Does my son have ADHD? | ADHD Information

Hi, my 8 yr son was diagnosed with ADHD thru a conners test that was given at school last year.. The only issues that he has is keeping his attention on classwork... He has no attention problems at home or playing sports, he just seems to "space out" in class at times...I rather not go down the med road but i also dont want him to fail in school... He is the youngest in his class and i sometimes feel its a maturity thing, but iam not sure... Any suggestions?  If he is ADHD what other over the counter stuff is available and seems to work? Or is he just a regular boy who gets bored with math?Any suggestions will help me greatly...

To be accurate with all your worries, concerns, questions, etc. I would recommend a full pediatric neuropsychological evaluation. That way you will know for sure and won't always wonder. then if it ever has to be addressed, you will have the medical documentation to do so. This way he won't possibly suffer along the way due to no one knowing.

ADHD non attentive type gets overlooked more than the hyper impulsive ones due to them getting into trouble.

Your son could be gifted but bored. My son is also the youngest which is very hard, but he is hyper, impulsive adhd.

I would find out.

I took him to his doctor and showed him the testing that they did in school, he suggeseted that i let him start the new school yr. and see how it goes... well we are 4 weeks into it and the teacher has been telling me has a hard time focusing paying attention... I told her about the testing and she is aware there may be a problem and is giving him extra one on one attention..He does really well with one on one... We also work with him in the evening with things hes struggling in at school.. I called the doctor yesterday and he said ifi wanted to start him on meds he would write a perscribtion, but i dont know if i want to go down that road.. His previous visit to the doctor with the conners test, his doctor said they could send their test to school to have him reevaluted by the teacher, but wouldnt the test be the same? He is a very witty and he excels in other areas of school.I was thinking about trying Attentive Child supplement, has
anyone used this? I cant seem to find any bad reviews on it
and may this is all we would need verus meds.My daughter has inattentive-type ADHD, so her issues are just with focus and attention, NOT with hyperactivity or impulsiveness. However, the focus issues are definitely apparent at home and other settings, not just at school. I thought that in order to be diagnosed with ADHD, the symptoms had to be present in more than one setting. Isn't that one of the criteria for diagnosing ADHD?
So I agree that it would be a good idea to see a specialist for a diagnosis. It could be that there is something else involved. Maybe your son is academically gifted and is bored at school? Or maybe he could have some other type of learning disability??
As far as alternatives to medication are concerned, check out the "Alternative and Complementary Meds" forum here at this message board. Many people find omega 3 fatty acids helpful, but they must be taken long-term. My daughter takes omega 3s along with phosphatidyl serine (PS), an amino acid supplement. I believe these nutritional supplements help her. There are several long threads about these in the "Alternatives" forum.
Best of luck!

I do NOT believe the test would be the same, it would be so much more intense, and thorough! We were there for about 4-5 hours. The results took several months to be received back. We then went in and the doctor discussed her findings

Welcome to the board Thehost. Please do not try anything without getting a professional, definitive diagnosis. You cant treat symptoms without knowing the underlying cause because the wrong treatment could be deterimental. No one but a qualfied clinician can explain why your child is having difficulties. It would be in your child's best interest to first get a full medical work up. If a medical reason is ruled out then I suggest that you get a referral to a pediatric neurologist or a child psychiatrist. As mentioned above, school personnel is not qualified to make a  diagnosis. They are only capable of targeting academic deficits. What could be or looks like can be something entirely different. For example, a learning disability could look very much like ADHD but they are on different ends of the spectrum and require different treatment. Only  a professional can make such a distinction. Good luck and please keep us posted

[QUOTE=Thehost]I was thinking about trying Attentive Child supplement, has
anyone used this? I cant seem to find any bad reviews on it
and may this is all we would need verus meds.[/QUOTE]

Attentive child is a drug as it has stimulant properties. The difference being, it has not been tested or regulated by the FDA.  Reviews given on the internet are for the most part given by companies that sell this product. As I mentioned in a prior post, please get a definitive diagnosis first and then talk to the doc about a treatment plan.

You must have the symptoms in more than one setting to get the diagnosis. If the symptoms are in one setting only, he does not meet the criteria. Don't let a school psychologist diagnose. They are not qualified.

It sounds like your son may have ADD as opposed to ADHD.  If he is ADD then it makes sense that he does fine at home and with sports.  Usually there is much less structure and need to focus at home and with sports the physical activity helps focus the mind.  But at school is when it's most demanding.  He's asked to focus all day and it's hard for him.

I would recommend seeing a child psychologist other specialist for a diagnosis and definitely if you decide to go the medication route.  Usually pediatricians are not experienced enough in ADD/ADHD and your may not get the best results. 

Good luck!