First, notice whether this is ordinary for their age or something that has lasted. Then change how studying happens — short, active, rewarded — and if it has lasted, ask a child psychiatrist to assess.
What's normal, and what's worth an assessment
Every child drifts off sometimes, and younger children can only focus for short stretches. That alone isn't a problem.
What's worth an assessment is a pattern that lasts for months, shows up in more than one setting — at home and at school — and has been there since early childhood, not just since one hard year.
Change the shape of studying
- Short sessions. A few minutes of real work beats an hour of sitting at the desk.
- Movement. Let them stand, walk between questions, or take a break that moves.
- Small, immediate rewards. A reward now works better than a promise at the end of term.
- Structure without shame. Same time, same place, a clear first step — and no comparisons that embarrass them.
Talk to the school
Ask the teacher what they see. Does your child drift off in class too, or only at home? In every subject, or only some?
The school sees your child in a setting you don't, and that is exactly what a clinician will ask about.
Look after yourself too
Homework fights wear parents out. If evenings have turned into battles, it's okay to step back, keep the routine smaller, and protect the relationship first.
If you notice the same patterns in yourself — the lost keys, the late starts — that's worth a look as well. ADHD often runs in families.
Who assesses
A child psychiatrist assesses ADHD in children. Bring what you've noticed at home and what the school has told you.
This page isn't medical advice, and only a clinician can diagnose.