He never stops moving - should I be concerned?

[SereneHome]

My youngest, who just turned 7, never stops  moving.  Ever.  He would be sitting on the chair while we doing school and either rocking it or bending to the floor or dangling his feet.  Snuggling with him is constant movement, he would be rolling back and forth or doing something with his arms or something else. 

I know it's not any kind of ticks.  I know that he does pay attention bc he can tell back TV shows that he watches and books that he hears.  He is very good at making puzzles, even more complex ones, so he does have a good attention span, I just don't never paid attention if he is moving while making them.

Both of my older kids are super active (in a regular kind of way) but they also can sit still when needed.

I have his check up today with our PCP, but don't really want to bring it up yet.  But I also have no experience with kids other than my own, so now sure if I should be worried or not.

Thoughts?

Thank you!

[Terabith]

Honestly, it sounds like it’s not interfering with his daily life.  If he is able to do the things he wants to do and the things he needs to do (school, chores), then I wouldn’t be concerned.  Seven is still pretty young.  If it changes at some point and he’s no longer able to do what he needs to do, then address it then. 

[Terabith]

Maybe a yoga ball or wobble stool for school work?  And yes, lots of hard exercise.  

[SereneHome]

I *think* he is pretty active, he doesn't do a lot of sit down school and I throw kids outside as much as I can - all 4 seasons

[Rachel]

What are your concerns with bringing it up with the doctor? 

It could be normal behavior and just a behavior your other children haven’t exhibited. If that’s the case the doctor will reassure you. If you are concerned the doctor will push for testing of some sort, you can always tell her that you aren’t quite that concerned yet. 

[SereneHome]

9 minutes ago, Rachel said:

What are your concerns with bringing it up with the doctor? 

It could be normal behavior and just a behavior your other children haven’t exhibited. If that’s the case the doctor will reassure you. If you are concerned the doctor will push for testing of some sort, you can always tell her that you aren’t quite that concerned yet. 

 

I guess I am not ready to have it "on the record".  May be it's my own personal baggage of where I come from (I wasn't born in US) or may be it's bc there have been too many stories of drs or other health care professionals judging HSing parents harshly or drs in general pushing for putting kids on various RX. 

Although our doctor has been nothing but complimentary and supportive and thinks the world of my kids always tells me how they are so loved and cared for.  But again, it's that "on the record" thing that makes me hesitant...

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I agree with HeighHo. He needs bike rides, long walks, swimming, muscle building activities like digging a little garden plot or moving some firewood, tree climbing, baseball, TKD...not all at once, but aerobic and large muscle movement for 2 or 3 long periods every day.

Try that for two weeks, and watch to see if his little body becomes more organized and relaxed during rest times.

How is his sleeping? That's something else to watch, during your trial of moving toward the level of physicality that some little boys need.

With enough exercise, a clean diet, and good routines, my fidgety, wiggly boys became able to sit still for church, once a week, and for their naptime and bedtime stories  (because they were tired). 

Part of the reason I homeschooled them was because they couldn't have kept still for a public school day, and their doctor was already suggesting medication "if I ever wanted to put them in school!" I thought it was better to homeschool and leave them unmedicated, because they were able to:

*Play hard and love it

*Study and learn (I didn't make them sit still...they did spelling words and oral arithmetic while climbing trees and swinging, I read to them while they played in the sandbox, etc)

*Eat well

*Sleep well.

If my child could do all of that, and was happy, but he was still a little whirlwind most of the time, I'd consider him to be healthy and just be grateful that he could be homeschooled.

But If my child could never calm down, was anxious, couldn't focus on school (even with kinesthetic, interactive lessons and fidgeting allowed), didn't have a good appetite, and didn't sleep well, I would have to figure out why.

 

[Terabith]

If it’s not interfering with daily life, why does it need to be on the record?  I’m all about early intervention with problems.  But just because a kid is wiggling more than other kids doesn’t seem like it needs intervention.  

[Petrichor]

My kiddo was/is like that. Getting outside for some hard exercise helps immensely. I tended to let him just bike, and he'd come home sweaty. Digging is his thing and helps tire him out too. He moves a bit less now that he is a bit older (or did I just get used to it?)

