Children and Focus: How to Help and What to Watch For

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If you have a child who has difficulty concentrating, consider incorporating a meditation practice into his daily routine. Meditation is the most effective way to increase focus and concentration.

There are many studies that indicate that when you enter an alfa state through meditation, the brain rests or relaxes. As a result, your child’s anxiety and stress level will go down, thus increasing focus and concentration. Also, teaching your child to meditate has the added advantage of helping him learn to self-manage his stress and anxiety, therefore, supporting his ability and capacity to both focus and concentrate.

Meditation is a wonderful tool that can help your child focus more in all areas of his life, not only academic, but also sports, emotional health, friendship and family relationships. And finally, consistent meditation has been shown to throw more blood to the prefrontal cortex for better executive function, while reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which when overproduced can alter brain architecture and impulse control.

When It’s More Than Just Lack of Focus

While most toddlers and young children are afforded some allowance in their lack of being able to focus for long periods of time, for some children, it goes deeper than a simple inability to concentrate. If you suspect that your child has ADD or ADHD, you should first have him see a medical professional for a neurological work up as well as a medical assessment. Each child is an individual but some general things to look for in your child include:

Talking a lot
Daydreaming
Having problems focusing
Staying on track
Remembering instructions
Keeping track of his possessions
Completing homework
Sometimes careless
Sometimes impulsive

On the other hand, if your child does not have these symptoms then they may simply be dealing with stress, anxiety, or emotional issues related to friends, school, or family. If that is the case, you should try my Empathic Process – a wonderful way to communicate with your child, touch base, and find out how they are doing, how they are feeling, and what is going on in their life.

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Dr. Gail Gross Ph.D. Ed.D. Expert View Profile Send Message

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.