Thank you for your email. I understand your concern for your daughter. I do not believe there is any cause for concern, as she is doing well at school. I would however recommend that you have her eye sight and hearing checked, if you have not done so recently. Her hearing seems to be on track as she has a “broad vocabulary”. Any problems with hearing or sight can affect concentration. In addition try to establish if there is anything she is worrying about. Issues like divorce and conflict in the home, can result in children worrying about their parents and living arrangements, making them very distracted.
Also ensure that she is eating a healthy diet and getting 10-12 hours sleep a night. A lack of nutrients and sleep can greatly influence concentration. If she will take eye-q capsules or syrup give them to her as they contain fish oils which enhance concentration.
You can help her to concentrate better, by ensuring she is always looking at your face when you give an instruction. Only give one instruction at a time, and ask her to repeat the instruction to you. Always follow the instruction by “now”. “Please go to your room and fetch your slippers in your cupboard now. Can you tell mommy what I asked you to do? Good, now off you go.” If she is able to complete the task successfully, you can add more items, one at a time, to the list.
Concentration can be developed. Try doing activities and games that increase concentration. Remember a stressed child under pressure can’t concentrate, so games must be fun.
When you are reading a story, tell her to listen carefully because you are going to ask her some questions about the story. Questions like,” what happened in the beginning of the story? What was the dog’s name?” Make it fun, and keep the questions easy. Do not put her under any kind of pressure. Re -read part of the story if you have to. You can do this for T.V. programmes as well.
Let her play half an hour of educational computer games appropriate for her age, which develop concentration.
Play the “memory game” where cards are turned over, and you have to remember where the matching cards are. Other board games appropriate for her age are also useful for developing concentration.
Chat to her when she is relaxed about her time at school. Find out what she enjoys, and what she does during the day. It should give you clues as to how she feels about school. There is a possibility she is not being stimulated enough at school, and could be bored. Chat to the teacher about the activities they are doing to get a clearer picture of how she interacts. Also check where she is sitting in class to ensure she can see her teacher when she is giving instructions.
Watch how she interacts with play mates to see if she can follow the rules of a game, and focus on what her friend is saying.
She is still very young to have her properly assessed, and I do not think it is necessary. By focusing on helping her concentrate better, you and her teacher can teach her how to do it.
Good luck! Let me know how it is going.