Lack of Attention and Focus: Disruption to Learning?
By Dorinne Davis
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD or ADHD) is a classification widely used today, both in the medical and educational setting. Many children (and adults) with this classification have disruptions in their ability to process sound correctly. As a result they have difficulty maintaining attention and focus long enough to appropriately process and respond.
For example, some people over-react to sound. They often hear soft sounds from long distances. This ability may over-shadow what they need to listen to right in front of them. If they have difficulty blocking out distracting background sounds, they can only process bits and pieces of what they need to listen to. As a result, they learn incorrect information, take in insufficient information to comprehend, misunderstand the subtleties of what was said, or are sure that they heard and understood something that the speaker did not say.
For a child in the early learning stages, the brain needs consistent clear input to maximize learning and overall development. When only pieces of information are heard, the listener can become frustrated and turn off. They may search for additional information from their other senses. For example, a child may learn to let his eyes wander to see what other children are doing to verify for himself that he is doing the appropriate thing. Or he may need to constantly move around because the balance receptors in the inner ear requires stimulation to receive better input.
When a child needs to use his other senses to reinforce auditory learning, it is like having to take 2 steps to move 1 space forward. Therefore, children with attention issues often need to learn using multi-modality learning techniques. If forced to listen, they spend most of their effort “trying to listen”, and as a result, they don’t learn the entire concept being taught. They may need to be retaught 2 or 3 times before understanding the entire concept. Each time they learn the “same thing” they are able to understand another piece.
Typically, children with attention issues are encouraged to receive medication to maintain attention. Other techniques include adaptive teaching techniques, classroom modifications, or enhanced listening situations as with amplification systems. However, newly emerging techniques include the use of sound based therapies. These therapies appear to work foundationally at repatterning sound information to the brain so that a more clearly processed sound is received and understood, thereby enhancing attention, focus, comprehension, and ultimately behavior.
Case Studies
Case 1: Jack, age 9, initially visited The Davis Center for a full evaluation. His diagnosis was ADHD. He had difficulty attending in class, was bored and frustrated in school, and had no desire to read. From the Initial Evaluation, he was found to have over-reactive hearing and received 2 different therapies to address this. At the end of these suggested therapies, his changes were so dramatic that he enjoyed going to school. However, reading was still a concern. Another therapy was then recommended and one week after starting, his mother reported that he couldn’t wait to come home and start reading. His latest Report Card had mostly “Very Good’s”, and no “Needs Improvement”. His mother suggested that The Davis Center should be renamed “The Miracle Center”.
Case 2: Teddy, age 13, is a twin whose brother initially visited The Davis Center, with a diagnosis of autism, and was helped. Teddy was diagnosed with ADHD and after the positive changes noticed with his twin brother, Teddy’s parents had him tested. Only one therapy was suggested for Teddy and after receiving this intervention last summer, Teddy is more focused and feeling better about himself. His teachers have noticed a ‘significant change in how he is listening and attending’ this school year.
Case 3: Lauren, age 7, had received many years of various therapies—speech pathology, occupational therapy, tutoring, and even received a sound therapy at another facility. Lauren made progress but never really felt successful or had a desire to read and/or write creatively. After the Initial Assessment at The Davis Center, Lauren received a sound therapy that addressed her very basic auditory processing skills. She made good progress. Her sensory system became better balanced. Lauren was now able to attend and focus for longer periods of time. She began to enjoy creating her own stories. The sound therapy she had received previously, had been used in an ‘out of order’ good sequence to The Davis Center’s protocol. Although she had to redo this therapy, this time with a secure foundation, she had more success. She wanted to read more on her own. She was comprehending more. She was beginning to make more friends. Her teachers noticed ‘a marked improvement in her overall skills’.
Because attention and focus is important for learning, one’s ability to process correct sound information impacts one’s attention and focus skills. There have been many approaches to supporting better attention—medication, hypnosis, restructuring one’s school day, and more. Now a unique approach has also demonstrated that by improving one’s ability to process sound information one can also attend, focus, and learn better. For parents of children with issues in attention, focus, and reading skills, imagine being told that your child wants to read and enjoys school.
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Dorinne Davis, an Educational and Rehabilitative Audiologist, Founder of The Davis Center in Rockaway, NJ has been utilizing sound therapies for over 12 years with a track record of successes for children and adults with attention issues. She uses a thorough diagnostic evaluation to determine if sound therapies can be beneficial.
(Further information about The Davis Center’s unique approach can be found on-line at www.thedaviscenter.com or by contacting The Davis Center 862-251-4637.)
