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help please.....what are the symptoms for ADD....school flagged DS2 as a maybe, but I have no idea......

25 replies

Psychomum5 · 23/04/2008 18:08

ok....am coming here to hopefully get things straight in my head for DS2 before I go to school and stamping my feet...altho this may be more special ed...??? (he is 5yo, yr1 at school)

anyhoo.....

DS2 is my youngest child which is what I have always thought his 'problems' stemed from. He has also been back and forward to hospital a lot for 'bowel dismobility disorder, chronic constipation and IBS' which has been a problem since birth realy (he took 3 days to do his first poo).

he has always had problems with staying focused on anything. now I have always thought it because he is the youngest of five and so has always been able to flit from one-to-the-other so if bored will go to someone else IYGWIM. he has NEVER really learnt to stay focused in the way that maybe an only child has, or even a child in a smaller family.

since he has started school, (and nursery but to a lesser extent) they have always commented on how 'away with the fairies' he is. he is often singing to himself, and indeed has 'disappeared' on occasion to sing alone when they have suggested to him to stop. (he goes to the toilets as the 'sound is better).
unless he has 100% attention from the TA he doesn't DO ANYTHING....literally...he will sit at the table and fiddle/sing/stare in space/sing/hum/SING.....

he has not yet written a sentence containing more than three words, and that was still with constant TA or teacher support.

he has not progressed with reading at all.....indeed, I am at a loss to get him to focus for me, let alone read to me.....in fact I would rather stick pins in my eyes. he likes me to read TO* him, but again, gets bored quickly.

he can write his name, but not his surname.

dyslexia is a strong possible too as DD2 and DS1 have been confirmed, but the ADD is the worry for me, as I have no idea on symptoms to look for, and the sites I have found focus on ADHD, and I don;t think for one moment he is hyperactive as he will stay still and sleeps well.....he is also not disruptive as such in class as he stays put (well.....if on the carpet will bunny hop in one spot), and just sings etc!

soooo.......can any of you lovely ladies help?? I am at a loss.

Oh, also, he has been referred to a medical psychologist to help him with his medical needs and if I think he is ADD I can 'pester' the school (in the nicest possible but strongest way IYGWIM) to refer him to ed psych to so they can 'marry up' their reports and I can start focusing on everyhting and dealing with everything together, rather than try to deal with things in one way and then find that another way would have been more appropriate to his problems if he IS ADD......

I hope this makes sense, and sorry for the lenght

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Tclanger · 23/04/2008 18:25

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Tclanger · 23/04/2008 18:29

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Psychomum5 · 23/04/2008 18:35

thanks for that link......a quick read of it seems to point to yes, he is, but I am not reading fully, just ticking in my head the 'symptoms' list where they ask for 6+.....I can tick all 9 in the ADD bit (well. re DS2 that is).

hmmmmm....me thinks maybe a formal private assessment will be in order if school don;t listen to the 'now referral'

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TotalChaos · 23/04/2008 18:37

have you had a look on www.adders.org? not sure if they are more ADHD than ADD though. As TClanger says, the lack of attention can be a crossover with all sorts of things other than ADD - eg dyspraxia, language problems etc.

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Psychomum5 · 23/04/2008 18:42

I don;t honestly remember where I looked TBH....all I know is that each of the sites I looked at were more ADHD focused and the school doesn;t think he is ADHD, nor do I. I am just confused tho (and a little guilty) as I have always 'fobbed off' people who have question me about him by saying he is the youngest and therefore more babied by everyone and he has medical needs......I feel maybe I am being a little 'thick' by dismissing something that others can see and so not getting help earlier.

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Psychomum5 · 23/04/2008 18:43

oh, several people over the last two years have wueried him because of the way he is with others (getting bored easy) and me, (shouting and stubborn and tantrums over excessivly when he was smaller)

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TotalChaos · 23/04/2008 18:47

don't feel guilty over not spotting any potential problem earlier - the more subtle developmental problems just don't become obvious and often diagnosable till primary school age.

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Tclanger · 23/04/2008 18:56

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Psychomum5 · 23/04/2008 19:03

well to me, he is just 'DS2', he is who he is.

