Understanding Your Child’s Trouble With Focus

Does your child constantly forget things, make careless mistakes and seem like she’s daydreaming? If so, you may wonder why she can’t or won’t pay attention.

Many kids with those symptoms have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But there are learning issues that also make kids appear inattentive. Learn more about what causes issues with focus and how you can help.

What You Might Be Seeing

Focus problems don’t always look the same in different children. And the signs can change over time. You may notice your child getting lost in her own thoughts. It may seem like she’s tuning you out. She may also get distracted and have trouble finishing tasks and following directions.

If several of these signs are present for at least six months, it’s a good idea to talk your child’s teacher and doctor. You can work together to get a better idea of what’s causing these issues.

What Can Cause Issues With Focus

A number of learning and attention issues can interfere with a child’s ability to focus. The one most closely linked to attention problems is ADHD. That may surprise you—perhaps you picture kids with this condition as hyperactive, and your child isn’t. But there’s a type of ADHD (sometimes called ADD) that doesn’t include hyperactivity.

Here are some of the issues that can cause trouble with focus.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder:ADHD is the most common brain-based condition of childhood. In fact, 8 to 10 percent of kids in the U.S. between the ages of 3 and 17 have been diagnosed with the disorder. For kids with ADHD, the area of the brain that controls attention may take longer to develop and may work differently.

Kids with ADHD may not be able to:

  • Know when to focus on small details and when to focus on the bigger picture
  • Filter out unimportant sights, sounds or information
  • Pay attention without getting distracted
  • Hold a train of thought when interrupted
  • Follow through on a task without needing to hear directions several times
  • Concentrate on one activity at a time
  • Follow spoken directions
  • Process information quickly
  • Keep up in conversation

The signs of ADHD can change over time. What a child struggles with in preschool or grade school may look different in middle school or high school.

Issues with executive functioning: This set of mental skills helps people pay attention, plan, prioritize and start on tasks. If those skills are weak, it can cause some of the symptoms you may be seeing in your child. Many kids with learning and attention issues, particularly ADHD, also have weak executive functioning skills.

Auditory processing disorder (APD): This listening comprehension problem can cause issues with focus, but for a different reason. Kids with APD have trouble processing the sounds of language. If your child struggles to pay attention when people are speaking, that might be the cause.

How You Can Get Answers

If your child has had trouble focusing for at least six months, it may be time to seek professional help to find out why. Observing your child and taking notes of her behavior will be helpful to the professionals who evaluate her. Here are some steps you can take:

  • Talk to your child’s teacher. If your child’s issues with focus are affecting her schoolwork this is a good place to start getting answers. The teacher can be a great source of information and help. Ask if there are informal accommodations that may help in the classroom, such as seating at the front of the room and away from windows and doors.
  • Look into an educational evaluation. If you suspect that your child’s focus issues are due to a learning or attention issue, you or your child’s teacher can request that the school evaluate her. (The school can’t do the evaluation without your permission.) If the school agrees, you won’t have to pay for it.
    Depending on the results, your child may be able to get services and supports to meet her needs. The school would commit to providing them in writing, through a 504 plan or an IEP. Supports might include extra time on tests and projects, or written notes of classroom lessons.
  • Talk to your child’s doctor. You can also start getting answers by talking with your child’s doctor. Together you can create a plan for figuring out what is causing your child’s issues with focus. The doctor may be able to rule out certain medical reasons, or diagnose ADHD. But you may also get referrals to specialists for further evaluation.
  • Consult with specialists. Your child’s doctor may refer you to more than one specialist. An audiologist would look for hearing issues. A speech pathologist would look for language disorders. And a neurologist, psychiatrist or developmental-behavioral pediatrician would look for brain-based medical issues including ADHD. You may also be referred to a learning specialist who will look at how your child thinks and learns.
  • Talk to a learning specialist. This professional can evaluate your child for learning and attention issues using the same tests the school would use. But you will need to pay because it’s a private evaluation.

