It is essential that children be able to filter out distractions, hold information in working memory and process that information in order to learn. ADHD makes it difficult for children to sustain attention and focus, especially with action-packed video games, 500 channel cable services and increasingly larger class sizes creating distractions all around them. So, how can we help children with ADHD?
Focus and concentration are dependent on the domain-general mechanism,
or “jack of all trades” mechanism, of timing. While domain-general might sound foreign, it is actually a principle at play right now in your brain. Much of our lives revolve around timing. Reading relies on timing. Sleep cycles rely on brain timing. Speaking is all about pauses and timing. Walking in rhythm relies on coordinated, timed movement, as does dancing; even baking cookies is a matter of timing. Synchronizing the body’s “internal clock” helps the functional brain networks communicate rhythmically and efficiently. The efficient communication between the brain and body allows all systems to be working at peak levels. When everything is working at the optimum level, the brain’s cognitive processes are free to work on memory, processing and coordinating action, all while still maintaining focus!
In fact, a study from Baylor University reveals that students who received “just 15 minutes of Interactive Metronome training, four days a week” in addition to language and reading intervention, demonstrated significant improvement in reading rate, fluency and comprehension over students who just received language and reading instruction.
Contact LifeFit BrainFit at 906-774-5833 to help synchronize your brain's cognitive processes today!