Q for parents of ADHD kids (boys especially)

[Anonymous]

DS7 has recently (in the last several months) had trouble controlling his behavior at home. Jumping all over the furniture, literally climbing the walls, hanging off the railings, not being able to focus on a few pages of math or read for very long (which he easily and willingly did last year). When we tell him to stop or try to redirect him, he doesn't seem able to do it even with potential consequences or rewards on the line. Also, he wanders off in between bites of a meal. He's never had trouble staying on task at school and is doing fine at camp (although it's mostly outdoors and pretty active and more loosely structured).

Does a relatively sudden onset of this type of behavior ring any bells or has your ADHD kid always displayed some of these symptoms? Just trying to get a sense of whether we should explore this behavior with the ped or some other doctor or if it's just typical 7 yo behavior (our older DD never had these issues). I'm planning to see how the start of the school year goes before doing anything regardless but it would be helpful to hear others' experiences with this type of behavior. TIA

[Anonymous]

I think your kid is bored and needs more physical activity.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't give it a moments thought if school is fine. He's bored.

[Anonymous]

Do you get him outside and active enough? My ADHD kid acts like this but what's abnormal about it is that she can act like this even after hours and hours of hard physical activity.

[Anonymous]

Have two sons with ADHD and one who is neurotypical. 2nd grade is a big year for ADHD behaviors to become apparent at school. We definitely see a lot of the behavior you describe at home, but there was no sudden onset.

[Anonymous]

No sudden onset here either. My ADHD both as been behaving as you described since about 18months. He does it at home and in school if he's not medicated.

I'd vote for needing more physical activity.

[Anonymous]

What everyone else said. It's also summer so I'm not surprised your child doesn't want to do schoolwork. I would take him swimming in the mornings or afternoons if it were me and see if that helps.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to chime in that solutions are always in flux, just like people. I know a child who really needed medication to get through K/1/2. He was on the verge of being kicked out of school. He's now rising 5th grade and doing wonderfully without medication.

My point is is: don't be afraid to try new things and also to constantly reevaluate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS7 has recently (in the last several months) had trouble controlling his behavior at home. Jumping all over the furniture, literally climbing the walls, hanging off the railings, not being able to focus on a few pages of math or read for very long (which he easily and willingly did last year). When we tell him to stop or try to redirect him, he doesn't seem able to do it even with potential consequences or rewards on the line. Also, he wanders off in between bites of a meal. He's never had trouble staying on task at school and is doing fine at camp (although it's mostly outdoors and pretty active and more loosely structured).

Does a relatively sudden onset of this type of behavior ring any bells or has your ADHD kid always displayed some of these symptoms? Just trying to get a sense of whether we should explore this behavior with the ped or some other doctor or if it's just typical 7 yo behavior (our older DD never had these issues). I'm planning to see how the start of the school year goes before doing anything regardless but it would be helpful to hear others' experiences with this type of behavior. TIA

Yes- I've seen this happen with our DS9. I've put it down to developmental stages and its impact on ADHD symptoms. There are ages when kids don't want to listen to parents and it makes it harder to redirect the negative behavior.

Also, the math and the reading are harder and requiring more executive function to complete- my DS now avoids homework and reading.

There's more going on in your DS's head now and it makes it easier for him to become distracted. My DS wanders during meals because he's thinking about interesting things and his mind isn't on his meals.

I will agree with other posters that age seven was when I really saw my son "impaired" by his ADHD- both at school and in other environments.

All of this is assuming your son is getting plenty of protein rich meals, sleep, physical activity and routine.

[Anonymous]

It was pretty obvious something was going on with my ADHD son from the time he was a toddler. No surprise when he was diagnosed.