Attention Seekers

Some parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder say alternatives such as brain exercises or music therapy are better than medication.

Westminster, Colo.

It was in 5th grade that Katie Wilhelm realized that the schoolwork that seemed to come so easily to her classmates was much more difficult for her.

Wilhelm, now 16 and a rising sophomore, thought that if she spent hours studying at home, the math and science concepts that eluded her would become clear. But the extra work didn’t help. Nor did it help that during class, her attention would roam to almost anything else in the room.

For 9-year-old Evin Kercher, the problems developed earlier. His parents recall tear-filled nights trying to figure out why their bright, hockey-loving son was so far behind that his teacher suggested holding him back, both in...