“My daughter has serious concentration issues. What can I do about it?”
My daughter is 4 years old and is extremely hyperactive. She also has severe concentration issues. What should I do about it? How can I help her?
5 Answers
Your daughter should have a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and be evaluated by a child psychiatrist for the possibility of a trial of medications. It is important to assess whether there is an anxiety component complicating her concentration and impulsivity.
Test for ADHD to rule it out.
Concentration issues are very common problem among children and adolescents. What you can start with for your daughter is to monitor her sleep make sure she goes to bed and wakes up at the same time every day. She needs about 8 hours every night. Then, she needs 30 minutes to an hour of daily outdoor activities and exercise. High-protein breakfast is recommended. Before school, talk to her teachers and ask them how she's doing at school. If her concentration does not improve after 2 to 3 months, then she can be tested for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.
I recommend finding a child psychiatrist, and having your daughter evaluated for ADD/ADHD. If she does suffer from an attention deficit disorder and it goes untreated, it will have negative effects on many areas of her life, some that may surprise you.
Untreated ADD/ADHD results in: poorer school performance and therefore limits career opportunities as an adult; behavioral issues that can result in poor conduct grades, in-school suspension, and difficulty getting along well with peers; lower self-esteem; the development of social anxiety disorder, which is typically a lifelong disorder and significantly limits both social and occupational opportunities.
There are many other potential negative consequences of untreated attention deficit issues, so it is critical that your daughter receive a full and proper psychiatric evaluation to rule in or out ADD/ADHD and/or other psychiatric disorders that may co-occur with, exacerbate, or mimic ADD/ADHD.
I hope you find this helpful, and I wish you and your daughter the best!
Sincerely,
Lisa Fairweather, D.O.
Untreated ADD/ADHD results in: poorer school performance and therefore limits career opportunities as an adult; behavioral issues that can result in poor conduct grades, in-school suspension, and difficulty getting along well with peers; lower self-esteem; the development of social anxiety disorder, which is typically a lifelong disorder and significantly limits both social and occupational opportunities.
There are many other potential negative consequences of untreated attention deficit issues, so it is critical that your daughter receive a full and proper psychiatric evaluation to rule in or out ADD/ADHD and/or other psychiatric disorders that may co-occur with, exacerbate, or mimic ADD/ADHD.
I hope you find this helpful, and I wish you and your daughter the best!
Sincerely,
Lisa Fairweather, D.O.
Make sure the room is free of distractions and she is sitting near you where you can touch her to make sure you have her attention to read or help her write. Avoid high sugar foods or chocolate or soda. Try to remember children at this age have a short attention span so break things up into 10-15 minute lessons. reward her with praise when she is good. She may need further testing if problems persist