If your child is under age 3, you can contact your state’s early intervention system. You may be able to get a free evaluation without a referral.

What You Can Do Now

Whether or not you know what’s causing your child’s issues with focus, there are things you can do to help. Here are some steps for managing the challenges and building your child’s attention skills.

  • Learn as much as you can. Once you know why your child has trouble focusing it’s easier to find the best ways to help. You may also find that you have more patience when her daydreaming and distractibility keep her from doing what you asked. Best of all, your understanding can go a long way toward building her self-esteem.
  • Observe and take notes. By observing your child’s behavior you may notice patterns in when she can and can’t focus. This can help you can make changes at home and try strategies to improve attention. Taking notes will also be helpful when you’re talking to your child’s doctor, teachers and specialists.
  • Give your child a time frame. Having deadlines for completing things can help her budget her time and focus on the task. It can also reduce the stress of having to keep after her. Set a timer, giving her enough time for her to successfully complete the job. As she gets better at staying on task, you can reduce the amount of time accordingly.
  • See it through your child’s eyes. Unless you have focus issue yourself, it may be hard to understand what your child is going through. Through Your Child’s Eyes can give you a sense of what it feels like to have trouble paying attention.
  • Try new strategies. Not sure how to handle a situation or help your child deal with attention problems? The behavior advice in Parenting Coach can help.
  • Connect with other parents. Raising a child with focus issues can be hard. But it helps to know you’re not alone. Talk to parents in similar situations. These parents know what you’re going through and can share insights and strategies.

Seeing your child drift off or not follow through on a task can be frustrating. Knowing what’s causing the behavior can give both of you a direction to move in to get help. If your child’s behavior doesn’t improve significantly with your help, you may want to see a health care provider and discuss treatment.

Focus issues are very common, and there are many things you can do to make paying attention easier for your child.

Amanda Morin

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What does it all mean?

I regularly come across terms in school meetings and reports that make me think, “How are the parents supposed to know what that really is and how to help their child with it?”  I decided to find and list explanations of some of the most common ones, because I think it is important to understand what you are dealing with in order to be able to deal effectively with it.

  1. Processing Speed

Processing Speed is essentially the time it takes a person to do a mental task. It is related to the speed in which a person can understand and react to the information they receive. Processing speed is one of the main elements of cognitive processing and impacts most areas of functioning, including socioemotional well-being, learning, academic performance,

intellectual development, reasoning, and experience.

Slow processing speed means that some determined tasks will be more difficult than others, like reading, doing maths, listening and taking notes, or holding conversations. It may also interfere with executive functions, as a person with slow processing speed will have a harder time planning, setting goals, making decisions, starting tasks, paying attention, etc.

  1. Auditory Processing

Auditory Processing is “the ability to identify and distinguish between different sounds.” It refers to the brain’s ability to organise and make sense of language sounds. Children with auditory processing difficulties might have trouble understanding and developing language skills because their brains either misinterpret language sounds, or process them too slowly. Often, these children cannot differentiate between similar sounds, or they are unable to recognise language in certain situations.

  1. Receptive Language

Receptive language describes the comprehension of language. Comprehension involves attention, listening, and processing the message to gain information. Areas of receptive language skills include attention, receptive vocabulary, following directions, understanding questions, etc.

  1. Expressive Language

Expressive language is a broad term that describes how a person communicates their wants, needs, thoughts, ideas, etc. with those around them. It encompasses verbal and nonverbal communication skills and how an individual uses language. Expressive language skills include facial expressions, gestures, intentionality, vocabulary, semantics (word/sentence meaning), morphology, syntax (grammar rules), etc. Think of receptive language as your ability to respond to the instruction, “Find an apple” by pointing to it and expressive language as your ability to point to an apple and say, “There’s an apple”.

If you are struggling to understand terminology used in school meetings and reports, please chat to your Catch Up Kids supervisor for an explanation and a way forward!

