Dd (7 years) pale, lacking concentration

(8 Posts)
Polygon Fri 01-Mar-13 14:13:45

School tell me about it all the time and now even her music teacher is remarking on it. I think her teachers are at the end of their tether. My dd completely lacks concentration at school - and doing homework. If she is doing what she wants to do - playing - then she is quiet and is very stubborn about being distracted from it - by insignificant things not of her choosing - like going to school, eating a family meal, going to bed.... But, the rest of the time the teachers say she is just in another world, head-in-the-clouds. Often when I (or anyone else) asks her a question, she just doesn´t answer. It´s as if she hasn´t registered anything we´ve said. Last year when school suggested I bring it up with our gp, our gp said that her lack of concentration was just because school isn´t well adapted to the needs of a 6 year old. But I am gradually getting worried in case there is something physical which we´re not noticing/doing wrong. She really is very slightly built and looks white as a sheet the whole time. Should I be madly stuffing her with roast beef or speaking to the gp again - or am I being an over-concerned mother?

mummy2benji Fri 01-Mar-13 17:22:18

Not overly concerned - anaemia is under-diagnosed in children and will cause poor concentration and fatigue and looking pale. I would talk to your GP again and ask if she could have a full blood count and iron checked. They may do children's blood tests at your GP surgery or they may send her to the children's ward to have it done, but you can ask for anaesthetic cream so that it doesn't hurt. Definitely worth ruling out.

Polygon Fri 01-Mar-13 19:06:19

Thanks for that. I´ll get it checked - and concentrate on iron-rich food too...

Iseeall Fri 01-Mar-13 19:20:32

I would visit the doctors for a general check up, mainly to put your own mind at rest that dd has nothing medically wrong. The fact that her teachers have mentioned it is enough of a reason to do that.
How is her diet and exercise? if she is eating well and getting fresh air and regular early bedtimes it may just be how your dd is, and nothing to worry about.

WowOoo Colombia Fri 01-Mar-13 19:32:38

Don't think you're over concerned.
As well as giving her an iron rich diet, I'd have a good, long chat with her about school, about when she needs to listen and focus and why she tends to drift off.

Could be that the teacher isn't particularly engaging her. I remember being bored and going into trance like states at school. She's only 7, bless her.It will hopefully get better with time is what I tell myself!

I've told Ds that he needs to try his best to concentrate at school. He has perfected a face which means 'I am listening',, but I'm not convinced. grin

Yes to Gp and any tests. I treat Ds to steak from time to time.

Polygon Fri 01-Mar-13 19:32:59

She eats a lot at home, but she tells me that she eats nothing at lunchtime - and the teaching assistant who was with them at lunch today told me she did not touch her plate at all... no wonder she can´t concentrate in the afternoons. But that doesn´t explain the mornings. As you say, a general check-up with a test for anaemia is probably the best.

Polygon Fri 01-Mar-13 19:47:12

Sorry, crossed-posts with WowOoo. I think she does just find most of school boring. She is someone who is not easily motivated if the idea didn´t come from her in the first place. She has her own interests and at one moment she wants to do x and anyone getting "in the way" of that hasn´t got a chance. I think she sees her whole time-table at school - all this maths, writing, reading - in the same way that I see a phone call at work from an annoying colleague wanting to have a long chat when I´m just in the middle of something really important with a tight deadline. Just her important work which has to be done NOW is always something like balancing a toy on the end of a hairbrush or the such-like.
In some ways, she is still doing all the basics at present, which could be pretty boring. I hope that once she is doing history and geography and languages and science and algebra and Eng lit etc. she will be more interested...??? She is also not exactly having many experiences of success, which can´t be helping. But her teachers say that she takes so long to do anything that she never finishes a test or a piece of work or anything. So she doesn´t get the positive feeling of work well done.

MrsLion Sat 02-Mar-13 09:21:23

DD1(6) was very white and had trouble concentrating. The GP ran some blood tests and confirmed low iron levels.

After about a month of supplementation the difference in the colour of her face was amazing. Tiredness/concentration levels much better too.

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