Anyone else have this problem? | ADHD Information

Anyone have the problem of their inattentive ADD child (mine are 9) forgetting to look for cars.  I still have to tell them "look where you're going" "okay, stop...stop!!! watch that car...now look both ways before crossing....okay now...go..."  It feels like I've still got 3 and 4 year olds!  They don't look where they're going in the parking lot when we go to the store,etc.  It's so frustrating and I just wondered if anyone else had that issue.  It can be a little embarrasing when I'm having to hold their hand or yell at them to "WATCH OUT!"

Also, both of my twins carry toys in their hands AT ALL TIMES!!!  All of my friends make comments about this and it's very interesting how they do this.  They just always have an action figure or other toy in their hand all the time (except at school).  I'm not kidding...it is constant.  One of my sons, Alec, also tends to rub on materials that have a certain feel to them.  He'll fold a corner of it and just rub the corner on his arm or he'll rub the material between his fingers.  He also still has the tongue-sucking habit.  You know how babies will suck their tongue in their sleep or if their sleepy (like they are dreaming they are sucking their bottle?)  Well, Alec still does this (at 9 yrs old) when he's sleepy.  He gets tired very easy, too. Has asthma, etc.. the list goes on.  But, since I've had him on the Wellbutrin the material rubbing,tongue habits have almost completely gone. At least I'm not noticing him do this anymore. 

Just wondering if anyone can relate to any of these behaviors?

Thank you, I was wondering about that sensory integration issue.  He's been evaluated by neuropsych and I did bring these behaviors up (the tongue sucking, material issue).  There was no mention of sensory integration disorder in his final report.  Also, I googled "sensory integration medication" and "sensory integration wellbutrin" and couldn't find really any reference to medication helping with that.  His report did say ADHD - inattentive type and showed some signs of anxiety disorder. (not in those words exactly, but it was something like that).  So I guess the neuropshych also just chalked it up to anxiety.  It's always bothered me that he never outgrew it . He usually uses it to soothe himself when he's tired.  It's always been his signal that he's sleepy or tired (which he gets tired more easily than most kids and had bloodwork done to make sure that was okay).  I've figured out now that it may be due to an underlying asthma/allergy problem since in the past couple of years he's been having increasing trouble with asthma. 

I think we should all get a doctorate degree after we finish raising our kids!

Yes, when my twins are in the parking lot, I have to say...okay keep your head up look around. Stay focused. Pay attention. Okay..stop. Look both ways....etc.  They scare me to death sometimes that they are just going to walk right into a car. I guess I need to make a conscious effort to make sure they don't have a toy in their hand (it's hard to notice because they are usually tiny toys) when we are getting out of the car.  This is a huge distraction. 

My twins also CONSTANTLY make things out of those twistie ties, aluminum foil, toothpicks, pipe cleaners, etc. I always have little bits of stuff all over my living room or bedroom floor where they plop down and just sit and make stuff and play with it with their little men. 

(I never have twistie ties when I  need one)

I know all about constantly having something in his hands.  Lately it's been a football- no end of trouble in the house with that one.  I take it away when he throws it and he seems to produce another one from thin air!  He's even taken to trading his desserts at school for little nerf footballs.

As far as the tongue sucking and material rubbing go it sounds like ordinary self- calming techniques to me.  These two things are very common in young children, usually disapearing gradually in the preschool years, but it's not uncommon for older children who are under stress or have anxiety/depression (and what ADHD child doesn't deal with these to some extent?) to continue with these habits.  And since it seems to have gone away or lessened with the wellbutrin I wouldn't think it was sensory integration- medication has not had any impact on my son's sensory problems.  

Yes, my 7 year old is like that as well.. He is worse in the car with messing with the door handles.. we have the child proof locks on.. In our truck I prefer him to sit in the third seat away from the door.. he tries to open it...

As far as playing with little things.. I do that all the time.. my desk at work is full of peices of paper clips, ties etc... when ever we go out to eat.. I play with the straw paper.. make little pieces.. I try not to, but it gives me something to do while talking people..

We have been told it is like multi tasking... it can be a very good skill... I can type and talk to someone at athe same time... hah can't spell but, I can type..

Yes, I have to constantly remind my daughter to watch for cars, and have to hold her hand on parking lots.  I am afraid to let her go anywhere on her bike for fear that she would not watch for cars carefully enough.  She is also constantly making things out of paper, pipe cleaners, or anything that she can find to fidgit with. I seem to constantly have a mess somewhere in the house because of this habit.   She also has a thing for tape, and I never seem to have any of it when I need it because of her.  She has always had the habit of sucking her thumb, and has pretty much ruined her teeth with this.  I thought that she had finally stopped, but found out otherwise when she was ill last week.  She started to fall asleep on the couch, and the thumb went into her mouth!

Yes, I can relate completely. My 9yr old son (ADHD) is the same exact way as your boys. It has been an ongoing issue since my son was little... getting out of the car and bolting out into the parking lot, walking off outside decks without realizing there are steps (or no handrails, he will walk 5 ft off the porch and think nothing of it).  He also struggles with getting to say point A to C as he will bypass B altogether disregarding the person or thing that is B and hurt himself or them in the process.

The Neurologist called this Apraxia (which is a neurological disorder characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out skilled movements and gestures, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform them) and said other than reminding him to slow down and look around his surroundings, there was nothing we could do.

He also has to hold things whether it is a peice of paper, a string (which always ends up in his mouth) and fidgets with whatever he can get his hands on.

I can relate for sure to where your coming from :)

sensory issues/allergies/adhd all have same symptoms. Get a therapeutic eye exam also. My 8 year old will still forget to look for cars sometimes, she is good about looking when we cross a road, but in a parking lot forget it. It also depends on if she is talking or engrossed in something else. She can't seem to talk and look out for cars at the same time. She will also wander off at random times. The first time I took her to Disney I was a wreck, I thought for sure she would just zone out and walk away, luckily she didn't but I lose her in Target a lot. If something catches her eye, she just loses focus of everything else. I just have to tell her to hold onto the back pocket of my jeans, that way I can always feel her little hand back there and when I move it kind of jars her back into the real world. Hi there.  It sounds like they have some sensory integration issues.  Just Google "sensory integration" to find out more info on that and what you might do.  As for them not looking for cars, I'm afraid there isn't much you can do other than remind them.  I don't know if meds would help with that or not--maybe ask your ped.

steppingstone,

How old is your daughter?

She is 9 years old.