Parents and teachers alike become frustrated when children with attention deficit disorders lose focus and, in some cases, disrupt others. By detecting signs of distraction early on and knowing what causes your child's inattentiveness, you can enable him to channel his attention to help him become more productive.
Signs that Your ADHD Child is Distracted
- He looks bored.
- He fidgets or gets up to move around at inappropriate times.
- He repeatedly asks you to repeat yourself because he's not listening or has difficulty remembering.
- He is easily distracted.
- He talks excessively when he should be listening.
Detecting the signs is easy enough, but to find effective methods in dealing with your child's distraction, it helps to know the reason behind it. Sometimes external factors, such as a noisy background or an untidy room, can be the cause. Internal factors, such as self doubt, can also play a role.
What Causes Your ADHD Child to Lose Focus
- He's not getting the recommended amount of sleep.
- He's not interested in the task at hand.
- He's not being engaged and actively involved in the task.
- His environment is full of distractions.
- He experiences self doubt with thoughts such as, "Why should I try if I have a disorder that keeps me from focusing?"
- He is not being given his medicine on a consistent basis.
Knowing what causes your child's problems concentrating can better enable you to develop an effective plan. Pinpoint what is driving your child to distraction so you can effectively help him channel his focus.
How You Can Help Your ADD Child Focus
- Ensure that your child gets adequate sleep. University of Kansas research Dr. M. Suzanne Stevens has found that sleep deprivation inhibits our ability to focus on simultaneous tasks.
- Cater to your child's interests. By relating tasks to your child's interests, such as using baseball statistics to help him with math, you'll make it easier for him to stay focused.
- Make learning interactive. Turn mundane tasks like picking up toys into a game. Make it fun.
- Remove distractions from your child's environment. Television background noise or untidy rooms all provide stimulants that can be distracting when you want your child to focus.
- Provide encouragement and affirmations. Boost your child's confidence in himself so he'll feel more able to see projects through till the end.
- Be consistent with your child's medication. Changing your child's medication routine can cause fluctuations in his ability to concentrate.
- Allow your child play time in a natural setting. A University of Illinois study shows improved attention performance in children after spending just 20 minutes in a natural setting, such as a park.
If you found How to Help Your ADD Child Focus helpful, you may be interested in reading ADHD and Sleep Problems.
