ADD OR another issue altogether vs typical behavior of a young boy?

[blondeviolin]

I'm starting to wonder a bit about my 5yo. If he does have ADD, I would imagine it's mild/borderline.

 

BUT, he has a hard time sitting still ever. He's somewhat impulsive, but not overly so. He can and will work for a reward. He's had attention issues in swim class. I was sure it was because he was young (3yo in a 6+yo class with inexperienced instructor). We pulled him for a year and the year of maturation made a big difference. He seems to only pay attention or focus when he cares to. (He's also a stubborn little guy.)

 

He's always been more difficult for me to parent, mostly because he has a defiant streak with a stubborn need to control his environment.

 

I keep wondering, though, because of his progression in reading. He asked for reading lessons nearly a year ago. He started off QUICKLY with great aptitude. He could sound words nicely. But then, he stalled out. He was stuck in sound-it-out land for like six months. Finally things clicked and he doesn't usually have to sound out CVC words now. He still sounds out plenty, though. Some days he settles down and focuses and reads his lesson/story within five minutes. Other days he seems easily distracted, even with nothing to distract him. Those days it can take a lot longer to complete his lesson and he usually forgets the phonograms he's learned and had down pat for months. I also suspect he's gifted.

 

Thoughts? I'm sure I'm probably expecting too much, but having seen what he seemed to be capable of, what he's experiencing doesn't mesh. I just have this niggling sense that something's off.

[wapiti]

FWIW, "stubborn need to control his environment" plus "can't sit still" might point me toward a sensory angle.

 

The reading does not sound like a concern.

[blondeviolin]

FWIW, "stubborn need to control his environment" plus "can't sit still" might point me toward a sensory angle.

 

 

Thanks! I'm not against learning about other issues this could be. He does have a cousin that has SPD.

 

Also, I forgot to ask - If I seek an evaluation, who do we do that through? Would I contact his doctor for a referral or go through the school system?

[wapiti]

Thanks! I'm not against learning about other issues this could be. He does have a cousin that has SPD.

 

Also, I forgot to ask - If I seek an evaluation, who do we do that through? Would I contact his doctor for a referral or go through the school system?

 

An OT evaluates for SPD. Thing is, not all OTs are really well-versed in SPD, though maybe moreso now than a few years ago. It would be a place with an OT gym. OT for SPD is not often covered by insurance and it is expensive (so, as for me personally, I do not get a referral. I call the OT place directly).

 

I would not go through the school system. School OTs, even if they have the expertise, typically do not have the proper facilities to treat all aspects of SPD, and their purview is limited strictly to academic issues (usually fine motor).

 

Thoughts - from what you've written, it does not sound like what's going on *obviously* rises to a level in desperate need of treatment. He's a young boy anyway. It depends on how much this impacts your daily lives. Read about Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities ("OEs"), if you haven't already. Where is the line between some sort of OEs and SPD? I'm not sure.

 

I have one kiddo about to undergo a full-blown OT eval and I might cancel it, taking a lower-key route through a few sessions with the OT at our VT office for some minor bilateral issues in addition to a very minor vision thing and a minor something-else...

 

From what you describe, I would not necessarily worry about attention. Of course you'll keep an eye on it as you experience it everyday, but if you start seeking evals for attention, I'd wait at least until 6 or so (when he can take the WISC), and I'd get a proper ed psych/neuropsych eval with IQ testing and whatnot. For any kid but especially for a potentially gifted kiddo, I would not look for an adhd diagnosis without that testing, as there are too many other learning issues that can be missed with an adhd (mis)diagnosis in a gifted kid.

 

ETA, for SPD, books would include Miller's "Sensational Kids" and "The Out of Sync Child" by what's-her-name. gotta run........

[blondeviolin]

 

 

An OT evaluates for SPD. Thing is, not all OTs are really well-versed in SPD, though maybe moreso now than a few years ago. It would be a place with an OT gym. OT for SPD is not often covered by insurance and it is expensive (so, as for me personally, I do not get a referral. I call the OT place directly).

 

I would not go through the school system. School OTs, even if they have the expertise, typically do not have the proper facilities to treat all aspects of SPD, and their purview is limited strictly to academic issues (usually fine motor).

 

Thoughts - from what you've written, it does not sound like what's going on *obviously* rises to a level in desperate need of treatment. He's a young boy anyway. It depends on how much this impacts your daily lives. Read about Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities ("OEs"), if you haven't already. Where is the line between some sort of OEs and SPD? I'm not sure.

 

I have one kiddo about to undergo a full-blown OT eval and I might cancel it, taking a lower-key route through a few sessions with the OT at our VT office for some minor bilateral issues in addition to a very minor vision thing and a minor something-else...

