Fidget to Focus

We were pleased to find out about this article by Linda Shrieves, staff writer for the Orlando Sentinel. She is also reporting on the new research out of the University of Central Florida that documents what so many of us have known for so long: fidgeting helps you stay focused (see the article in Time Magazine that we blogged on earlier).

In her article from May 25, 2009, Linda writes:

If you’ve got a kid with ADHD, you’ve probably spent countless hours pleading with him to sit still.

Well, stop it.

Fidgeting, as it turns out, helps kids with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder focus. So just like grown-ups need a cup of coffee before tackling a problem, kids with ADHD may tap their feet, swivel in their chairs or bounce in their seats while their brains are busily figuring out that math test.

That’s the conclusion of a groundbreaking study conducted by a team at the University of Central Florida, led by Dr. Mark Rapport.

You can read the rest of the article HERE.

(Thanks, Linda!)

I finally gave into social pressure and have started hanging out in twitterland (you can follow me at twitter.com/SarahDWright). After feeling overwhelmed for a while, I am beginning to like it–partly because it’s a treasure hunt and I’m finding some great stuff. Like this online virtual “cone of silence” or, as the tweeter put it, “white noise for focus and serenity.”

Douglas Cootey (find him here: thesplinteredmind.blogspot.com and here: twitter.com/SplinteredMind) brought it to my attention. He mentioned he used simplynoise.com for focus and serenity. I checked it out and it’s great. Such a cool, simple idea. Try it the next time all the little sounds around you are driving you nuts and distracting you from concentrating. It just kind of erases all those little sounds right off your radar so you’re good to stay on track.

Let us know how it works for you!

A new article in this week’s Time Magazine should have cited Fidget to Focus, but didn’t. Check out the new research on the effectiveness of Fidget to Focus! http://tinyurl.com/d5b8e3

Check out this video from ABC news about how schools from 18 states are beginning to use stand up desks. While they comment on the benefit to children in general for managing weight they also notice how it also helps restless children. Most important is to see how the the moving foot rests are being used by almost every child. This is a great example of how “Fidget to Focus is coming to the classroom!Stand up desks in school!

The same information was published on 2/25/09 in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/us/25desks.html?emc=eta1

Let us know your thoughts!

“Doctor Radio” is a talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 114  www.Sirius.com/doctorradio

The program is live, runs for 1/2 hour and discusses many aspects of Adults with ADHD and Fidget to Focus in particular.  It runs from 9:30 am to 10:00 am EST tomorrow, Wednesday morning Oct. 1.  Listen in if you get a chance.

http://www.med.nyu.edu/psych/assets/adhdscreen18.pdf

This is a letter we received from email:

Hello Dr. Rotz,

My 5-year-old son was diagnosed with AD/HD earlier this year. He started Kindergarten this fall and immediately began to have his usual problem of concentrating for any “normal” length of time. When he cannot focus, he tends to distract the other children and misbehave. At home, he has to have something in his hands (usually a small toy of some sort) to focus on a task. His teacher thought that maybe if she had something in class he could hold onto or do, he would concentrate better there. While doing research to find something suitable and less distracting to him and the other children (he tends to start playing with small toys after a while), I came across the book you co-authored with Ms. Wright.  Unless I overlooked it on your site, I didn’t see if the strategies in your book included children.  I would like to buy the book but I need to know if the information is only tailored toward adults. Also, if adults are the target audience, could the techniques possibly be modified to work with children?

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Mother

This was our response:

The book really does address the complexity of ADHD from child to adult.  Many of the strategies are directed toward children, while the overriding theme focuses on all ages. I recently presented on Fidget to Focus in the Classroom. The powerpoint from that presentation is available here: fidget-to-focus-in-the-classroom1

My hope is that these strategies help you and many others who are struggling to find effective tools for assisting their children in the classroom.

We’re excited! The Fall 2008 issue of ADDitude features an article we wrote called “Focus Factors: A little Fidgeting May Help ADHD Adults and Children Stay on Task”. My copy arrived in the mail today. The article starts on page 44. They included some good illustrative photos and I think it looks great. We also have a beautiful ad on page 74. Let us know what you think!

If you are not an ADDitude magazine subscriber, you can read the article online.

If you want to subscribe to ADDitude and read the Fall 2008 issue of ADDitude in full, SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Another diversion that can either get you going again, or suck you in for hours. It is amazing how hard it is to get faster at this, and the research is fascinating:
http://health.ivillage.com/multimedia/0,,90r57fvc,00.html

From the website:

Psychological research has shown that daily stress and feelings of insecurity are in large part due to the anxiety of wanting to be liked, accepted and respected by one’s peers and significant others.

Fear of rejection can make us overlook positive signals from others and only see signs of disapproval. This inclination, or MindHabit, to zero in on the negative, heightens our feelings of insecurity and anxiety – making daily interactions increasingly and more frequently stressful. MindHabits Booster teaches individuals to ignore hostile information by finding the friendly face in a crowd of frowning people. The game allows players to practice downplaying rejection in and non-threatening environment. This software demonstrates the game, for entertainment and educational purposes.

Although the research conducted on this topic thus far is promising, we can make absolutely no claims about the effectiveness of these games for helping any particular individual deal with any particular issue or problem. For treatment of psychological problems, please consult a qualified mental health professional.

This book taught me that fidgeting is a good thing and procrastinating is the norm!

- Dina Zalisky (from Amazon.com review)