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Original poster

ADHD.....parents advice please?!

23 replies

Anna85 · 07/12/2010 11:11

I have posted a bit before however my nearly 5 year old DS has recently been diagnosed with ASD.

He has fairly strong impulsive behaviour, cannot wait for things etc, lack of concentration etc.

However they have now asked me to completed a Connors Questionnaire which I know is used to diagnose ADHD, however one of the Family Practitioners who came round thinks he hasn't got ADHD as at times can sit (with constant reminding for only few mins at a time) to do things.

You have to score each question out of a 3 (3 being highest) and he scored more or less over half for everything at a 3!!

What I am really trying to ask does all children with ADHD have to be constantly bouncing of walls etc?!

Thanks for ur help!

OP posts:

Mustbetimeforwine · 07/12/2010 11:55

Hi Anna

I don't believe that children with ADHD have to be bouncing off the wals and appearing to be out of control all the time, no.

My dd who possibly has ASD is very over excited and can have poor concentration. She was fleetingly assessed for ADHD by the health visitor. As dd sleeps well, so she said that it was virtually impossible as pretty much all children with ADHD have poor sleeping patterns, as their brains are constantly active and find it difficult to shut down.

I'm not necessarily going to be much help as i'm right at the beginning of all this myself. Dd doesn't have a diagnosis(yet), but poor concentration and some of the other symptoms such as appearing over excited all the time could actually just be symptoms of ASD rather than ADHD. I'm sure you've already thought of this, but just thought i'd say anyway.

I'm not sure if you're saying your ds does or doesn't 'bounce off the walls'. If it's just poor concentration, it's possible it could be ADD.

What do his school say?

wasuup3000 · 07/12/2010 11:57

No - If they are interested in something then they will sit still and there are 3 diff types of ADHD as well.

Original poster

Anna85 · 07/12/2010 12:06

Mustbetimeforwine - DS has dx of ASD this was something they said they queried doing at time of Multi-disciplinary assessment but now decided to do it!!

School is a big problem!!!! x

OP posts:

wasuup3000 · 07/12/2010 12:14

hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/attention_deficit.html

Original poster

Anna85 · 07/12/2010 12:23

So confusing as it seems a lot of things are similar to ASD?!

OP posts:

wasuup3000 · 07/12/2010 12:27

There is a possibility that my 4 year old may have ADHD the difference between him and his brother ASD and ADD is that he does have theory of mind and he will do small jobs without asking such as taking his bowl out, getting coats and shoes for others.

borderslass · 07/12/2010 12:28

DD2 has ADHD but the inattentive type, she does get hyper sometimes but not to the extent of some kids.

ouryve · 07/12/2010 12:47

Kids with ADHD can hyperfocus on things that interest them, often for long periods and very much to the exclusion of everything else. ADHD also now encompasses ADD which doesn't have hyperactivity as a feature.

My 7 year old has ASD and ADHD and is very much the bouncy type. Even when he's hyperfocussed, his legs are all over the place and he's constantly shifting around in his seat and exploring his surroundings with his hands and feet. Trying to take him away from an activity he's heavily focussed on can trigger a rather explosive meltdown (this is probably the ASD) and it takes him a while to stop ricocheting off the walls afterwards.

tibni · 07/12/2010 13:23

ds has ASD and ADHD (as well as learning difficulties and other co-morbids). He was diagnosed with ASD at 2 but the ADHD is recent and came after a good school move and a happy settled period where he still struggled so much with concentration. We have often described ds like "tigger on speed" he can sit and concentrate on tasks that he wants to - but struggles to move on.

annoyingdevil · 07/12/2010 13:35

I'm pretty sure I have it, and when something interests me I am like a woman possessed (hyperfocused).

Original poster

Anna85 · 07/12/2010 21:02

Well I spoke with the Pyschologist today about it all and at the time of diagnosis for ASD she had made a note to think about doing assessment for ADHD hence the need now to do Connors Questionnaire.

She said the Connors isnt used specially to diagnose ADHD but is there as an indicator if perhaps a child is at risk etc!!

Her plan is now to go and observe in school and a possible referral to the ppl who specialise in ADHD in our area!!

So back to lots of waiting again!

One more question does all ADHD children have to have a problem with sleep?! As DS is sometimes okay at night depends really on his mood! x

OP posts:

annoyingdevil · 07/12/2010 22:28

I can only speak for myself, if I don't wake at night I am fine. But if I wake, my mind goes into overdrive and I can't get back to sleep.

Would say that I sleep well 50% of the time

wasuup3000 · 08/12/2010 10:26

I have to take my ds to bed and stay with until he goes to sleep. No one else can settle him as he only wants me at night - otherwise hes bouncing of the walls all night. After I have gone to bed he wakes and dives on top of me and his Dad more or less pushing DH out of the way! So he sleeps OK if he has me basically. He feeds of his Dad getting upset and shouting and saying No to him. I am calmer with him and he knows if he doesn't settle straight away that I will leave the room which I often have to threaten to do and do, do but usually he settles after that.

