If i describe this child, will you tell me what you think please.

[sunburntats]

Age 6
incapable of sitting down for any more than 30 seconds
never sat through an entire DVD or film at cinema
never ever shuts up, question after question after question.
incapable of concentrating for more than 20 seconds
didnt sleep through the night til he was 4, now is up every morning by 7am
literally bounces around a room
is incapable of walking in a straight line, has to hop, skip, jump, climb, roll, run form one place to another
Is forever fiddling, messing around with stuff, cannot leave stuff alone.
will pick off wallpaper if there is a tiny bit there, if at the table at mealtimes has to mess around with knife and fork, tapping, banging scraping it.
makes noise no matter what he is doing, as loudly as he can.
hands/legs always on the move, fiddling and moving stuff.

now tell me truly, is this normal 6 year old behaviour?

[bigchris]

i think it sounds normal
but incredibly wearing
i would suggest plenty of exercise and freshair
much like a dog

[thelennox]

ADHD?
How is he at school?

[jafina]

Sounds a bit hyper I agree, does he get LOTS of exercise and not too much sugar?

My 6 year old is a bit like this but not as bad as you describe. My ds is much better on days where he has a long bike ride or lots of time swimming or some other exertion.

[thelennox]

I only ask about school cause I am primary teacher, and if he is fine at school - behaves relatively well, progressing in (particularly) literacy - then it probably is just a case of needing to be exhausted a bit more.

[chegirl]

My DS1 was like this and it seemed pretty certain he had ADHD. He was diagnosed at around 3. We chose not to medicate. His behaviour began to change when we moved from a small flat to a house with a communal play area in front. I believe a lot of his behaviour was due to environmental factors rather than organic IYSWIM.

He is 15 now and bears a striking resemblance to a giant 3 toed sloth

I never thought i was see the day when I had to say 'get a bloody move on!'

Thats not to say he doesnt have some issues with organisation, finishing tasks, concentrating on things he is not interested in, keeping his mind on one thing at a time etc. But he is nowhere near like the mad, frantic toddler/child he was.

What I am trying to say is, the child you describe could have ADD/ADHD or they could just be a very active child who will gain more control over their impulses as they grow.

[sunburntats]

School tell me that he "just cant sit still" their words.

His reading is coming on fab, but its a battle to get him to sit beyond page 2, he has to get up and mess with something.
He struggles with writing, cant do any more than a sentence.

we take him on bike rides, have trampoline in garden (he is on it at 7am before school most mornings)
take him out on scooter, even jsut round the block.

he is not interested in any electronic stuff that his peers and cousins have (Ds x box thingies)

I am knackard, absolutely exhausted by the end of the day with him.
me and dh have to take it in turns to care for him.
we have no break from him apart from school. we both work.
grandparents show no interest and actually i think that they pprobably would not cope with him any way.

dont give him anything with additives/colourings in. give him omegas

[sunburntats]

thats is very reassuring thank you chegirl.

i swing between thinking what the fuck is wrong with this kid, why cant he be like other kids, to thinking that he is amazing, spirited, bright, energetic, and fab with an awsome mind.

people around us have different opinions of him as well. many have been very intolerant of him in the past.
this breaks my heart i must be honest.

[CarGirl]

sounds like he has too much adrenalin which can be sorted using neuro developmetal therapy, we did it with dd3 and she started sleeping through the night hurrah! WE used a trained INPP practioner here is some more info if you're interested www.inpp.org.uk/ I'm pretty sure there is a questionnair on there.

They help with conditions such as ADHD, Cerebal palsy (SP), dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, aspergers and a few more. You don't have to have "severe" problems dd certainly didn't but it made a big difference still.

[sunburntats]

hmm, did the questionairre BUT did it for ds, then did it for my dn and he scored over 7, and he is perfectly normal. Well has no problems like ds has. so accurate is it?

