My DD is 6 and just finishing grade 1! All her report cards say - talks in class, easily distracted, doesn't finish work and asks often to use washroom (to get outof work)
Does this sound like attention problems?
She is similar at home, takes forever to eat/get dressed. And constantly forgetting things!
Sounds like attention problems. How is her academic progress? How much physical activity is she getting? Are there environmental adjustments and strategies that you have discovered that help her stay focused? What conditions put her at her best?
Some kids don't respond well to busy, multi-sensory environments like typical school classrooms. Sometimes their ability to block out distractions is just slow to mature and they improve by age 7 or 8, though sometimes it's more than that. Sometimes they're not getting optimal amounts of physical exercise for them. Sometimes they benefit from alternate schooling approaches. Some need accommodations in the regular classroom. Sometimes there are unmet learning needs that are masquerading as behavioural problems (eg. giftedness, sensory integration disorder, learning disabilities). I think it would be good to open a dialogue with the school about this issue so that you are all on the same page and all seeking ways to optimize your dd's educational experience using whatever strategies you can collaboratively come up with. If you've got a couple of weeks before the school year end, see if you can schedule a conference to glean as much helpful info from her current teacher and, if appropriate, get the ball started rolling for working with next year's teacher on this. I'm not saying she won't just grow out of it, but in the meantime it's worth keeping a careful eye on, looking for any red flags and doing whatever you can to support her optimally in her school and home environments.
Miranda
mountain mama to three great kids and one great grown-up
Well, except for the talking in class part, that describes my daughter (8 y.o., gr. 2) to a T!
I was ready to investigate having her tested for ADD at the end of gr.1. A visit to her pediatrician during the summer, however, helped to point more toward anxiety, which is what we're working on the last several months. Thanks to 20/20 hindsight, this makes total sense now. There can be many things underlying those behaviours, which I guess is pretty much what Moominmama said.
As well as all the questions the previous poster mentions, here's a couple more: has your daughter had more than one teacher during the year? Mine didn't have a regular teacher all year in gr.1, instead she had a whole string of them, which exacerbated those traits you mention. And, is she one of the youngest kids in the class? It was all over the news a few months ago, that the youngest kids have a much higher chance of being diagnosed with having ADD, when much of the time, it could be a simple issue of maturity.
Well, yes, sounds like attention problems but I echo Miranda's thoughts. Attention issues mask a lot of different things so I'd first look to see what might be beneath the surface to cause the attention issues.
I would add: Has she had hearing and eyes checked? hard to focus if you can't hear or see what is happening.
many will disagree but I support the use psycho-educational testing to get to the bottom of things and see any possible reasons for the lack of focus. And I believe in getting them done earlier rather than later so you can get the school on board (sometimes need an assessment to force their hand at giving accommodations or modifications and support). I had it privately done as the waiting list for the school to do it was just too long.
My son had his assessment the summer before grade 2 when he was 7. It showed a learning disability. The psychologist believed his ADHD symptoms were due to the undiagnosed learning disability. I have since discovered sensory processing issues as well. BUT with this information as the basis, the classroom and resource teacher have made G2 work for him and he has excelled at his reading and focus. We will have a transition planning meeting with the G3 teacher to ensure the good strategies are maintained.
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