Getting distracted is normal for young children but the same can prove to be a major problem when they grow up and are unable to concentrate on academics and school work. Lack of concentration among children or an inability to focus on the task at hand is a common concern that many parents have.

When parents teach these children, they start telling all sorts of stories just to avoid writing or reading. If children are left alone and asked to finish their homework within a specified time, they just fail to meet the deadline with not even half of the work done. On being asked to continuously read aloud for a particular period of time, these children just stop in the middle and parents have a hard time reminding the children every time they stop.

Lack of concentration is often the external manifestation of a more grave medical condition called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

ADHD is a neurological condition characterised by behavioural and learning disorders. ADHD children have more difficulties with work completion, productivity, planning, remembering things needed for school, and meeting deadlines. Oppositional and socially aggressive behaviour is also seen in a large number of children. ADHD is a threat to children’s overall education.

Therefore, the tendency of children to have a lower attention span and lose interest in an activity or object very soon should not be taken lightly. This problem requires to be addressed at the earliest.

• Children have more difficulties with work completion, productivity, planning, remembering things needed for school, and meeting deadlines.
• Children start beating about the bush just to avoid writing or reading, when parents teach these children.
• If children are asked to finish their homework within a specified time, they just fail to meet the deadline.
• On being asked to read aloud, these children just stop in the middle and parents need to keep reminding the children every time they stop.
• Making disruptive noise, leaving their seats unexpectedly, speaking out of turn, disturbing classmates, and not completing classwork are typical characteristics of ADHD children.
• They are unable to sit or stand at one place for a long time.

Being able to concentrate means that children are able to keep their minds focussed on a task for a reasonable period of time. The task can be reading the paper, watching television or listening to someone talking.

The period of time does not have to be too long. Almost everyone stops concentrating after a while — no matter what they are doing. We all need to take a break to help re-focus our concentration.

Therefore, normally the causes for lack of concentration among children include common grounds such as fatigue, sleepover parties and late-nights, improper diet and unhealthy eating habits, inability of teachers and parents to create interest in the subjects, etc.

However, heredity is considered to be the most important cause of ADHD. Besides heredity, several other factors too contribute towards children becoming hyperactive.

Smoking mothers have more chances of giving birth to children affected by ADHD. Head injuries and environment factors are other prominent cause of ADHD. A study in the UK has found that food additives can also cause behaviour changes in children, even in those who have no history of hyperactivity.
 

Lack of concentration is both a medical and behavioural problem and needs expert guidance. However, parents can do a lot in reducing the evidence of ADHD.

Do not force hyperactive children to sit for a long time. Make the children study at intervals planned by you.

Give positive reinforcement whenever hyperactive children are quiet or under conscious direction and start a reward system for every abidance. Create short-term goals for the children so that they can realise more successes, and find activities which will absorb the need to be hyperactive.

Avoid asking questions to children as to why they have not been able to finish their homework in two hours. This does not mean that the behaviour should be condoned. Treat such acts as a temporary lack of self-control.

Instead, set a target to achieve within a particular time frame and keep inquiring where the children have reached.

If the subject or topic that your children are reading is dull, then add interesting facts from your side and ask questions. Make it an interesting session by changing the method from monotonous mugging to games like quizzes on the topic or rapid fire rounds.

See to it that children are not hungry or sleepy while studying. In case, they are make them take some snacks or a nap.

Give children the value of ownership of the work. Let them feel that they are studying for themselves and not performing any duty or chore for their parents.

Tell them not to study just with the purpose of avoiding shame or humiliation if not done well. Ask them to study for their own benefit.

You can also team your children up with a better performer in class. Ask your children to pick up good studying habits and methods from such a student and set goals to slowly reach his/her level and then beat him/her. Healthy competition is an excellent motivator.

Invest your confidence in your children. Even if they are not succeeding, keep telling them that you have absolute faith in their abilities and they will do well if they try.
Do not ever humiliate or put down your children. It will be a great loss on their self esteem.

Inculcate positive thinking in your children. Help them to think better about themselves.
Make children learn relaxation and meditation. If their mind gets too crowded, ask them to take a mental break. Tell them to stop thinking about everything and meditate. They could simply think of a calmer scene and relax their mind.

Have the children keep a chart of how many times you have corrected them. Try role playing in a private conference. Switch roles with the children. Let you become hyperactive and let the children become the parents. This will allow them to observe how their hyperactivity appears to others.

In case, you have tried all the above and still have questions regarding your hyperactive child, you can ask for a practical solution from Jiva. Jiva makes use of the know-how of its expert educationists and the wisdom from Ayurveda to provide you consultation for this kind of problem. Please feel free to contact Jiva at 0129-4088152 or write to us at asksteve@jiva.com. We will try our best to give a solution to your child’s problem with our expertise.