 

From what you describe, I would not necessarily worry about attention. Of course you'll keep an eye on it as you experience it everyday, but if you start seeking evals for attention, I'd wait at least until 6 or so (when he can take the WISC), and I'd get a proper ed psych/neuropsych eval with IQ testing and whatnot. For any kid but especially for a potentially gifted kiddo, I would not look for an adhd diagnosis without that testing, as there are too many other learning issues that can be missed with an adhd (mis)diagnosis in a gifted kid.

 

ETA, for SPD, books would include Miller's "Sensational Kids" and "The Out of Sync Child" by what's-her-name. gotta run........

 

 

Thank you muchly! I've been reading about SPD and a lot from sites online say tht many kids with SPD have problems with their limbs in space, may be clumsy or bump into things, have issues with balance, etc. Is this nearly always with SPD? My son is very athletic and physically amazing at times. He was swimming at just over 2, riding a bike sans training wheels at barely 3, monkey bars at 3:5, etc.

 

I don't know that I'd have him tested until he is specifically K aged (not officially until August). But I do wonder... And unfortunately I get frustrated with some of the behavior after a time... And then I feel horribly that I do. I also want to help him reach his full potential, and, like I said, I am pretty sure he is not doing what he's capable of.

 

ETA: I've skimmed through the Out-of-Sync Child and it didn't really resonate that it was describing my son, you know? My 3yo? Definitely. But, she's 3. ;)

[MistyMountain]

.

[MistyMountain]

Oh and I thought of another thing it could be. Maybe he is a gifted underachiever?

[wapiti]

Oh and I thought of another thing it could be. Maybe he is a gifted underachiever?

 

 

FWIW, persons who are gifted but underachieving are very often underachieving due to hidden LDs, i.e., "twice-exceptional" ("2e").

[wapiti]

And unfortunately I get frustrated with some of the behavior after a time... And then I feel horribly that I do. I also want to help him reach his full potential, and, like I said, I am pretty sure he is not doing what he's capable of.

 

 

Frustrated? You don't say ;) . Welcome to the club :)

 

Since you have a feeling that something's not quite right and you don't think he's performing according to his ability as you perceive it to be, with some potential giftedness thrown in, I'd plan to test with an ed psych/neuropsych at some point in the next few years. It doesn't sound like there's a rush; I'd see if you can wait at least until he's 6 for potentially more informative results. (If, on the other hand, you identify a particular sensory processing issue or vision that can be addressed at an early age, or if things get "worse," by all means don't wait to consider such alternatives or to consult an appropriate type of psych, one who specializes in 2e.)

[poiema]

I don't know much about LD's, but I do know that what you are describing sounds just like my son with ADHD. Actually, it describes my DH with ADHD as well. Especially when you say he seems to "only pay attention or focus when he cares to". That is so ADD. They can have tremendous focus and attention for something they are interested in, but completely space out on everything else. It's not that he is being stubborn. Although maybe yours has an additional stubborn streak..??

As for the reading issue, I don't know if that's ADD or something else, but the 'stop and go' is definitely normal around here also. For us though, it's with math. He gets it... then he doesn't... and then he's suddenly mastered it. And what you are describing when you say sometimes a lesson takes 5 minutes but other times he just gets too distracted...yup, normal here too! Math that was easy-peasy for him would take 2 hours of non-stop tantrums to get done. There was plenty of frustration for both of us. I have learned though that if he's not getting something, it's not a problem with him, it's a problem with how I am presenting it. If he is having a particularly challenging day, I might let him run around while we do math orally or write the problems one-by-one on a whiteboard. Sometimes the fix is so easy, it's just a matter of finding the right key. I suggest the book "How to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning" for ideas on how to do that. The author has really simple ideas for each subject that will make you think...duh, why didn't I think of that.

[geodob]

Though an important thing is that you said that he settles down some days, but other days is easily distracted?

Where ADD doesn't come and go, but is constant.

Rather what I would suggest that you could try, is to keep a daily diary for a while, where you note things like the food that he eats, the amount of exercise he gets, and how well he slept, and anything else you might think of?

Then after keeping the diary for a while, you can look for anything that matches the change in attention?

If you identify some thing or things, then you could try varying them day by day, to confirm whether this is the factor or not?

[poiema]

I agree with the suggestion of keeping a diary, because all those things mentioned (sleep, diet, exercise, etc) can affect ADHD. Mondays, for example, are our worst day because he gets out of routine over the weekend. Even the location of the lesson can make a difference (sitting at desk vs cuddling on couch, but also environmental distractions like windows and home decor). It's not always bad with ADHD kids. My ds can be an awesome work horse sometimes. Like I said, it's a matter of finding the right keys.