Many of the parents we work with with in San Antonio area struggle to understand what's wrong. They know that their funny, intelligent, creative child is more than capable of excelling in school.

Yet, their potential doesn't amount to good grades. Often, parents see poor test results, missed homework assignments, and more importantly, a frustrated and overwhelmed child. These are the warning signs we see in children who consistently exhibit difficulty focusing and paying attention in class:

- Trouble listening during lectures 

- Daydreaming during class or homework sessions 

- Inability to focus on school work for longer than a few minutes 

- Distracted by classmates, movement, or common noises

- Overall forgetful behavior 

- Trouble following teacher instructions or understanding exam questions 

Many kids who struggle with focus and attention issues have negative self images about their performance in school. Sometimes these negative images can be perpetuated by well meaning, but uninformed people such as school teachers, parents, or fellow classmates. Most of our students with focus and attention struggles are either actively thinking or have at one time thought the following:

-  I'm lazy because I don't do my homework

-  I'm not as smart as the other kids

-  I'm the slowest student in class because it takes me longer to finish tests, turn in homework, and answer questions.

These thoughts are difficult for any parent to hear and deal with. We have  helped thousands of students who once had these thoughts. Sometimes a child might need extra help with a particular subject matter and that might solve his/her problem. Though, more often than not, focus and attention issues have to do with cognitive struggles, rather than subject-matter issues. 

What are cognitive skills? Unlike subject matter areas like history or science, cognitive skills deal with how we're learning, rather than what we're learning. Studies show that weak cognitive skills are at the root cause of most learning struggles. Common Cognitive Skills are defined below:

-  Working Memory - enables you to use information when you need it.

-  Long Term Memory - enables you to access stored information that you've already learned in the past.

-  Sustained Attention - enables you to stay focused and on task for an extended period of time.

-  Selective Attention - enables you to ignore distractions and stay focused on the task at hand.

-  Divided Attention - enables you to remember information while multi-tasking.

-  Auditory Processing - enables you to analyze, blend, and segment sounds, and is a critical skill for successful reading.

-  Visual Processing - enables you to think in visual images.

-  Logic & Reasoning - enables you to reason, form ideas, and solve problems.

-  Processing Speed - enables you to perform tasks quickly and accurately.

Parents are often surprised to learn that there might be more to their child's issues than they otherwise thought. At LearningRx, we assess every child for strengths and weaknesses in the above categories. 

Simply understanding the root cause of a child's learning struggles can be a life-changing experience. Most families are relieved, thankful, and downright happy to learn the real reasons behind their children's struggles. This gives us a starting point for a clear action plan. Our brain trainers create a personalized curriculum for each child based on his/her assessment results. 

One on one brain training to improve cognitive skills has proven to be incredibly effective. Most children see significant improvements in memory, processing speed, and focus. This leads to rewarding results such as: 

1. Improved school grades over time 
2. Increased confidence and belief in self 
3. Ability to focus and concentrate on homework, exams, and instructions

Our LearningRx programs include challenging, fun, and energizing mental exercises to strengthen weak cognitive skills. The program is designed to help children and adults of all ages. Students work one on one with a brain trainer to achieve the best results.

Gina Cruz, Owner of LearningRx San Antonio Northeast, discusses the impact focus and attention struggles can have on students. Frustration, hopelessness, and "stinking thinking" can be the result of the inability to focus on important tasks. 

Most families feel frustrated from not understanding the root cause of the issue. Once we have assessed the cognitive skill issue, our families are more informed about what causes the student to lose focus in the first place.  Learning your individual cognitive strengths and weaknesses can be one of the most empowering experiences you can have as a student. Once we know what needs improving, we can create a brain training plan that serves your growth.