video games | ADHD Information

My son will not stop with the video games.  I limit his time playing, and he has to earn time each day in order to play by doing a few chores, homework, etc. 
My concern is that he is only happy when he is playing video games.  He  whines and  mopes around whenever he isn't playing the wii or his ds games. 
I engage him in other things, take him places, have him play with his brother or kids in the neighborhood, and as soon as I turn my back he is sneaking into the basement to play the wii.  I've taken it away, but It's annoying that he can't interest himself in anything.

Anyone else dealing with this?

Oh my gosh..............I could have written your post word for word.  My son also loves his video games.  The funny thing is I was just starting to like the fact that the Wii novelty has worn off and two days ago he bought a Madden football game  (with his own money) and is whining and complaining about playing it ALL OF THE TIME. 

 I know that everyone has different views on video games but we try to really limit the time and have a million things/sporting equipment etc. for him to do outside and he was acting the same way as your son.  I wonder if videos stimulate their brains in a way that actually playing the sport does not. 

If my son continues to complain I will not hesitate to hide the remotes and/or unplug the Wii................it's much better to take action than argue with him.  Not sure if you could take the remotes/controls until he stops complaining???  Just a thought.  Good luck and I know how frustrating this can be.

Andrea

Matt age 8 Focalin 10mg

YES!

our psychologist told us that attachment to video games is very common in ADHD kids for several reasons.  Primarily, those games provide instant feedback.  Second, the games can be all-encompassing (no outside influencers).

here are a couple of things we have found to be successful.

1.  let games be rewards - not routines

2.  find games that are educational, yet still fun. 

3.  require verbal responses to instructions given when the child is playing the game.  that way, you know he/she heard you and understood what you said.

You might also look for a musical instrument that requires the same dexterity as the video game.  The instrument may serve as a partial substitute for the game.

Hope some of this helps

My son hyperfocuses on video games. Time and everything else go away.

It's not a reward; it's a daily event that can be taken away as a
punishment. Using them as a reward just lead him to spend all his
energy begging for them. However, grounding him from them is a great
motivator for him to keep his behavior in check.

What works best for us - I let him play on the computer and put an
automatic timer on it. It gives him a 5 minute warning, then each minute
counts down, and then the system shuts down on it's own.

When the time is over he always does something else immediately - gets
a snack, jumps in the tub, something to break his concentration.

The good thing about the hyperfocusing - he can transfer it. He
hyperfocuses when he reads, so it's not always a bad thing! You just
need parameters.I feel like the Nintendo DS makes my ds crazy. It does something to his
brain. He is wired after playing. We really have not allowed video games at
all lately. I keep them outside, at the pool or signed up for camps.I have two sons, ages 19 and 11. The 11 yo has adhd. Both of my sons and nearly all of their friends are video game junkies, either console or computer, so I ascribe it to modern culture rather than adhd. There are even advertisements featuring colleges that specialize in video game-making degrees! Any popular movie, book, or cartoon gets a video game translation. I think it's the nature of the male beast (not nearly as hot with girls) since it hits all their buttons: the games are usually competitive, highly visually stimulating, thrilling, and offer a sense of accomplishment (maybe in something that they're not so good at in real life). Having said that, I think all children (does my husband count??) should have limits with any kind of electronics.