Weird question about possible ADHD

[KitchenWitch]

I suspect my daughter has ADHD. She is 7 and in 2nd grade. I have yet to have her evaluated.

She reads at a mid 4th grade level. Her lexile level (reading comprehension) is mid third grade. She is really good at spatial perception activities.

She has troubles focusing on her work, both at school and at home. But when she is reading she focuses really well.

Is it unusual for a child with ADHD to be able to focus on reading so completely and to not be able to focus at all on other things? Or is she just bored by her schoolwork?

I have ADHD but I was not diagnosed until I was an adult. And I have no recollection what I was like as a child as far as reading goes.

[wildeyed]

1. Not an expert on ADHD, but I have read a bit about it.

Hyperfocus is one of the symptoms, being able to focus intensely on one thing, but then having trouble shifting to another task. She may just be bored stiff with her school work and need something more challenging. It is not uncommon for very bright children to check out at school and look ADHD, when in reality, they are bored stiff with assignments several years below their abilities. She may be both. You should have a complete evaluation done by a professional to be sure.

How did you have your ADHD diagnosed? Do you take meds? If so, do they help? I am planning to have my younger child evaluated this spring. If he is ADHD, I may look at my own issues more closely.

[KitchenWitch]

2. I got evaluated in college

I was having difficulty focusing in lectures, even on the topics that I had a passionate interest in. Two minutes into the lecture, I was gone. Completely daydreaming.

I found work-arounds via note taking services, etc. I never took medication.

[Tab]

3. Sometimes

(Hey, KW!)

ADHD is often over-diagnosed, so I'm always leery, but it certainly exists. I have a friend whose kid has it; she used to need 20 minutes just to get him to tie his damn shoes in the morning. He could focus on drawing, but other stuff - he was all over the map. So I, certainly from a political forum, not to mention being remote, couldn't or wouldn't want to venture a guess if yours has ADHD or not.

My 12-year-old has been in and out of paying attention. He doesn't have ADHD, but sometimes he's just so bright he gets bored to hell. I would caution you, however, to rule out other factors, like vision. My stepson had a hard time in school, until we figured out he needed glasses. At those ages, apparently (according to the opthamalogist) vision can change radically even in the space of a few months - even go from great to going to hell. So although I don't know about your child, I'd just suggest you try to rule out other stuff first. ADHD definitely exists, but sometimes other problems are attributed to it when the issue is something else entirely.

- t

[tigereye]

4. couldn't hurt to have a good multi-disciplinary evaluation regarding stuff

at home and school with testing and ADHD and other scales, to make sure there aren't reading or other learning issues (although it sounds like you may have already done that.)


Good luck! She sounds like a bright and interesting kid.

[Happyhippychick]

5. Yes it is possible to hyper focus in some areas and not be able to focus in others.

And it can be genetic so it is likely that your suspicions are correct. Good luck!

[seabeyond]

6. i have never had son tested, but started seeing things in kindergarten. 3rd grade

he had an excellent teacher getting her masters in this stuff so we talked adn tried all different things to help him.

i just call him a fuzzy brain. for example kindergarten, teacher had instructions on board. 1-4. across the board like a child learning to read. he did not go to instruction 1, he went to 3 in the middle of board. by passed the first two. on papers, if prints changed, he would skip that part, not even see

he always was way ahead in his reading. 4th grade he tested at 9th. he has always been focused in areas. like scuplting clay. he would use that to ground himself and spend massive time using hand in clay creating BUT

we found that with any noise, any distraction he could not focus. which really effected school. he needed to be in front of class. he needed quiet around him. what we found happening is distraction, noise was a great buzz in side of head, he could not hear a teacher. he could be looking right at and what she said would not go into his head

this is the time to watch and experiment with child and find tools to help the weakness, not excuse them, embrace them, know it is part of her and experiment that helps her

missing the hyper part in your daughter and impulsive of adhd. may be add.

[cheri010353]

7. Read Thom Hartmann's books on ADD/ADHD

before you do anything. They will give you a whole new perspective on these "disorders".

[seabeyond]

8. ha, i thought this was a new thread. n/t