Attention Problems a Matter of Focus

A Matter of Focus

Y our son sits down to start his homework, but his attention is distracted by the rustling of a tree outside his window. So he stares out the window a while. Then he jumps up to play with a toy truck. On the way back to his desk, he stops to tickle his little brother.

So why can't he sit still long enough to finish a task? His short attention span may seem like an unconquerable problem. But experts say there are things you can do to help your child focus better.

Confer with the teacher. ''If your child's attention problems occur only at school, there may be a teacher problem,'' says Cynthia Whitham, a licensed clinical social worker and staff therapist at the University of California, Los Angeles, Parent Training Clinic and author of Win the Whining War and Other Skirmishes. If this is the case, arrange a conference with the teacher to discuss the problem and possible solutions.

Arrange a hearing check. If your child is inattentive and easily distracted, but not overactive or impulsive, consider having him screened for hearing problems or auditory processing problems, suggests Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., a child psychologist who is a clinical instructor at the University of Utah School of Medicine and codirector of the Neurology, Learning and Behavior Center in Salt Lake City. ''Though he may hear you, it's possible that all the information he's hearing isn't reaching his brain effectively,'' he says.

Check out home stressors. If the problems occur only at home, they could be a reaction to home stressors. ''If you see distractibility, overactivity and impulsiveness in your child, and you're going through separation, divorce or other troublesome times, the behavior might be temporary,'' says Whitham. She suggests increasing time with your child to give her opportunities to express her feelings to you.

Heighten the fun level. Build the following elements into as many of your child's activities as possible: movement, novelty, variety, color, skin contact and excitement. When helping with spelling, for example, have your child print the words with crayons onto three-by-five-inch cards rather than merely spelling them out loud. The cards can be used for drill and review. To sustain attention during chores, play lively music and join the child in dance-like movements. ''If the activity has an intrinsic appeal to a distractible child, his attention span will be longer,'' says John F. Taylor, Ph.D., a family psychologist in Salem, Oregon, and author of Helping Your Hyperactive Child.

Turn the desk. A child who's easily distracted will be able to focus on homework and other tasks more easily and for longer periods if his desk chair faces a wall rather than an open room or a window, says Dr. Taylor.

Frame and focus. Cut a large piece of cardboard into a shape like a picture frame and place it around the ''attention area'' on your child's desk, suggests Dr. Taylor. Tell her to look inside the picture frame to do her work. This will help her concentrate, according to Dr. Taylor.

Tell, don't ask. Get in the habit of using statements, not questions. ''A short series of commands is much easier to follow,'' says Whitham. For example, don't say, ''Can't you find your jacket, honey?'' Instead, say, ''Go find your jacket now, and come back and show me.''

Make eye contact. To improve communication with your inattentive child, always make eye contact with her before you speak, suggests Whitham.

Be specific. ''Provide positive directions,'' says Dr. Goldstein. Instead of telling your child what not to do, tell him what to do. Don't say ''Take your feet off that chair.'' Instead, say ''Put your feet on the floor.'' Otherwise, your child may remove his feet from the chair but do something equally distracting, such as putting his feet on the bookcase.

Make a list. Make and post a list or chart of tasks your child can check off or cross out when completed, says Whitham. ''That way, you won't have to repeat yourself, because the chart gives the reminder,'' she explains. If the tasks aren't getting done, calmly tell your child to go check his list.

Give credit for trying. Have patience with your inattentive child: She may be doing her best. ''Many children have trouble starting a task and sticking to it,'' says Dr. Goldstein. ''This is not behavior that they can easily control or stop just because you repeatedly tell them to.''

Choose your battles. Child development experts often recommend ignoring your child when his behavior is something you don't like but can tolerate. Eventually, your child will stop the troublesome behavior because he's not getting any attention for it. ''The trick is to always pay attention to your child when he stops the behavior you don't like and starts the behavior you do like,'' says Dr. Goldstein.

Be consistent. ''Set up and stick to schedules and routines,'' suggests Dr. Goldstein. ''Children with attention problems often benefit from consistent routines, including specific time periods for watching television, doing homework, playing, performing chores and eating dinner.'' Minimize disruptions. When interruptions are unavoidable, however, try to warn your child ahead of time that there's going to be a change of schedule.

Supply a release. To keep your child on a task longer, Dr. Taylor suggests you allow ways she can incorporate some movement into her work. For instance, give her a sponge rubber ball, a ball of colorful yarn or a colorful shoelace to squeeze or fiddle with while working.

Consider the sugar connection. While research findings don't thoroughly condemn sugar, according to Dr. Taylor, he believes parents should consider cutting down on their child's intake. ''After diagnosing and treating about 1,400 children, I've found that somewhere around a third of the parents have told me that food with high sugar content causes their child's behavior to deteriorate significantly,'' says Dr. Taylor.

He adds that some research has shown that giving a high-protein food can block the effect of sugar in children sensitive to it. So if your child eats a sugary meal such as pancakes and syrup, supply a protein source such as yogurt, peanut butter, eggs or cheese.