Crossword puzzles for ADHD sufferers
People with ADHD seem to be unable to concentrate on any one thing for very long. They fidget, change the subject and often just get up and walk away. Life can be very difficult for the ADHD sufferer as well as for you as their family and friends.
You have probably been looking for ways to help your loved one to concentrate, especially once they are are at school and bringing homework home to complete. It feels like a constant battle, doesn’t it? Well, scientists have identified a simple tool that will help. It is the humble crossword.
Scientists have found that it is possible to ‘rewire’ the brain by changing the way some cells behave. They call it neuroplasticity. Refocusers says, “Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to restructure itself after training or practice.” The brain can form new habits and new ways of working. That means that a child with ADHD will, with training and practice, be able to learn new ways to cope in the world. They will develop new ways of being able to focus on work.
CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) says “Games and puzzles are a natural fit for the ADHD brain….” Crossword puzzles actually improve attention for words and sequencing ability, while picture puzzles-in which your younger child has to look for things that are “wrong” in the picture or look for hard-to-find objects-also improve attention and concentration”
Another study examined working memory (WM) which is the part of the brain that sorts and uses the information stored in the brain. They know that ADHD sufferers have a lack of working memory. “Results from this study indicate that WM training yields greater benefits in WM for children with ADHD than are provided by stimulant medication treatment.”
Isn’t that interesting? They don’t suggest, of course, that your child stops taking prescribed medication. What is clear, though, is that memory training and brain exercises have a significant impact on the way and ADHD child copes with life and work.
If your loved has ADHD, then sit down with them regularly and help them complete a crossword. Just watch their concentration levels improve.
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