Experts with the University of Hertfordshire have developed a video game that they believe may be able to help ADHD children gain greater control over their behaviors. Nicky Broyd of WebMD Health News profiled the game in a Dec. 8, 2010, article:

Researchers from the University of Hertfordshires School of Psychology have been testing the game called Play Attention which uses EEG (Electroencephalography) biofeedback by detecting brain waves.

Researchers got 10 children with an attention deficit from Hertfordshire schools to use it three times a week for twelve weeks.

Children have to wear what looks like a cycle helmet, but is really a set of brain wave sensors linked to a computer. As long as the child concentrates, they stay in control of the games; but if their attention waivers the game stops.

The researchers found that, at the end of the study, the childrens impulsive behaviour was reduced, compared to a control group who had not used the system.

Labels: brain_activity, video_games, concentration

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In a study that drew results from surveys of close to 40,000 U.S. households, government researchers found that an increasing number of older children are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The study showed no change for younger children.

"Some experts say the increase may reflect that doctors are increasingly considering the possibility of ADHD in older kids who have concentration problems - a trend that coincides with the marketing of ADHD medications to teens and adults."

The surveys were conducted annually between 1997 and 2006 via door-to-door canvassing of selected U.S. neighborhoods. Source: The Daily Gleaner

Labels: concentration, diagnosis, older_children

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A survey conducted by Information Solutions Group found that puzzle games like Tetris or Bejeweled can help improve concentration and promote stress relief and relaxation in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Eighty-three percent of the 220 children who responded to the survey said they felt the games helped improve their concentration.

"It seems that children with AD/HD often lack that sense of control that comes much more easily to their non-AD/HD peers,' says Dr. Carl Arinoldo. 'Playing casual games such as Peggle and Bejeweled, among others, is one area in their lives in which these children can experience some sense of control with the added benefit of achieving success in something."

Though experts advise parents not to allow their children to spend excessive amounts of time playing video games, the survey indicates that limited exposure can be beneficial. Source: Game Daily

Labels: concentration, memory, games

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For many kids, their favorite part of the school year is, well, summer. They don't have to get up early, don't have to do homework, and may not have to take their Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder medication.

"Some parents make the decision to give their child a break from medication when their child's primary issues with ADHD are related to concentration and focus and their symptoms are fairly mild. In other words, they have no other significant behavioral or social issues related to their ADHD, and summer time experiences would be just as positive on or off medication."

Taking children off their ADHD medication is not a decision parents should make lightly. If you're considering taking your child off her medication for the summer, take into account her need for structure and routines, her level of attentiveness and her ability to get along with others.

And, of course, consult your child's doctor before making any final decision. Source: About.com

Labels: behavior, medications, concentration

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For years, parents and pediatricians have been telling stories about autistic children who become perfectly normal when they have fevers.

Now a new study from Baltimore Kennedy Kreiger Institute indicates having a fever of at least 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit may indeed restore an autistic child's abilities to interact and socialize by improving concentration, eye contact, and communication skills.

Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, a pediatric neurologist who worked on the study, believes that fever may restore nerve cell communications in some regions of the brain after he and his colleagues observed thirty autistic children ages 2 to 18 years with fevers. The "fever effect" only appears to work in children.

As many as 1.5 million Americans suffer from autism.

This study appears in the journal Pediatrics.

Camp Huntington is a summer camp for kids with Autism, Asperger's, and other special needs. Visit Camp-Huntington.com to learn more about their summer camp programs.

Labels: autism, concentration, fever

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A study to be published in the October issue of Psychological Review has shattered one of the more common myths associated with ADHD - that background noise interferes with an ADHD child's ability to concentrate or learn.

"Both concentration and memory improved in school children with ADHD when white-noise recordings were played as they worked, according to Swedish researchers from Stockholm and Lund universities."

The noise is believed to affect the child's dopamine levels, which affect concentration. In children with ADHD, dopamine levels are low, and the background noise helps raise them. The study's authors believe this information will help teachers create better learning environments for children with ADHD.

Labels: concentration, memory, noise

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When parents hear the term "ADHD", they typically think of a child running wild through the house or on the playground. For boys with ADHD, that's a fairly accurate description. However, girls are more likely have the inattentive type of ADHD, causing them to daydream or to have trouble concentrating. Because of this difference, their ADHD may go undiagnosed for years.

"The interesting thing is that these girls with inattentive ADHD will do well on standardized tests in some cases. So, parents and teachers recognize their ability, but since they're still underachieving in the classroom, they are called lazy, and it can affect self-esteem."

Symptoms in girls with inattentive ADHD include forgetfulness, disorganization, easy distractibility, and difficulty focusing on material in school. Read more at UnderstandingADHD.com.

Labels: concentration, girls, inattention

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Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered that one part of the brain "pays attention" and another part of the brain "gets distracted" at the same time.

Their research has implications for helping people with Attention Deficit Disorder.

"The ability to willfully focus your attention is physically separate in the brain from distracting things grabbing your attention," Earl Miller, the neuroscientist who led the study, said.

Miller's team trained monkeys to pick out red triangles on a video screen in return for a treat. However, sometimes the monkeys were deliberately distracted from their task by flashing bright rectangles. During times of concentration, the executive centers of the monkeys' brains in their prefrontal cortexes were in charge. However, when they were distracted, their parietal cortexes near the back of their brains took over. This study is the first time that scientists got a good look at how these regions of the brain work.

Miller said that it is their hope to find treatments to boost attention. This study appears in the March 30, 2007 edition of Science.

Labels: research, focus, concentration

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