Is that true that white noise helps ADHD children? I don’t know for certain if white noise (soothing background sounds) helps to calm the senses of ADHD children. White noise comes in many form. The easiest example of white noise is the sounds from the TV or radio.
You see, as of late, I noticed that my son likes to turn on the TV and just leave it there without even watching it. He just leave the TV on while he do something else to amuse himself with; playing with our pet cat, read his books, play with his toys, etc.
I wasn’t really happy with this behaviour because for one, it’s just wasting electricity cuz he’s not even watching the TV. He’s merely leaving it there just so that he could listen to it, even when he’s asleep.
My husband wasn’t exactly happy with this either, and each time we try to turn off the TV when the boy is asleep lately, he’ll wake up immediately and cry or throw tantrum. Yes, the boy gets very upset when we turned it off.
I was really furious with my boy’s incredulous behaviour until recently. I happen to stumble upon some exclusive forum where parents with ADHD and autistic children lurks and I was shocked to discover that some parents helps their ADHD children to settle down by leaving the TV on while their children are awake or asleep. Some children, and some adults who has ADD/ADHD in fact, needs the sound from TV to sleep. Some couldn’t simply sleep without it.
This is because the sound from TV… or radio is considered as some sort of white noise and helps people with ADD, ADHD or high functioning autism increase their concentration and helps them to settle down.
Not sure if medical practitioners has proven this method of increasing concentration in people who have ADD/ADHD or not, but I come to notice that with some ‘background sound’ like from the TV, the boy is better behaved and does his homework in a much more effective manner. He remembers what he learns more too.
So… is this to say that it’s just the same with people who needs music when they are at their working desk? I’m like that too when I’m working. I need some music when I’m writing because it helps me to shut out other noises and helps to stimulate my brain so that I could write more. That must be it. It’s almost the same thing.
So I guess the idiot box is not quite idiotic after all, since it can help my son to settle down a little bit more.
Cleffairy: Hell yes… the next time people tells me to turn the TV off when the boy is sleeping cuz it’s bad for him, I’m gonna tell them to F*** off cuz I know better and the one who is paying the bloody bills is me, and not them!
oh oh… I always have the TV on while I work… coz I just need some noise around too! BTW, Please let me know your plan next weekend… I want to DATE you!
Weekend? I have no plans…okay, will contact u by Friday.
I must have ADHD too then. When I studied (or even now, when doing work), I must have the radio on…and when engrossed, the sound would just disappear…and when my attention was distracted, the sound would come back.
My brother wanted perfect silence when studying…so that was the cause of many punching battles between us when we were young/teenagers in school.
For my daughter when she was a baby, I had to play the cassette tape of nursery rhymes while she was sleeping – using the non-stop player that would play one side and then the other…and the other…and the other….. Try stopping – she would wake up and start crying and screaming until the roof fell down!!!
Huh… u too? Made me wonder how many more people are like this? Hmmm…
my kids also like to on the tv and then play, but when i switch channel or turn it off they will say HEY i am LISTENING. And my hub, he said he is watching tv, but actually the tv is watching him snoring. But when you off it, he will wake up immediately haha weird
Same like my anak la… turn off only will bising. 🙁 Haihh… TNB bills melambung, but I rather pay the bills and have peace than the budak’s crying!
instead of the tv, doesn’t a radio or music work too? that would be a much cheaper cost. that or an mp3 player for your boy if music / radio works. hehe. that way, it won’t irritated you both husband and wife and he gets it on its on personal space.
but of course he is needed to be reminded that, he needs to pay attention to you all too hehe :).
I used to need to music to sleep, study, or even anything. but as i grew up, i lost that… of course once in a while, i still have my music on when i work ^_^.
Radio duzzin work for him… just the TV. 🙁 Else I would have get one mp3 player and plug it inside his ears….