Disconcerted by ADHD thread - and a question

[howtodoitall]

Hi, I have been reading the thread on ADHD and concentration, which says a child who can concentrate for quite long periods of time can still have ADHD.

My question is this: what does it mean when people talk about a child's attention span? Does this mean how long they can listen to a story for, or does it mean how long they can play/draw/whatever on their own for?

My DD will concentrate with me for a while, if I'm reading to her, painting with her, or doing a kids' magazine with her, but she won't concentrate on those things alone.

Thanks for any help!

Either really. Some children do need input from others to keep focussed, others less so. By school age they should be able to do a task independently for a short period at least but not necessarily without chat or interaction. I think they often become more independent once they can read and follow basic instructions themselves rather than require verbal input all the time. Do you have specific concerns ?

Basically it's when they are required to ie: in the classroom, at the cinema, at the dinner table, on a bus etc etc. They will usually stand out amongst their peers as being 'different' in this area. Attention and concentration are pretty much the same thing to a young child. My ds can watch a film from beginning to end. He can play on the Wii for an hour. He can play Uno with his mates and enjoy other board games. But when it comes to sitting in the classroom and having to listen and pay attention for half an hour, he finds this tricky. Now, is it ADHD or the fact they're not interested or being stimulated enough? Whatever, it is our society and education system wants our children to conform, sit still and listen ... so when they don't, it must be a 'special educational need' - it's the conclusion I'm coming to and I'm really sad about it. My SENCO told me the education system in so out of date for kids of our time and needs complete reform to engage and able these types of children to access their curriculum. My son is also very confident and will approach and interact with other children or adults at ease. He feels very comfortable in his skin. It's the way his past teachers have reacted to him that has started to effect his self image and confidence, especially in school All children display elements of ADHD at sometime, it's a natural part of development. However, if it's affecting school or social life, then it may be a bigger problem. How old is your dd?

Hi, thanks for the messages. Sorry to hear about the problems with your ds, Madamesin. My DD is 3 and a half. We seem to have the opposite problem in some ways from yours, in that she is apparently doing fine at sitting still in nursery (though of course they only have to do 10-15 mins max), but at home she is all over the place.

10-15 mins for a three and half year old is very long ... they should be sitting for a minute for every year of their life ... ie: your dd shouldn't have to sit and listen for longer than 4 mins. My ds is expected to sit for ha;f an hour at a time when it the child psych told me it should only be for 10 mins max . I don't think you have a real problem as for any kind of dx she would need to be displaying the 'symptoms' in more then one setting iyswim.

Oh for goodness sake, please don't get caught in this hysteria; a minute per year is a suggested 'attention span', anything above that is a bonus.

Children are active little beings and need to be stimulated; reading the same old book for 1100000 time will not keep them interested.
They need outdoor activities - running about, climbing things, jumping off things, they need the freedom to be children...
Attention not bloody medication.

If no other parent has ever said to you "I don't know how the hell you deal with that every day, I'd chuck myself under a Bus^ if I had to deal with that every day!"

Than there is nothing wrong with your kid.

My son is nearly eight. He can keep quiet for as long as it takes me to inwardly count to 20. that's can, not will. I've offered him chocolate if he can sit down and not say a word for 1 whole minute. He cannot do it.

He walks into roads because something moved on the horizon.

He twitches and jerks in bed until 10pm unless I medicate him with melatonin, even if he is physically exhausted and ill. Then he gets up at 4 (the melatonin doesn't help with this) because he's obsessing about the computer, or he 'just wok up, mummy'. If I make him stay in his room, he rocks, bangs, shakes his head from side to side and generally seeks stimulus.

He falls over when he laughs because he cannot concentrate on laughing and staying upright at the same time. He literally rolls on the floor laughing. I try not to make him laugh when it's raining.

That's ADHD.

colditz - my SIL is fantastic with my DD1, but yesterday when I was a little sarcastic, I apologized and said "sorry, but 24 hours per day, 7 days a week...."

she replied "I honestly don't know how you do it"

DD1 is almost 4.11, and she is starting to know that she is like it. She clamps her hand over her mouth to stop herself talking, and starts another sentence before she finishes the first one

Melatonin is great for the evening, because she can be absolutely exhausted but can't fall asleep. But as you say, it doesn't stop her waking at 4.30am and calling her sister to wake up, or turning on their light.

I used to take melatonin on regular 18 hr flights to be fresh for the meeting on the other end.
Had to pop couple every few hours as they do wear off rather fast.
Have been told by those-in-know-on-Harley-St that melatonin has no long term effect/consequences but thats for an adult.
I do not know anyone who has a child with ADHD, just very worried about needlessly and so easily medicating overactive/bored/suffering from lack of love-attention children.
colditz and Lougle, I do hope you'll find something that really helps...

There isn't much, to be honest. We've been offered Ritalin but I don't want to use it unless I have to, due to many concerns I have (Ds1 is skinny, doesn't sleep, and borders on the obsessive, plus we have family history of depression and anxiety - Ritalin might help the ADHD but probably won't help with anything else)

he's ok. I've had to go against sleep seeking instinct and ban the computer and all other screens in the morning, as Ds1 was getting up earlier and earlier for more 'time'.

Rollmops said:

Rollmops, I just want to point out this comment and assure you that it is not so easy to medicate children who have ADHD. I fought and argued with doctors for years before ds was finally allowed a trial of medication which has made a massive difference to his ability to focus and stay on task with the simplest of activities, and he is a far happier child for it. We're not alone in this. Those who have little or no experience of ADHD often assume that drugs are being doled out willy-nilly to children who just need more parental time and attention, but believe me it's nowhere near that simple. If only it were!

Hope you understand, and I'm not in the least suggesting that your remark was directed to anyone on this thread. Just for clarification .

I get comments "I don't know how you cope with him" "Has he calmed down yet?" "maniac" "[he's] not a very nice person" "Is he completely mad or what?"

DS is probably within the normal spectrum since I haven't been invited to throw myself under a bus, but he's certainly at the challenging end of it! I'm willing to learn coping strategies from anybody, including parents of ADHD kids.

Colditz sorry, as not familiar with your son's SN ... but is his dx for ADHD only ? Hope you don't mind me asking.

Nope it's for ASD too.