Part of ADHD?

[purpleme12]

There are many other reasons why my child may have ADHD at this point.
But the second we sit down or are not actively doing something she says she's bored.
And sometimes I think she can't cope with being bored.
Could this be part of ADHD?

Anyone?

It’s difficult to say as people present so differently. My ds (9) has adhd and is NEVER EVER bored! He zones out and can entertain himself for hours upon end.

Agree, mine has adhd and amuses himself fine.

Ok it's so confusing.
I do find this trait frustrating

As above, 10 yr old DS can daydream for hours on end, as can I. Doesn't mean it's not part of the adhd, but it's not a symptom we experience...

Ok I'll just keep at it

But from the comments it's possible it could be?

Definitely. My ADHD child needed constant input from something or somewhere. I work with SEND/ND children, and they often cannot be left to their own devices at all - they're either disruptive or (more often) fidgety, unfocused and edgy - some will just zone out into their own world.

Gets better as they get older, often because they develop coping strategies.

And sometimes I think she can't cope with being bored.

I can't and I have ADHD. Constant stimulus and frequently constant stimuli.

Ok thank you everyone.
Sometimes I actually wonder if this is why she turns the Tele on immediately.
We come in the house or she stops an activity and I think sometimes turning the Tele on is the default almost

Any other opinions welcome

I think it can be part of ADHD. This is why some people with ADHD are very much thrill seekers. They need the adrenaline rush and are easily bored with the everyday.

“Research shows that people with ADHD (among others) report higher frequencies of boredom.”

chadd.org/adhd-isolation-and-boredom/

Yes it can be but it doesn't mean she has ADHD. She needs a holistic assessment.

Yeah, potentially very much so - not enough stimulation coming in. My child was like this pre meds (and still is, off meds), esp when it's a transition from one activity to not knowing what to do next. But as others have said, you need a comprehensive professional assessment.

“People with ADHD may struggle more with regulating their attention and staying engaged with an activity over an extended period of time. They may find that their attentional arousal (mental energy) fades more quickly, especially when engaged in an activity that isn’t very interesting or important or has gone on too long. As their attentional arousal fades, they may run out of the ability to hold their attention on the task, feel bored by it, and seek more interesting activities to spike up their arousal and reduce the boredom.”

From the resource I linked. I would push for assessment. Are you on the waiting list?

What's this and what do they do?

Basically you need the nhs gold standard for adhd assessment- questionnaire to you and school and the paediatrician will check if there are any other issues. We did all this, got diagnosed and my dc is now on meds which are really helping.

Seeing gp is the first step and ask for referral for adhd diagnosis. Worth speaking to school Senco as well.

DD can't just sit and does not zone out as described above unless she is doing something. Her attention can be quite single channelled but fidgets while focusing. For example, she can watch TV for hours, but will skin pick, tap or leg bounce throughout. She can't just sit.

What do you mean the NHS gold standard?
Hard to get one?

What I mean is the process which is reputable and recommended by NICE - I will link. Would you be able to consider going private or is that out of the question? In our area the wait list is 18 months.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87/resources/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-diagnosis-and-management-pdf-1837699732933

Includes this:

”Diagnosis
1.3.1 A diagnosis of ADHD should only be made by a specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD, on the basis of:

• a full clinical and psychosocial assessment of the person; this should include discussion about behaviour and symptoms in the different domains and settings of the person's everyday life and

• a full developmental and psychiatric history and

• observer reports and assessment of the person's mental state.

A diagnosis of ADHD should not be made solely on the basis of rating scale or observational data. However, rating scales such as the Conners' rating scales and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire are valuable adjuncts, and observations (for example, at school) are useful when there is doubt about symptoms.“