The school years are when a child’s inner world becomes visible to the outside world. Classrooms, homework, peer groups, and structured routines reveal strengths—but they also expose hidden struggles. A child who appeared “active but fine” at home may suddenly be labelled inattentive, slow, restless, or “not trying enough.”

For many parents, this stage becomes confusing. Is the child being careless? Is it laziness? Is something deeper going on?

School-age behaviour is not a test of character—it is a window into how the brain is growing.

Why attention becomes a challenge in the school years

Attention is not a single skill; it is a network of abilities:

• focusing,

• sustaining,

• shifting between tasks,

• resisting distraction,

• planning,

• and completing work.

These abilities rely on the frontal lobe and its network with deeper emotional and memory centres. When this network matures unevenly—or when environmental stress overwhelms it—children struggle.

A child who daydreams, rushes, forgets instructions, or fidgets is not being “defiant.” The brain may simply not be ready for the demands placed on it.

Understanding ADHD in a modern context

ADHD is not about energy; it’s about regulation—of attention, impulse, and activity levels. Left unaddressed, it affects:

• academic performance,

• self-esteem,

• friendships,

• emotional resilience,

• and family harmony.

Early support can completely change the developmental trajectory.
Children with ADHD are not “difficult”—they are wired differently. And different wiring needs different scaffolding.

Learning difficulties: often overlooked, often misunderstood

Many bright children struggle with:

• reading (dyslexia),

• writing (dysgraphia),

• math (dyscalculia),

• comprehension,

• and executive functioning.

These are not intellectual problems—they are processing differences.
When unrecognised, they create frustration that spills into behaviour, anxiety, anger, and avoidance.

A child who refuses homework is often a child trying to escape shame.

Emotional regulation at school

School is a sensory and emotional storm: noise, social rules, competition, comparisons, transitions. Children who are sensitive, anxious, or neurodivergent find this overwhelming. Emotional overload shows up as:

• irritability,

• meltdowns after school,

• withdrawal,

• refusal to attend school,

• difficulty separating from parents.

These behaviours are signals—not misbehaviour.

How assessments help

A thorough assessment gives a complete picture of how the child learns, thinks, pays attention, and processes emotions.

This often includes:

• clinical evaluation,

• academic testing,

• attention testing (MOXO, QbCheck, CPT),

• sometimes fNIRS-based attention mapping,

• emotional and behavioural scales,

• teacher reports.

Assessments are not labels—they are maps.
They show where the child struggles and where they shine.

Interventions that work

Children benefit most from a multi-layered plan:

1. Behaviour & emotional interventions

• routines,

• clear expectations,

• reward systems,

• anger and anxiety management,

• coping-skills training.

2. Academic support

• structured homework routines,

• special education support,

• one-on-one remediation,

• breaking tasks into smaller chunks.

3. Attention & neurodevelopmental interventions

• neurofeedback,

• cognitive training,

• fNIRS-guided focus and regulation strategies,

• behavioural therapy targeted to ADHD patterns.

4. Medication when needed

Modern ADHD medications are safe, effective, and carefully dosed.
They are never the first step—they are the right step at the right time.

The role of parents and teachers

When the adults around the child understand how the brain works, everything shifts.

Parents learn:

• structure, not pressure

• patience, not punishment

• collaboration, not criticism

Teachers learn:

• small accommodations make big differences

• movement breaks help

• positive reinforcement is powerful

• the child is not “oppositional”—just overwhelmed.

A child supported by informed adults feels understood—not defective.

Learning to see beyond labels

A “slow writer” may have dysgraphia.
A “careless child” may be overwhelmed by attention-load.
A “stubborn child” may be anxious.
A “lazy child” may feel defeated by repeated failure.

Behaviour is communication.
School-age challenges are opportunities—not warnings.

When we respond with understanding rather than blame, children discover their strengths instead of hiding their struggles.

This series is here to guide families through the school years with clarity, compassion, and science-backed solutions.

Author & Contact

Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T, MD (AIIMS), DNB, MBA (BITS Pilani)
Consultant Psychiatrist & Neurofeedback Specialist
Mind & Memory Clinic, Apollo Clinic Velachery (Opp. Phoenix Mall)
✉ srinivasaiims@gmail.com 📞 +91-8595155808