Does anyone have any suggestions for developing abstract thinking skills in an 8-year-old child with ADHD and moderate auditory processing problems? Any workbooks, exercises, games? She has an above average IQ. Thanks for any suggestions.
Games
Games of strategy—such as chess and clue—are examples of activities that build fluid reasoning skills (another word for abstract thinking skills.)
Another great game for your child’s age is “Guess Who.” Nice deductive reasoning.
I liked Beth’s ideas, too.
Keeping things developmental appropriate is important. (Not *too* frustrating.)
Re: Abstract Thinking Skills
A part of ADHD can include symptoms such as an involuntary short attention span and involuntary distractibility.
That’s what ADHD is.
8 years old is quite young to figure out everything which is there. It may take a few years to see what’s there/what’s not there.
Much older children - especially the ones which actually respond well to the ADHD meds (the stimulants/alerting agents) - occasionally the ADHD meds will temporarily give them some abstract thinking skills since the ADHD meds tend to reduce distractibility and increase attention span.
Auditory processing:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mcoleman/cpdadd.html
There is a book the McGuinnesses who wrote the Reading Reflex book called How to Increase Your Child’s Verbal Intelligence. It has lots of stuff in it.
I have also used Lollypop Logic with my son. It is oriented towards 5-7 year olds but I used it when my son was 8. I got it from Rainbow publishing—it is a on line home schooling supply house with lots of good materials. They have a great catalogue.
Beth