This caffeine table might help people find ways to give their kids' brains that morning jumpstart without as big of a hit as coffee-- http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm - How about some, "Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans"?? LOL! ;)

[OneStepAtATime]

Thanks, Sandy.  Looking at the link now.

 

DS won't drink it but now I definitely have a craving for chocolate milk!  :)  I  love chocolate milk and I never get to drink any.  Although I prefer mine mixed with regular milk.  Too chocolately otherwise!  

 

FWIW, DS likes regular milk and he likes Oreo cookies, but he mainly eats the filling and tosses the cookies.  He does eat chocolate chip cookies once in a while.  But normally, he hates chocolate in any form just like he hates nearly anything with a strong flavor (and chocolate tastes strong to him).  I MIGHT be able to get him to drink a bit of watered down English Breakfast tea...

 

Temperatures are an issue, too.  Room temp is his favorite temp, for bathing, eating, etc.  He will even eat nasty, slimy, slippery Spaghettios at room temp.  He hates them heated.  DD, DH and DS all love Spaghettios, but the other two want them hot.  Can anyone tell me the appeal with Spaghettios?  They honestly make me shudder.