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“Take My Hand” – A Child’s Perspective of ADHD

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The Homework Struggle Is Real!

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More Young Children with ADHD Could Benefit from Behavior Therapy

Behavior therapy recommended before medicine for young children with ADHD

More young children 2 to 5 years of age receiving care for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could benefit from psychological services – including the recommended treatment of behavior therapy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) latest Vital Signs report urges healthcare providers to refer parents of young children with ADHD for training in behavior therapy before prescribing medicine to treat the disorder.

ADHD is a biological disorder that causes hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and attention problems. About 2 million of the more than 6 million children with ADHD were diagnosed before age 6. Children diagnosed with ADHD at an early age tend to have the most severe symptoms and benefit from early treatment. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that before prescribing medicine to a young child, healthcare providers refer parents to training in behavior therapy. However, according to the Vital Signs report, about 75% of young children being treated for ADHD received medicine, and only about half received any form of psychological services, which might have included behavior therapy.

“Parents may feel overwhelmed with decisions about their child’s treatment for ADHD, but healthcare providers, therapists, and families can all work together to help the child thrive,” said Anne Schuchat, MD (RADM, USPHS), Principal Deputy Director, CDC.  “Parents of young children with ADHD may need support, and behavior therapy is an important first step.  It has been shown to be as effective as medicine, but without the risk of side effects. We are still learning about the potential unintended effects of long-term use of ADHD medicine on young children. Until we know more, the recommendation is to first refer parents of children under 6 years of age with ADHD for training in behavior therapy before prescribing medicine.”

The report looks at healthcare claims data from at least 5 million young children (2-5 years of age) each year insured by Medicaid (2008-2011) and about 1 million young children insured each year through employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) (2008-2014). In both groups, just over 75% of young children diagnosed with ADHD received ADHD medicine. Only 54% of young children with Medicaid and 45% of young children with ESI (2011) received any form of psychological services annually, which might have included parent training in behavior therapy. The percentage of children with ADHD receiving psychological services has not increased over time.

“Many families will benefit from behavior therapy. However, in some cases medicine may be appropriate,” said Georgina Peacock, MD, director of the Division of Human Development and Disability in CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. “When healthcare providers and families know the benefits and risks of all available treatments, they are best prepared to make the most appropriate treatment choice for young children with ADHD.”

Parents do not cause their child’s ADHD, but parents can play a key role in the treatment of ADHD.  In behavior therapy, parents are trained by a therapist during eight or more sessions, learning strategies to encourage positive behavior, discourage negative behaviors, improve communication, and strengthen their relationship with their child. When applied, these skills can help the child at school, at home, and in relationships by improving behavior, self-control, and self-esteem. Learning and practicing behavior therapy requires more time, effort, and resources than treating ADHD with medicine, yet research shows that there are lasting benefits making it worth the investment.

In behavior therapy, therapists help parents build skills in guiding their child’s behavior. Skills may include, but are not limited to:

  • Positive communication:  When parents give children their full attention and reflect their words back to them, your child knows you are listening and care about what he has to say.
  • Positive reinforcement: Praise the child when she does something right. The more parents praise a behavior, the more likely it is the child will behave the same way again.
  • Structure and discipline: Children do better when their world is predictable. Set up routines and daily schedules to help the child know what to expect each day.  Respond to the child’s behavior the same way every time to help her learn more quickly.

CDC message to healthcare providers

CDC is calling on doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals who treat young children with ADHD to support parents by explaining the benefits of behavior therapy and referring parents for training in behavior therapy. This report recommends that healthcare providers:

  • Follow clinical guidelines (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) for diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in young children.
  • Discuss with parents the benefits of behavior therapy and why they should get training.
  • Identify parent training providers in the area and refer parents of young children with ADHD for training in behavior therapy first, before prescribing medicine.

The report highlights missed opportunities for young children with ADHD to benefit from behavior therapy. Increasing referrals and the availability of appropriate services could help many families with young children who have ADHD.

