What is it called when a child focuses on one thing?
The name attention deficit disorder can give the impression that if you have ADHD you can’t focus or pay attention to anything. However, this is misleading because ADHD is actually a problem of regulating attention rather than a lack of attention. Show
Children and adults with ADHD find it very hard to focus on boring mundane tasks, yet can focus exceptionally well on activities that interest them. In fact, when they are engaged in a task that is interesting to them, they focus so well that it is called hyperfocus. The ability to hyperfocus can be frustrating to parents, teachers or spouses, and results in comments like, "They can focus when they want to." However, the ability to focus is more complex than just wanting to. Lots of people with ADHD want to focus, perhaps on a lecture or what their partner is saying, yet they can only hyperfocus on an activity when there is the right balance of personal interest, stimulation, and reward. What Does Hyperfocus Look Like?When someone is in hyperfocus mode they become so immersed in the task that they are oblivious to everything else going on around them. You may notice this when a child with ADHD is playing a video game and you try to get their attention. You call them, but you get no answer. You try calling louder, but you still get no answer. Finally, you try raising your voice to a shout, and you still get no answer. In her book, Adventures in Fast Forward, Kathleen Nadeau shares a story about a woman with ADHD who became so hyperfocused on a paper she was writing that she was completely unaware her house had caught fire. “She had missed the sirens and all the commotion and was finally discovered by firemen, working contentedly in her room while the kitchen at the back of the house was engulfed in flames,” writes Nadeau. Luckily, this woman was able to get out of the house safely. (Her paper was probably extraordinarily well written, as well!) Benefits of Hyperfocus in Adults and Children With ADHD
Negative EffectsUnfortunately, if it is not managed properly, hyperfocus can cause many problems. Some people escape into their own worlds, neglecting those around them and ignoring important tasks that need to get done. If this occurs, school and work performance suffers, and relationships become strained. For example:
5 Tips for Getting the Most from HyperfocusGive these tips a try to take advantage of hyperfocus.
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By Keath Low Thanks for your feedback! What is it called when someone with ADHD focuses on one thing?Hyperfocus is highly focused attention that lasts a long time. You concentrate on something so hard that you lose track of everything else going on around you. Doctors often see hyperfocus in people who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but it's not an official symptom.
Is hyperfocus a mental disorder?Psychiatrically, it is considered to be a trait of ADHD together with inattention, and it has been proposed as a trait of other conditions, such as schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Hyperfocus may bear a relationship to the concept of flow.
Is hyperfocus ADHD or autism?Hyperfocus is most often mentioned in the context of autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but research into its effect on cognitive and neural functioning is limited.
What is hyperfocus disorder?“ 'Hyperfocusing' is defined as a clinical phenomenon of “locking on” to a task in patients with ADHD who have a difficulty of shifting their attention from one subject to another, especially if the subject is about their interests (Conner, 1994).
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