My very bright 16-year-old clearly has inattentive ADD, but she's untreated. She spends hours every night on HW (and in the shower!) but she and my DH (who takes meds for his ADD) and I have agreed to keep an eye on things but not seek treatment at this point. She is comfortable with her pace, though it means she gets less sleep than her peers. She can perform well on tests (hyperfocused) and benefits from her high IQ. It is a struggle, but as long as she continues to do well and feel capable, we're keeping an eye on her.

A new PP here. I just wanted to add that ADHD and intelligence are separate constructs. For instance, I have one child with a 140 IQ, Ivy-educated and ADHD. His major issues are that he loses everything and is organizationally challenged. I have another child with a 112 IQ and ADHD. She has a lot of difficulties with focus, organization and planning. School is a challenge for her. They are so different yet both have the ADHD Inattentive diagnosis.

This was such a helpful book:

http://www.amazon.com/Questions-Answers-Attention-Hyperactivity-Disorder/dp/0763784524

Helps for inattention: teacher knock on desk, motion breaks, reminders, timers (to buzz or chime as a reminder to pay attention), behavioral therapy primarily on self-awareness, organizational scaffolding. For home routines, the Smart but Scattered book has numerous suggestions for check lists and rewards.

My 9 yr old DS was DX with inattentive ADD by two different people. He is super fast at everything, as in he is done with class work in 5 minutes compared to 20 min. Dresses so fast he puts things on backwards. Not hyperactive, just inattentive and a little impulsive.

Anonymous wrote:

What's eye control intervention? My DD is not on the spectrum (she has inattentive ADHD) but she tells me she is not physically capable of looking people in the eye. I wonder if there is an intervention for that.

As an adult, I am unable to keep focus on looking at people in their eyes while talking. Most of it because I am a Vietnamese (Asian) and I was taught to not to do it. Doing so is like being very rude when talking to older people, or challenging the opponent. I think Chinese people also have the same rule. I personally think that making eye contact while speaking isn't a big deal so I wouldn't think there should be an intervention for that.

My DS, also an Aspie, dislikes one of his teachers very much. She forces him to look into her eyes by holding/cupping his face in her hands. My DS doesn't like any stranger - i.e. not his mommy and daddy - touch him so this forcing eye contact always makes him more upset.

'


Mom of an Aspie here. This is not the way to handle an Aspie. Physical touch, confrontation, forced eyes - this is awful. Are you in pubic? Do you have an IEP? Can you call in your IEP teacher. If private, do you have a counselor or principal you can go to. This is not right. Also, legally, touching a study like this could be considered an assault. You need to take action here.

What's eye control intervention? My DD is not on the spectrum (she has inattentive ADHD) but she tells me she is not physically capable of looking people in the eye. I wonder if there is an intervention for that.

As an adult, I am unable to keep focus on looking at people in their eyes while talking. Most of it because I am a Vietnamese (Asian) and I was taught to not to do it. Doing so is like being very rude when talking to older people, or challenging the opponent. I think Chinese people also have the same rule. I personally think that making eye contact while speaking isn't a big deal so I wouldn't think there should be an intervention for that.

My DS, also an Aspie, dislikes one of his teachers very much. She forces him to look into her eyes by holding/cupping his face in her hands. My DS doesn't like any stranger - i.e. not his mommy and daddy - touch him so this forcing eye contact always makes him more upset.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I've raised two kids with ADHD-inattentive. You are not going to want to hear this but our daughter sounds exactly what you posted (down to even taking hours to take a shower) got misdiagnosed ("exec functioning disorder" "slow processing" "ADHD-inattentive" "Depression" "Generalized Anxiety disorder) at least four times. We didn't find out until she was 16 that she actually had Asperger's/now "on the spectrum". As an adult, it is very obvious now that she has Asperger's. I wish I had received correct testing results early on so I could have provided more intervention but we followed what the pediatrician ("perfectly NT - no issues"), private schools, five testers, three shrinks and two therapists told us. We started therapy and testing at four an no one got it right until age 16. I wish you only the best of luck and want to remind you to keep retesting every three years.

What did the aspergers intervention do that the ADHD inattentive intervention did not do? To me they seem very similar and would take similar intervention to help both types of children.

Speech lessons; extra focus on composition for writing; eye control; mindfulness training (didn't exist when we were going thru the process); social behavior training to help with making and retaining friends; vitamin D checkups; early intervention on the delayed pottytraining, GERD, colon issues, fecalomas. That's just off the top of my head.

What's eye control intervention? My DD is not on the spectrum (she has inattentive ADHD) but she tells me she is not physically capable of looking people in the eye. I wonder if there is an intervention for that.

I have that issue as a mom with ADHD, Id love to know!

Mom of Aspie back. This is too late for us but here's a link to vision control for autistic kids. http://www.visioncenter4kids.com/autism.php. Sorry I don't have anyone local to recommend. I also asked our high school (some time ago) for speech intervention as part of IEP but got push-back. I wish I had pushed harder on that in the IEP because it's very clear now as an adult that DC has a lisp on the S's. And the eyes dart around much more than when young. Yes, we could have paid privately but those interventions but by the time we hit public with an IEP we had thrown $100,000s at the problem, through testers, private schools, special needs schools, tutors, therapists, shrinks, meds, etc. And by the time your ADHD or Aspie kid gets to high school, the work load becomes unmanageable. Sometimes we paid for daily afternoon tutors just to get DC through homework. I begged the privates, the SN schools and the high school via the IEP for less homework but (from my perspective) the teachers were relentless and the pressures, especially in junior and early senior year, just too much for disabled kids.

