What Are the Causes of a Short Attention Span in Normal Children?

In the early years of life, a child's brain is still developing. According to pediatrician Dr. Dimitri Christakis, the stimuli children encounter in these formative years affect the number of neural synapses they develop. Synapses are the connections through which all information -- sensory, motor and cognitive -- is transmitted. Developing concentration necessitates stimulating and feeding the growing brain to develop these connections.

TV Watching

• Watching TV shortens attention span; reading develops it.

  Christakis found that toddlers who frequently watch TV develop concentration difficulties. Every hour spent TV-watching increases the likelihood of short attention span by 10 percent. In his study, toddlers watching 3 hours daily were 30-percent more likely to develop attention problems than those who watched no TV. Christakis explains that "real life" unfolds slowly. TV and video games set a frenetic pace. Images change rapidly; colors and lights bombard the viewer; commercials interrupt programming.

Lifestyle

• Playing, building and interacting all develop concentration.

  Children who live in a slow-paced fashion, observing, playing, exploring, reading and making things develop concentration. Listening, taking turns and sticking with a task are learned through traditional games and activities. Historically, children sat still at table for family mealtimes. Today, families often eat "on the go." There is no longer that discipline of sitting still and listening to conversation. Christakis admits that the link between attention span and TV viewing may not be causal -- households where toddlers watch excessive TV might be those of distracted parents who interact little with their children. Developing concentration requires stimulation, interaction and opportunities to practice quiet tasks. It may be the lack of these -- rather than the presence of TV -- that causes short attention span.

Diet

• Junk food, additives and insufficient vitamins and minerals reduce concentration.

  According to Frances Bellisle, writing in the British Journal of Nutrition, there is some evidence that sugar, food additives and colorants affect childhood concentration; however, further trials are needed before this is conclusive. Widespread in packaged foods, the colorant tartrazine and the preservative monosodium glutamate may make children restless and unfocussed. Additionally, junk food diets are low in thiamine (vitamin B1) and magnesium. Bellisle notes thiamine deficiency is associated with poor mental performance and behavioral problems. According to Globinmed, the information hub for integrative medicine, magnesium deficiency causes distractibility. Children eating insufficient fruits and vegetables may lack magnesium; low levels of essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) can also cause inattention. Bellisle notes that for poorly-nourished children, skipping breakfast reduces attention span and cognitive function.

Antibiotics

• According to Globinmed, magnesium deficiency and heightened sensitivity to food additives can be side-effects of antibiotic use; this may explain an association between early ear infections and ADD.

ADD/ADHD

• A high protein intake benefits children's attention spans.

  Among normal children of normal intelligence, some have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While TV-watching, poor diet or chaotic lifestyle exacerbate the symptoms, these children's short attention span is often hereditary. ADHD expert Dr. Daniel Amen explains their frontal lobes are under-active -- these brain areas govern concentration and impulse control. ADHD/ADD children can extend their attention spans through behavioral therapy, dietry changes and stimulant medication triggering frontal lobe activity. Dr. Amen recommends a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet with vitamin supplements and fish oil. Protein is particularly important at breakfast. ADD/ADHD children should have tight limits on TV and computer time; Amen recommends no more than 30 minutes daily.