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[quote=Anonymous]I have two boys- a kindergartener who just turned 6 and my 3rd grader who is almost 9.

Kindergartener: Delayed speech (had frequent ear infections at daycare+tubes) and had early intervention services and was identified in one locality with SLI but they never wrote his IEP, we moved, he was re-evaluated, and he no longer met the criteria.  He has participated in ST in the community since 3.  He had OT from 4-5 due to bowel toileting challenges - potty trained easily but then held his bowels at an outdoor prek program and developed encopresis, completely regressed, and then getting him re-potty trained was DIFFICULT and he didn't want to stop activities to potty.

He's very social, loving with peers, really only aggressive to big bro/family at home (which I feel is more learned from his brother) VERY HYPER, active, agile, and terrific with building things or physical activities (biking, climbing, swinging).  He is easily distracted, runs off in public, will rarely hold my hand, and struggles to sit for meals. He loves literacy but is on the lower side of average academically.  He was JUST diagnosed with ADHD - combined type through our pediatrician and started meds this week.

8 yr old: HIGHLY verbal, interacts MUCH better with adults than children (adults just LOVE him 1 on 1), major sensory seeking behaviors when he was younger - playing with soaps, liquids, candles, even feces as a preschooler, & became very picky with foods.  He also struggles with coordination, most sports are a no-go, and he still cannot ride a bike.  He has a lot of issues with aggression, despite desperately wanting friends and wanting to be kind & has a really hard time maintaining friendships with peers (also doesn't think to invite kids over or ask to do things with other kids....I've had to ask him if he wants to invite a classmate over for pizza+movie or just hanging out, meet up at the playground, swimming, ect).  He is also easily overstimulated and overwhelmed leading to frequent meltdowns.  He had quite a few issues in school prior to being diagnosed with ADHD last summer and being put on meds.  He's been diagnosed with ADHD-combined type, was found to be mildly gifted, and may have some sensory-integration issues.  We had two previous eval's through the years with him to figure out what was going on before he got the ADHD/gifted diagnosis.  He went to OT for over a year a few years back. He has been going to weekly individual counseling since last summer.  He is doing MUCH better at school/community with a 504 plan, meds, participated in a social-skills class at school, and after-school karate program.  I do see a lot of signs of ASD but he has NEVER been diagnosed. Parent-child interaction therapy does not exist in my community (I have searched) and I'd have him in OT but there aren't openings.

Both my kids have the diagnoses of ADHD-combined type but increasingly seeing how different their needs are and how classically ADHD my younger child is and my own childhood growing up with ADHD, it does really make me wonder if my older child is Autistic or if his profile is such that he presents completely differently.  It's so challenging and I feel like I never can get a total grasp on his full needs.

Does anyone else have kids like this that are SO SO different?

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