8 yearold issues focusing in class

[Focusissues]

My son is 8. He seems to have issues in school focusing. His teacher notes that he regularly does not complete assignments in class, he will flip his papers over and draw elaborate pictures. He disrupts the children around him by chatting or telling jokes and blurts out answers in class.

When he actualy works on an assignment he nearly always gets 100%. This is what we find the most frustrating, we know he's smart! His reading skills are well above average for his age, he excels in all subjects but math where IF he applied himself he would be considered average but he just does not seem to be able to concentrate long enough to complete.

We are at a loss on how to help him. We remind him constantly to remain focused but there is little we can do when he is at school. We ensure he is in bed early every night. He generaly gets atleast 12 hours of sleep a night. We ensure not to give him sugared foods in his lunch or for breakfast. He involved in sports and is very active. We just dont know what else to do for him. His teacher is frustrated as well and unsure how to get the results we all know he is capable of out of him.

[Brianna8832]

I Just got a message about my son having trouble focusing! in the last 4 months i have made sure that he takes his singular everyday! he all of a sudden started w headaches and now the trouble concentrating! I am so glad I saw this!

[SueNYC]

Didn't see the Singulair post - great detective job.  Again, sorry about the math - it has been my crusade to stop the constructivist madness.

[SueNYC]

My first reaction is that he is probably gifted.  I have a  gifted child with severe ADHD - and your son is not acting like they do (my son goes to a special ed school for ADHD).  they jumped him a grade (5th) and things are working out much better.   Most children with ADHD sleep less than your son does.  My 9 year old son sleeps about 5 hours a day on Tenex and melantonin). .  Many of them have trouble concentration on sports like baseball.  So if he is good at a sport where you need to stand around and wait - I would also count out ADHD.

One of my children, who wasn't focused, ended up having sleep apnea.  If your son snores, you can check out that.  Our pediatrician blew us off for years on that one (because she never had any ear infections) but the ENT found a total blockage and her grades went soaring.

Now, for the horrible truth about math.  My children are 7, 8 and 9 so I assume that at least one of them is at your child's math ability.  Two of mine have Tourette's (we are on our third generation of it and have ADHD, and OCD) so they are neurological, obsessive wrecks that drive us insane. A lot of children are disinterested in math because they are missing some key lessons and then they zone out.  My sons IQ is about 145 and he totally freaks out when it comes to math - sometimes it is not taught well (like in a constructivist math curriculumn like Everday Math).  I remember him losing it in 1st grade because they wanted him to draw 25 cupcakes and cross out 10.  By second grade, he totally shut dow and refused to do anymore of "this stupid math".  I remember the principal and my husband getting into a confrontation because my son added vertically.  My husband said it shouldn't matter because a + b = b + a.   She proudly touted that constructivist math taught her how to do math better - and my husband answered that he was proud that she finally learned to multiply at the age of 50.  Perhaps your son has an equally silly math program.  My children were lost and so were we.  We basically ignored their math program ( we did their math for them and then taught them the correct way to do math).   If your son's school is doing constructivist math - don't blame him.

We took our kids to KUMON - and even they are all excelling at math now.  It costs about $100/month but it is worth it.  Last week, we were at a birthday party when I mentioned to my daughter that it was time to go back home and do Kumon.  A mother rushed over because her daughter gave up after three months, and with daughter in tow, begged her child to reconsider.  The daughter had refused to do the work.My 8 year old told her to go back - it gets better.   We live in NYC - where they literally place your kids in schools based on state exams so it is a really big issue for us.  We live two feet from the Bronx High School of Science - so we have an obvious goal staring us in the face.  Another math series, which is very inexpensive but good is Singapore Math.  You don't need the Teacher's Guide - just the textbooks and workbooks.  It runs about $40 for a year's. It is probably one of the best math curriculumns around.  You can order it from Sonlight Curriculm. The pages are not overwhelming - which is a problem with American math books and worksheets - here the Asians do it better.   We spend an hour a night on math.  Most of my children are about a year ahead (including the one with the 99 IQ-but that was before the adnoids were removed) of their peers but it took us a year to get there. Study Island is also another Internet choice - that is about $50.  

We spend about an hour on math a night.  We DO NOT MOVE ON until they have totally mastered the concept.  My son got stuck on triple multiplication for 9 months - and let's not talk about double division.  Fractions have been another reluctant point.  They are timed on their assignments.  The downside - is that the kids hate it.  You should see their faces as we get set up for another grueling hour.  My son with ADHD needs a lot of breaks to get through it all.   For the first three months, they fought like hell.  But they know what they are up against in order to get into the Selective High Schools of NYC.  Six schools - 3,00 slots - 30,000 applicants.  But after awhile, they just got used to it.  Even my 7 year old can do triple multiplication problems without batting an eye.  It sucks - but just like a sport - practice makes perfect.  Many of the best careers today involve some aspect of math - and our country is failing our children.   When my husband started practicing finance law - 20 some odd years ago - any associate interested in it (was expected to know how to figure out rate of exchanges, etc. (remember these were all Ivy School grads) - now he has to teach math classes to incoming associates. There is a big problem going on out there.  

