| Author | |
SaraP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 531
|
| Posted: Oct 25 2006 at 6:06pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
If a 5yo child easily and regularly (daily) concentrates on a variety of single activities for 30 minutes or more can I safely assume that he does not have ADD?
DS's ped keeps hinting that we should consider ADD as a possible cause of his sleep problems and behavioral quirks, but to me there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with his attention.
Am I misunderstanding what ADD is or can be?
__________________
Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
bubbelcat
Forum Rookie
Joined: July 21 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14
|
| Posted: Oct 25 2006 at 8:45pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
It depends on the activities. If he has sleep problems and behavioral quirks it is more likely, imo, to be a sensory integration issue. I would get a second opinion and explore that possibility.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KC in TX
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 05 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: Oct 25 2006 at 9:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
What type of behavioral quirks are we talking about here?
__________________
KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SaraP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 531
|
| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 9:51am | IP Logged
|
|
|
KC wrote:
| What type of behavioral quirks are we talking about here? |
|
|
He puts everything in his mouth and chews it like a puppy, he wiggles so much he falls out of his chair at dinner and slams his head back against the couch when we are reading stories, he rubs his food around on his plate and onto the table with his hands, he asks for spoonfuls of straight table salt or slices of lemons to eat, he zooms around the house crashing into walls and down stairs.
His sleep problems are that it takes him hours and hours to fall asleep and he never seems to sleep deeply. He will also get up at 3am and pour oilve oil all over the kitchen counters or make paste of flour, sugar and lemon juice and rub it into the carpet. Not in a destructive or angry way - he says he has great ideas for 'displays' (what he calls any kind of messy project) and just can't wait to try them.
On the other hand he has no problem sitting (albeit squirmily) and looking at a book or magazine or building something or drawing or playing with playdough for 30-45 minutes.
So a sensory integration issue was my 'diagnosis' as well and we are working with an OT who agrees that this is correct, but the pediatrician seems to think otherwise and I was wondering whether I wasn't considering ADD because I had an incorrect understanding of what it is.
__________________
Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SaraP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 531
|
| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 10:29am | IP Logged
|
|
|
He's definitely hyperactive and I think that is what his ped is seeing (It's hard to miss!  ), but hyperactivity isn't always connected to ADD is it?
__________________
Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
PDyer
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1043
|
| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 10:34am | IP Logged
|
|
|
In my experience the professionals view the behaviors you describe through the lens of their own experience and name what they see based on their perspective. So what to an OT would be sensory integration or low tone might be hyperactivity to a pediatrician, but might be developmental coordination disorder to a developmental pediatrician. Or so I've been told. Trouble is then they would also have their own point of view on the appropriate response. 
You've probably already read this, but just in case I suggest The Out of Sync Child Has Fun?
At your son's age my son avoided some sensory input (mostly sound) and craved deep pressure. For example, he'd lay on the floor, I'd cover him with a big pillow from the back of the sofa and lay on top until he said "uncle". I made a lap pad out of a pillowcase, sewn in channels, filled with rice, that he'd lay on his lap when sitting. That helped him stay in his chair. So much of this is trial and error...
__________________
Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
Life at Home
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
PDyer
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1043
|
| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 10:35am | IP Logged
|
|
|
SaraP wrote:
| His sleep problems are that it takes him hours and hours to fall asleep and he never seems to sleep deeply. |
|
|
I wonder if a weighted blanket would be helpful to him.
__________________
Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
Life at Home
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
PDyer
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1043
|
| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 10:36am | IP Logged
|
|
|
SaraP wrote:
| He puts everything in his mouth and chews it like a puppy |
|
|
My son used to chew things too. We made sure something OK to chew was available (purchased from a sensory integration product distributor). I also have heard kids who need to chew benefit from a zinc supplement.
__________________
Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
Life at Home
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KC in TX
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 05 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 11:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Boy, that sounds like classic sensory integration issues. The falling out of the chair thing can be a big indicator. Also, the fact that he hits the back of his head on the sofa. My son does this and it's because he craves that sort of sensory input. He has some serious issues regarding movement. Sometimes he can't tell where his body is in space so he can seem clumsy (running into things) or he needs to feel where he is so he is in constant extreme motion. That can seem hyperactive, but is in reality input that he craves. If you get him to do some heavy work (putting heavy books up a bit high on a book shelf, pushups either on the wall or the floor, moving furniture--this is a bit hard to do constantly).
As for the salt cravings, my son's taste buds were hyposensitive. He needed strong flavors to taste anything--spicy, sweet, salty. You can see it in the foods that are his favorite (it's a good thing our main staple, kimchi, is so spicy  ).
I think doctors and specialists tend to have tunnel vision. Once in a while we encounter professionals who are well informed and up to date, but often professionals don't want to accept other things. The symptoms of ADHD can be so many other things, but people tend to just think of ADHD.
Hope this helps in some way. It's a bit rambly.
__________________
KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4 lads mom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Sept 26 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
|
| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 12:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hello,
My DS was diagnosed with Sensory Integration issus as well....you son sounds classic, but there could be some ADD in there as well....my son has ADD too, but his has more impulsivity issues vs. hyper behavior. Ahhh Labels! I run to them, then run away, run to them, run away!! They are so helpful, but I struggle with sorting it all out for my little guy.
BTW, I second the Out of Syn Child books, very, very helpful...it was like someone had stepped inside my house and wrote our life down while sitting in the corner observing!!!
Let us know what you find in the months to come!
4 Lads' Mom
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SaraP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 531
|
| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 11:32am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you, all.
Quote:
| Ahhh Labels! I run to them, then run away, run to them, run away!! They are so helpful, but I struggle with sorting it all out for my little guy. |
|
|
That's exactly it. I am sooo reluctant to get caught up in the labeling machinery, but I'm also worried that I will fail to address something that causes him to struggle where he didn't have to.
__________________
Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Special Blessings
Topic: Quick question about ADD