HelensMelons · 08/12/2010 11:24

Hi Anna, ds2 has a dx of asd and adhd; he has what is described as 'high activity levels', in bed his feet go a dinger on and off all night but he sleeps very well. My feeling is that he sleeps well because of the overload of his day.

He is able to hyperfocus on things he particularly enjoys but would also have poor concentration, impulsive, a bit destructive at times without meaning to be etc but not always bouncing off walls!.

We were also dx with specialist adhd team who are excellent and we also have support group here in NI who offer parentcraft classes specifically for parents of children with adhd, so check out if your people who specialise offer something like that. I found it beneficial to meet other mums in the same boatx

Original poster

Anna85 · 08/12/2010 11:52

When you read up on ADHD its confusing as a lot of the symptoms mirror each other.

Concentration and impulsive behaviour is a big problem with DS which then does lead to tantrums etc!

Just the waiting again is a daunting process!!

OP posts:

wasuup3000 · 08/12/2010 12:40

I have got to meet with said 4 year olds teacher after school, he has to wear a high visibility Jacket at playtimes because he keeps getting lost, says no to teachers and shouts out in assembly...
Possible 3rd Child with SEN problems! Great!! Kind of had a hunch but even so :(

annoyingdevil · 09/12/2010 10:29

I meant to say, if I do anything at all stimulating during the day then I can't sleep. which is why I was a total insomniac when I worked full time.

I think ADHD children need plenty of calming, non-stimulating activities.

Even choir practice results in a sleepless night for me

Teenz38 · 09/12/2010 11:10

My 10year old son has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and conduct disorder. He had displayed many traits of the condition for a number of years but in my previous area I got nowhere, as the schools and my results of the Connors index were completely different and the CAHMS where i was were hopeless. Since moving to a new area the diagnosing was done by the hospital still using the same index and have been brilliant but its still tiring at times. My son can sit still at times. Always thinks of your childs worst moments when you fill the index out, even though as a parent with a child with the condition I know that all the symptons dont always show all the timebut they are there - theres good days and bad days and sitting still is not the only sympton of ADHD x

Original poster

Anna85 · 09/12/2010 17:00

Some days he can be really hyper but like today has come from school and fallen asleep!!

I think they were concerned how impulsive he is and his concentration - could it still be ADHD?

OP posts:

coogar · 09/12/2010 18:59

Can children with ASD automatically be a 'bit hyper'? I wonder if it's the autism that contributes to the behaviour that mirrors ADHD, not 'pure' ADHD iyswim. Many children on this forum seem to have the 2 dx. What are the ADHD symptoms and what are the ASD symptons .... I'd be really interested to learn. Thanks !

Teenz38 · 10/12/2010 11:02

I'm not really sure about the ASD but for my son with ADHD. I had a book from the library which helped find out a lot of information - "ADHD the fact by Mark Selikowitz" it covers what it is, characteristics, causes, how its diagnosed and treatments and briefly covers the co-morbid conditions that are associated with ADHD. My son can sit still if hes totally engrossed with something - he can spend hours on his xbox but does pop down for something to eat but try to get him to do something else is a nightmare, i had 1 incident where all i asked him to do was to bring his bin down from his room and i had chaos from him for over an hour. My son does sleep but doesnt fall asleep til 11ish and has interrupted sleep most nights but since hes been on medication he manages to sleep in til 8ish whereas before he was always awake between 5-6am. On my lads schools Index results he got 31/59 on the 3 and they said his attention span was short losing concentration then becomes disruptive and wonders off. Hope this helps you x

coogar · 11/12/2010 15:23

Teenz what is 'lads schools index' ?

r3dh3d · 11/12/2010 16:53

I have ADHD.

It comes in 3 flavours: inattentive, impulsive, hyperactive. You can have any combination of those, personally I am always inattentive and sometimes impulsive. No hyperactivity at all. No issues whatsoever with sleep!

If you go through a full diagnosis with CAMHS or whoever, they should chuck several questionnaires at you, some of which are specifically targetted at those areas where conditions such as ASD and ADHD (and to an extent OCD and some mental health issues though at age 5 mental health won't be considered) overlap, to give them the best picture of whether they are looking at 1 condition or more.

I think it's harder when they are young: of course best to spot it early, absolutely the right thing to do, but it's not always clear at this age how much of one condition you are looking at and how much of another. I think it's worth keeping in touch with the professionals and reviewing every couple of years or so or you can get stuck if your kid has diagnosis A and gets support in school based on that diagnosis ... and actually turns out to be an odd case of diagnosis B with bits of A and maybe would have done better with different help.

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