Is my sons lack of concentration normal?

[sneakapeak]

I am just wondering if this is normal or poor concentration in my 3.5 yr old son.

I should mention, he is pretty good and calm for a 3 yr old so there is no behavioural issues first of all.

I can't seem to get him to just watch what im doing or concentrate at all.
It could be showing him how to recognise his own name (pretty standard at nursery age), draw a person, circle for head, two eyes, etc.

I have bought kits in the past like making finger puppets and he started out excited about it and I knew id have to show him very quickly and let him do everything to grab his attention but within minutes (after emptying all the seperate bags) he stared out the window, chattered then wandered off.

It's like he just can't watch anything being done or have his attention grabbed for a second.

This morning I took him to his new nursery (old one was awful)
and tried to show him where to stick his name in the morning and he just wouldn't look. He kept nodding and looking away. It's like he doesn't grasp looking, attention, concentration whatsoever.

The reason im now questioning this behaviour which I previously shrugged off, is that I have been diagnosed with an under active thyroid and im now realising ive had it since before the birth of my 2 children.
Being low in thyroxine apparently affects the unborn childs IQ/brain if untreated .

Please be honest, does this sound like normal 3.5 yr old boy behaviour or like a low concentration span even for his age?

My other DC is only 13 months so I have no idea how she is going to be yet.

[BarbarianMum]

Can he concentrate for longer if its something he's chosen, or is really interested in? Tbh not being able to concentrate on recognising his own name or where to hang his coat sounds perfectly normal, it's pretty dull stuff.

My ds1 would have been like that with the puppets - too excited to focus. He has the attention span of a gnat in almost all many ways, but could focus on, say, a story or a short TV programme at 3.5. Now, at 5, he does well at school so I assume he must be within the normal range (heaven help the teachers). I used to really worry about this though, especially when I compared him to a friend's little girl who would sit down and colour for 20 min at a time.

Anyway, as a starting point, why not give him a few weeks at nursery and then ask his teachers what they think. I do think its worth keeping an eye on because obviously concentrating is important but it is normal for young children to have v. little concentration/v. high distractability at this age.

[Hassled]

It does sound within the range of normal - lots of small children have little interest in drawing etc - and at the new nursery this morning there would have been loads of distractions, he was probably a bit anxious etc.

As BarbarianMum asked - can he concentrate on his favourite TV show or story for 5 minutes or so? They can be pretty selective re what they choose to concentrate on! Give him a few weeks to settle into nursery and then ask the staff there how he seems to them.

[sneakapeak]

This is why I love mumsnet!

Yes, your right hassled, he is very good at concentrating on a long story, he loves it. So much so he can memorise most of the words. >>Sneak sighs with relief!

He will sit through most of a film (toy story, monsters inc. etc) without moving but i suppose even the most switched off mind can sit with a glazed expression infront of TV (I do it every night ).

Obviously just worrying too much and im glad alot of you see this as normal for his age.

Thanks.