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Difficulties in Attention,
Motivation, Memory, or Self-Regulation may be difficult
to distinguish by behaviors alone.
Attention is not a single entity in the brain. When we
focus, we direct our attention, we resist distractions,
and sustain it over time. Sometimes attention can be
overwhelmed by sensory irritability, something competing
for attention, and emotions. Fuzzy sensory processing
(like murky sounds or blurry vision) make it difficult
to persist with attention; likewise, a weak memory
system may make it almost impossible to sustain
attention for that particular type of information. Our
memories are the threads connecting a tapestry's
different patterns.
If a student has severe impairments in attention, then
the first search should be undertaken for the student's
greatest strength. Great in auditory attention may
co-exist with great strengths in visual attention, or
vice-versa. In The Mislabeled Child, we talk more
about how visual supports can be used to support
auditory learning. Auditory attention also matures a
great deal into the teen years, but it can be boosted by
practice and visual imaging.
Also rule-based memory and personal or autobiographical
memory may be very uneven in children. If you know your
child has relative strengths in rote memory or personal
/ experience-based learning then different school
subjects like math, literature, or science can be routed
through these channels. Rule-based learners excel in
detail and fact-based areas. In mathematics, they may
prefer learning based on general axioms rather than by
example. Personal learners tend to like learning through
personal experience, humor, and real-life applications.
For mathematics, personal scenarios and manipulatives
may be ways to get number learning to "stick".
We'll talk more about sensory regulation
here on
our Sensory Processing pages and in Chapter 9 of our
book, but we want to mention it here under attention
because sensory distractions contribute significantly to
attention problems in elementary school years.
Distractibility sometimes seems to be "hardwired"
because it seen in association with neurological
difficulties like premature birth, motor coordination
problems, or impaired visual or auditory processing. It
tends to improve with age as children's resources for
resisting distraction improve (as the front part of the
brain matures).
It's important to know about this aspect of attention
and self-regulation because as we help children develop,
we want to incorporate activities that will improve
self-monitoring and resistance to distraction, and
reduce impulsivity. Sometimes these activities can get a
jumpstart under the guidance of a pediatric therapist,
but in other cases, careful selection of sports and
recreational activities will further growth and
maturity.
For the preschool set, activities that encourage waiting
and stopping are valuable like freeze tag, Simon Says,
or sports that require quieting and concentration like
gymnastics (balance beam) or martial arts. Older
children also benefit from the latter activities - and
all children should be encouraged to persist at some
activities that require slowing oneself down,
self-discipline, and mastery. For many children the best
activities are ones that they have a strong interest in
- this might be painting fantasy models, practice with
careful drawing or other handwork, or even board
games that require skill and strategy. For computer
games, make sure all the games are not high-adrenalin.
Sims and certain RPGs may have a much slower pace, and
encourage impulse inhibition and planning if played
well.
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