My daughter is an only child, 6 years old in first grade. She is a very smart fun loving little girl, she has always had a problem with listening and paying attention at school, her kindergarten teacher used a chart to keep her focused and her first grade teacher gives her 5 sticks at the start of the day and she has to give one back each time she needs to be reminded to pay attention or is not following directions.Somedays she does great, others not so much. Today she got 2 taken away for not keeping her eyes forward and for goofing around with her friend. She is a smart girl, great at reading and spelling, when focused she is right on track, but she can easily take a 5 minute homework assignment and draw it out by fidgeting, day dreaming or dilly-dallying. Her teacher has told me recently that she needs more one on one time with her work and that she is having a rough time completing her assignments due to not staying focused. I am thinking of asking her to have the school psychologist test her for ADD, she loves to read, draw, play and is good at school work but just takes her time with it, every Friday they have a timed math test with 25 questions, she will complete 10-12 questions when I know she knows the answers, I am nervous to have her tested but I think it is for the best, I would rather know and catch this problem now rather than later and have her get discouraged with school. Thoughts?Thanks!
She sounds like a normal first grader. It seems to be these days if a child does not fit the mold, they are evaluated and labeled. Kids are all different
See how things go. 25 math questions, holy cow!!!! Just my opinion but I would wait. If things really get worse then talk to her teacher.
it doesn't hurt to see. and it may help a LOT. so what have you got to lose?
i would also suggest looking at her level of physical activity. my (adhd) son is SO much better when he is getting enough exercise.
people can dismiss or put down diagnoses and meds, but in the end, for me, it was knowing my son would not succeed at school without some help. bottom line. i was not going to let that be his life. we have no regrets. we are still in the midst of finding the "right" combination...but he has already improved dramatically, according to his teacher. those who have had bad opinions of meds for their own reasons, are certainly welcome to their opinion - BUT - if the child will fail in life without them - and with them, they will succeed..??? is it really that horrible a thing?
I'd have her evaluated but I'd do it with a psychologist who does this all the time, they are specially trained to do this.
We took my grandson to OU Health Science Center in OKC for his evaluations at the ABC Clinic, the letters stand for some thing but for the life of me I can't remember....lol.
They had 4-6 different people do evaluations with him and it covered everything from a Physical Therapist evaluating for his ability to walk to jump to use his hands and eyes together. One did a question and answer portion, like "tell me what a phone is for"...and the answer is not playing Mine Craft...lol.
They had a doc who evaluated general stuff like heart, lungs, peeing and pooping history, ears and eye stuff, like doing a mini physical.
There was a doc who did play stuff to see if he was using his imagination the right levels.
They had every little thing and they did all of it in a 4 hour window. It was very thorough. He was behind in a couple of areas where he exhibits being ahead. Then he was ahead in a couple of areas we knew he did well. All the other area's he did well in. He started taking half a Ritalin in the morning and another half at lunch. Now he's taking a whole Ritalin in the morning and half at lunch.
He is like a different little boy. It is amazing to me and I am so very thankful that he started these meds. He is so much more adjusted and happy.
It seems you have received some great answers about testing, but you don't mention that you have adjusted things at home.
Check her diet and sugar intake
Make sure she is sleeping enough (everyone is different)
Is she getting enough Physical activity
Is this problem all day or just after lunch
Is she eating her lunch or throwing it away
Does she eat a good breakfast
Does she need a quick morning shower to wake up (I am toast if I don't have a morning shower)
Is she above average and bored with the class assignment
I would get her tested and evaluated as others have suggested - I don't see a reason to be nervous about it, she either has it or she doesn't. Knowing either way will help you move forward with whatever tools or methods are needed to help your daughter do better in school.
There are moms on here that know way more about ADD and ADHD than I do, and my daughter hasn't had any issues yet, but I just recently learned an interesting "trick" if you will, from a stranger on a plane no less. We were returning from a trip, I had my 5 year old seated next to me, and another woman on my other side. The woman pulled out a little tiny metal coil toy - basically a tiny little Slinky - and asked if my daughter could have it. I told her sure, and she gave others out to other kids that were seated close by. My daughter did have other things to keep her entertained, like coloring books and her DS, but that Slinky toy kept her happy and occupied for a good 30 minutes straight. The woman told me that she buys them super-cheap at dollar stores and always brings a bunch to hand out to the kids around her when she flies. Turns out she was a retired college professor and she would do the same thing for her students when it was test-taking time. She found that them having something like that to manipulate in their one hand reduced their stress levels and made it easier for them to concentrate. She even said she had one student who had been ADHD all his life, and had never gotten an A on any test, but got on A on her hers, because of the Slinky toy. She said that playing with the toy in one hand while writing with the other engages both sides of their brain so it's working better and they are able to focus more. I've also seen kids sitting on those big exercise balls while doing school work rather than chairs because it turns out bouncing and shifting around a little while sitting on the ball keeps them focused better on their work. Might be worth trying until you can get her in for an evaluation.
The school psychologist can't diagnose. You need to get her in with a specialist through your medical plan like a child psychiatrist or neuropsychologist. A developmental pediatrician also can diagnose.
No one will "label" your child, as someone mentioned. It's a thoughtful process, as with any possible medical check. ADHD is a medical condition, not a label. A specialist will be able to tell you whether it's ADHD-inattentive type or not.
