Multiple video game related studies are being made as we speak — and given that most of the target market for these products are children, medical professional have delved into the possibility of games being potentially helpful to children who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
Children who are diagnosed with ADHD are easily distracted, more impulsive than other children, and have more energy to expend. It has been speculated by researchers that technology can help alleviate some of these symptoms, or even help these children learn how to focus. Some parents may be opposed to giving their children gadgets so early on in their lives, but given that their needs are different from other children, alternative means should be tried.
Video games can help children focus their attention and improve their memory, which is something that is conventionally taught in a classroom setting. There are already numerous apps and games that exercise different brain functions like language, mathematics, and even memory. According to CBS St. Louis, children who were tasked to play games for four weeks showed significant improvement in their focus and concentration.
The school year has just begun, and according to Education Week Teacher, there are about 6.4 million children in the U.S. that have been diagnosed with ADHD, with an age range of 4-17 years old. These children are mostly in school, having the same curriculum as kids who are not diagnosed with the same condition, and probably require different means of care.
Students with ADHD respond better to stronger sensory stimuli like brighter colors, sounds, and consistent assurance and feedback regarding their academic performance, and more interactive lessons — compared to that of a normal classroom setting.
In a report from Times Live, they stated that doctors found a significant improvement in cognitive ability when children with ADHD play first-person shooter games such as "Call of Duty." This is just the beginning, and people will have to wait patiently for more studies to be conducted vis-a-vis ADHD and video games.
