Most parents understand the pressures that are placed on children at school, whether it’s homework, exams, deadlines, or even just keeping up.
Often children who are not coping are sent for educational assessments, as learning disabilities seem to be on the rise in the classroom. However, not every child requires an intervention, and often it is just a case of boosting their concentration and memory.
Rashmita Davechand, brand manager for Tibb Health Sciences Xcel says, ‘When a child is believed to have concentration problems in the classroom the common signs associated with this include low marks, a dislike for school and disruptive behaviour. However, these signs don’t automatically mean your child has a learning issue and therefore requires an assessment.’.
Poor performance in class is often associated more with their environment and not due to a learning disability. Trauma is experienced by many children, and finding ways to get your child to open up may be difficult. Children need to feel safe in their environment in order to express their feelings.
If your child is on a medication or has an illness that affects their concentration at school, report it to their doctor who may have another suggestion. Their teacher should also be kept informed, so that added pressure is not put on them to perform due to a circumstance that is out of their control.
This said, there are many ways in which parents can try to help their child succeed through a few simple and effective environmental changes that could aid concentration at school.
- Ensure your child is in bed at an appropriate time.
- Change their diet to include more healthy options, and limit sugar options in the house. It may be difficult in the beginning, but soon your child will become accustomed to it. Children also follow by example, so this is a good time to change the family’s diet at the same time.
- Adding an additional supplement to their diet can help them get the nutrients they need to help them concentrate.
- Limit screen time. Children under two should avoid any screen time; two to four-years-olds should not exceed one hour a day; children from the ages of five to 17 are allowed two hours of screen time a day.
