-=> Quoting Bob Moylan to Desiree Louvre <=-
 BM> Desiree Louvre (On 12 Mar 97) was overheard expounding to Regina
 BM> Finan 
 DL> only for one hour. His father has the theory that Cory needs to vent
 DL> his hyper-ness through the sega! I only see it as stimulating him
 DL> overmuch.
 BM> Which way does he flop after playing with the Sega?  Is he more
 BM> active/mouthy, the same or less? (not based on just one or two
 BM> "observations")
 
 I have found that sega games make them a little more mouthy.  The reason
 being that the games are so intense that one little distractions sends
 them into a frenzy.  Just because they are interested in it does not make
 concentration extremely easy.  As a matter of fact I found that they seem
 to need the music to help concentrate (choking out distractions around them)
 and that any distraction outside of the game gets my Jeremy extremely
 upset.  
 DL> This is not what he needs. Which is why I like the Sim City
 DL> idea. (We picked up Sim Earth last weekend, have you seen it yet?
 DL> It's really neat!) With SC Cory would be forced to slow down,
 DL> concentrate, plan... etc. instead of him getting all revved up
 DL> and being disruptive.
 BM> I'd like to hear about how this goes with him.  I'm not sure that
 BM> anyone with true ADD/ADHD can be "forced" to concentrate or plan
 BM> ahead in anything unless it is of really high interest to _them_, in
 BM> which case their interest in it wouldn't require any external
 BM> coercion.  I'd be looking for solid signs that he is interested and
 BM> if not be ready for the possibility of "revving up".
 I have found that games (card games in particular) help Jeremy to 
concentrate.
 It seems the more we play them the more practice he gets in concentration.
 I also have found he does try harder to concentrate outside of this.  He is
 also learning fair gaming.  In turn some of the things have been him trying
 harder to keep inappropriage (violent) behavior to a lesser degree.  I even
 see him take a few deep breaths now (the look on his face tells just how
 angry he is) and walk away without a punch.  Now he has been doing this
 during a time his true colors (ADHD behavior) has been extremely high.
 A person I am giving support to came over and up to this point has never
 seen Jeremy's true colors.  He of course, behaves differently in other
 enviornments (although it does come out sometimes). She almost died when
 she realized how alike our kids are.  The only exception is that her
 child reacts the same at home or out of the home.  Jeremy doesn't do this.
 Jeremy will put himself in a corner and just sit there (withdrawing himself)
 in order to not get involved in any stimulation.  I believe this is how he
 controls himself somewhere else other than home. It doesn't always work, but
 for the most part it does.  Jeremy's also noticed the other child's 
hyperness.
 Jeremy hasn't a clue he is the same way, except that he is still more
 controlled by just swinging his feet or jumping from one couch to another
 just to sit down.
 I do believe you can not force them to concentrate or behave appropriately,
 but you can give the tools to help themselves.  Practice helps them to
 get the picture they can do it.  Once they realize it they will try on their
 own.
 With Jeremy I find clues in his body language.  Face expressions, hands and
 attitudes as soon as he gets up.  I use all of this to prepare myself for 
he
 day.  Of course, that won't prepare the on the fly changes, but by watching
 my childs body language I have stopped many episodes of rage.
 Regina
... All I need is a Wave and a board to surf it on.
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