We really don't care if our kids go into high finance - right now one wants to be a writer, the other a game show host, and the third is dreaming of being a jockey or chef.  That isn't the point - but we want them to have all and every option open to them.  Math,until Trigonometry, is all pretty much calculations.  The more practice, the more it goes into the working memory, and the brain can focus on the problem.  At this age, arthimetic, which is different from conceptual math, should be the key focus.

I am sorry if I go on.  My ADHD son, who has other issues, refused to do any work in public school (and I mean that he did 20 worksheets for an entire year).  Except for his first grade teacher, the others gave up on his difficult personality.  He had the highest assessment scores out of 120 children in the first grade but was not allowed into the gifted program because he was difficult.   We decided to give him his own "gifted program" at home.  Second and third grade were a disaster, He sat for two years in the back of the room and read.  Other kids were reading Junie B.Jones and he was reading Dickens and George Orwell and everyone was wondering why he shut down.  The one thing we never gave up on was his academics.  If the school can't teach your child - you need to find out what works for him.  Do not rely on them.  They have 20+ kids to look after.  Many parents give up in frustration, especially if the child is feigning fatigue or disinterest.  Sometimes, we just go back and do simple review if that is the case.  

There are some fun math programs like Math Blasters and Scholastic has one I think called Math City.  The Math Devil is also a blast -as it deals with a little more higher concepts but for children.  

Also, watch his food. Some children are very affected by artificial food colorings - oranges are particularly bad.  Oatmeal and lemonade are supposed to be go for working memory.   We were doing a joint study at NYU with Columbia at the Celiac Center and they found that many of the children who were ADHD were also gluten intolerant (but not celiac).  We cut his gluten and that helped.  So if he has allergies or skin problems (especially of you are of Western Europe and Irish descent) you can have his anti-gliadins checked at his next physical.  It is a simple blood test. If he is gluten intolerant the gluten causes concentration problems.  

Sorry, if I go on.  When a teacher tells us there is a problem, but is ambiguous about its nature, you really need to question the ability of the teacher to judge a situation.  Everything has a trigger.  You need to sit down and figure what your sons is.  If your soin is counting on his fingers or blanks out when you are asking him what 5 X 8 is - it is because he does not know his facts. If he is having trouble with two step problems he may be having some organizational issues or problems with his working memory.  Other than that, I would work on fixing the problem and not so much the behavior.

Mother who has been through the ADHD treches

[Susie24]

I dont really know enough about this topic but it doesn't hurt to suggest.  It's up to you if you feel it's ok to pursue the possiblity of looking into it further.  You may want to consider a diet for autistic children.  Even though he may not be diagnosed as "autistic" the diet may not hurt.  I would inquiry about it a little further.  This may or may not be the answer.  It's worth looking into.  I wish you the best.  Children are wonderful beings!

[Focusissues]

We think we might have found our answer. Singulair! He was prescribed this drug at the beginning of this school year for asthma and exzema. It realy did seem to be a miracle cure for him. His asthma had seemed to disapear, his skin cleared up beautifuly, all was well....or so we thought.

For the past few months I have been trying to sort out why he seems to be having so many issues in school. I've researched diet, sleep patterns, ADD, ADHD, posted on parenting websites looking for answers...nothing matched ALL the issues that he was having...until I came across the Singulair website. I was SHOCKED at what I read,

Side effects of Singulair

The most common side effects with SINGULAIR include:
• stomach pain
• stomach or intestinal upset
• heartburn
• tiredness
• fever
• stuffy nose
• cough
• flu
• upper respiratory infection
• dizziness
• headache
• rash

Less common side effects that have happened with SINGULAIR include:
• increased bleeding tendency
• allergic reactions [including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat (which may cause
trouble breathing or swallowing), hives and itching]
• behavior and mood related changes [agitation including aggressive behavior, bad/vivid dreams,depression, feeling anxious, hallucinations (seeing things that are not there), irritability,restlessness, suicidal thoughts and actions, tremor, trouble sleeping]
• palpitations
• drowsiness, pins and needles/numbness, seizures (convulsions or fits)
• diarrhea, indigestion, inflammation of the pancreas, nausea, vomiting
• hepatitis
• bruising
• joint pain, muscle aches and muscle cramps
• swelling

After reading these I realized that he had MANY of these reactions, the problem is that individualy each symptom on it's own did not seem related to his meds. For example, he often complained of stomach cramps,we thought he was constipated. He would mention he saw "things" all the time, we thought he had an over active imagination. He would sleep 12 hours a night and still be tired, looking back I dont think he was getting proper solid sleep. He would cry at the drop of a hat, we thought he was just going through "a phase". I began to read more and more parenting forums and KNEW this had to be the reason for his issues. We removed him from the meds immediatly!

