Q: My son is 6 years old. The following are the his problems 1.He is very poor academically. He takes alot of time in completing his work,many times the teacher erases the board but he does not copy from the board. He is very much interested in what others are doing in class. 2.His teacher adviced us to interact with him regularly,ask questions about how he spent his day etc, we started doing that but after few minutes he feels bored and does not respond. 3.He gets distracted very easily,he loses interest inmost of the things very early.He likes to be given importance all the time and this is the reason he does not have friends. 4.He is not careful about his things and loses them very often. 5.He is very much interested in watching television,playing computer games. 5.He is very distractive and avoids homework on some pretext. Please advice us at the earliestas to what should we do? I am ateacher and can give him enough time.I also have a 2 year old son. Regards vandana

A:This is ADHD /ADD Its not clear with the given details. Please take him to see a child psychiatrist to eveluate if there is a need for medication at this stage. But there are things that you can do with your child to improve his behavior: Create a behavior modification plan to change the most problematic behaviors. Behavior charts that track a childs chores or responsibilities and that offer potential rewards for positive behaviors can be helpful tools. These charts, as well as other behavior modification techniques, will help parents address problems in systematic, effective ways Children with ADHD may need help in organizing. Therefore, parents should encourage the child with ADHD to: Schedule. The child should have the same routine every day, from wake-up time to bedtime. The schedule should include homework time and playtime. Organize needed everyday items. The child should have a place for everything and keep everything in its place. This includes clothing, backpacks and school supplies. Use homework and notebook organizers. Stress the importance of having the child write down assignments and bring home needed books. Helpful Tips for Doing Homework Parents can help a child with ADHD achieve academic success by taking steps to improve the quality of the childs homework. They should make sure their child is: Seated in a quiet area without clutter or distractions. Given clear, concise instructions. Encouraged to write each assignment in a notebook as it is given by the teacher. Responsible for his/her own assignments. Parents should not do for the child what he/she can do for himself/herself. Kids and Relationships Not all children with ADHD have trouble getting along with others. For those who do, however, steps can be taken to improve a childs relationships. The earlier a childs difficulties with peers are noticed, the more successful such steps may be. It is helpful for parents to: Recognize the importance of healthy peer relationships for children. Involve a child in activities with his or her peers. Set up social behavior goals with the child and implement a reward program. Encourage social interactions if the child is withdrawn or excessively shy. Encourage a child to play with only one other child at a time Hope this information is helpful to start with .If you need any more specific information please feel free to ask.