Does this sound like ADHD in a teenager?

[beitasmalltown]

My sons have severe ASD, non verbal with ADHD.

I got an A* for English and History.

My Maths GCSE was a D (just about that!)

My Biology was an A... my chemistry and science a D bringing my overall grade down by a lot (I can't remember what it was now)

I really, really wanted to pay attention but my brain just flew away with the fairies if it wasn't stimulated into focusing. If I wasn't interested in it, as in genuinely curious and enjoying the material, my mind ran.

It would go something like this... a maths teacher would say 'right, this is why this triangle's x = 90•

My mind would think right, focus now! And then it would say '90, that's a good age to be. Must be good to get to 90. Think of all those years. That reminds me, nanny is getting old. What would she want me to remember about her? My brain would then start playing 'DO YOU REMEMBER' the earth wind and fire song

And I would be full of self hatred that I just couldn't bloody concentrate! I tried and kept failing

In English and History I would wow the teachers with a lot of extensive knowledge and already read the material they were giving us to work on. I was genuinely interested and enjoyed it.

There was a parallel universe going on at parent's evening - one teacher describing a chatty, involved and clever student who took a lot of interest and produced great work (if sometimes late). The other saying I don't pay attention and look like I'm daydreaming a lot with very poor maths skills well below expected

My parents weren't very interested in my academic achievements at all and had a lot on because they had 3 toddlers when I hit secondary school

Would it really have been any better for me if someone was pushing me externally?

For what it's worth, I am a paramedic now. But I left school with next to nothing and didn't do any A Levels. I only made this choice in my 20s before have DS

I am plagued constantly in daily life by dopamine chasing, guilt and a brain that never shuts up. Topped off nicely with over compensating at things like work and anything to do with my son

And as it so happens, my best academic achievement now is Science based and I have great maths skills... but that's only due to the variety of resources, videos and visual aids available to me once I was an adult

I bet my bottom
dollar you are exactly where you should be with your career…. Highly empathetic and quick thinking … the dream combo …
congrats on channeling your neuro spicy xxx

Ahh yes, thank you

The nature of the job means I am switched on when needed because I work best under pressure and my absolute worst if I had loads of time to dilly dally... which I don't and never will in this line of work!

Exactly what I thought when I read your post !

Im inattentive ADD

And have an autistic child… Because it turns out I have an autistic husband….
apparently the autism and adhd relationship is a thing!
autistic spouse likes that the adhd partner fills all the conversation gaps!
the adhd partner forgets or forgives the often reduces affections and in apropriate comments.
tjhe adhd partner is a sensitive soul who wants to help the autistic partner … you can see how this works!

Sounds exactly like ADHD.

My stepdaughter is like this now. Spiky profile with high high verbal skills but low in maths and science. I have been begging the school to give her additional support but she has no formal diagnosis and they refuse to help. They’ve lumped in her in with low maths achievers and just compare her to them saying she’s doing fine compared to the class. She hasn’t yet passed a single maths test this year but the average mark for the whole class has also been a fail and therefore she fits in with that group according to school. In all wordy and language subjects she’s achieving high grades. They don’t see this, or understand or care. So, what I’m saying is that even if you’d had parents fighting you corner, it may not have made much of a difference. I can’t afford an Ed psych assessment for her or a long term maths tutor. Back in the day, failing GCSE maths wasn’t the end of the world, but these days you are very limited in 6th form and then university courses.

@BirdieBrain2 I'm really sorry to hear about your daughter. Just know it isn't the end of the world if she leaves school with bad results in anything

She can re done it all. Or take a functional skills maths (I have that). There are so many better options. If she has possible ADHD like me, it's also more engaging as an adult and stimulating to know what you're working towards has a direct end goal

But I really do wish school would see her potential and put something in place to help her more

It's rubbish that it isn't spotted sooner!