OP here again. Thanks to the SN parents posting here - you guys are an amazingly supportive and kind subset here on DCUM

You are giving me a lot of good information. To the PP with the daughter with Aspergers, it sounds like your family and daughter have been through a lot. My heart goes out to you. In answer to your question, DD was actually early to potty train (with some setbacks, of course), and didn't have digestive issues/GERD.

Here are a few other things about DD:

She is small for her age - I took her to an endocryn. and they ran tests and determined she's just going to be on the small side and nothing is wrong with her - other than an iron deficiency.

I used to think she had SPD because she was super-sensitive to clothing/shoes, etc. and loud noises bothered her. She is also an excessive hugger - her K teacher actually told us the hugging was problematic. She's gotten much better with clothing/shoes, but she still hugs a ton

Not sure if this info adds anything or is just separate, unrelated stuff, but I thought I'd mention it in case anyone saw any connection.

Parents with kids with inattentive ADHD, what sort of life-skills/coping methods help keep your kids on task? Anyone have a website/book they highly recommend? I have found that lists help DD somewhat. And timers. But I haven't figured out the best way to implement them.

Thanks everyone!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I've raised two kids with ADHD-inattentive. You are not going to want to hear this but our daughter sounds exactly what you posted (down to even taking hours to take a shower) got misdiagnosed ("exec functioning disorder" "slow processing" "ADHD-inattentive" "Depression" "Generalized Anxiety disorder) at least four times. We didn't find out until she was 16 that she actually had Asperger's/now "on the spectrum". As an adult, it is very obvious now that she has Asperger's. I wish I had received correct testing results early on so I could have provided more intervention but we followed what the pediatrician ("perfectly NT - no issues"), private schools, five testers, three shrinks and two therapists told us. We started therapy and testing at four an no one got it right until age 16. I wish you only the best of luck and want to remind you to keep retesting every three years.

What did the aspergers intervention do that the ADHD inattentive intervention did not do? To me they seem very similar and would take similar intervention to help both types of children.

Speech lessons; extra focus on composition for writing; eye control; mindfulness training (didn't exist when we were going thru the process); social behavior training to help with making and retaining friends; vitamin D checkups; early intervention on the delayed pottytraining, GERD, colon issues, fecalomas. That's just off the top of my head.

What's eye control intervention? My DD is not on the spectrum (she has inattentive ADHD) but she tells me she is not physically capable of looking people in the eye. I wonder if there is an intervention for that.

I have that issue as a mom with ADHD, Id love to know!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I've raised two kids with ADHD-inattentive. You are not going to want to hear this but our daughter sounds exactly what you posted (down to even taking hours to take a shower) got misdiagnosed ("exec functioning disorder" "slow processing" "ADHD-inattentive" "Depression" "Generalized Anxiety disorder) at least four times. We didn't find out until she was 16 that she actually had Asperger's/now "on the spectrum". As an adult, it is very obvious now that she has Asperger's. I wish I had received correct testing results early on so I could have provided more intervention but we followed what the pediatrician ("perfectly NT - no issues"), private schools, five testers, three shrinks and two therapists told us. We started therapy and testing at four an no one got it right until age 16. I wish you only the best of luck and want to remind you to keep retesting every three years.

What did the aspergers intervention do that the ADHD inattentive intervention did not do? To me they seem very similar and would take similar intervention to help both types of children.

Speech lessons; extra focus on composition for writing; eye control; mindfulness training (didn't exist when we were going thru the process); social behavior training to help with making and retaining friends; vitamin D checkups; early intervention on the delayed pottytraining, GERD, colon issues, fecalomas. That's just off the top of my head.

What's eye control intervention? My DD is not on the spectrum (she has inattentive ADHD) but she tells me she is not physically capable of looking people in the eye. I wonder if there is an intervention for that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I've raised two kids with ADHD-inattentive. You are not going to want to hear this but our daughter sounds exactly what you posted (down to even taking hours to take a shower) got misdiagnosed ("exec functioning disorder" "slow processing" "ADHD-inattentive" "Depression" "Generalized Anxiety disorder) at least four times. We didn't find out until she was 16 that she actually had Asperger's/now "on the spectrum". As an adult, it is very obvious now that she has Asperger's. I wish I had received correct testing results early on so I could have provided more intervention but we followed what the pediatrician ("perfectly NT - no issues"), private schools, five testers, three shrinks and two therapists told us. We started therapy and testing at four an no one got it right until age 16. I wish you only the best of luck and want to remind you to keep retesting every three years.

What did the aspergers intervention do that the ADHD inattentive intervention did not do? To me they seem very similar and would take similar intervention to help both types of children.

Speech lessons; extra focus on composition for writing; eye control; mindfulness training (didn't exist when we were going thru the process); social behavior training to help with making and retaining friends; vitamin D checkups; early intervention on the delayed pottytraining, GERD, colon issues, fecalomas. That's just off the top of my head.