We already talked about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of ADHD and today we propose cognitive rehabilitation activities for children with ADHD.
New neuroimaging techniques carried out by the Institute of Psychiatry in London (United Kingdom) show that the brains of children with attention deficit disorder and ADHD present a maturational delay in the development of some cognitive functions. These areas are related to attention and to executive functions such as inhibition that act on self-control, which could be the origin of this disorder.
According to this study what has been demonstrated with imaging techniques is that there are more affected areas in the connections between the frontal lobe and the basal ganglia. These regions (fronto-striatal networks), are important for the engagement of some executive functions and attention.
The latest research on the origin of ADHD focuses on the involvement in processes of inhibition and self-control through the executive functions and on their impact on the altered neuropsychological processes underlying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Therefore, the cognitive rehabilitation exercises for children with ADHD that we propose below focus mainly on working the executive functions and attention in the therapy that the professional designs with NeuronUP.
Cognitive rehabilitation activities for children with ADHD
1. Let the Games Begin!
What does it involve?
This first activity we propose is a game in which children will have to be able to reorganize the soccer balls on one side and the basketballs on the other — all while they keep moving!
What does this activity target?
It is an ideal activity to work on the planning, selective attention, sustained attention, hemispatial neglect and processing speed.
2. Hide-and-Seek with Letters
What does it involve?
Children must search among a group of letters for only the indicated letter. None can be left out!
What does this activity target?
This cognitive rehabilitation activity for children with ADHD mainly works on selective attention.
3. The Magic Word
What does it involve?
In this case we present NeuronUP’s children’s Word Search in which words can be customized to adapt them to each child. We personalized the word search with Pokémon names.
What does this activity target?
Word searches are a classic of cognitive rehabilitation, since they are ideal for working on the selective attention in a dynamic and playful way.
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4. Program the Robot
We continue placing special emphasis on attention activities. With “Program the Robot”, child users will have to mirror the position of the model lightbulbs. By practicing this activity children with ADHD will work on sustained attention, selective attention, hemispatial neglect, spatial relations and processing speed.
5. Moving Drawings
What does it involve?
This activity consists of memorize the location of various drawings and later reproduce it, changing their positions according to the given instructions.
What does this activity target?
We work on working memory and spatial relations.
6. Find the Different Picture
What does it involve?
In it the therapist must urge the child to point out the image that is different from the rest. For example, in this exercise you must be very attentive to the details of each car.
What does this activity target?
This exercise mainly works on processing speed.
8. Mixing Numbers
What does it involve?
This cognitive rehabilitation activity mainly targets reasoning. Children have to classify a series of numbers according to their value.
9. Mixed Images
What does it involve?
This activity consists of scrambled images that children must move in an orderly way until they obtain the desired image.
What does this activity target?
The therapist will use it to work on planning and spatial relations with children with ADHD.
10. Step by Step
We finish with a very useful activity for the cognitive rehabilitation of children with ADHD: Order the steps.
What does it involve?
A sequencing exercise aimed at breaking everyday actions they face day-to-day into steps. In this case, doing homework.
Format
Step by Step is also available with images. And it can be carried out in digital format and on paper. In this case you have to order the steps for Marta to wash her hands.
Don’t forget: ¡All daily living activities can be broken down into steps!
Also, we remind you that all NeuronUP activities are leveled, so they can be easily assigned to patients according to their age or abilities.
If you found this article interesting, you might also like the following articles:
“This article has been translated. Link to the original article in Spanish:”
10 Actividades de rehabilitación cognitiva para niños con TDAH
Cognitive Intervention in Children with ADHD
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