“We recognize that these are not easy treatment decisions for parents to make,” said Dr. Schuchat. “We know that behavior therapy is effective, and the skills parents learn can help the whole family be successful. Building these skills in parents and children empowers families and helps young children with ADHD live up to their full potential.”

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0503-children-adhd.html

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What happens when kids with ADHD take Ritalin and Concerta?

Ritalin and Concerta are two of the most common drugs prescribed for kids who suffer from ADHD. South Africa has been highlighted as one of the countries with the highest prescriptions for these meds.

Psycho-stimulant medications (the category of drugs ADHD medication falls into) can produce a range of side-effects which include headaches, tics, heart palpitations, loss of appetite, insomnia, depression and abdominal pain.

While there are children who experience no problems with the medication at all, enough of them do experience these unpleasant side effects.

We turned to Health24’s Facebook page and asked parents of children with ADHD to tell us how Ritalin or Concerta affected their children’s behaviour.

This is what they said:

Adults using ADHD meds also shared their experience stating that the drugs improved their concentration and behaviour in social settings.

While some adults felt depressed and anxious, quite a few seemed to have had a better experience with the medication.

Health24’s ADHD expert, Delia Strondl says that while it may seem that adults respond to ADHD medication better or with fewer side effects, it is more likely that adults have the ability to rationalise that the changes they are experiencing are as a result of the medication and will likely dissipate with time.

How to handle your child’s symptoms

With regard to the high prescription rate of ADHD medications, Strondl explains that in the past ADHD medications were not prescribed to children below the age of 7 years, but of late doctors seem to be more comfortable prescribing the meds to younger children.

While extreme effects such as stroke (a side effect one parent reported) are not typical for children using the medication, most of the other reported symptoms are to be expected.

It is unfortunate that the side effects take weeks, and in some cases, months, to dissipate but Strondl advises that the long-term result might be more beneficial.

“Although most of these symptoms are to be expected initially, the benefits of the medication should outweigh the negative effects. If this is not the case, there really is no point in continuing with the medication because it’s meant to improve the child’s quality of life,” she says.

Strondl offers the following tips to help parents monitor their child’s disorder:

Be open with your doctor 

Because everyone responds to the medication differently, it is essential to provide your doctor with a detailed family medical history and reactions to medications.

Also, inform the doctor of the type of symptoms your child is experiencing as well as its severity, this will help in assessing whether the medication prescribed is the solution to your child’s problem or not.

Keep a behaviour diary

Keep a diary of your child’s behaviour, noting at least one typical week prior to starting the medication. Continue the diary once the medication has started to get an accurate idea of the changes that take place after your child has started the medication.

With detailed information, your doctor will be in a better position to make for medication dose etc.

Be aware of your child’s diet

Diet plays a large role in managing ADHD. Remember that sugar does not add to hyperactivity as much as the additives and colourants in foods and drinks. This does not mean your child can have hoards of sugar as it would be unhealthy for anyone’s system. While becoming too conscious of food labels, on the other hand, can drive mom’s insane. Simply stick to the general healthy eating habits of having everything in moderation and eat more fresh foods than processed ones.

In addition to diet, make sure that your child manages to fit in some physical activity. Whether he/she is the hyperactive or inattentive type, exercise provides a short term boost in neurotransmitter levels which can aid concentration.

Also be smart about meal times and medication. Doctors will usually recommend (particularly with Ritalin) that children take their medication after having a good breakfast. This actually makes a difference because once the medication wears off, some children become ravenous in the late afternoon so it is important to make sure your child has access to some healthy snacks.

Stick to a routine

All children benefit from knowing the routine and their boundaries, children with ADHD are no exception. Try to stick to the same schedule during the week to make it easier for your child to know what it expected of them.

