Children with ADD or ADHD Often Struggle with More tha Just Attention

Students who need help with ADHD and ADD experience difficulty with more than just the ability to pay attention, focus and concentrate. These children can also experience issues with organization, difficulty finishing tasks, and executive functioning.

Executive Functioning is a skill that allows the brain to plan, organize and look ahead to the future. In students who don’t need help with ADHD and ADD, it allows them to breeze through a project. They can organized the steps to the project, complete each step and will be finished on time to turn it in when it is due.

Functioning refers to what and how we are doing something.
Executive refers to the part of the brain that works like an orchestra conductor making sure that everything is working well together.

Example: Actions Needed to Read a Text Pick up the text. Hold it where you can see it. Coordinate and move eyes from left to right across the page. Pause a few times every second to comprehend parts of the word. Match the information with what you know about letters and sounds. Put the sounds together. Make a mental picture of the word/phrase. Shut out all distractions from other students and extraneous noises/feelings of hunger...the list goes on. Brains with a smooth functioning Executive Functioning are in charge of coordinating all these actions which results in the ability to read the text and do the work. Children with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder can find themselves distracted by the illustration, ideas in their mind or activity in the room.

What Do Executive Function Issues Look Like? Children with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder often give sporadic performances. One day, they have a fantastic day at school, but then the next few days are really difficult. These children may easily complete the homework one night, but then not be able to finish it the rest of the week. This inconsistency is due to the lack of management from the Executive Functioning processing skill.

Also, some kids who need help for ADHD and ADD to have problems planning ahead, so this means that getting a project done on time is very difficult. These kids have a motto "Another deadline, another miracle."

Also, raising your hand and waiting to be called on requires planning. Some children with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder are known to shout out answers. This is also caused by issues with Executive Functioning.

Analogy If we were to gather the best musicians for a spectacular performance, the concert would not be the same without a conductor. Some musicians would play too softly. Others would play too loudly or start playing too early or too late. A conductor serves to coordinate every one's efforts thus leading to a superior group performance.

Children with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder that have issues with Executive Functioning experience difficulty with tasks that are boring yet can have great focus and executive functioning skill when they are working on something that they are interested in. This is the great paradox of ADHD and ADD.

SolutionIncreasing Millisecond Timing to a Gifted Level is a way to help the brain permanently think faster and organize faster. This helps children with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder experience a more, smooth, organized and efficient Executive Functioning. Once this happens, these children are no longer limited by distractions, disorganization and difficulty planning. They can achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams.