Fidget to Focus

This is a letter we received from email:

Hello Dr. Rotz,

My 5-year-old son was diagnosed with AD/HD earlier this year. He started Kindergarten this fall and immediately began to have his usual problem of concentrating for any “normal” length of time. When he cannot focus, he tends to distract the other children and misbehave. At home, he has to have something in his hands (usually a small toy of some sort) to focus on a task. His teacher thought that maybe if she had something in class he could hold onto or do, he would concentrate better there. While doing research to find something suitable and less distracting to him and the other children (he tends to start playing with small toys after a while), I came across the book you co-authored with Ms. Wright.  Unless I overlooked it on your site, I didn’t see if the strategies in your book included children.  I would like to buy the book but I need to know if the information is only tailored toward adults. Also, if adults are the target audience, could the techniques possibly be modified to work with children?

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Mother

This was our response:

The book really does address the complexity of ADHD from child to adult.  Many of the strategies are directed toward children, while the overriding theme focuses on all ages. I recently presented on Fidget to Focus in the Classroom. The powerpoint from that presentation is available here: fidget-to-focus-in-the-classroom1

My hope is that these strategies help you and many others who are struggling to find effective tools for assisting their children in the classroom.