Does this sound like ADHD/ASD?

[Lndnmummy]

Posting for traffic as have had no responses on the other boards.

Posting for advice about my son who has just turned 7. He is a bouncy active talkative soul wit very short attention span. Never aggressive. No violent outbursts, doesn’t break things. He is fidgety and a chatterbox and sometimes gets into trouble for this but no more than other boys (according to teacher). He has a huge problem with handwriting and def has some dcd and hyper mobility. I have self referred and on the waiting list. The senco has agreed he has motor skill issues and he is getting help with this. I have asked every teacher he has had (he is in Y2 now) if they think that he has adhd and they have all said no, it’s age etc. However, I have met a very experienced tutor to help with his handwriting and after 3 sessions with me she said she was convinced he had it. She also suggested that he might be on the spectrum. I realise the spectrum is huge but there is nothing to me that suggests that he is on the spectrum and has dyslexia. He doesn’t struggle with reading at school. His teacher has said that he is doing well with reading and maths and that the only concern is lack of focus, fidgeting and his handwriting.
He IS constantly on the go, always fidgets. But he is very aware socially, always makes friends easily, listens when told, sleeps well. Sensitive to others needs/emotions etc.
He does sometime seem confused with fairly simple concepts like days of the week and time, which I have noticed a few times.

I don’t know where to go from here. Where do I start? Adhd? ASD? Dyslexia? I honestly don’t know where to start? I have also just had a baby and his head teacher seems to think that some of his behaviour is attention seeking due to changes at home rather than anything else (she is very experienced in both state and SEN schools). I just want to help him

[NC4Now]

What do you mean he definitely has DCD and hypermobility? Has he been formally diagnosed?
Because a lot of those things would fit with a diagnosis of DCD/dyspraxia if that’s what he has.
No-one on here can diagnose though.

[ThatsWotSheSaid]

Neuro diverse people often have overlapping characteristics. So from your description could be anything or nothing. Have you looked into SPD?

[Divgirl2]

In some countries (Sweden for example), kids don't start school until they're 7 because a lot of kids just aren't ready to sit and read/write at 4/5/6.

Your son sounds like a typical chatty energetic boy, the fact that his teachers see no issue would reassure me. Some kids just aren't meant to sit in classrooms, and that's okay. If he's obviously struggling then of course you should push for help, but your posts reads like you're trying to find a diagnosis to fit what is essentially his personality.

[GloGirl]

Sounds exactly like my son. I'm almost certain he has ADHD but no need to be officially diagnosed. Even if he doesn't have it, the tactics recommended to help children with ADHD work really well with my son so I will continue to implement them

(Clear boundaries, advising what is coming up next with time warning, clear day and week plans, defined expectations of behaviour, physical activity before school, limited screen times, plenty of outdoor play. To be fair, all that is also helpful to plenty of NT children!!)

Unless severely disruptive I'm led to believe there's no need to diagnose before age of 7 and even then as long as it's well managed there is no urgency.

DS also has hypermobility (9/9 on beighton score which I know has correlation with ADHD)

I'm also taking the view that it's a specialist field, diagnosis is nuanced, there's no need right now to know and I could well be wrong. He certainly wouldn't be medicated, his behaviour is currently good enough. But I'm mindful that once expectations of concentration increase through the schooling years i might start to investigate and get a formal diagnosis.

I could be wrong but I would think if the school aren't supportive of a formal diagnosis it would be worth waiting till you are all on the same page?

[NC4Now]

Hypermobility is a funny one really. There’s not a lot can be done about it. I have it (EDS-H) too.
They do seem to be drawing a link between it and ASD though - my other DS has that.

[NC4Now]

I’d be reassured by the teachers. Is he doing what’s expected of him?
Some kids are just giddy, most need very clear boundaries.

[DragonTrainer3]

Go to your GP and say that you need to get it checked using a multidisciplinary assessment - they should refer you. You sound anxious about this, since you've asked a lot of his teachers, but a tutor that has only taught him for 3 sessions and without seeing him in other situations won't be able to diagnose (and even if one of his teachers turns around and says they do think he has something, that is also not a diagnosis - you need the specialists).

A diagnosis will take years and involve a lot of professionals agreeing after reporting their findings - for our two we had hearing specialists, speech and language specialists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists, and paediatricians, as well as the SENCo and lots of input from teachers and a center specialising in autism.

