Attention and Concentration Program

To identify the root cause of the child's attention and concentration problems and improve the child's performance through sensory integration activities and other specialist therapeutic programs.

"Attention and concentration” is the first step in learning. From eating, drinking, playing, self-care, social activities to schoolwork, a child's attention span affects performance in all these activities. Children with poor concentration may exhibit the following:  

• Inability to stay focused on one thing or one lesson
• Poor persistence in activities, changing toys or games all the time
• Often drifting off and not paying attention to what they should be paying attention to
• Easily distracted by the environment, e.g. unable to do homework when someone is talking
• Fidgets easily and is unable to sit properly in their seat
• Often forgets things and needs to be reminded constantly
• Over-active, impulsive behavior
• Interferes with others

However, there are many reasons why attention span may be affected, and the following conditions cited may contribute to poor attention and concentration:  

• Sensory modulation disorders such as: tactile defensiveness, gravitational insecurity, auditory defensiveness, sensory seeking

Sensory modulation problems in children can affect their ability to interpret information in their environment. For example, children who are tactilely defensive may be sensitive to changes in temperature, have a preference for some clothing materials, dislike social contact, and be emotionally irritable, all of which may make their outward behavior appear inattentive.

• Self-regulatory disorders, e.g. sleep, eating (including picky eating/oral defensiveness), emotional problems, poor arousal level modulation, poor impulse control

Sleep and eating are the most basic and important physiological needs of human beings. A good night's sleep and a healthy diet are essential for good concentration. On the emotional side, take children who are easily stressed and anxious and slow to adapt for example. If they are constantly on alert and anxious, or if it takes them a long time to adapt to a new learning environment, how can they concentrate on the things they need to learn? In terms of arousal level modulation, some children tend to become over-excited or nervous due to changes in the environment, while others tend to be in a trance-like state for long periods of time. These are the result of the child's nervous system's inability to regulate their arousal level, resulting in their failure to maintain a stable, steady and focused state.

• Low muscle tone

Children with low muscle tone tend to have poor posture, fatigue, laziness, slow movement, low motivation, etc., which affects their ability to concentrate.

• Motivation

Motivation shapes the performance of attention, not only in children but also in adults. It is natural that when we do something we are interested in, our attention span will be longer. It is therefore important to take into account the motivation of a child when observing their condition.

• Learning difficulties

Some children have difficulties in their academic studies, but they are repeatedly told that they cannot understand because they are not concentrating. It is important to identify where your child's difficulties lie so that you can prescribe the right remedy to help your child learn happily

Through professional assessment and communication with parents, KickStart's occupational therapists design personalized programs to suit the child's needs and observe the child's situation in the classroom to find out what is really affecting the child's concentration and work step by step to improve the child's attention span.