She may listen, hear, and understand the story while running around the room, o she may tune out and become involved in her own activities. Such children run, climb, and move every muscle until exhausted. Because of impulsivity, the child's constant movement often lacks restraint. He will run or climb to achieve his goal, knocking aside obstacles in the way by banging into them. He cannot plan and organize his movements because he acts on the impulse of the moment.
Some children have a very short attention span, even without impulsivity and overactivity.
Unlike their peers, they are unable to listen to and concentrate on a story. Many of these children have a problem screening the various stimuli they encounter. That is, they hear the teacher reading Goldilocks with the same urgency that they hear the child next to them coughing slightly, the door squeaking, and everything else that is happening. Background sounds, sights, and smells are perceived as equally important as the primary ones. He cannot tell that this truck is irrelevant and his dinner is relevant.