Doing two things at once, it turns out, can actually help focus the ADHD brain on a primary task.
Experts believe that engaging in an activity that uses a sense other than what's required for your primary task — listening to music while reading a social studies textbook, for example — can enhance focus and improve performance in children with attention deficit disorder. These secondary tasks are called fidgets — mindless activities you can do while working on a primary task.
We're not talking about wriggling in your seat. Fidgeting is more intentional. It's pacing or doodling while on the phone, or chewing gum while taking a test. An effective fidget doesn't distract you from your primary task because it is something you don’t have to think about.
Use these fidget secrets the next time you or your ADHD child needs help focusing:
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