Attention Deficit or Children's Natural Behavior?

When parents observe their children's natural behavior, they may encounter some differences compared to other children. For example, why are some children more calm and some more energetic? When they start school, these differences begin to be noticed by teachers. The most noticeable problem is the difficulty in learning because they have trouble focusing during class. Let's examine these symptoms together. Attention is the ability to focus on something. Neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder usually appear in childhood. Inattention, hyperactivity or hyperactivity; It manifests itself as forgetfulness and being easily distracted.

So how can we distinguish these symptoms from children's natural behavior?

Children may be more energetic by nature than adults; we can only understand whether this is a problem or not by evaluating whether it creates any difficulties in daily life. The reasons for fights in family-friend relationships may arise when children with attention deficit do not fulfill some of their responsibilities. For example, they may have problems fulfilling their daily responsibilities at home, playing games, continuing the game and obeying the rules. Additionally, there may be cases where hyperactivity is not visible, especially in girls, but they experience attention deficit. They may get bored easily because they may have problems maintaining their activities related to some of their interests. Because they have problems with school skills, they can be easily noticed by their teachers. They have difficulties in listening to the lesson, sitting at their desks, doing their homework, talking too much in class, and getting bored during class.

Families should be alert to situations where their children have difficulty sitting in environments where they are supposed to sit, have difficulty doing their daily tasks on their own, and have difficulty in their relationships with their peers. The parent who notices such situations should be aware that this situation may be a neurological disorder and should not judge the child and should not resort to verbal and behavioral judgment. He/she should benefit from the child psychiatrist/psychologist he/she can easily reach or the child guidance services of the schools. While medication is not the only solution for attention deficit and hyperactive disorder, routine activities and games that parents perform with their children in their daily lives serve as an aid in the treatment of this disorder.

How can I, as a parent, help increase my child's attention span?

In the first years of a baby's attention span, it is limited to just minutes. A child's average attention span and attention skills increase with age. By the time your child is four years old, his/her attention span increases to about 8 minutes, increasing to 10 to 15 minutes by age five. When you reach the age of nine, this period increases to half an hour. The first step in supporting a child with attention problems is for the parent to observe and understand his child well. It is important that the tasks given to the child are age appropriate. For example, a 5-year-old child should not be expected to continue a game for half an hour. For this age group, activities not exceeding 15 minutes may make it easier for them to focus.

• Adding short and fun attention exercises to your daily routine and making them a habit can improve the ability to focus over time. It would be more beneficial to choose simple and short-lasting activities in the beginning, and make them longer and more difficult over time.
• Short breaks allow attention to be renewed. However, these breaks should be kept short enough not to cause the child to focus on something else entirely. Small breaks like drinking water or washing your face can be a good option.
• Activities that attract the child's attention help the child's focus time by helping him have fun. Additionally, motivating the child, appreciating his efforts, and encouraging him when he is bored can also increase his attention span.
• Minimizing the distractions around him while doing his homework makes it easier for him to focus. If the child has difficulty focusing alone, it may be possible to improve this with the guidance of an adult.

Finally, anxiety can negatively impact attention. Trying to understand the child's concerns, talking to him about his feelings, and teaching relaxing methods will strengthen his ability to focus.

Resources:

• https://www.livhospital.com/dikkati-cok-daginik-ve-kipir-kipir-mi.
• https://www.cocukludunya.com/uzman-yazilari/cocuk-dikkatini-gelistirmek.html