(Part 1 of 2)

The Two Vital Skills Affecting Success in School and Career:  Focus Span and Attention

Take a moment and think back to when you were in grade school and middle school. You might have had classmates who had the energy and imagination, or the quick wit of actor and comedian Robin Williams, but you, your class, and the teacher were annoyed and frustrated because of the continual ruckus caused in a learning environment. How can it be that one child can have the focus and attention span of an adult and another child the same age fidgets, does not wait their turn, or is easily distracted by every noise and movement?

Being Attentive

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, http://www.nimh.nih.gov, even though Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, is common there are no known causes. Not all children who have focus or attention issues have Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD, or ADHD.

Children who have symptoms of inattention may:

• Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another
• Have difficulty focusing on one thing
• Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something enjoyable
• Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new
• Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities
• Not seem to listen when spoken to
• Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
• Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
• Struggle to follow instructions.

This information is for educational purposes only, not for diagnosis. For additional information visit the National Institute of Mental Health, http://www.nimh.nih.gov or your family physician or your child’s pediatrician.

Next: In part 2 we will examine the issues of focus, being impatient, and hyperactivity.