Staying focused isn't always easy. For children and adults alike, distractions, sensory input, restlessness, and competing demands can make it challenging to maintain attention during school, work, or everyday activities.
For individuals with ADHD or sensory processing differences, maintaining attention can sometimes require additional strategies and support.
TouchPoints offer a simple, wearable way to incorporate bilateral tactile stimulation into an individual's existing routine. They can be used at home, at school, during work, or while completing tasks that require sustained attention.
Why Can Focus Be Challenging?
Attention is influenced by many factors, including the environment, the task itself, emotions, sensory input, sleep, and individual differences in how the brain processes information.
A busy classroom, background conversations, movement, notifications, or other distractions can make it harder to stay engaged with a task.
For someone experiencing sensory overload or restlessness, the challenge may be even greater.
Supporting focus isn't necessarily about eliminating distractions or expecting someone to sit still. It can be about finding strategies that help an individual engage with the task in front of them.
How TouchPoints Can Support a Focus Routine
TouchPoints use BLAST® bilateral stimulation to provide alternating tactile stimulation through paired wearable devices.
Because they are wearable and passive, TouchPoints can be incorporated into everyday activities without requiring a screen, app, or complicated setup.
Some people may choose to use TouchPoints while:
- Completing schoolwork or homework
- Sitting in class
- Reading or studying
- Working at a desk
- Participating in meetings
- Completing tasks that require sustained attention
- Preparing for an activity that requires concentration
TouchPoints are intended to be one option within a broader approach to supporting focus and self-regulation.
What Does the Research Show?
Research has explored the potential relationship between TouchPoints and attention, focus, and hyperactivity.
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effects of TouchPoints on attention and hyperactivity during an attentional task.
Researchers used Pearson's Quotient device to track participants' physical movement in real time while they completed a task involving attention and impulsivity.
Results showed reductions in movement and improvements in measures of attention and engagement while using TouchPoints compared with the placebo condition.
One 13-year-old participant with ADHD demonstrated particularly notable results, including:
- Over 50% improvement in engagement during the attentional task
- 27% improvement in attention
These results provide encouraging evidence that bilateral tactile stimulation may have a role in supporting attention and engagement for some individuals.
Individual responses can vary, and research findings should not be interpreted as a guarantee that TouchPoints will produce the same results for every person.
Supporting Focus at School
School environments can require children to maintain attention while managing many different types of sensory input.
Students may need to listen to instructions, complete assignments, transition between activities, and remain engaged despite background noise and movement.
For students who find wearable sensory tools helpful, TouchPoints can be incorporated into an existing classroom or study routine.
Families and educators can work together to determine when and how a sensory support tool fits into the student's individual needs and school environment.
Supporting Focus at Home
Focus challenges don't end when the school day does.
Homework, reading, creative activities, chores, and other tasks may require sustained attention at home.
Creating a consistent environment can help. Depending on the individual, that might mean reducing background distractions, taking movement breaks, using a visual schedule, breaking larger tasks into smaller steps, or incorporating familiar sensory strategies.
TouchPoints can be another option to consider as part of that routine.
Focus Is More Than Sitting Still
It's important to remember that focus doesn't necessarily mean being completely still.
Someone can move while listening, fidget while thinking, or need occasional breaks and still be engaged with what they're doing.
The goal of a supportive focus routine isn't to force everyone to work in the same way. It's to help individuals discover strategies that allow them to participate, engage, and complete tasks in ways that work for them.
Building an Individualized Focus Toolkit
There are many ways to support attention and concentration, and different strategies work for different people.
A personalized toolkit might include:
- A quiet or organized workspace
- Movement breaks
- Visual schedules or timers
- Breaking tasks into smaller steps
- Reducing unnecessary sensory distractions
- Fidget or tactile tools
- Breathing or mindfulness exercises
- Consistent routines
- Adequate sleep and regular breaks
- Support from parents, educators, therapists, or other professionals
- Wearable sensory tools such as TouchPoints
TouchPoints don't need to be the only strategy. They can be one additional option within a broader approach to supporting focus and self-regulation.
Find What Works for You
Attention and concentration are highly individual. What helps one person stay engaged may not work for another.
Experimenting with different strategies can help individuals, families, and educators identify which tools fit best in different environments and situations.
TouchPoints offer a simple, wearable option for incorporating bilateral tactile stimulation into everyday activities that require attention and engagement.
Whether they're used during homework, in the classroom, while studying, or as part of a daily routine, TouchPoints can be considered alongside other individualized strategies for supporting focus and self-regulation.
Explore TouchPoints for Sensory Support
Learn more about TouchPoints™ for Sensory Support, how they work, and the research behind bilateral tactile stimulation.
TouchPoints are a general wellness device and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. They are not a substitute for medical or therapeutic advice. Individual results may vary. If you have questions about attention, ADHD, sensory processing, or your individual needs, consult a qualified healthcare or therapeutic professional.
