Inattention can be simply defined as a lack of attention. Now what is attention? Attention is defined as the concentration of mental powers upon any activity or a task which is being done. Everyone becomes inattentive in some situations or the other but for some inattention becomes a serious condition that leads to significant problems in school or other work.
Inattention is basically a feature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but is also present within Autistic children. Children with inattention finds it difficult to concentrate and focus on a task. They don’t even listen well to directions and due to this they miss some important details and are not able to finish the task which they had started.
Some signs and symptoms through which we can know that the child is inattentive are as follows-
- Attention span of the child is very less.
- The child gets easily distracted.
- Seems not to listen when spoken directly to the child.
- The child makes careless mistakes. e.g.- while doing any kind of work related to school.
- Doesn’t follow the instructions which are given.
- The child is not able to remember much and forgets things easily.
- Is not able to stick tasks that requires mental efforts.
- The child finds it difficult to organise the tasks.
- Due to poor concentration, the child quickly shifts from one activity to another.
Some examples of children with inattention are-
- Avoids school work (both classwork and homework)
- Difficulties in completing household chores.
- Trouble maintaining focused during games.
There are many possible causes of inattention-
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Learning Disabilities
- Autism
- Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) which often co-exists with ADHD
There are some common causes of inattention, which can be due to-
- Sleep derivation
- Being tired
- Hungry
Some causes of inattention can be cured but most of the causes of inattention (i.e., ADHD) do not have an easy cure. So, to overcome with inattention or to decrease inattention at some extent, it is important to involve the parents and family of the child along with the teachers. Therapies and trainings to be included are –
- Behaviour Therapy
- Parent skills Training
- Family Therapy
- Anger Management Training
