Does he have activities that involve real people? Exercise? Fresh air?

There’s a difference between loving to read and being obsessive. Any activity can become unhealthy if it interferes with normal activities.

This is my son and also mu nephew, and yes both had adhd. The number of times I've yelled "put the book down!" is uncountable.

This was me. No ADHD. I had a perfect verbal SAT score and now run a publishing house. I was introverted and am still a little anxious, but my obsessive reading also fueled my success in life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does everything need a diagnosis? Why can't you just have a kid who loves to read? I was this kid, I don't have ADHD, I don't even read that much anymore, but I was like your child as a kid, even as a teen, but grew out of it.

We are so quick to armchair diagnose. Sometimes they just like reading.

But sometimes it is used to escape life. My dd used to do this and I think she used it to appear busy ( later diagnosed with Autism) so she was "rejecting" her peers before they could reject her.

Anonymous wrote:Why does everything need a diagnosis? Why can't you just have a kid who loves to read? I was this kid, I don't have ADHD, I don't even read that much anymore, but I was like your child as a kid, even as a teen, but grew out of it.

We are so quick to armchair diagnose. Sometimes they just like reading.

I think there is such a thing as compulsive reading. I have been like this in my life and I have OCD, and had it as a kid.

I often used to read constantly as a kind of escape, self-soothing.

Why does everything need a diagnosis? Why can't you just have a kid who loves to read? I was this kid, I don't have ADHD, I don't even read that much anymore, but I was like your child as a kid, even as a teen, but grew out of it.

This was me, also ADHD inattentive/anxiety. It's actually still me. Now I'm a published author and make my living as a novelist. I think reading so much is the number one thing that strengthened my writing. I could never punish anyone for reading.

My DD is like this and I was too. My parents would punish me by taking away books; mom once yelled "I hope you have a daughter just like you!" And I do, lol. I do not punish her for reading though.

I don't think it's necessarily linked to ADHD or anxiety. Reading a great book is engaging and pleasurable so of course it's difficult to stop. And at this age, the world of what they can read is expanding so fast.

I make mine put the book down when I need her to listen. But, we do better if I discuss plans ahead of time and then let her read until she needs to execute those plans.

OMG this was TOTALLY me. My parents punished me one time by taking away books, which they felt really awful about but it was the only consequence that would get my attention! I would - and still will - read ANYTHING that stands still 😄

Both of my kids have gone through phases like this as well. Our rules: you have to close the book ALL THE WAY while walking up or down steps. And sneaking your light back on after bedtime (to read more) will result in your lights being removed from your bedroom.

LOL. It’s a good problem to have, I figure. One kid can read in the car with zero problems, and the rest of us are jealous!

Anonymous wrote:ADHD - hyper focus
Anxiety- using it to get lost in story to get out of body

Ohhhhh. Wow. This is interesting. The anxiety angle never occurred to me. She is anxious especially around bedtime. We haven't been able to figure out if it's the insomnia making her anxious or the other way around. The anxiety has also popped up in other places as well, but it is really prominent at bedtime.

ADHD - hyper focus
Anxiety- using it to get lost in story to get out of body

This is me! i used to get in huge trouble for reading using the night light well after bedtime. I have diagnosed ADHD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is like this and does have ADHD. He will also listen to audio books of one book while reading a different one! But like a PP said, his reading level is extraordinary. They stopped measuring it at the end of last year because he’s off the charts. Just absolutely loves books. His writing and vocabulary is also very strong as a result.

Forgot to add - I do have to force him to stop reading and do other things, especially going to sleep! Otherwise it would never stop.

OP here - the need for constant stimulation is interesting. I see that with her a lot. Always moving - even while she's reading. She stands up to do homework and sways back and forth while she's doing it. On the rare occasions she isn't reading, she's turning cartwheels or doing handstands or has a sensory toy and is playing around with it. As a small child she could spend hours on a swing at the park. I don't think I ever made the connection with the reading though.

This is really really great for long-term academics. I somewhat understand not wanting to stop if and when in the middle of a really good/engaging book (e.g., reading undesirably late into the night). I would draw a hard line no on reading in the car (if that results in car sickness) or when it genuinely interferes with other activities and otherwise not worry about it.