That will be the only way you'll get a diagnosis (although reading the papers sometimes, you'd think parents just walk into a center and get a diagnosis a few days later!).

They'll also go through things with you and quickly tell you if there's nothing to worry about.

[GirlRaisedInTheSouth]

Sounds like a typical 7 year old boy to me.

[Holidayshopping]

there is nothing to me that suggests that he is on the spectrum and has dyslexia. He doesn’t struggle with reading at school.

What makes the tutor think he has dyslexia then?

[SugarPlumLairy2]

Def get that checked out, I was told countless times that my kiddo didn5 have ASD/ADHD. Got diagnosis for dyspraxia and Sensory processing order aged 5 and then got robbed off as first time mum/ helicopter parent etc. Finally, couple of years later had an art therapist say she thought there was ASD involved and a further 18 months later got diagnosed with both ADHD and autism.

Kiddo is very chatty, funny, etc and doesn’t present as obviously autistic either and doesn’t bounce off the walls with mad outbursts etc, is just very fidgety etc and can go for ever with little rest.

Def pursue the assesment. Good luck.

[DragonTrainer3]

My two were diagnosed at 6 and 4, and they are very much at the higher end of the spectrum, able to socialise and (mostly) good at school. But they have their issues, which with the lack of funding for SEN at most schools has caused some problems.

What would a diagnosis help with? It wouldn't automatically get you an EHCP or any more help at school, and if you're thinking of medication, there has to be a good reason, it's not handed out easily. So what you may have is (like we found) a diagnosis but then nothing.

[toomanykidsnotenoughme]

To me it sounds like possible dyspraxia and / or ADHD. Dyslexia and dyspraxia have lots of similarities, which may be why the tutor suggested dyslexia. He sounds like he's doing well despite his issues which is good. Keep pushing for some input / assessment. Good luck, OP.

[Stupomax]

We're in the US so the processes are different but here's my story.

He sounds almost identical to how my son was at 7, minus the hypermobility. At that age we just said 'Oh he's a typical 7 year old boy.'

Once he hit 12, school got much harder, and he still had all these characteristics, and was becoming very anxious and depressed. He was also really struggling to sleep despite doing all the right things.

At that point we had him assessed by a combination of private psychologist, school psychologist, school teachers and GP, as well as forms we filled in ourselves.

He was diagnosed with ADHD and a few processing issues. He started on meds (slow release) and it made an instant difference to his abilities to concentrate and cope with school. He also takes Melatonin to help him sleep.

We also got the equivalent of an EHCP at school which means he gets more help, time, etc. He also has tutoring twice a week.

It's all revolutionised both his learning and his self-confidence.

It's a little different here as everything seems to move much more quickly - from requesting help from the school/psych to diagnosis and help being put in place took a couple of months.

[Lndnmummy]

Thank you so much all of you for taking the time to respond I do appreciate it. So knowledgable! Yes, I am in fact Swedish so the pressure on children here is hard for me to understand but I have to roll with the system really. The tutor thought he was dyslexic as she asked him to read some instructions and he mixed up b in table.
I AM anxious, am being medicated for this so I’m aware that this might put a spanner on things. He is formally awaiting an assessment by CAHMS for his motor skills but I have had an initial assessment without him showing copies of his work, videos of him writing and photos and the OT said that it looked like DCD and that regardless of diagnosis he would be entitled to and benefit from help. He excels at sport, does boxing, dancing, football, running and is doing ok in all.
He is by no means an overachiever in school, he is average apart from literacy which he is getting support with. Teacher seems to think that this is due to his writing.
A lot of posts have really struck a cord with me.

[Lndnmummy]

I also wonder with the new baby and a less strict routine has affected him. For example I’m letting him have more screen time so I can tend to the baby, lots of half ready made meals and less time outdoors. Maybe this has contributed to lack of focus.
He settles down for bed very easily, sleep by 8 and wakes at 7-7.30.

[NC4Now]

My son has DCD and was assessed for autism. I was surprised when he didn’t receive a diagnosis for autism and they said his ASD traits were probably as a result of the DCD.
It’s 11 years since he got his DCD diagnosis and I didn’t realise how much it affected his executive functioning - memory, processing, sensory issues. You’d be surprised. It’s not just a motor co-ordination issue.

The Dyspraxia Association is a useful resource. Their website has sections relevant to age.