Using fidgets to help children with ADHD

When your child is diagnosed with ADHD, it is important to work with teachers to determine action items that can help your child concentrate in the class room.

According to Sydney Zentall, PhD, engaging in an activity that uses a sense not required for the primary task (i.e. listening to music while reading a textbook) can enhance performance in children with ADHD. These secondary tasks, often sensory motor activities, are called fidgets – mindless tasks kids can do while working on an otherwise boring assignment. They are more intentional than just wriggling in their seat or bobbing a knee up and down. Some of us without ADHD might say this is a waste of time but ADHD minds work differently. They can be more successful when doing more than one thing at a time.

Edward Jedlicka, PhD, LPC, a psychotherapist at SSM Health Treffert Center, says, "Research has shown that movement, or fidgeting, improves executive functioning, allowing those with ADHD to focus, learn, and remember more." Fidgeting must be deliberate in order to be effective. Intentional fidgets allow your child to self-regulate their ADHD symptoms in a controlled, constructive fashion without distracting them from their primary task.

The question is, what makes a good fidget?

• Quiet (so your child doesn’t get scolded for being too loud)
• Unobtrusive (fit into their fist)
• Tactile (doesn’t draw attention away from the speaker)
• Safe (not a choking hazard or sting when they snap)
• Tools, not toys (balls shouldn’t bounce for example)
• Inexpensive (they can easily get lost)
• Teacher-approved (you should always get the fidget approved by the teacher before sending it to school)

Jedlicka also comments, "Occupying busy bodies can help the ADHD brain settle into focus. Walking can help when a child starts to get restless. A teacher can send a student on errands or occasionally walk around the classroom. Instead of sitting at a desk all day, a teacher could allow a student to stand at their desk or get desks that are able to raise or lower. Keeping an ADHD students’ hands busy is a must in the classroom."

Fidget toys for home and school include cool looking pens and pencils, beaded bracelets, paperclips and clothes with interesting textures or doodads. Chewing gum helps with oral stimulation when they need to focus for an extended period of time. Chewing gum has been shown to help with better self-regulation. If chewing gum is not an option, any hard candy will do.

Managing ADHD involves recognizing our choices and then taking action. Understanding what is going on in a child’s brains and proactively choosing an appropriate strategy is the essence of the fidget approach. Experiment with a variety of strategies and encourage your child to try different fidgets.