“Why is my child all of a sudden losing interest in his schoolwork?”

During this period of COVID, kids have been isolated and have had difficulty being motivated with school work. They have not been able to go socialize with friends. Not to mention exercise. If on the other hand there have been conflicts with friend/s, it can affect a child emotionally as this is a period when they are beginning to learn to be independent. One way to address this issue is spending time with them, like play a game they like, basketball or video game. He may open up and tell you what's bothering him or may not, but you may see improvement academically. Don't bombard him with questions like "Are you okay?" "What's going on with you?" or chastise him. This will lead to him shutting down.

Wow. I can’t imagine how concerned you would be. thank you for finding me, I have little ones, so I totally understand. Okay, first thing that comes into my mind, is his sleep. Has there been any changes, and how much sleep is he getting, and then look at his nutrition and if he's getting enough. If so, then let's look at the type of food he is eating. It should be high portions of eggs and protein in the morning, and high carbs in the afternoon. If not, then simply adjust so. Carbs will slow mental functioning and as his case load and school demands increase, you will see the above lack of focus. Also, question to see if he is getting bullied at school or picked on, if that’s not the case, then stick to questioning about sleeping and if he feels sleepy and tired at school.
Hope that helps! That should be a start.

Dr. Sangra

He may be finding that the work is becoming harder for him than it should be as he progresses. This suggests he may have a learning issue, this happens for kids with learning issues or disabilities as they move into an area that for the first time require things that are harder for them than they should be. Requesting testing through the school is a good first choice, if they are not cooperative, an educational advocate may be helpful to get them to be more cooperative and supportive. An individually administered IQ test would be a good choice either through the school. some insurances will cover that, or there may be a good Psychology practice or hospital Psychology department that would offer that. the school or any major hospital should be able to give you a referral for a good testing place, though in some areas it can be challenging to find an appropriate place. I would expect any child neurologist or child psychiatrist should know of an appropriate testing place. If kids have intact abilities development should normally push them ahead with their success with decent effort. if things don't work right then it is very frustrating for kids and they give up, they have really no idea that they might need help in certain areas, all they have is their own experience normally. Some kids with such issues are aware that it seems easier for other kids so I would ask him what he is noticing (wide rang of normal responses-he may or may not have an opinion at that age). Best Wishes!!

There are many reasons a child can lose their interest or focus on school - undiagnosed learning or attentional issues, anxiety or depression, stress from family or peer relationships, poor match with the teacher, being bullied, a medical condition or pain, increasing interest in other activities or peers are just a few of the possibilities. First step is to talk with him as well as his teacher. If things don't become clear, he would benefit from being evaluated by a child psychiatrist or other child mental health professional.

Phyllis J. Heffner, MD, FAPA, IFMCP

He may not like his teacher and or his classmates. He should be encouraged to verbalize the problem and a parent-teacher conference seems in order.

Looks like he has very good potential. But, changes in social settings, friendships, and increased difficulties in school may influence it. One of the approaches is contingency management (basically rewarding for good outcomes), however, it has to be done correctly, otherwise it can be damaging. Also, he has to be evaluated by a professional in psychiatry to see if there are other underlying causes.

I hope it helps. Good luck.

Children may appear to lose interest, or focus, in schoolwork for many reasons. You could try asking the child, though unfortunately, children younger than 10 often have difficulty explaining why their behavior is the way it is. They simply haven't developed the ability to observe and describe themselves. Sometimes events or major changes in family relationships - e.g. divorce, move, teacher on maternity leave - clearly link to a change in a child's behavior. Sometimes children have always had a particular difficulty (inattention, anxiety, etc.) that only become visible as schoolwork gets harder. Consultation with a licensed mental health professional may help distinguish among these or other potential causes.

NB: This does not constitute medical advice, please see the disclaimer in my Expert Blog for details.

Stressful events at school or home can lead to sudden changes in motivation. Assuming that there are no new stressors at home, you can start by discussing with your son as well as his teachers if there's anything different at school; check with teachers to see if his behavior has changed in the classroom. Accordingly, a meeting with the school counselor and the teacher as well as other school officials may be in order. A depression and an anxiety screening done by the school counselor may also be helpful. Look for bullying or other forms of stress at school, especially ones related to social interactions.

1. Schedule a meeting with the child’s teacher to assess if he/she notices any changes and/or deficiencies in the child’s work.

2. Ask the child if there is any person or situation that makes him feel uncomfortable.