What has helped your child concentrate in school?

[Flimflammery]

To cut a long story short, DS is 6, has some AS and some ADD traits (not hyperactive), although no official diagnosis (we're abroad), and has seen a social and behavioural therapist mainly for social issues. That has improved, but his main problem now is lack of concentration in (mainstream) school. He can concentrate on something he loves (e.g. reading) but struggles with everything else, especially written tasks. He's also extremely intelligent in some areas (school have suggested I find a gifted program online, as there's nothing in this country) - which I think doesn't help, as his thoughts are way faster than his ability to write them down. He's extremely easily distracted by almost anything. We've just started a reward system in an attempt to motivate him to at least try to complete a task, but so far it hasn't worked.

Today I picked him up from a sports after-school activity and the teacher told me he couldn't teach properly as DS was not concentrating and disrupting the group. [sigh] It's the same story with everything he does.

Has cutting out anything specific in your DC's diet helped? Or any supplements? I think the evidence is not clear cut on that from what I've read.

I also think he's always tired. He finds it hard to wind down and get to sleep, but then stays deeply asleep for 10 and a half or so hours, but always looks and acts tired, as if he's not getting good quality sleep.

Any ideas? I'm getting so discouraged by it, he's always in trouble and school don't know what to do with him.

There are lots of options,

Firstly I would re post this in the Special needs children section [just under am I being unreasonable]. There are a lot more people on there so you will get more help.

You could try a wobble cushion, they help lots of fidgets.
Vitamins and mineral supplements, ask on the other board.
Fidget toys.

Good luck

Fish oils. Also talk to the teacher about providing him with a less distracting environment, there were some great posts about this recently from Mrz. But if it was today and your weather is as windy as here, I wouldn't be too concerned, wind makes all kids a bit hyper.

Thanks, both, I'll re-post, and check what Mrz said.

Unfortunately I can't put it down to windy weather, he's been like this for the last four years

where are you?

ds1 is v similar.

we had some success with omegas, zinc and magnesium (using epsom salts in the bath), but tbh we're trialling vyvanse, which school say is working like a dream (jury still out for home)

we had full psycho ed assessment done through benefits though (are also abroad) and school are supposed to be dealing with the gifted side. so he's coded for both special need (adhd) and his 'gifted' status now.

We're in Singapore, in international school (which does not officially cater for any special needs). It's a bit depressing that they don't have any programme for gifted - but maybe it's part of the IB philosophy - supposedly child-led.

Thanks I'll look into vyvanse - I've been reading other threads about Behaviour Balance, etc, but it seems like the response is mixed.

Fidget toys would be of limited use as it's written work that he has trouble with. He's also left-handed, which doesn't help with the handwriting.

Ds does have a wobble cushion as well, and the teacher also occasionally uses a dynaband round the legs of the chair (he can push his feet against it for sensory feedback -he was rocking and sitting with the chair legs on top of his feet for pressure>

Ds just zones out if he isn't stimulated, rather than being distracting per se, but the vyvanse seems to be making it easier to redirect him back to the task.

How weird that there is no gifted programme in Singapore -I would have assumed the opposite, but don't know much about the bacc tbh.

Hi there - what helped us with DS who is now 10 and much better, was cutting out gluten and dairy - well we had a proper food intolerance test done ( blood test, not pin prick ) which cost a bomb but came back with very detailed intolerances. We had to cut out gluten and dairy and some other stuff and it did help with the feeling tired despite sleeping. we only did that for a year and after 6 months, not as strict. Now normal.
Another rather bizarre tip is worms - if your kid has worms, they are tired, irritable and it could be adding to his woes without him knowing. This was what our experienced pediatrition told us and it seems to make sense.
Apart from that, in class his teacher allowed him to sit in all sorts of awkward positions as long as he was not disturbing anyone else and also he was given a lot of 'monitor' or errand running jobs so he could expend some nervous energy, and then sort of start fresh inbetween.
Lots of water on the table and fish oil capsules regularly- look up Patrick Holford as I thiink he gives the best advice on which one to take.
Lastly, we had a reward chart which wierdly enough had a great effect.
Well he still cannot concentrate too well but its a lot better and specifically the behaviour issues because of that have improved vastly since he was 8.
The school always puts him in a class with a strong teacher who can really control the class.
hope that is some sort of help. We did a ritalin sort of a t hing but to be honest, it did not change much so went off it again. Oh yes - we do 80% organic food - he goes nuts on some coloured sweets.