How to improve a child’s concentration in the classroom and at home while doing homework?

There could be a variety of reasons why a child is struggling to focus/keep concentrating in the class and home environment e.g.:

• Tiredness
• Emotional distress
• ADD/ADHD
• Poor postural control
• Low muscle tone
• Finding the work too difficult for his/her level of functioning
• Hunger
• Incorrect sitting posture
• Not enough ventilation
• Too hold/cold in the environment
• Environmental distractions
• Poor vision/hearing

When you realize as a teacher or mom that your child is struggling with focusing / maintaining concentration it is advisable to consider the above mentioned and try to find the reason behind the lack of concentration.

Tiredness

Make sure the child is getting enough sleep thus going to bed early enough. The child may be struggling to fall asleep of stay asleep or suffer from nightmares

Emotional distress

It is difficult for youngsters to verbalize their feelings and easier to play out their feelings. Therefore if I suspect in my practice that a child is struggling emotionally I always refer to a play therapist. A child that is emotionally vulnerable tends to have difficulty concentrating and their performance at school may decrease.A child that is emotionally immature for their age also finds it difficult to cope with a structured environment struggles to make and maintain friends and cannot handle criticism.

ADD/ADHD

Some children have the above mentioned condition. If I suspect that a child may have ADD/ADHD (after looking at his/her postural control/diet/level of physical exercise) it is necessary to refer this child to a paediatric neurologist/developmental paediatrician for further investigation.

Poor postural control

This is usually the child that struggles to sit still and fidgets a lot. Their vestibular (movement) system and proprioceptive (internal GPS of the body) system isn’t working optimally and thus they need movement and deep pressure input to improve postural control.

DON’T force them to sit still!!! Rather let them sit on a balance cushion / exercise ball / stand on their knees while working / jump on a trampoline for 3 minutes / doing any physical activity that involves movement and deep pressure input.

Low muscle tone

These kids slouch / fidgets / tires more easily than the other children.They require deep pressure input to normalize their muscle tone and the this can be provided by sitting on a balance cushion / chewing on a chappie / having an elastic band between the front legs of the chair that the can kick against / playing with a proper fidget toy that provides deep pressure input and/or resistance

Again DON’T force them to sit still, this makes it worse!!

Finding the work too difficult for their current level of functioning

For a variety of reasons a child may not cope with the work of a certain age group. When a teacher/mom suspects this please refer your child for an occupational therapy assessment. Leaving your child in an environment where the struggle/feel incapable on a daily basis will cause emotional trauma.

Hunger

A child that isn’t fed a balance diet of all food group and/or high GI food may have difficulties in maintain their level of concentration

Incorrect sitting posture

The ergonomically correct sitting posture is essential for concentration.The picture indicates that s child’s feet should be flat on the ground and have a 90 degree angle at the ankles/knees and hips. When a table is too high/low this will also influence the child’s posture.

Not enough ventilation

This is usually the case during winter months as all doors and windows are closed against the cold. Always ensure that enough fresh air/oxygen is provided.

Environment is too hot/cold

When a child is freezing or sweating their concentration is invariably affected. Have a 21 degree environment if possible in the work area.

Environmental distractions

The following may influence concentration:

• Work area is too cluttered
• Class is too brightly decorated
• Work area may be noisy
• Outside noise may cause distraction
• Area may to too dim/brightly lit

When your child has a sensory dysfunction in one of their senses, especially auditory and visual systems, they will struggle to concentrate in a class room with a lot of other children as well as the possibilities mentioned above. If you suspect that a child may have a sensory integration problem please consult an occupational therapist qualified in sensory integration.

Poor vision/hearing

I always send all children I evaluate for a proper vision/eye-muscle functioning and hearing test. These are the main senses the child uses for learning in a classroom setting and if they can’t hear or see properly a lot of stimuli will pass them by and they will not be able to concentrate sufficiently.

Of course there may be other reasons why a child is struggling to concentrate but after eliminating the above mentioned reasons you may be much closer to and answer.