You need to get him on an IEP for extended time on tests. That is what I had when I was in elementary and middle school. I ended up not needing it when I got to high school, but it made ALL the difference. If I had the time to actually finish a test, I was a straight A student.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We probably won't qualify for any sort of help because we are lower middle class and we don't have any insurance. I would take him to get tested in a heartbeat but we really can't afford several grand...

have you considered taking him to a chiropractor. our 6yo DS is on a slower side when it comes to motor skills and also he frequently gets slow/foggy. i was going to a chiro for my back issues and by chance asked doc to take a look at him too. the doc felt up his spine and found that the neck waw all locked up and the lower back was twisted (we think he must have had it since birth). After he got a few adjustments we saw a much more reactive kid. Motor improved a lot too. typically kids need just 2-3 adjustments to see the results. He needed way more than that bc his lower back was really twisted up but we saw fogginess go away after a first visit. his sleep improved a lot too which clearly a major factor when the kid need to focus. we have not taken him to an acupuncture doc yet but we are really considering this could be a good complement to chiro. we are not into alternative medicine but we really felt the impact from chiro.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We probably won't qualify for any sort of help because we are lower middle class and we don't have any insurance. I would take him to get tested in a heartbeat but we really can't afford several grand...

Ummm you SHOULD find that out for certain. Do you always give up so easily?

We live in MOCO, are upper middle class and we got help from the MCPS and County, including some testing.

Anonymous wrote:19:38 here.

My son's ADD evaluation was a $700K 2-session meeting with a dev. ped. (Dr. Conlon, retired) specializing in ADHD. Talk to your general ped about it.

We cannot afford the $3K neuropsych testing that we would like (since it will give us a more complete picture of his brain function).

I seem to sense from your posts that you really do not want your child to receive this diagnosis. I may of course be completely off base. However if this is the case, know that you are not alone! It is hard for all parents to accept that their own offspring has an atypical brain, and needs accommodations. Some would rather call their kid lazy than "disabled". I think they are neither! Just different. Think of the potential benefits to your child: my son was so relived (at 6!!) to know that it was not his fault. It had started to affect his self-esteem drastically. He felt guilt and shame at not measuring up to his peers in terms of processing speed. Now he's in a much better place.

I would actually be extremely relieved if there was anything that could help him. I know he struggles with it daily. However, he is extremely confident and is always laughing, cracking jokes and is the happiest kid I know. I love him more than anything and I just want him to have an easier time in life. However, money is a huge issue as we don't really have the resources or insurance to cover these evaluations/treatments.

19:38 here.

My son's ADD evaluation was a $700K 2-session meeting with a dev. ped. (Dr. Conlon, retired) specializing in ADHD. Talk to your general ped about it.

We cannot afford the $3K neuropsych testing that we would like (since it will give us a more complete picture of his brain function).

I seem to sense from your posts that you really do not want your child to receive this diagnosis. I may of course be completely off base. However if this is the case, know that you are not alone! It is hard for all parents to accept that their own offspring has an atypical brain, and needs accommodations. Some would rather call their kid lazy than "disabled". I think they are neither! Just different. Think of the potential benefits to your child: my son was so relived (at 6!!) to know that it was not his fault. It had started to affect his self-esteem drastically. He felt guilt and shame at not measuring up to his peers in terms of processing speed. Now he's in a much better place.

OP here. We probably won't qualify for any sort of help because we are lower middle class and we don't have any insurance. I would take him to get tested in a heartbeat but we really can't afford several grand...

OP,

It really sounds as if your child has ADHD, inattentive type.
My son was diagnosed at 6 with inattentive ADHD and has exactly the same symptoms.

He is now 8, in 3rd grade, and had an IEP. He is NOT medicated for now (we want to wait until MS to instill some organizational and foundational skills first before meds).
Accommodations include:
- time and a half for tests (CRITICALLY important!)
- sits in front row
- teacher keeps an eye on him and redirects him when he starts to daydream
- organizational help from paraeducator
- typing help from paraeducator on some assignments

As your child heads toward middle school, keep in mind the 2 problems he might have, processing speed and organization. You need either a 504 or an IEP to have a written contract with the school which guarantees accommodations for these. And to get the 504 or IEP, you need a professional diagnosis.

Please ask your ped. for a referral to a developmental pediatrician or similar for an evaluation. Remind yourself, day after day, that his slowness is NOT his fault! I know it looks so much like laziness and disinterest, but really, if he has ADHD he cannot help himself, and his brain is making an immense effort just to get his As and Bs.

Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found these responses a little crazy. Some of you seem to be saying "my kid is only brilliant on one direction; let's put him on speed."

I see it as, "my kid has a large hard drive and mediocre processing speed; let's help him get access to all that data."

Do you have any personal experience with a child who has executive functioning challenges?

Perhaps true, for some.

And yes, I do.

Then why are you judging in the absence of actual knowledge of the specifics?

because that's what we do on DCUM. I read what many people had to say on this topic, and that is my takeaway.

I don't know who "we" is, but I don't do that. I know that people struggle and with few exceptions, parent to the best of their ability. I don't know anyone who chooses medication for a child with ADHD without giving it a lot of thought.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found these responses a little crazy. Some of you seem to be saying "my kid is only brilliant on one direction; let's put him on speed."

I see it as, "my kid has a large hard drive and mediocre processing speed; let's help him get access to all that data."

Do you have any personal experience with a child who has executive functioning challenges?

Perhaps true, for some.

And yes, I do.

Then why are you judging in the absence of actual knowledge of the specifics?

because that's what we do on DCUM. I read what many people had to say on this topic, and that is my takeaway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found these responses a little crazy. Some of you seem to be saying "my kid is only brilliant on one direction; let's put him on speed."

I see it as, "my kid has a large hard drive and mediocre processing speed; let's help him get access to all that data."

Do you have any personal experience with a child who has executive functioning challenges?

Perhaps true, for some.

And yes, I do.

Then why are you judging in the absence of actual knowledge of the specifics?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. He also has a problem with forgetting. He doesn't listen completely when I ask him to do something he only hears part of what I am saying because he thinks he already knows the rest of what I am going to tell him to do.

That's the impulsivity piece.

Again: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_signs_symptoms.htm

+ 1

I work with people who are ADD and it sounds just like what you're describing of your son's behavior.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found these responses a little crazy. Some of you seem to be saying "my kid is only brilliant on one direction; let's put him on speed."

I see it as, "my kid has a large hard drive and mediocre processing speed; let's help him get access to all that data."

Do you have any personal experience with a child who has executive functioning challenges?

Perhaps true, for some.

And yes, I do.

Anonymous wrote:I found these responses a little crazy. Some of you seem to be saying "my kid is only brilliant on one direction; let's put him on speed."

I see it as, "my kid has a large hard drive and mediocre processing speed; let's help him get access to all that data."

Do you have any personal experience with a child who has executive functioning challenges?

I found these responses a little crazy. Some of you seem to be saying "my kid is only brilliant on one direction; let's put him on speed."

We bought copies of the text books (used!!) so DC could highlight when studying. Now that all text books at DC's school are online we just print out selective pages (and go through a lot of paper).