It might also help to put up a timetable, in words or pictures, to remind them of their tasks and to help reduce the tension experienced in many households because the child “always forgets”.

https://m.health24.com/Medical/ADHD/Living-with-ADHD/What-happens-when-kids-with-ADHD-take-Ritalin-and-Concerta-20150930#menu

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Behavior therapy is an important first step for children under 6 with ADHD.

You can help your young child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by learning parenting strategies that encourage positive behaviors and discourage negative ones. Behavior therapy for young children with ADHD gives parents the knowledge and skills they need to help their child succeed.

Behavior therapy is an important first step for children under 6 with ADHD and should be tried first, before medication. Ask your doctor about behavior therapy for young children with ADHD.

What is behavior therapy?
Behavior therapy is an effective treatment that improves ADHD symptoms without the side effects of medicine. It is an important first step for young children with ADHD and most effective when it is delivered by parents. It teaches parents how to create structure and reinforce good behavior. By attending training sessions with a therapist, you can learn how to

Have a better understanding of your child’s behavior.

Encourage positive behaviors and discourage negative ones.

Help your child be successful at home and school.
Why should parents try behavior therapy first, before medication?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children 4-5 years of age with ADHD be treated with behavior therapy first, before trying medication. Parent training in behavior therapy is an important first step because

It gives parents the skills and strategies to help their child.

Behavior therapy has been shown to work as well as medication for ADHD in young children.

Young children have more side effects from ADHD medications than older children.

The long-term effects of ADHD medications on young children have not been well-studied.

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ADHD – 10 Steps Before Ritalin

Please note that ADHD refers to Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity.

This article gives a broad approach to what can be done for children with ADHD before commencing Ritalin or any other related medication.  Bear in mind that there is a definite place for medication in the treatment of ADHD, and it has helped many a child through a crisis.  However there is a lot more that can be done to help these children before commencing the drug route.  Genetic and environmental factors are some of the factors to be considered.

Step 1: Hydration
Most people are chronically dehydrated simply because they don’t drink enough water:

  • Drink filtered water
  • Use water from glass or stainless steel containers.
  • Avoid sterile or distilled water, avoid plastic bottles
  • Avoid sweetened fruit juices, and eliminate colas.

The bottom line is: drink more water.

Step 2: Methylation
Homocysteine levels provide a measure of the body’s methylation process which is the body’s ability to maintain chemical balance.

  • High homocysteine levels can affect the brain contributing to depression, poor concentration, poor memory, sleeping problems, mood swings and anxiety.
  • There is a strong genetic component, especially in the SA population.

Treatment requires B-vitamins: Folic acid B3, B6, and B12.

Step 3: Glycation
Stable sugar levels are the key to brain health.  Glucose is the most important brain nutrient but too much of it damages nerve cells.  It can cause inflammation in the brain and this is called glycation.

  • Around 50% of nutrient intake should be complex, slow releasing, carbohydrates.
  • According to research excess white sugar and refined carbohydrates can lead to low IQ, bad behavior, depression, eating disorders and learning disabilities.

Normalise sugar levels by excluding most breakfast cereals, sweetened fruit juices, colas, fizzy drinks, biscuits and high energy sweets.  Eliminate food chemicals and preservatives. More than a 1000 of these compounds have been indicated as active anti-nutrients.  Natural is always better.

Step 4: Lipidation
The human brain, on average, consists of 80% water.  The dry weight of the brain is 60% fat; and these should be good fats rather than bad fats.  Research shows that what you think and what you feel totally depends upon the amount and type of fats eaten on a daily basis.

  • Trans fatty acids are the really bad fats for the brain.  They are chemically altered fats and become embedded in the cell membranes.
  • Hydrogenated fats are bad.
  • Cut down drastically on all bad fats.
  • Saturated fats are important but should be less than 10% of the total fat intake.
  • Omega 3 is a good fat and provides EPA and DHA.

Symptoms of insufficient good fats include:

  • Chronic thirst, dry unmanageable hair, brittle soft nails, ear and sinus infections, memory and concentration problems as well as vision problems.