As the parent of a child with ADHD-combined type, I know how critical it is to get the diagnosis if your child does have the condition and come up with a treatment plan in conjunction with the specialists. It can make a world of difference for your daughter if she does have ADHD.
A couple of good resources as you begin this journey are CHADD.org and ADDitudemag.com.
As the mother of two ADD daugthers, I am so glad we had them tested. It gave me a better sense of what was going on and our marvelous therapist gave me some great ideas about how I could approach their concetration problems more effectively. It also helped them give a name to their feelings of being "different", something that wore on their self-esteem. They are both doing great in school and are much more confident. I would encourage you to get her tested. In our case there was nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Yes, have her tested. If she has a learning disability such as ADD she can have a 504 plan that would give her more one on one time to help her with assignments.
My granddaughter has been diagnosed with ADHD and is on a 504 plan. She received tutoring in language and math and is allowed now to take tests in the special ed coordinator's office. She is NOT in special ed. She is able to do her work intelligence wise but has difficulty maintaining her focus to get it done on time.
My granddaughter had difficulty from Kindergarten on. She's now in the 7th grade. She didn't get tested until she was in the 5th grade. I suspect earlier testing and assistance would have her further along than she is now.
I don't understand why you're nervous to have her tested. If you could tell us why perhaps I could help alieve your fears.
We are going through this with my 6 yo son right now. He is extremely hyperactive at home, recently moody at home. At school, he isn't very hyper, but he has issues concentrating and getting work done. His teacher gives them a lot of time to complete assignments (too much if you ask me) and he can't seem to stay organized or focused. He looses recess time every day because of this. He is one of the youngest, so as soon as I mentioned testing, the teacher told me she thought it was just because he wasn't mature, and that he wanted to have fun when school is serious (I have issues with this teacher and why can't school be fun?). Any way, I know something isn't right. I am having him worked up for sleep apnea (which mirrors some symptoms of ADHD), ADHD, processing disorders and any other issue that may cause issues with learning. If they say he is just immature as the teacher believes, so be it. If he has something else going on, at least we can figure out how to help him. I am not going through the school, but through an independent hospital setting that is supposed to tell me how to help him if he does have one of these issues. There are things they can do in the classroom to help, besides medicating, if the problem is known. So, if you really have concerns, I would say, yes, test for it.
I need to ask you this - let's say that you get her tested and she does come back with a "yes, your daughter has ADD" diagnosis."....What are you going to do with that information? Do you want to try and medicate her? I personally would not go through the ordeal of medication with my child. I have had experience with "mental health" medication as an adult (including ADD meds) and it can be a roller coaster - and I was an adult who was in touch with my feelings. I can't imagine trying to go through the mess of finding the correct medication and correct dose for such a young child.
If you have ADD concerns, why not do a little research or meet with a psychologist or counselor who works with ADD kids and get some strategies to try with your daughter to help her be more successful in school? While meds do help focus, there is a whole slew of side effects and then what is she going to do if she is ever faced withOUT meds??
I went through school undiagnosed - and it is HARD. It weighed on my self esteem, so I think diagnosing is important. But rather than meds, I would have rather had strategies and have been taught/counseled how to handle my own "learning style". Sometimes, a 5 minute assignment is just going to take her longer!! It is just something she is going to have to live with and learn.
She is 6...let her be 6...school is hard for young children, especially with the expectations nowadays. It is even harder for kids who DON'T fit in that "box", and while a diagnosis might help, it might be beneficial to ask what else you can do to help her not get discouraged.
Yes have her tested for ADD/ADHD, but also have her tested for being gifted. Gifted children have a tendancy to not pay attention, because they are bored and are ready to move on. They like to be challenged and feel learning things they already know is a waste of time.
Is this a public school? They should test her through various areas not just the school psychologist, more like have her tested with the occupational therapist, speech pathologist etc. To rule out whether she may need "sensory" tools to help keep her focused. She may benefit help from a resource room specialist (if they have one at your school) and your teacher should make accomodations for her in order to complete her work. I have to tell you 25 math questions is a lot for math in first grade. My son in 2nd grade gets 10 math questions and 11 words for his tests on Friday's. Does she get tested in other areas as well like spelling? Good luck to you!
I don't know what your situation or work schedule is like, so my suggestion may not be at all viable; however, I wonder if you child does not do well in a classroom setting. If one-on-one time is needed, might she do better in homeschool? Some doctors have thought my brother has ADD, and he did considerably better in school once my parents pulled him out of public school and did it themselves.
I think your daughter is typical and that ADD testing is not warranted at this time. My GD can also make her homework take a long time when she fidgets or dilly-dallies. That's her choice and her problem.
The teachers have told me over the years that she does go into her own little world sometimes but she is not disruptive. One teacher told me that my GD only learns half the lesson because she only pays attention half the time. BUT she gets very good grades and since the teachers are not worried, I'm not either. I spend enough time working with her that I know she's not ADD; she just gets bored and spaces off daydreaming about this and that at times. Spacing off and daydreaming is not ADD/ADHD. When she wants to/needs to she can and does give her work 100 percent attention.
As for the timed tests, don't worry about that. Some kids test better than others.
She's only in 1st grade. Give her time to adjust.
