Monday, October 27, 2008
I am concerned that my 10-year-old son has ADHD but I’m not sure what my first step should be. For four grades, he has had difficulty focusing in school. His behavior is fine. Initially, I had him held back in kindergarten because he lagged behind, having switched from a public to a parochial school system. The improvement was almost immediate, but there were still a few issues. He tests at and above grade level but his teachers repeatedly sound off that he daydreams and doesn't finish work in a timely manner. His last teacher and I worked together so he could participate in small-group activities to help him with reading comprehension, but they did not find that reading was actually a problem for him. It is more about focus. No one will quite label what he has, but I have seen firsthand how he struggles to get tasks done if no one sits right there to keep him on track. I struggle with similar issues but have ended up in a multi-tasking position that suits my tendencies just wonderfully. Is this something that should be assessed? How do I begin if his teachers don't offer documentation or input?
If you suspect your child has ADHD, your first step should be to speak with your pediatrician or school psychologist. Although not all parochial schools have school psychologists, you can consult with a school psychologist in your local elementary school. The improvements noted by switching from one classroom to another could have to do with a lot of variables, including smaller student-to-teacher ratio, different teaching styles or different curriculum.
What you describe, however, may not be related to ADHD but rather what neuropsychologists refer to as planning. Planning is how a person evaluates a task, selects or develops a way of doing something (in other words, a strategy), monitors progress and develops new strategies when necessary. This process provides control of thought as well as the use of knowledge and skills.
For example, when a child is faced with a task and must figure out a way to do it, then planning is involved. Children who make good use of plans are effective at coming up with strategies. Children who cannot plan well struggle with how to do things. They may use the same strategy even if it is not very effective. Often these children are disorganized. You might take a look at the book Helping Children Learn by Jack Naglieri. You might also seek out a community-based neuropsychologist and consider a more thorough evaluation for your son.
Last Updated: 10/27/2008