Can anyone talk to me about Inattentive ADHD?

[TattiePants]

I'm convinced my DS has inattentive ADHD and was wondering if there are any parents, SENCOs or medical professionals with experience who can offer some advice?

DS (11) is in Yr7 and whilst he has always struggled with his concentration, forgetfulness and attention to detail, things have really come to a head this year. In Yr1 his teacher (who was also the SENCO) referred us to CAMHS. They visited him at school and said he was just immature, summer born and a typical boy. His school tried to support him but were pretty useless. We moved him to a new school in Yr5 and things improved slightly as they introduced lots of strategies to help him cope.

He is now in a large senior school and things have gone down hill drastically. The teachers say he is academically bright and he is terrified of getting into trouble at school but despite that he just can't focus. He drifts off into his own world, he struggles to retain information (perhaps as he didn't take it in in the first place?), he's disorganised and gets easily distracted. Homework is hellish; logically he knows he has to do it but it's always a battle and a 30 minute exercise can take 6 hours to do!

He's a very anxious and unconfident child with a small group of close friends and has really struggled with fitting in with other pupils. There's been a lot of low-level bullying, possibly because he gets upset and the other kids get a reaction from him but he may also be instigating some of it (he's still immature and could be annoying other kids by being silly). In the last couple of months he has gone from being very laid back and relaxed to having huge anger issues and it just feels like everything is getting too much for him. It's breaking my heart when he says everyone hates him and he's stupid.

The school have been great; regular meetings with SENCO, he meets with a mentor at least once a week, goes to regular sessions with MIND, given a buddy, been tested for dyslexia, suggested counselling, dealing with bullying etc but it's not enough and he is desperately unhappy. We have a private appointment with a behavioral psychologist during the holidays but I feel like I need to do something now.

Has anyone experienced anything like this?

[Lirogiro]

I wondered about this for my son but he has recently been diagnosed with epilepsy. There's a type of seizure called an absence seizure that means people lose concentration and basically zone out whilst still being physically conscious. My son's distractedness was getting worse, he was losing things and doing less well at school despite being able to be quite with it aome of the time. I think he was having an increasing number of absences.
He's on medication now and it's like he's been turned back on. He's so much more attentive and doing much better at school again.
Obviously no idea if this is the case for your son but just wanted to highlight the possibility.

[TattiePants]

Thanks for your reply & I’ll definitely take a look at that site. I’m open to anything and would consider medication if it makes his life easier. We often talk through homework in the car, sitting on the sofa etc, anything other than sitting at a desk,

[Allthewaves]

My ds has taken great comfort in the fact he's not stupid and that his adhd makes x,y and z harder so we have to think of different ways he can do things. It's not an excuse, I'd never let it be that but it's taken the pressure off that he's not odd or weird

[Allthewaves]

Mine do homework lying on sittingroom floor as they work better there. Someone else I read about put's sons favourite TV programme on and he has to do each hw question in he ad break.

[Allthewaves]

Addmag is a great site. Lots of tips and strategies

[Allthewaves]

I have a combined adhd age 9. He's very immature and silly. Adhd brains mature a lot later. Have you thought about medication? It's changed my dc life. He's gone to top if class, he doesn't overwhelm people they way he used to.