At least have 2 – 3 fatty fishy meals a week.

Step 5: Supplements
We are not getting sufficient nutrients from the foods we eat.  Organic supplements are best as they come from whole food products.

Supplementation should include:

  • Most important: a well balanced multivitamin in the morning.
  • B vitamins (including folic acid) taken morning and evening.
  • Lecithin E (Lecithin combined with Vit E).  Phospholipids improve insulation around brain cells.  Can use up to 5g per day.
  • Omega 3 – EFA’s.  High dosages to be divided into morning and night servings.
  • Antioxidant supplementation – not enough antioxidants in fruit and vegetables alone.
  • Calcium Magnesium and Vit D – divided dosage morning and evening.

Supplements do not replace healthy eating, they are added to the diet.  Supplements are not medication – they are what the body needs to grow and maintain.

Step 6: Allergies
Children are eating up to 5kg artificial additives every year.  These can cause reactions in the body and children with ADHD are 7 times more likely to have reactions.  90% of children with ADHD are likely to have food allergies. The most common foods can be tested by using the IGg food sensitivity test profile.

Step 7: High Stress Levels
These are linked to the inability to adapt and cope with situations. Children with ADHD are more likely to be in trouble with parents, teachers and others.

  • This causes excessive stress which affects adrenal hormone levels which also affects brain function – especially forgetfulness.

Help these children with:

  • psychological support
  • exercise
  • avoiding intake of sugars, refined carbohydrates
  • well structured home environment
  • using natural stress relief products eg GABA

Step 8: Sleep Hygiene
Adequate sleep is vitally important for brain health.  Not getting enough sleep is another stressor to the body.

Have a good sleep routine:

  • Regular bedtimes – going to sleep and waking up at regular hours.
  • Have regular hours of sleep
  • Keep sugar levels even.
  • Ensure that your balance of vitamins and minerals contain B6 and zinc
  • Take regular exercise
  • Use natural sleep agents – eg take Calcium-Magnesium supplements at dinner time.

Step 9: Colon Health 
A healthy colon – a  healthy child – a healthy brain.
There are 10x more bacteria in the large intestine than there are cells in the body.  Problems arise when these flora are abnormal. We need the correct colon bacteria as well as adequate water for normal colon function.

Leaky gut syndrome can cause food sensitivities.

90% of serotonin is manufactured in the colon.  Insufficient serotonin can cause depression and anxiety.

Chronic constipation can be auto intoxicating and lead to many problems. Regular bowel movement and a normal gastro-colic reflex is important for long term colon health.

Children need colon training:

  • Teach regular bowel habits.
  • Need enough water
  • Less refined sugars and refined carbohydrates.
  • Have enough omega 3 EFAs and supplements
  • Regular exercise
  • Probiotics – Prebiotics and digestive enzymes.

Step 10: Psychology and Behaviour
ADHD is a stressor and a challenge affecting every area of a child’s life.  Be very careful with labelling affected children.  Remember they are very special individuals.

  • Use behaviour therapy to change certain behaviours by increasing the frequency of acceptable behaviour with rewards and positive feedback.
  • Consider your attitude to children with ADHD.
  • What is your belief system and what is that of your children.
  • What confidence do you have in children with ADHD.

We raise these children with no self belief and no confidence, and forget the exceptional qualities and talents of individuals with ADHD.

Conclusion
When using their creativity and natural drive ADHD people are often more adapted to the modern day lifestyle, often coping better in the work place.  Others are starting to see them in different ways which acknowledge their strengths, and new labels are emerging such as “Latent Entrepreneur Personality Type”, acknowledging that ADHD is not a deficit or a disease.

Changing a few things in the life of ADHD kids can prevent the damaging labels, maintain self esteem, and help them to be normal well functioning adults.

