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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Attention deficit yr 1 boy

44 replies

Araminta49 · 05/03/2017 14:52

Hi all , I'm concerned about my DGS , started yr 1 last Sept at 5yrs 1month. It is getting more and more difficult to get him to listen and pay attention at school , at home also - especially if he is engrossed in something , like role play , drawing , writing - all his favourite things .
He is performing at school just at the expected level in most subjects, below the expected level in Maths , really struggles with even adding 1 and 2 to numbers , better if he sees sums visually , say 4 coins add 2 coins , but at school has to know the answers very quickly , which he finds difficult .
He goes to football training for 90 minutes at the weekend , which he enjoys , for Year R and Yr 1 , he is often lost in his own world- twirling around , poking the mud and rarely watching the ball - vaguely following the other boys and the ball or listening to commands . He seems happy though!
Has anyone experienced this ? Or has any comments ? His hearing seems ok , but maybe should get this tested . Can this sort of bevaviour be normal in a 5 year old ? Really getting worried about him now .....

OP posts:

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lauren2522 · 07/03/2017 09:15

my daughter is in year 2 and is in the process of being tested for ADD. She is a bright little girl but won't put pen to paper so they have her in the lowest class for everything which is boring her. verbally she is above average on everything but cant/won't do her work at schools just completely zones out. It is down to the school to try and teach him differently to try and engage him or do concentration games with him. but saying that nothing was picked up in year 1 with my daughter. you can speak to his teachers and what they think and talk to gp. also go down the route of eye tests and hearing t
just to check it's not thst. x

mouldycheesefan · 07/03/2017 12:44

Check eyes and hearing, am assuming you already had them tested before he started school but perhaps double check.

Araminta49 · 07/03/2017 17:23

Thank you both , I think a hearing test would make sense . Would the school bring in an educational psychologist ?
Lauren , how did you go about starting ADD testing for your DD?
Does anyone know if routine visual tests are done in Reception ?
Sorry lots of questions !

OP posts:

ExplodedCloud · 07/03/2017 17:29

They do check hearing and I think vision and you could get his eyes checked at an opticians.

ScattySuze · 08/03/2017 19:50

My daughter sounds similar
Exactly the same in her clubs actually
I don't think there's any ADD, I think it's just her personality personally and they are very young to be in full time education

Araminta49 · 09/03/2017 18:26

Maybe your DD and my DGS will grow up with lots of imagination , and deep thinkers 😃, come to think of it , I was a ' daydreamer ' at school , could be just that .
Will definitely get hearing / eye tests simply to rule them out .

OP posts:

Msqueen33 · 09/03/2017 18:34

I've got a dd in year 2 diagnosed with ADHD. She cannot focus on anything she doesn't enjoy (she can hyperfocus), she moves constantly, can't sit still, struggles to listen and follow instructions and is in general very lively and impulsive.

Her sister in year 3 is very chatty and lively. Her teacher suggested add but I think part of it is her personality. The environment in school can be very overstimulating and make focus hard.

School won't just send an ed psych out as it's expensive. You could go privately or via Gp to see a paediatrician. Alternatively speak to the teacher and senco and see what they think.

In part I feel add/ADHD is a conclusion leapt to quickly because a child doesn't fit the mainstream mould and for some kids education is stressful as there's a lot of sitting and such. I'm not saying your grandson doesn't have ADHD or add btw. I'd speak to the senco and teacher.

Littlefish · 10/03/2017 15:21

Is there a reason he didn't start in Reception, and instead, went straight to year 1?

Could this be an element of him struggling to adjust to school life?

Araminta49 · 11/03/2017 20:51

Hi Little , yes he went through Reception , but as a Aug birthday , was only just over 5 when he started yr 1 , makes such a difference , as some of his classmates were 6 in the September he started Yr 1 .

