Reply to 6 yr old 1st grader having trouble "focusing" in class

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[quote=Anonymous]Yes, that can be what ADHD-inattentive looks like, though that's not necessarily what is going on with your daughter.  At this age there is still a lot of overlap between normal development and ADHD.

Think of ADHD as the inability to regulate attention and a delay in the development of executive function.  So a kid with ADHD may be given a task, set off to do the task, then get sidetracked and completely forget about the task -- you send them upstairs to get socks and find them there 5 minutes later playing with toys or they come downstairs with a book but no socks.  They may be distracted in class and require a teacher or TA to give them instructions one-on-one and continually prompt them to stay on task.  Because they are distracted, they may miss a critical piece of instruction and then become confused and fall behind.  Telling a child with ADHD to focus more or try harder is about as helpful as telling water to stop being wet, except it also actively erodes their self-esteem.  They're already trying harder than other kids and still failing.

Common in-class accommodations are seating the child near the teacher and away from distractions (the window, BFF, ...) and giving them a visual schedule and visual cues for what they are expected to do, when.  Giving written instruction for older kids can also help.

The big question for what you should do next is whether you see an impact with your daughter.  Is her self-esteem suffering?  Is she falling behind in schoolwork or learning concepts?  Is it taking inordinately long for her to complete tasks?  If you do see impacts, there is no harm in bringing your concerns up with your pediatrician.

As an aside, because girls tend to have fewer behavior problems stemming from ADHD, it's pretty common for girls with ADHD-inattentive to be missed until middle school or later when they are behind and struggling.  Boys who are struggling tend to act out, get more attention, and receive help sooner.  While you don't have to take everything the teacher says at face value, don't dismiss it entirely and keep you eyes open for any other signs that your DD is struggling in school.
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