Ritalin may be the fast and easy way to overcome ADHD attention problems, but it’s not always the best treatment for all kids. Studies show that Ritalin has very little long-term benefits; the drug may work like a charm during the first few weeks, but it no longer produces the same positive effects after three years. ADHD drugs also trigger side effects like poor appetite and insomnia, which can affect the ability to focus and concentrate. Thankfully, there are many time-tested ways to improve attention in ADHD children without the use of medication.
Brain retraining programs
Did you know that children’s brains can be re-trained to pay attention to relevant stimuli and ignore distractions? This can be done through a technology called neurofeedback, a non-invasive approach based on the fact that brain wave patterns can show if a child is paying attention or if a child is daydreaming. By teaching a child to show the brain wave patterns that signal concentration, his or her attention span should improve. The procedure is done by hooking electrodes onto your child’s skull and making a “map” of the brain wave patterns. The child will be placed in front of a computer screen, where he or she will be asked to control a car or a moving object. The game will continue to play as long as your child focuses on the target, but it will stop if the machine notices that your child is daydreaming. This approach has been found to be effective on young kids, though older children may find the game too simplistic to stay interested.
Minimize TV time
Research shows that kids who started watching TV as toddlers or infants are more likely to have attention problems in childhood. During these first few years of life, the brain goes through swift, major changes that can be easily affected by the environment, especially rapid-fire images of the television. Studies also suggest that older children are less able to sustain focus in other activities right after they watch TV. To avoid aggravating attention problems, limit your child’s television time and computer time to just several hours a week.
Encourage sports or dance
Physical activities like ballet, gymnastics, or martial arts not only keep kids fit and healthy. These sports reinforce skills like following directions, while fostering discipline, hard work, and respect. Sports also provide lots of stimulation to the brain, which is desperately needed by kids with ADHD.
Eat well
The severity of a child’s ADHD is closely linked to what he or she eats. The brain requires a certain amount of vitamins and minerals in order to function well, and a diet filled with empty calories can easily consume these nutrients, impairing functions like working memory, attention span, and focus. Encourage your child to eat well by avoiding junk food, fast food, and processed food. Instead, serve more green vegetables, fish, and lean meats. You may also want to remove foods with artificial dyes and preservatives; studies show that these chemical ingredients are the hidden culprit behind many ADHD cases today.
