ABSTRACT
The authors discusses two executive functions that are interrelated: focus and self-monitoring. Focus is the ability to pay attention to instructions, apply what we know to a problem or situation, and concentrate on the work through to completion. Self-monitoring is the ability to oversee our own behavior and activity in an objective way, making needed adjustments and corrections that lead to the successful outcome of a task, chore, or situation. As we consider our child’s progress on the mastery of focus and self-monitoring, it’s important to recognize that lack of focus can be prompted by a number of other factors unrelated to neurological development. The authors remind parents to rule out the following factors that mimic a diminished ability to focus: poor sleep or insufficient sleep, inadequate nutrition, vitamin deficiency, vision problems, hearing impairment, slow cognitive processing speed, and lack of physical exercise.