OP posts:

GerrardWinstanley · 11/03/2017 21:07

Always a good idea to make sure hearing and eyesight are ok but he sounds like an absolutely normal 5 year old. If he's difficult to distract while engrossed in something that shows he has good focus on the task at hand. Being lost in your own world is perfectly normal some of the time. He's performing at expected level, more of less, across the curriculum despite the disadvantage of being a summer born.
Apologies if I'm missing something.
Do his parents think there's a problem?

Araminta49 · 15/03/2017 00:32

Msqueen , that is useful to know , must look up 'hyperfocus '. Did your DDs school call in an ed psych to assess her ?... And at what age?

There must be a fine line between ' mild ' ADHD and a lively , impulsive , NT 'daydreamer' I suppose .

Gerrard , thanks for replying . You have helpfully put into perspective that his behaviour could be like a 'normal ' 5 year old -which is what I am wondering . My DGS mum is also concerned that he could have ADD . He is a sweet , loving boy and extremely lively , but again most 5 year olds are always on the go .

OP posts:

mrz · 15/03/2017 06:12

Ed Psychs can't diagnose ADHD

scrivette · 15/03/2017 06:17

Sounds like my summer born year 1 boy.

I have a meeting with the school today to discuss his concentration (or lack of) and I will be interested to see if they mention ADD.

I don't think he has it but is young for his age and isn't very interested in school. He can concentrate at home when he is playing with his toys, but not when he is doing something routine like cleaning teeth.

mrz · 15/03/2017 06:41

The school shouldn't mention ADD only inform you if they think there is a problem with attention skills.

GreenTshirt55 · 15/03/2017 06:53

No, Ed Psychs can't by themselves diagnose ADHD but in a number of local authorities they are asked to carry out an observation on behalf of the paediatrician.

Araminta49 · 15/03/2017 14:04

Ah , so a paediatrician makes the diagnosis? What sort of assessments are needed ?

School has said his concentration is sometimes poor , but good if he is interested in what is being taught , which could be entirely normal.

Scrivette , yes he sounds very similar , be interested in what your sons teacher says .

OP posts:

mrz · 15/03/2017 17:12

Usually a psychiatrist, a paediatrician, a clinical psychologist or a combination of these.
It's diagnosed using a list (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and the symptoms must have been apparent for six months or more.

GreenTshirt55 · 15/03/2017 18:30

Ed psychs can also come in to school to do classroom observations, consultations with teachers, interviews with the child, and to let the teachers also complete the 'list' and then report this back to the professional making the diagnosis. More, shall we say, enlightened LAs will follow this approach!

mrz · 15/03/2017 18:32

ADHD is normally diagnosed by health so not under LA jurisdiction

GreenTshirt55 · 16/03/2017 18:20

Each area will have its own pathways and procedures.

mrz · 16/03/2017 18:35

ADHD can only be diagnosed by a health professional it comes under health remit. Once a diagnosis is made the LA may be involved if the child requires additional support.

GreenTshirt55 · 16/03/2017 20:39

I agree - yet your point doesn't really follow from the previous few messages - why are you being so snippy?

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GreenTshirt55 · 16/03/2017 20:42

I have said that EPs can contribute towards a diagnosis. I have said that their involvement depends on the area/LA due to different areas having different pathways. I have said that more enlightened pathways will include EP advice. I have not said that professionals other than health professionals can diagnose ADHD.

Why do I get the feeling you're trying to start an argument?

Nellooo · 16/03/2017 20:55

Our DS (7) sounds similar to your lad, OP.

We've gone private to have an ed psych assessment done and an assessment by a paediatrician and we have multiple diagnoses - severe dyslexia, ADHD and ODD.

We are just now working with school to decide the next steps. Lucky for us they are a kind and dedicated team who are committed to helping him in the school environment. He's a super kid at home and out and about, but school is like a pressure cooker for him.

Nellooo · 16/03/2017 20:58

Sorry, to clarify, the ed psych diagnosed the dyslexia and the paediatrician the ADD and ODD.

We had to go private as school told us there were long waiting lists (8 months plus) for kids to be seen.

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