Symptoms of ADHD and other attention struggles can manifest in very young children. Even babies and toddlers reveal signs of atypical attention patterns that can lead to later cognitive struggles. Yet there is very little scientific foundation for early intervention and few resources available for parents of toddlers with signs of attention problems.  

For most kids who display signs and symptoms of ADHD, treatment options don’t surface until the child is in elementary school. According to the National Survey of the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome, almost seventy percent of kids from age 4 to 17 receive special services through school. Even so, as published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, there are one in five ADHD students who never get the help or intervention they need.  

Research published in Developmental Science offers hope for early intervention through the evaluation of a combined computer-based and metacognitive scaffolding (one-on-one) training program for preschoolers. The study results revealed that the metacognitive training improved computer-based cognitive training outcomes and offered predictive gains of intelligence. This is good news for parents of toddlers with attention problems, and we eagerly await the educational tools to assist! 

MBJ 

Check out the research: 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181211103108.htm 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1087054718816169 

https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12756