ADHD: why does my child find it so hard to concentrate?
The question every parent of a child with ADHD asks: why can my child concentrate for hours on their video games but is unable to focus for 10 minutes on their homework? The answer lies in the neurological mechanisms of ADHD.
An under-stimulated brain seeking dopamine
ADHD is fundamentally a disorder of the brain’s dopaminergic system. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter essential for motivation, reward and the maintenance of attention. In the ADHD brain, the dopaminergic circuits of the prefrontal cortex, the region that manages attention, planning and impulse control, work with a availability of dopamine below normal levels. This relative dopamine deficit explains why the ADHD brain constantly seeks sources of strong stimulation that can trigger dopamine surges.
Hyperfocus: when concentration is possible
The apparent contradiction between the inability to concentrate on homework and the ability to play video games for hours is explained by this mechanism. Video games are environments designed to generate constant dopamine surges: frequent rewards, immediate feedback, varied and intense stimulation. Under these conditions the ADHD brain can sustain its attention for very long periods. This state is called hyperfocus. Conversely, repetitive and unstimulating school tasks do not generate enough dopamine to hold the attention of the ADHD brain.
Executive functions: the brain’s conductor
ADHD is also a disorder of the executive functions, the cognitive abilities that make it possible to plan, organise, initiate a task, sustain effort over time, manage emotions and inhibit inappropriate behaviour. In a child with ADHD these executive functions are impaired regardless of intelligence level. A very intelligent child with ADHD may perfectly understand what they need to do without being able to do it, which is a source of great frustration for them and for their parents.
Faulty working memory
Working memory, which allows us to hold information in mind while using it, is often impaired in ADHD. It is this memory that makes it possible to remember what the teacher has just said while taking notes, or to keep the beginning of an instruction in mind while dealing with the end of it. Its deficit explains many ADHD behaviours: forgetting what you were about to do, losing the thread of a conversation, making careless mistakes.
What this means for support
Understanding the neurological mechanisms of ADHD radically changes the way we support a child. Punishment, reprimand and urging the child to try harder are ineffective because they do not address the neurobiological mechanisms of the disorder. Strategies that externalise organisation, appropriate stimulation and adjustments that reduce cognitive load are much more effective. For resources on strategies for supporting ADHD, lesdys.fr offers comprehensive guides for families.