It's been over a week now, his teacher noted that this past week was his best all year. It's too early to guarantee that Singulair was the main cause for his behavior, but there has been such a change in behavour already that we realy do think this was the cause.

On a side note, I just want to say that as parents we try so hard to do what is best for our children. We reasearched Singulair when our son was first prescribed it and found none of the information now noted in their website. The link to suicide, depression and other behavioral problems and Singulair, although known by the manufacturer and the FDA for several months was not mentioned by either until recently and notices were not sent to all Pharmacists and Dr.s.

For me, this experience has shown me that there is no "miracle" drug, and all drugs are just that....drugs. This has also taught me to be a better listener, sometimes it's NOT just a "kids being kids" thing.  

[Izzitekk]

After working with children in this age range, my opinion is that your son is a normal child that is gifted and bored with the mundane educational system. In our culture, sad as it is, we expect little children to sit still for eight hours and regurgitate facts so we can shove them into the next grade (No Child Left Behind) hoping they will meet state standards.
Your child may simply have a different learning style, and therefore becomes bored with the day to day. I suggest talking to the teacher to see if there are any alternatives, such as allowing him to work with other children more often, encouraging his participation with more involvement (can he help pass out papers, for example?), or allowing him a 'break' period in which he can quietly be excused to get a drink and use the restroom. I know a previous teacher my daughter had allowed the class a small snack/15min. break before lunch. In my opinion, it really comes down to the type of teacher and the relationship your son has with him/her. Maybe he feels detatched from his classroom community. I suggest an unannounced visit in which you observe him, or pop in to have lunch with him occasionally. This helped my daughter in third grade when she had a first year teacher and struggled with school. I kept my parent/teacher communication involved as much as possible, because after all, we are the parents and it is ultimately our responsibilty.
Have you thought of alternative forms of education such as a Montessori or Magnet School-one that encourages children to move freely and learn according to interest? I hope you will not jump to the conclusion that your son has ADHD. Each child is unique in development, so this may merely be a 'phase.'

[tdub321]

My first reaction is giftedness.  You might consider an attention problem, but this is probably just caused by the fact that he's "bored" with his classes.  I would also consider what Idaho Crystal said about reactive hypoglycemia -- I personally know that spikes and drops in blood sugar have major affects on my ability to focus.  

Have you tried a diet that maintains his insulin levels?  I know I have seen massive imporovement in my own ability to focus -- I have gone back to grad school -- by taking refined sugar, flour, and starch out of my diet (as much as possible without being nuts about it) and alternating carbs and protein at meal times.  It keeps my blood sugar regulated so I don't have the edginess and lack of focus I used to get a few hours after eating.  It's the easiest diet change I've been through -- nowadays there are whole wheat, low sugar alternatives to just about all your favorite foods, and I just skip the potatoes.  Maybe it's just a fad, but I've seen positive results.  

[heal69]

I posted similar issues to yours on my 8 yr old daughter with the addition of immaturity.  All the testing in school say she is well above where she should be - reading at third grade level, does very well with math etc.  The other exception is we have to fight with her to get sleep - she make sure she is bathed and in bed by 830-9 and she will fight and finally go to sleep around 1130 and of course a battle in the morning all over again.  Intersting about that medicine you suggested - I am willing to try anything

[IdahoCrystal]

I thought I was reading about my son!  Same deal - Super smart, working at several grade levels ahead, has trouble focusing and completing the work.  He would also become more emotional - much like an older version of tired toddler.  I was so concerned with the amount of sleep and inattentiveness that I took him to the Dr. After much testing she made a tentative diagnosis of reactive hypoglycemia and prescribe eating every two hours - preferably a protien-rich snack between meals.  
    It's really helped. - We're still experiencing some impulse control issues, and the struggle with the school to make sure he eats the snacks I send at 10 and 2 - But we've all noticed a positive change.

[tamgess]

My son has been having similar problems as well.  He is 8 & has trouble staying focused & concentrating in school. I've discussed this with his teachers & the school psycholigists.  They mentioned ADD but after testing, my son does not have it.  There is an all nautral product out there called Melissa Supreme.....it works WONDERS!!  It is for children who have trouble concentrating & focusing.  Within 1-2 weeks, I saw a big difference in my child.  It is in drop formula & I put it in his drink either at breakfast or dinner...once a day.....and it doesn't even know it!!  The drops do not change the way the drink taste.  So try that & give it a try.  I do it once a day but you can do twice a day, if you notice no change.  But you have to put like 20-30 drops in but it's worth it.  It's not expensive either.  Keep him on it for several months or even a year & then take him off.  You can get it at most nautral, organic stores.  Call your local store & see if they carry it.   Good luck!!  

[jdtm]

Is he active at home or complacent?  Has he been tested for ADD or ADHD?    Perhaps he should be tested for giftedness.  I'm surprised the school has not made these suggestions.