White Noise and ADD/ADHD |
Wednesday, 14 July 2010 | |
Easily Distracted? Turn up the White Noise
White noise is any gentle, steady, monotonous, peaceful sound like a fan humming or other background sounds that are calming and not stimulating. What are the benefits of white noise for those with ADD / ADHD? Research in Sweden has found that the presence of white noise appears to help distractible ADHD children concentrate and pay better attention while learning. A control group of children without ADHD performed better in silence without the extra background noise. Research in Sweden has found that the presence of white noise appears to help distractible ADHD children concentrate and pay better attention while learning. A control group of children without ADHD performed better in silence without the extra background noise. The report published in the October 2008 Psychological Review . These findings are surprising as children with ADHD appear to have greater difficulty in environments that are distracting. The researchers, Goran Soderlund from Stockholm University and Sverker Sikstrom from Lund University, explain that children with ADHD have lower dopamine activity in the brain. The noise serves to stimulate and increase dopamine activity resulting in better concentration.
Children without ADHD, on the other hand, have higher levels of brain dopamine activity. Extra noise is, therefore, distracting and as a result memory and concentration are disturbed for these children without ADHD.
What can we do with this information?
“The conclusions we draw from our model are actually relatively easy to transfer to practical situations. The model helps us understand children with concentration problems and serves as a simple tool to adapt the school environment to children with ADHD.”
“It provides a scientific basis for treatment of a problem complex linked to concentration difficulties, as in ADHD, and can be a complement to pharmacological treatment,” says Goran Soderlund.
This study provides us with additional insight in structuring an individual’s environment to optimize school success, as well as work success, and memory. White Noise Helps with Concentration in ADD/ADHD
As a child psychiatrist, I know that most teens with ADD or ADHD do their best school work while listening to their music. I often have to convince parents and teachers to allow their ADD/ADHD kids and students the privelage of listening to music while they work.
Now, there is a study which has proven that this is the case. Well, it has actually proven that ‘white noise ‘ in the background can increase the concentration for people with ADD or ADHD.
White Noise - Behavior modification tool
White Noise is not actually "noise" it is a random signal with a flat power spectral. It is a sound frequency or a signal that one hears as a gentle hiss, similar to the sound of wind rustling through trees, a waterfall, radio static or the ocean turf. It is purely a theoretical construct. To use a simple analogy, the color white contains the whole spectrum of colors of light. Similarly white noise is created by using the entire spectrum of frequencies, the human ear can hear.
And, pets love to fall asleep to white noise, just like humans!
Teachers Use White Noise to Assist ADHD StudentsBy Christine Cadena - October 23, 2009
Educational Implications
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, typically experience complications with focus and attention in the classroom but that lack of focus and attention is often due to impulsivity and not, necessarily, attributed to general attention deficits. If you are a teacher in grade school or middle school, and you have students that seem distracted and quite impulsive, this may be a sign of ADHD and using white noise in the classroom may provide a benefit.
Educational Implications
ADHD is a complex childhood disorder that affects millions of students each year. While parents struggle to find balance in the symptoms of ADHD, teachers often struggle equally as hard as they work through the academic success of the student while also trying to manage the ADHD symptoms. If you find that your class has one or two students that may be struggling with ADHD symptoms, try creating an environment where white noise is available and you may find this improves your students' performance.
Sources: Educating Special Needs Children, Summer, 2007. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 14 July 2010 ) |