I am not looking for a problem (and I know no-one has suggested that BTW), but is there IS, then I want it sorted out asap so we can start helping him before he loses all will to interact at school IYGWIM.

I know from my DD2 and DS1 that with dyslexia once they have the right way to teach them they start learning and want to start learning, as suddenly they get taken seriously and also they get given methods to help them learn things in the way they NEED to learn them IYGWIM.

DS2 already hates school, and I fear that if left too long he will get more and more school phobic, where-as if they can find a way to grab him Now, we will have one battle fought already!

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Tclanger · 24/04/2008 12:34

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Tclanger · 24/04/2008 12:36

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Psychomum5 · 24/04/2008 14:07

tis ok, I excell with typo's too at times.

not sure really on 'outreach' programmes as such. I know that there is a type of support grop place tat I can go to with regards to tow of my elder DC's having Dyslexia, but no idea if that can also cover ADD or if they know of where I can go IYGWIM.

I am at a real loss I guess on my part....do I push and get labeled 'pushy nuerotic mum', or leave for a time and wait for the school to step in a bit more. am I looking for problems?? (I know I am not BTW as it is the school that have flagged, but since they have they almost seemed scared of how much I am wanting to involve myself)

at least today we have a day off for DS2 to come to terms with his tummy probs without being at school too.

oh, one thing I forgot to mentio yesterday.....his teacher came out and said that he seemed more 'awake' the past two days and more than a little 'frenzied' (her words!).....now.....what does that mean? frenzied in a bad way, frenzied cos of his tummy, frenzied and happy.....?????

I do wish she would explain better as I am finding him frenzied too at home, but for me, I quite enjoy it as he is happier to be told things rather than the stubborn stamping of feet I get normally. but MY frenzied and the teachers frenzied could be worlds apart!!!

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Flame · 24/04/2008 14:31

Frenzied???

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Psychomum5 · 24/04/2008 14:35

yup.....frenzied

maybe he is twirling when he is singing!!!

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Flame · 24/04/2008 14:37

Trying to picture any way of him being frenzied. Bouncy is about the best I can manage.

My dude has perked up btw.

You got dancin?

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Psychomum5 · 24/04/2008 14:39

yup....dancing.....

ahhhh....maybe her frenzied is our bouncy...

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Flame · 24/04/2008 14:41

Won't come harass you then.

Why can't they strike too?

Who would say frenzied for bouncy??

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Psychomum5 · 24/04/2008 15:17

frenzied/bouncy

two things miles apart too in my head!

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magso · 24/04/2008 16:37

Frenzied describes the state I get in when I loose Ds in a crowd (don't ask!)- it suggests a highly anxious state - not a word I would use to describe my bouncy mostly carefree ds (who has ADHD amongst other things) Definately a Tigger!!
ADD is not apparent till later than ADHD so don't blame yourself!

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Psychomum5 · 24/04/2008 17:02

ok.....so frenzied from the teacher is not a good state to be in then at school....

oh dear..

she is not going to like tomorrow then as his tummy meds are working to the effect of last year in hospital.

I guess I am going to have him home a bit more then

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Psychomum5 · 25/04/2008 16:41

he didn;t go to school today as his tummy is not behaving, but I did go see and ask his teacher what she meant about 'frenzied'...

she said that he is just never still at the moment and runs about arms ackimbo (sp?), and is very loud with it.

cannot be settled and altho still very happy, is like he has been fed a major overdose of party food and sugar..(her words).

so.....is he now getting to be needing an H label added then.

at least he is happy.....she said it is nice to see in a way as normally he is a reserved little boy, even tho he sings all the time. he never used to speak to them much and if so, was 'teeny voice' answer. he is now always in playground mode....and loudness

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Flame · 25/04/2008 18:26

Ah, so tis just bouncy then.

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Flame · 25/04/2008 18:32

(not "just" as in, "it isn't a problem", "just" as in "not attacking kids with knives and cackling")

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Psychomum5 · 25/04/2008 18:46

oh but the attacking and cackling.....

would I be mean if that would make me laugh???

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Psychomum5 · 25/04/2008 18:46

well...not if he really did it, but the picture in my head!!!

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