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How can I tell if my son has Attention Deficit Disorder?
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Default How can I tell if my son has Attention Deficit Disorder? - 12-30-2008, 08:02 PM

My son is almost 7 and is generally a good kid. He's got a great heart. Lately I've noticed that he is starting to have problems focusing on certain things. If I give him a task to do and I don't make sure that I have his undivided attention while speaking to him, he won't do it and if I ask him to repeat back to me what I just said, he doesn't know. I've also noticed that if I give him a list of things to remember, he has a hard time retaining that information. Should I have him tested? If so, do I go through his pediatrician for that or a mental health facility?
   
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Default 01-07-2009, 09:34 AM

He's just a KID...that's how kids behave. If I were you, I'd start with the pediatrician. The problem to using mental health professionals is that they (by definition) treat everything like a mental health issue. There's nothing wrong with that inherently, but maybe your son is just acting like a normal little boy. You wouldn't want him"diagnosed"in that case.ADHD is SO over diagnosed in this country that I think it's really gotten out of hand. People have forgotten that kids are often hyper, inattentive, and unfocused...that's the definition of being seven years old.Oh, also, if it's not affecting his school work (much) or his relationships with friends I would relax. Don't you think any behavior that still leaves him in the"functional"or"normal"category should be left alone?Sure, you want your son to be perfect...but maybe he is perfect for a little boy!
   
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Default 01-19-2009, 01:21 AM

imho, just stay away from the school. they will label him ADD just to shift the responsibility away from themselves. your family doctor can refer you to the proper help. you may also want to get him checked for autism.[edit] yes, i know the family doctor is not the right person to do it. I meant get the REFERAL from them.
   
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Default 01-23-2009, 01:37 AM

First of all, evaluate your son's diet. Does he eat a lot of processed foods with lots of preservatives, lots of sugar, caffeine? This can cause ADD like symptoms. If you've eliminated that, I would recommend taking him to a psychiatrist for testing. Your family doctor would not be the correct person to handle this. He or she might just prescribe Ritalin without doing the proper testing because a lot of doctors these days feel pressured to solve problems with a quick fix. Good luck!And keep in mind, most kids have problems paying attention at some time or another. Don't be too quick to label him with ADD and/or medicate him. It is really over-diagnosed. He may just grow out of this.
   
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Default 02-12-2009, 03:21 AM

Some of these things are normal for a 7 yr old boy. But if you are worried, take him to your pediatrician, she/he can direct you in the right path to have him tested. They may give you a questionnaire at the pediatricians office to see if he is at risk. A lot of people think they just slap that label on misbehaving children, but in truth, there are a series of questions that have to be answered. Good luck. May God be with you and your son.
   
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Default 06-07-2009, 06:16 PM

Some kids are like that by personality. They're pretty ordinary actually, but may have hidden talents that will come out later (if you don't see them already.) If this was a problem with him before, his teachers might have mentioned it. How are his grades?He needs to learn how to pay attention. It's an important skill and it can be LEARNED. It is not something people are innately born knowing how to do, and also is not something we can be expected to do just because it's convenient. It will take a lot of patience to teach it. The way you handle it now will dictate how he handles it as a grown-up. He can become smarter or he can be more confused all the time. You're being a good parent with your concern.Children used to be overmedicated for this, and doctors are getting wiser about it, realizing sometimes the kids and parents just need to adjust for different personality types. Pediatricians will also avoid referring a child based upon a description of what only sounds like personality differences. Most will, the good ones.Just work with your son a while longer, coming up with new ways for him to learn to pay attention. Be sure you're showing by example most times too. Make sure you're not demanding he do things when he's already doing something else you told him to do. Eventually he'll need to learn multitasking beyond a few things, but for now, keep it short and simple, then build up. Throughout the day, like maybe you're in the car with him, point out something on the road for him to notice and get him talking about it for a moment longer than he normally might. Little things like that also teach him to pay attention in a natural way, showing him it's fun and he might miss out otherwise. Try making sure his diet is a good one with lots of veggies, fruits, and lean meat (like baked skinless chicken) and make sure he gets enough exercise. It should be a family effort on those two fronts.We expect everyone to move so fast these days, doing thirty things at once, it's not a surprise there are more reports of ADD, seizures, depression and the like than ever before. Working with the kid and remembering he's a kid will make things go smoother with him, though if he's like I was when a child, or my daughter, then it will be somewhat lifelong. It's temperament....
   
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