Extracted from a talk by Dr Hein Badenhorst

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Auditory Processing Difficulties

Many children have auditory processing issues. These children typically have normal hearing but they struggle to process and make meaning of sounds, especially when there is background noise present. There are several kinds of auditory processing issues and symptoms can range from mild to severe. There may be weaknesses in one, some, or all of these areas:

  • Auditory discrimination: Being able to notice, compare and distinguish between sounds.
  • Auditory figure-ground discrimination: Being able to focus on the important sounds in a noisy setting.
  • Auditory memory: Being able to recall what you’ve heard.
  • Auditory sequencing: Being able to understand and remember the order of sounds.

These are some signs that your child might have auditory processing difficulties:

  • Finds it hard to follow spoken instructions
  • Frequently asks people to repeat what they’ve said
  • Is easily distracted by noises
  • Has trouble with reading and spelling
  • Struggles with spoken math problems
  • Finds it hard to learn songs or nursery rhymes
  • Has trouble remembering details of what was read or heard

A trained audiologist can assess for auditory processing difficulties around the age of 7 or 8. Many of the above skills are not developed before then.

Here are some games you can play with your child to improve auditory processing:

  1. Your child sits opposite you about 45cm away with his/her eyes closed. You will hold an item that when you touch/squish/activate it, it makes a sound (not too loud, not too soft). Hold the item somewhere in front of your child (to his/her left, to his/her right, above his/her head, below his/her head, etc.). Ask him/her to point to where the sound is coming from or take the object from you without feeling around first. Your child has to locate the item by listening to where the sound is coming from.
  2. Play Auditory Hide and Seek. In this game, you hide somewhere in the house/outside/at the centre. Every 10 seconds, you make a sound (like a bird call or a cough). Tell your child beforehand what sound you will make so that he/she knows what to listen out for. Your child has to find you by following the sound you make.
  3. Put something noisy like bells on your shoes. Your child has to close his/her eyes and listen while you hide (so that he/she can hear but not see which direction you went in).
  4. Teach your child how to play Marco Polo in the pool. The person who is “it” closes their eyes. The other person swims away. The person who is “it” calls “Marco” and the other person has to answer “Polo” no matter where they are. The person who is “it” follows the sound of the other person’s voice to catch them. Once someone is caught, that person becomes “it”. A player can exit the pool to avoid being caught but if the person who is “it” calls “fish out of water” while that person is out of the pool, he/she automatically becomes “it”. The more people that play, the more fun it is.
  5. Tap a short rhythm on a drum or with sticks on the floor and have your child copy it.
  6. Make a worksheet with four pictures on it. Say a sentence that describes one of the pictures. Your child must point to the picture you are describing. The more similar the pictures are, the more difficult this is.
  7. Have your child listen out for specific sounds while on a walk around the neighbourhood with you.

Bear in mind that the more background noise there is, the harder the activity will be.

Here are some helpful considerations in the classroom for a child with auditory processing difficulties:

  1. A physically small classroom will be better than a large classroom, as will a classroom with fewer students.
  2. Curtains, carpets, and wall hangings will help with echoes.
  3. A classroom away from noisy areas such as the music room or canteen is preferable.
  4. Sitting close to the teacher where the student can clearly hear and see the teacher will help.
  5. Seat the child between two quiet children who concentrate and stay on-task well.
  6. Seat the child away from sources of noise such as air conditioner/vent, pencil-sharpening station (usually the dustbin), windows and fans.
  7. Seat the child away from sources of visual distraction (visual distractions pull their attention away from their auditory channel which is already weakened).
  8. Ensure that you have the child’s attention by calling their name or catching their gaze before giving instructions.
  9. Do a ‘comprehension check’ after you have given an instruction to ensure that the child heard and understood it.
  10. Speak slowly, clearly, and audibly.
  11. Break down multi-step instructions. For example, instead of saying “cut out this worksheet and stick it in your English book” say “cut this out… get your English book… stick in your worksheet.”
  12. Have the child repeat the instruction to him-/herself or imagine him-/herself following the instruction as a strategy to remember it.
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