[CarGirl]

you won't necessarily have "problems" but having treatment will help you fulfill your potential. I know I have too much adrenalin caused by retained moro reflex - I find it very hard to get to sleep, am a very light sleeper, don't need much sleep, get hyper easily, jump at stuff very easily even when I know a "jumpy" bit is coming etc etc I also have poor coordination which is also to do with having retained reflexes. Dd3 had the same issues and yes within weeks she stopped waking at night and learnt to run forward & scooter it was amazing. She certainly didn't have any "problems" but it has helped her fulfill her potential IYSWIM

[deaconblue]

This sounds a little adhd to me although am jealous at the awake by 7am bit (we are up at 5am many mornings). However, my nephew was just like this at 6 and is now a pretty normal 10 yr old

[sunburntats]

that is fab, im so glad that there is help out there.

you are absolutely right whne you describe "full potential" that is what i want for ds.

my BIG immediate concern is school. they do not get him, they do not cope well with him.
he is on the traffic light system at least once a week for a variety of issues. Yet adamant that he does not have any special needs, they say he is jsut a boy who is unable to sit still, he is one of the kids who cannot concentrate.

i am very worried about this next new academic year.

[deaconblue]

however, you have only listed his problems. If I list ds' negative points he sounds like a horrendous child but when balanced with his positives he's just a run of the mill pita

[deaconblue]

I owuldn't be happy with the school's repsonse. To state a child "cannot" sit still and concentrate is writing him off imo. They should be discussing with you the strategies they intend to try to support him.

[KIMItheThreadSlayer]

I think you should ask the school to arrange a meeting with the senco.

If you are worried it might help to put your mind at rest and get some extra help.

It could be ADHD it would be worth asking for a meeting

[CarGirl]

The way I had the retained reflexes explained was that it causes the body to be in conflict. The body is one state and the brain thinks it's in another which is what causes the problem. INPP looks at the state from pregnancy onwards, the conductive education (what they used in Hungary for children with cerebal palsey) looks at birth onwards but is actually dealing with the retained reflexes by getting the children to go through the stages over and over again until their brain/body is working in unison which helps them fulfill their potential.

[sunburntats]

thought so. he has only been back 2 days and has come out in tears one day.

i will give it another week then will meet with the teacher.problem bieng she is the same one he had in reception....she really did not tolerate him well at all. I am worried as she will expect much more of him in year 2. Im not sure that he has matured any

[mathanxiety]

I think your school is probably thinking this is a 'boy' thing -- boys and girls get treated differently in school; there really are different expectations in schools, where behaviour and academic performance are concerned. Go and get help. The INPP thing sounds great, and any help is worth a try.

[fairimum]

Sorry not read all the thread, will come back in the week when have a spare minute - just wanted to sugest something I have used with pupils in my class (Primary teacher) - if he has to fiddle with something etc - while reading/tv etc give him some bluetack to fiddle with to keep his hands busy - set smalls goals- ie 3 pages of his book, but let him fiddle while reading, say he can fiddle but needs to sit and read the 3 pages etc (if works can then build it up!) - have found this really useful with getting children to sit on the carpet and listen (they very often are still taking everything in even though are rolling around the floor/flicking things etc), they just need something to keep their hands busy - stress balls sometimes help, but they can make little things with the blue tack while listening/watching tv etc! Sorry if you have already tried it, but I found it useful to give them an 'allowed thing' to fiddle with!
good luck x

[fairimum]

sorry cross post as took me ages to write

[slowreadingprogress]

I've got a catalogue called special direct, you can google the website I think. It's got a whole section for ADHD/Children who just need to fiddle, with some really creative ideas to help them. I'd highly recommend it.

Personally I'd ask my GP for a Paed ref so that he can be assessed for this if he hasn't already.

But alot of what you describe does sound in the realms of normal. However the not able to concentrate for more than 20 seconds would ring bells with me personally.

But don't wait for a label - get some stuff to help him as soon as you can. I'd also ask for a meeting with his teacher and try to get them onside so that they can allow DS to fiddle with what you send in and also hopefully prompt him if he needs to get something to help him?

[IdontMN2makecopyforlazyjournos]

Sounds how I expect DS to be in 4 years time. It's certainly how he is now. I haven't read whole thread but I expect there is a lot of nonsense about ADHD. Sounds completely normal, energetic boy to me. So many people don't seem to get boys, particularly people who already have girls.

[sunburntats]

thanks fairimum, that is a fab suggestion in fact it is one that i made to the teacher after she called me in to tell me that he fiddles with his cuffs, shoes, carpet anything when it is carpet time. I suggested she give him some blue tac. not sure if she did.

We also get him to read 3 pages a day of his reading book.

so glad that i seem to be on the right track, thanks you so much, it is very reassuring.
I need to know that i am doing EVERY thing that i can to make him the best that he can be.

will speak with the teacher about referal, they are adamant that he has no ADDH or anything similar.