Do you think this could be ADHD/ ASD DD13

[valerianroot]

DD is 13 and in the last 6 months her behaviour, especially at school has really changed. Obviously a lot of this is probably down to hormones and age but I don't want to just write it off as this (feel my parents did this massively with me so keen to help her).

She seems to think that all teachers are against her and even when they're clearly trying to help her she just doesn't seem to be able to recognise this. She seems to hold real personal grudges against teachers for minor things in class. Her teachers have described her as disengaged and does things like walk around the classroom and answer back. She also seems to have a real problem with authority figures, mainly at school. I had a chat with her this weekend and she was uncharacteristically open about things and she said she's really struggling to understand anything in class, when she sees words she doesn't know what to do with them and when she talks to the teachers about this they accuse her of being difficult (which to be fair she probably is coming across as) she also described having brain fog. She is dyslexic with low processing which school are aware of and this was only picked up in Y6 but I've always wondered if there was something else too.

Other things are she's continuously late, disorganised, has real trouble keep focused, can't keep to any deadlines, really messy with room, backpack etc (school have commented on this not helping).

I'm considering a private assessment next year and would love to hear of any of your experiences with teens with similar.

I'm not qualified to comment op. However dd had undiagnosed adhd/add and some traits of ASD which were diagnosed at 17 after she developed anxiety and depression.

The messy room and bag resonate but not the disruptive behaviour.

Obviously something is going on with your dd and I feel for you. Is she getting any support through school/CAMHS. The latter I know can be a frustrating process. Can you get help in place privately?

Thank you - the SEN at her school isn't great TBH. The waitlists where I live for CAHMS are years long hence why I'm thinking of going private for her. The disruptive behaviour is new and from what the teachers say is all quite low level but it's the other things she's talked about which worry me.

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Another thing you might like to take a look at is dyspraxia. It's in the same stable as asd, adhd and dyslexia and can overlap with any one of them - or stand alone.

Yes it does rather sound like adhd, my daughter also has similar issues many of which have become much worse over the last year. Misunderstands a lot , a lot of organisation skills, looking back we have scaffolded her a lot. Sadly she has also fallen out with numerous peers in school and has done some inappropriate things by text. Have a look online at ADHD in girls to see if it matches up, and at Russell Barkley videos and also I can recommend getting the book by Joanne steer if you suspect ADHD. We're getting an assessment soon but wish we had got one a couple of years ago. Push the school for it. Gorls oftern fall under the radar.

I have adhd and dyspraxia and this sounds similar. I would wonder though why the school are not giving her mor support given they know about the dyslexia and low processing. If she is having to ask in class and isn't getting helpful responses then she isn't being properly supported surely?

I was often totally baffled in school but would just zone out

Thank you for all your replies. I'm sure there is something else going on as well the dyslexia. Her school are just not great at SEN at all, I'd probably move her but she seems happy enough with her friendship groups and was getting on well up until a year or so ago.

I'm following as my DD has been showing all the symptoms since going to high school. Her Yr6 teacher always managed her impulsive behaviour but this is on a different level. She's showing more symptoms at home. Loosing everything, disorganised, blames everyone else, interrupts constantly, no focus, making silly mistakes in her work etc. She's always been assessed as exceeding if every subject but now has dropped to lower sets as making so many mistakes in assessment as she rushes to finish etc. I'm beginning to get quite worried that her behaviour isn't normal. Not helped by her peers telling her they think she has ADHD

sounds like she needs an ehcp. you should ask for an educational psychologist assessment. you may have to push as the schools are never keen, but it sounds very necessary.