Some children may suffer from poor concentration due to poor nutrition, difficulty in the task assigned or having ADHD. The child stares too much in the space, as if not listening to others' guidance or taking too long in the performance of his or her schoolwork. How can the poor concentration in children be treated?
Signs of poor concentration in children
Some signs may indicate poor concentration in children, such as:
1. Difficulty maintaining the sequence of ideas
When your child tells a story or incident, they may talk about things that are irrelevant to the story or the incident without realizing that, and if someone interrupts them during their talk, they may find it difficult to remember where they stopped when telling the story, which means not being able to keep their thoughts sequenced.
2. Staring into the space
When a child is supposed to engage in some kind of domestic activity or to fulfill his or her schoolwork, he or she may look at the space or at the window and not focus on what is supposed to be done.
3. The need for others' guidance repeatedly
When a child performs a task, and has been distracted, he or she will need to be reminded repeatedly of what is required of him or her, suggesting that the child suffers from difficulty concentrating.
4. Appears not caring when talking to him.
A child may not seem interested when speaking to them, as they look at other things and not react to what you say to them.
5. Taking too much time to perform a task
Your child may take twice or three times the time assumed to accomplish a task or activity, because they are distracted and cannot focus properly.
6. Discomfort
A child may be constantly disturbed by themselves and feel that they cannot accomplish anything, as they may blame themselves when dealing with matters that need concentration, which leads to low self-esteem.
5. Fidgetiness
A child messes with anything when sitting for homework or in class, not focusing on what to do at the moment, they may mess with pencils, eating utensils or others.
8. Inability to organize tasks and belongings
Your child may feel confused when having to organize their time and property, often also feel confused when preparing in the morning, and some things are constantly forgotten or lose what he was doing or working on.
9. Inability to focus on a single task
This is evidenced by the fact that when a child is studying, he may do a small amount of work on multiple subjects, but he can't focus on one task until finish.
Causes of poor concentration of children in the school
A child's lack of focus in the school may occur as a result of some causes, the most important of which are:
1. Unavoidable distractions
Children are inherently curious, and their minds can be distracted by anything, such as noise inside or outside the house, TV or otherwise, so try to get your child in an empty room without distractions.
2. Entrusting him with difficult tasks
The task entrusted to the child may be very difficult for him or her, and therefore he or she cannot focus on it, in which case that task should be divided into smaller tasks, to make the task easier, and to facilitate the child's focus during performance.
3. Seeking attention from parents
A child may not focus on what they do to attract parents' attention, this is attention-seeking behavior, so it is recommended to spend quality time with the child every day, and to provide them with the attention they need.
4. Not getting enough sleep
Children must sleep at least 8 - 12 hours a night, to be able to perform their duties, as lack of sleep impairs the child's ability to concentrate on the tasks assigned.
5. Poor nutrition
The child may not be able to concentrate due to poor nutrition and missed meals, so be sure to feed the child well and not miss breakfast, while ensuring to provide useful foods for the child's brain, such as whole grains, nuts, eggs, fish, vegetables and apples.
6. Personal Problems
A child may have problems at school or at home, which makes them not concentrate while performing certain activities, so try to find what bothers your child, making him feel safe and help him to solve the problem he faces.
7. Different Learning Style
Each child is suited to a particular learning style, perhaps your child's learning style is different, and then some methods should be tried so as to reach the most appropriate method for your child.
8. Lack of exercise
Unless the child is exercising, he or she will often be lazy, which may lead to a poor overall concentration, so the child should be kept away from mobile and television, and play any sport with him or her.
9. Poor interest or passion
If a child is not interested in the activity they will engage in, they will have no motivation to complete it, and therefore will not focus on it properly, so try to find a way to keep your child motivated and interested, such as promising to reward or change the way you learn or engage in activity.
10. School Anxiety
Anxiety about school may be one of the reasons for children's poor concentration in the classroom, and the child may be stressed by a particular subject, who does not want to take her exams, resulting in low grades and low confidence.
11. Learning difficulties
If the child has severe problems with class, such as persistent distraction or poor grades, and hasn’t any of the previous problems, the child may experience learning difficulties due to:
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ADHD.
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ADD.
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Dyslexia.
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Hearing problems, such as central auditory discrimination disorder, a child may not hear everything a person says, which makes it seem unattended to what they are told.
12. Other reasons
The child may have difficulty concentrating for other reasons as well, such as exposure to trauma, such as the death of a relative, an accident or otherwise, which may lead to the child suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and difficulty concentrating.
When is poor concentration evidence of ADHD?
The difficulty of concentration may be a sign of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but the difficulty of focusing is not the only sign, but there are other signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:
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Repeated daydreams.
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Excessive talking.
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Difficulty in resisting temptations.
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Forgetfulness.
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Easily lose or forget things.
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Negligent mistakes.
How can I help my son focus and not distract?
Some changes in a child's lifestyle may help to improve their concentration and reduce their distraction, the most important of which are:
1. Getting enough sleep
The child should sleep enough hours every night, depending on the child's age:
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Children 1 - 2 years old: 11 - 14 hours daily.
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Children from 3 - 5 years: 10 - 13 hours per day.
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Children from 6 - 12 years old: 9 - 12 hours per day.
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Children and adolescents 13 - 18 years old: 8 - 10 hours per day.
2. Balanced Diet
Healthy food should prevail over your child's diet, including fruits and vegetables, fish, eggs or other foods that help improve concentration.
Reduced intake of sugars is preferable, and it is also recommended that the child not eat much more than his or her nutritional needs.
3. Continuous hydration
Drinking water is also as important as your child's adherence to a healthy diet, because dehydration can make it difficult to concentrate and not think clearly, and therefore your child should drink an appropriate amount of water over the day.
4. Increased physical activity
If possible, it is preferable for a child to exercise daily. It is beneficial for brain health and helps improve concentration. Inactivity is not useful in any case.
5. Additional tips to improve focus
Some practices may help improve your child's focus, such as:
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Focus on one task at a time instead of being distracted in several tasks.
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Avoid using technological devices for some time.
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Take short breaks every 30 minutes for example, or you can start with a rest every 10 minutes, then gradually increase the time until the child's concentration improves further.
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Remove everything that can distract your child at the time of homework.
Ways to treat poor concentration in children
If it continues to be difficult to concentrate in children nonetheless, it is possible to treat distraction and poor concentration in children by:
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Anxiety and mood disorders medications.
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Change the doses or type of medication the child takes if it is the reason why it is difficult to concentrate.
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Psychotherapy, especially if the child is depressed.
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Behavioral therapy and appropriate medications for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder if the child suffers from it.
Vitamins to increase focus and memory for children
Some vitamins may help increase concentration and improve memory in children, such as:
1. Kidigrow Supplement
Kidigrow Supplement contains a combination of amino acids used by the body in protein synthesis, which helps children's body grow, and amino acids help improve the functioning of the nervous system.
2. Megamind Drink
Megamind Drink contains omega-3 along with some vitamins, such as vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B1, B5 and B6, which are essential nutrients to improve concentration, especially B vitamins, and omega-3 helps in brain development and improve memory and learning.
