Teacher is concerned about "extremely absent minded" DD
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Anonymous
| She's the same at home (I repeat things multiple times before I see results and I do wonder how she can be so forgetful but I didn't know it was abnormal) but no mention of a possible need to look into learning disorders. What does absent mindedness signify at the 1st grade level? |
Anonymous
| I have kids like this iin my class. They simply tune me out and ignore. For these children, it is apathy and disrespect....not a learning issue. How is her hearing!? |
Anonymous
|
ADHD. Teachers never want to say that word or any other diagnosis word, and circle around the issue and say "absent-minded", "inattentive", "spacey", "doesn't listen", etc. Since you notice the same at home, it's time to have her evaluated. Either a developmental pediatrician or a child psychologist will be competent to evaluate your child regarding ADHD. If it's "just" for an ADHD eval, it should cost less than 1K. If you have additional concerns, the full neuropsych is about 3K but the tests are a bit long for a first grader, so I would advise you to hold off until late elementary. If there is a diagnosis of ADHD, this won't change who your child is. She will still be the same wonderful girl! But a formal diagnosis will help you receive significant services and accommodation from a public school, and perhaps some minor ones from a private school. Things like preferential seating near the board and teacher, an aide in the class to redirect her attention, repeated directions and checking that she's handed in her homework (and later on, that she's correctly written which deadlines for which project in her planner), extra time on tests and the possible use of a calculator, both of which might be very helpful in higher grades. She could get pull-outs to finish work in a less distracting environment as well. This might necessitate the creation of 504 plan or IEP. |
Anonymous
+1000000 |
Anonymous
| Apathy and disrespect in 1st? Seems like harsh language for young elementary. Try bored and spacey. We once had a teacher who was very upset DD was "disrespecting me" in her words but when I came in to volunteer I noticed DD was just disorganized and kind of disoriented at that age and it had nothing to do with respecting or not respecting the teacher as she had no idea what that even meant. She did grow out of it. |
Anonymous
Yikes. I have 4th grade son who is absent minded and forgetful. But he is extremely respectful, courteous and bright. I hope that you mean that you just happen to have kids who are absent minded and apathetic and disrespectful this year, not that they're always like that, implying that those traits go hand in hand. |
Anonymous
| Talk to your pediatrician. It may be nothing but get her hearing, vision and health checked. Do your due diligence. |
Anonymous
|
My dd was very much like this all throughout elementary school. I finally started having her repeat back what she'd been told in her own words, so it had to penetrate.
Now she's in middle school and it was like a light switch was flipped. I think she was just REALLY deep into her own head. No ADHD, no learning disabilities. |
Anonymous
|
Op here. Thanks everyone.
Can a child have ADHD without being hyperactive? |
Anonymous
Yes. |
Anonymous
It's called Inattentive Type. Or ADHD-I. More common in girls. |
Anonymous
| Sometimes a kid is just a kid. OP, if this is truly a problem, the should do testing upon request. |
Anonymous
|
"I have kids like this iin my class. They simply tune me out and ignore. For these children, it is apathy and disrespect....not a learning issue. How is her hearing!?"
You should not be a teacher. So glad that you are not teaching my very respectful, sweet, and eager DS who is also very forgetful and absent-minded. How dare you suggest that these kids are apathetic and disrespectful. Time for you to find another, more appropriate profession! Did it ever occur to you that these kids may be bored, turned-off by your lack of sensitivity or knowledge of early childhood development, or have a medical issue, such as inattentive ADD or autism? Or, do you simply prefer making quick, uneducated judgments, such as the one you made here? Geez! |
Anonymous
I was just diagnose with ADD as an adult (I am female). Both therapist and psychiatrist said it is very common to not have hyperactivity in girls, and that is why it is missed a lot time in girls. Please have her evaluated. |
Anonymous
Sometimes a kid is just a kid with ADD inattentive and desperately needs help. |