I am just seeing some symptoms of that in my elder boy (8 years), though at the moment its not severe and hopefully it will go away. By definition if the condition remains persistent for 6 months then it needs medical/psychological treatment.
Any parents here whose child(ren) has had/suffering-from this problem?
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
I don't know much about Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, but my question is it seems most kids are hyper and love doing various things and get bored easily. Where is the line crossed between normal behavior and where there may be an issue. Anyone know any good websites perhaps?
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
There are certain criteria used to determine whether a child is actually ADD/ADHD…here is a useful link which describes these in detail…and yes I think they look for a history of these symptoms but I dont know if its 6 months.
AD(H)D CRITERIA - DSM IV * Criteria for determining ADD / ADHD
I visited this website: Symptoms and Diagnostic Criteria
per this site:
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
I don't think I am hyperactive but I think I certainly have attention deficit disorder... my parents never found that out, never had any treatment... anyhow I guess you should talk with your son's teacher and if possible with a behavior counselor at school.
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
Also whenever you consult a doctor or a psycharist, try not to get him on meds if he is not severely "severely" hyperactice. Try to work with the school and the psycharist on other methods to calm him down...meds should be the last resort when nothing else works...
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
Ehtasab, sounds like you've been doing some good reading up on the subject! My son fits the criteria but we have not put him on meds - the stimulants like ritalin and strattera are scary to me. And he is in a wonderfully supportive classroom, its called 12-1-2 which means 12 students, 1 special-ed teacher and 2 aides. In many cases of ADD/ADHD, just having a supportive and understanding classroom is all they need. Probably the best thing to do is first talk to your son's teacher. See what the teacher thinks. Then see a neuro-developmental doc. The doc would likely send you a bunch of forms before your appointment - one set for you to complete and one set for your son's teacher to complete. You bring these to the first appt and the doc scores them, does his own evaluation and then will sit down with you to discuss findings and recommendations.
Many of these docs will just whip out their prescription pads and write out ritalin so you need to be really careful to read up on the stimulant types of drugs, their side effects etc...and then read up on other methods of addressing ADD/ADHD without the meds. I'm sure the drugs are a godsend to some but they are really over-prescribed.
Good luck with it! And you know, it could really just be a phase? Maybe he'll grow out of it Inshallah. If you go to some of the websites about add, they describe the types of things that help with it so maybe you can try that too. Like, jumping and spinning activities seem to help them "ground themselves", make them feel steady instead of all jumpy. So something like jumping on a trampoline (or couch) for 5 minutes before doing homework...sounds really strange but it actually and truly works! Or put him on a swing and twirl it around and around let it spin for a while.
Anyway, hope this helps and best of luck to your little guy!
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
my parents were told by my brother's elementary school teachers to diagnose him with ADHD, at the same age your son is now. parents never went for it, and i'm glad they didn't. to be honest, it was just a phase. as he grew older, he got less and less hyper, and his attention span definitely improved (memorizing all episodes of pokemon was an indication :p). he was taken to a neuropsychologist as well, and he didn't put him on any medications. he's now a very productive and sociable teenager.
like MO3, i am a bit apprehensive about drugs like ritalin, and my prespective's from a purely educational and clinical side. normally, kids of that age do grow out of their hyperactiveness. it's when they grow up, then it's better to see if it really is a problem or a phase. there are proper, non-medicational ways to deal with a child with hyperactivity and attentiveness problems.
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
Lusi, Mamaof3, Khumar: Thanks for your advice. I’m not going to go for (I hope to stay this course) any medical treatment for his AD symptoms. As Khumar indicated, it looks like a short phase to me, hopefully he will get out of it. I am trying to pay more attention to him at home so we can help him keep focus on things, listen attentively etc. Once weather gets better I’ll involve him outdoor sports.
Thanks y’all :k:
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
What are those please explain as others who don't know will know and find out if their kids have this problem.
I haven't heard about this problem.
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
ADD/ADHD is Attention Deficit disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder. When a child has this disorder, they cant sit still, cant concentrate or pay attention, they are impulsive etc etc. The links in this thread explain it more fully.
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
Thanks sis mama of 3. Someone explained me after my posting.
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
I was looking for some books on ADHD for kids and came across this parent guide, you might want to check it out...
It is "Parenting Children with ADHD; 10 Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach" by Vincent J. Monastra, Ph D.
Re: Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder in children
Kids are changing. We've been talking about that a lot at school. Even the younger teachers like me are noticing a clear shift. And veterans are noticing that current students are dramatically different from five years ago.
That being said, part of the shift is that the general population of the school is shifting. But there is more to it.
A lot of it is attached to ADD and ADHD. Even those students who are not diagnosed with these learning issues display some of the signs of them.
But it's not always a bad thing. For example, in my 12th grade English class we teach a lot of modern literature that is very challenging, where the narratives are not linear, where there is a lot of confusion about chronology, speaker, and narrator. Five years ago I would have to pause and really look at these moments in detail, walking the students through them to help them understand. Now, when I pause to explain they say, "Yeah we get it." In fact it is linear narratives in classic texts that they find confusing and hard to follow. Modern works that are more experimental and thought to be more challenging, actually more accurately reflect their mindset.
I know I'm not directly answering your question, but I just wanted to give you another perspective from someone who deals with multiple kids with learning differences (I really don't consider the disabilities) on a daily basis. I'm teaching at a very prestigious private school, where sometimes 50% of my class is diagnosed. ADD and ADHD are not indications of a lack of intelligence, and it can be very frustrating for a child who knows s/he is smart but can't function and follow-through due to ADD and ADHD.
Also, if you haven't seen it, the movie Tare Zameen Per is beautifully and thoughtfully done. They focus more on dyslexia, but ADD is also addressed.
my parents were told by my brother's elementary school teachers to diagnose him with ADHD, at the same age your son is now. parents never went for it, and i'm glad they didn't. to be honest, it was just a phase. as he grew older, he got less and less hyper, and his attention span definitely improved (memorizing all episodes of pokemon was an indication :p). he was taken to a neuropsychologist as well, and he didn't put him on any medications. he's now a very productive and sociable teenager.
like MO3, i am a bit apprehensive about drugs like ritalin, and my prespective's from a purely educational and clinical side. normally, kids of that age do grow out of their hyperactiveness. it's when they grow up, then it's better to see if it really is a problem or a phase. there are proper, non-medicational ways to deal with a child with hyperactivity and attentiveness problems.
My brothers were never diagnosed either. I think for one it's very minor, for the other it's had larger consequences. They are two of the most intelligent people I know but both struggled academically because when they were growing up, not much was known about these issues, and well, to be honest, I don't think my parents wanted to admit there were issues.
It's not just about being hyper. If you have ADD you even need extended time on "adult things" like the Law Bar exam. It can make a huge difference in your career. And there are a lot of consequences when an individual goes undiagnosed and struggles to match her/his abilities with actual productivity and progress.
I agree, I wouldn't jump straight to medication. But I do think people with ADD and ADHD need support in learning what is holding them back and how to address it when they feel frustrated. And occasionally, medication for a short while is needed.