As long as it's not impacting his life/schoolwork I wouldn't worry. Regardless of whether he actually has ADD/ADHD or not (and even though you say he's absorbing things) reading up on interventions, tips, behavioral treatments, etc. for ADHD kids (and adults) might help you (and him, in the long run). 

And allowing fidgets or chew toys, trampoline jumping, a spinning chair or yoga ball to sit on can help, depending on his needs and what works for him.

[Rachel]

15 minutes ago, Terabith said:

If it’s not interfering with daily life, why does it need to be on the record?  I’m all about early intervention with problems.  But just because a kid is wiggling more than other kids doesn’t seem like it needs intervention.  

Oh I agree. This is her 3rd or 4th child though and her mama senses are telling her something is different. They were already going to the doctor, not setting up a special appointment. 

[SereneHome]

He sleeps like a rock!!  He is not anxious at all, he is the happiest kid ever!  He is the kind of kid that just exudes happiness and goofiness.

He does love sugar and carbs but he also loves salads and I try to have a healthy diet at home, but without depriving sweets and sometimes junk food.

I will have to come up with more "moving" activities than just running around the yard, etc

 

[Spy Car]

I have that kid. My strategy has been to have in sports that run (or now swim) him into the ground.

It was lacrosse and basketball, now its water polo and swim. Water polo has been stupendous!

For my boy, hard exercise isn't "optional." As a side benefit, he's getting incredibly strong. Win. win.

Bill

 

 

 

 

[Spryte]

Agreeing with the others.

My teen was the boy who could not sit still.   Exercise, good food, appropriate accommodations for school time from me (I can make almost any curriculum into something with physical components, at this point), and time to mature helped.

For hope:  my couldn’t-stop-moving boy still doesn’t stop moving, really.  All that energy is being channeled into projects now.  He cosplays, acts, films.  He constantly creates.  He’s entering student filmmaking contests and cosplay contests.  He’s writing and choreographing an immersive theater variation on Alice in Wonderland, with elaborate sets.  It’s intense.  And he starts work every day at 5:30 am.  He spends hours on it before school, and after school, too.  I could not stop him if I tried, he is driven to create.  It’s part of the constant movement that has framed his life.  At this point, we are channeling the constant movement into his passions and calling it a positive.

[SereneHome]

Thank you ladies for suggestions and hope.

We just came back from his check up.  I casually mentioned it to our dr, who wasn't concerned at all. Dr told me that DS3 is doing great, seems happy and healthy, reassured me that all my kids show that they are loved and well cared for.  He also said that I should follow my instinct and can email him if I need to.

I am thinking of ways to have "gym" / more active recess during our school time.  I truly thought he was moving enough, but I guess not....

[Selkie]

I think some people are just wired that way. I have always hated to sit. Doing desk work or sitting and watching tv or a movie is torture for me - I need to be moving and doing something. If I didn't have hours of hard physical horse chores every day, I would probably be stir crazy.?

[Hilltopmom]

40 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

Thank you ladies for suggestions and hope.

We just came back from his check up.  I casually mentioned it to our dr, who wasn't concerned at all. Dr told me that DS3 is doing great, seems happy and healthy, reassured me that all my kids show that they are loved and well cared for.  He also said that I should follow my instinct and can email him if I need to.

I am thinking of ways to have "gym" / more active recess during our school time.  I truly thought he was moving enough, but I guess not....

Good luck! It may not just be any movement that he needs, but more specific types- as a few others alluded to up thread- look for “heavy work” ( easy to google) and possibly also more sensory & proprioceptive input into his day (also easy enough to google examples).

tranpoline (just a mini one inside is fine), swinging, a “wiggle cushion” or gym ball to sit on during lessons may all help

Edited August 23, 2018 by Hilltopmom

[SereneHome]

57 minutes ago, Selkie said:

I think some people are just wired that way. I have always hated to sit. Doing desk work or sitting and watching tv or a movie is torture for me - I need to be moving and doing something. If I didn't have hours of hard physical horse chores every day, I would probably be stir crazy.?

 

See, I am the exact opposite.  Even as a kid, I could sit and read and not move for hours!!!  I never crave movement.  I mean, I certainly do it and used to go dancing when I was younger and love walking around when I travel, but I don't need it. 

[Tanaqui]

Judging from your first comment it seems you're thinking a little about ADHD. What you describe here doesn't sound like a problem to me, but you should know that people with ADHD often can focus very well on things they're interested in. This "hyperfocus" can be a problem in and of itself.

