Thursday

Inattentive ADD

OPINION
After reading about inattentive add, I think my 10y old daughter may have it. She does fidget a bit when sitting, but overall is not hyperactive. Anyone have experience with a child in this category? Do people normally go to a pediatrician about this? I liked the suggestion about using a timer to keep her on task. Any other suggestions. I am against medicating her, that will be a last resort for us. - Psyber Chica

18 comments:

Do you want drugs with that? said...

I don't know much about it it but I'd go to the doc if you are looking to drug your kid. Otherwise you can google ways to help your child. I think the timer is a great start.

Calanna said...

I'm sure you'll get a lot of good suggestions, but just make sure that whatever you go with, you include a GLOWING letter of recommendation. Explain that had to be let go through absolutely no fault of her own. Include specific things you loved about her, not just a generic form-type letter. Include in the letter a way to contact you if one her prospective employers wants to talk to you in person.

Ms. Dr. Juris said...

My brother has ADHD (and so do I) and something that has helped IMMENSELY is music lessons. It requires him to sit still for 30 minutes (although they just bumped it up to an hour) twice a week, and gives him something to look forward to and rewards him for his focus.

caring mom all day said...

Fidgeting a bit doesn't sound like ADD to me @ all.

When I was in school, Id literally stand next to my desk half the time, with one leg on the chair. My mind would wonder when the teacher spoke. Id hear what she would start to say and Id think deeper about what she was starting to say. So while I'm analyzing what she was saying, I'm missing the reamaining 90% of it. My mind would go from the teacher, to the clock to wondering how the clock was made, who made it, where it could've been made, how and where the machines were made that make the clocks. On to the window to the weather to thinking about how weather affects our clothing, our moods, how we behave outdoors to G_d knows what!! That's what ADD looks like. Although I consider myself as simply having a very active mind. :) I don't think figeting a "bit" would qualify for ADD. But there is no way to know online. If figeting a bit were the only symptom then wouldn't almost all kids qualify for ADD? If she has ADD or not, you're concerned about her ability to pay attention so Id ask her what she is experiencing in school. That should give you some more insight.

As far as Dr.Juris suggestion to put the child in music, I think its great it worked for her. I just don't see the connection to it helping with ADD symptoms. Focusing and hyper focusing on something one with ADD is interested in is easy to accomplish. Id have a tough time sitting in a class of 30 people with a teacher talking. Tough meaning its damned near impossible. But if I'm doing something that I enjoy; writing, creating art, cleaning, organizing, etc. Focus is not generally an issue. I can hyper focus on something that interests me. I can see the advice of music being valuable in the way that it will boost a childs self esteem if they are able to accomplish something. If they can get through a lesson well, that's just going to feel good.

Id love an update, OP

OP said...

Her teacher last year told me she wondered if she was borderline ADD and I brushed it off because she is not hyper. Someone responded to the dad post a few days ago talking about inattentive ADD and someone posted a link. She met 8 out of 9 symptoms for the inattentive ADD which is different than hyperactive ADD. What you described happens in your mind is like what she describes. She just isn't bouncing off the walls along with it. I do plan to get her evaluated, but I'm not sure who to go to for that...I suppose we'll start with our ped.

Nanny S said...

I have ADD-inattentive type (I'm 25, but was diagnosed when I was 20).

I can't comment on the medication because I began taking it as an adult. I would recommend fish oil supplements and cutting processed food completely out of her diet. Also have more patience with her need to take breaks. Give her praise and reinforcement for staying "on task". Also be aware that when she's 'off task" it's not intentional. So many times when I was younger, I was supposed to be doing something but something more interesting caught my attention. The next thing I knew, some adult, a parent or a teacher was angry at me and all I felt was shame. It really had lasting effects.

MissMannah said...

Go to your ped. He can refer you to a pediatric psychologist.

I have no way of knowing if your daughter does have any mental disorders, but if the docs recommend medication, please hear them out. I know way too many people who avoid meds at a principle and they just don't understand how much better their lives could be if they took the meds. Either that, or they don't believe the diagnosis so they don't care.

Anonymous said...

Great advice. Medication has absolutely changed my life, and just because it is over prescribed doesnt mean you can refuse to medicate! Please at least listen to the dr if they suggest medicating, and remember that it may take several different medications before you find the one that works for you. I want to say I have tried over 26 different medicines before finding the dosages, medications, and combinations that worked for me. But once you find that right combo/dose, it is a life changer. Good luck!!

Future nurse

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OP said...

Nanny S,

do you mind sharing more about how this affected your childhood? Do you think your condition caused you to misbehave? My dd is my really has improved a whole lot over the last 6 months or so, but we dealt with frequent lying, and being cruel to siblings (threat to do harm, once cut her sister with a piece of glass)...and some other issues. Is it typical for kids to act out with this condition? Anyone else is welcome to weigh in here.

Anonymous said...
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MissMannah said...

OP, I don't know much about ADHD but what you're describing doesn't sound much like it. I would really urge you to see a pediatric psychologist for a proper diagnosis.

OP said...

Thank you for the input. I have always assumed the acting out was related to all the big changes in her life, but was curious if ADD could have contributed to her behavior. We are a blended family and there are no other parents present. Like I said, things have steadily gotten better behavior wise, the cutting was 2 years ago. She seemed to lack empathy for a long time, but now doesn't seem to be an issue. We have come a long way and I'm no longer concerned about her behavior. Just gotta help her focus now.

Anonymous said...

Did she self harm or are you referring to her cutting her sister

Future nurse

Anonymous said...
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OP said...

I was referring to her cutting her sister. She also made the threat to harm around the same time.

OP said...

Actually, she is my SDD and I'm married to her dad. We are the only parents raising them, the other parents are not in the picture. We have discussed counseling, but it's not something we're going to do at this time. I am more for it than my husband. It has been a slow process to get where we are, but we have seen good progress.

Denvernanny said...

My son has ADHD, and we've had quite a ride through his childhood. His teacher at the corporate daycare we had him at when he was three was the first to tell us, "He needs Ritalin!" When we heard the word "Ritalin" we freaked out! We went through almost every daycare option possible, ending with my staying home to care for him. We went to a family psychologist for over a year, and he was a big help. He had us give my son's teachers (by that time he was in elementary school) a survey, which we also completed. After he analyzed the results, he suggested that medicine might be helpful, and we started my son on Strattera. He did better, but school was still a struggle. He had some teachers that were very patient and skilled, and one that was pretty bad. When my son went through puberty, he developed some pretty severe anxiety, and started having more trouble at school with his hyperactivity. He began having enormous angry confrontations with us. During one particularly violent outburst, we had to call the police, and he spent three days in a children's mental facility. He was also picked up by the police three times for running away. The school refused to develop an IEP for him (saying that his grades were not bad enough), even though he was in in-school suspension every day. We took him out and homeschooled him for 2 years, and he began taking a mild anti-anxiety medication. Now he is a junior in public high school, gets all A's and B's, and is a model son.

I'm not saying that you should do everything exactly like we did to help your child. Just be their biggest advocate, get lots of PROFESSSIONAL advice, and be willing to do whatever it takes to help him.