By saying this I do NOT mean that your child IS hyperfocusing or has ADHD or anything like that. Again, what you describe just sounds like a child who is a bit wiggly and will likely grow out of it in time but should have more active time right now. But it's possible there's other things you didn't mention, so I thought I'd clarify that point.

(Another possibility - and, again, I am not saying this IS the case, just that it is something to consider if you're worried - is that he might be sensory seeking, and have some sort of sensory disorder. That usually happens with another condition, such as ADHD or autism, but it doesn't have to.)

[SereneHome]

OK, I have to ask  - some of you mentioned "sensory", I am not familiar with it at all.  I always thought it was something like not being able to handle certain textures or sounds, etc

How does sensory plays into this?  Can someone explain it to me, please - in the simplest way?  Thank you!!

[Tanaqui]

Not being able to handle certain textures or sounds is a sensory problem - sensory avoidance. Those things are overstimulating and the brain can't handle it, so it freaks out and shuts down. For example, I can't have tags in my clothes. They don't just itch a little, they make my entire body hurt. If I forget to cut them out before hand, I rip them out while I'm wearing my clothes.

However, it's also possible for regular sensory input to be insufficient. That's sensory seeking. If this applies to your son, then we'd say that he has a poor proprioceptive sense - he can't easily tell where he is in space. In order to compensate for that, he has to move around a lot.

It's possible to have both issues in response to different stimuli or different situations. For example, I don't like tags, but I love having lots of blankets on me in winter, and even in summer I need at least a sheet to sleep. Sometimes I really like loud music, but if there's a lot of motion and chaos around me, adding loud noise puts me on the edge of screaming - I have to leave a situation like that, and fast. I always like to move around - my family is used to hearing me get up and walk around at night because I just Had a Thought and couldn't deal with it unless I was moving, and if I go to the doctor, before the doctor comes into the room I will gleefully spin around in the wheely chair if I can. (Much to my family's chronic embarrassment. Both the girls and my mother roll their eyes if it's one of THEIR appintments. I usually stop before the doctor walks in the room, anyway!)

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/sensory-processing-issues/sensory-seeking-and-sensory-avoiding-what-you-need-to-know

Edited August 23, 2018 by Tanaqui

[sassenach]

He sounds like my ds. Swim team was the best thing ever for that kid. He’s actually kind of mellow now, but he’s still constantly moving. 

[Lori D.]

1 hour ago, SereneHome said:

OK, I have to ask  - some of you mentioned "sensory", I am not familiar with it at all.  I always thought it was something like not being able to handle certain textures or sounds, etc

How does sensory plays into this?  Can someone explain it to me, please - in the simplest way?  Thank you!!

Tanaqui did a great job of explaining sensory avoidance vs. sensory seeking.

A child who is sensory-seeking needs more sensory input in order to focus and concentrate. So that means including things that increase overall sensory input while schooling to increase the child's ability to think and pay attention:

- fidgets (for students needing tactile input or fine motor/small hand movements to focus)  -- "touch" toys or items that the child can rub, stroke, feel; 
- chewies (for students needing to "mouth" to focus) -- tactile tops or items a child can mouth or chew on; or, sometimes, snacks
- gross motor (for students who need large/whole body movements to focus) -- yoga ball as a chair, seat disc, foot stretchy band attached to base of chair, standing desk or work at a counter (so legs can dance around), or even mini-trampoline bouncing, etc. in order to pay attention

See the wide variety of items at Therapy Shoppe and Fidget Tools & Toys for Autism & Anxiety to get a feel for what kinds of things are used for sensory seeking (or calming).

Edited August 23, 2018 by Lori D.

[SereneHome]

Wow, thank you @Tanaqui and @Lori D.

I will look into the toys for sure. 

And again, thank you all!!

 

[Lori D.]

7 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

Wow, thank you @Tanaqui and @Lori D.
I will look into the toys for sure. 

Yes, we did some fidgets for DS#2 to help him focus during school. What helped him focus best for read-alouds and together teaching times was fidget items plus laying upside down on the couch and flipping the curtains with his grubby bare feet. sigh. (Laying/rolling/sitting on a yoga ball would have been a big help for him.) The best help, though, was activities that used the big muscle groups -- swimming, sports, trampoline jumping, yard work requiring heavy lifting...

[sassenach]

We also used a yoga ball for school work. Very helpful!

[SereneHome]

So I looked at the link @Tanaqui posted and he doesn't really fit any of their descriptions, so I think I am going to order kid yoga ball for starters and we already have trampoline in our school room.

Oh ladies - if you only knew how so very helpful this has been to me.  He is such a different kid from my other two.  Like my husband thinks he is a lot more "babiesh" at 7.  So, that, in combination with this constant movement thing just had me in all kinds of freaking out mode.

But like I said - his dr doesn't see anything and I will just try a few new things and will see where it goes.

[Tanaqui]

Quote

Like my husband thinks he is a lot more "babyish" at 7

 

It could be that your older children were more mature than usual, or that your youngest is simply benefiting from being, well, the baby. It would be useful to know what, specifically, he means, though.

But sometimes children just are different from each other, and they're still all in the normal range.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I have been around a LOT of little boys, not just my own four. I've taught little boys' Sunday school classes for years, always volunteered for the little boys when I worked in daycares and preschools, and I have (literally) a dozen nephews. LOL 

I've been thinking through this whole thread that your little boy sounds perfectly healthy and very familiar. He's as familiar a type (to me) as the one of my boys who was a staid, bookish, little old man at 7. I love both kinds. 

I'd say not to worry about disorders, disabilities, learning differences, or anything that might need therapy, especially since you have no gut concern and your doctor didn't detect anything. ?

One of my boys was nearly diagnosed with autism, before his celiac disease diagnosis, and two of my boys have diagnosed ADHD, so I'm not biased against believing in legit issues, and I definitely sought help when I knew there was an issue. Just to clarify where I'm coming from.

[SereneHome]

14 minutes ago, Tibbie Dunbar said:

I have been around a LOT of little boys, not just my own four. I've taught little boys' Sunday school classes for years, always volunteered for the little boys when I worked in daycares and preschools, and I have (literally) a dozen nephews. LOL 

I've been thinking through this whole thread that your little boy sounds perfectly healthy and very familiar. He's as familiar a type (to me) as the one of my boys who was a staid, bookish, little old man at 7. I love both kinds. 

I'd say not to worry about disorders, disabilities, learning differences, or anything that might need therapy, especially since you have no gut concern and your doctor didn't detect anything. ?

One of my boys was nearly diagnosed with autism, before his celiac disease diagnosis, and two of my boys have diagnosed ADHD, so I'm not biased against believing in legit issues, and I definitely sought help when I knew there was an issue. Just to clarify where I'm coming from.

 

I wish I can hug you - that just made me feel so good

@Tanaqui - I don't know if my husband can really put it into words.....he just seems less independent at 7 than other two??  I do know the dangers of comparing kids and my kids are very different, but like I said - I had NO experience with kids - no younger siblings, no cousins, no kids of friends, I never babysat any kids,  I mean NONE!  So I can only go by what I have seen with my two oldest.

OK, so like he took the longest time to start talking (he was 2) .  He is taking the longest time to learn how to read.  His general disposition and behaviour just....I don't know.  But at the same time, my husband says that he makes very good and clear and logical connections between various events and conversations that happened during various times, past and present.  But ask him to "hey, go tell Daddy X,Y and Z" and he won't always be able to convey the message.

I am torn between not freaking out unnecessary and making sure that if there is something we should be investigating, we don't waste time.

[Tanaqui]

That sounds normal for his age - a little ahead here, a little behind there, but all within the normal range. Keep an eye on the reading and maybe do some activities to practice following complex instructions (things like playing Simon Says as a family - you can google for more ideas) and otherwise don't worry about it.

(You don't need to do any activities about following instructions, seven year olds can be a bit ditzy about that sort of thing, but it won't hurt and might reassure you that you are Doing Something.)

[SereneHome]

On 8/23/2018 at 9:27 AM, Terabith said:

Maybe a yoga ball or wobble stool for school work?  And yes, lots of hard exercise.  

I've been meaning to tag you and say THANK YOU  bc I got him a yoga ball and he LOVES IT and uses it as his chair while doing school or just listening to books.

I would have never ever thought of that, so thank you for such a great idea