Re: Difficulty controlling impulses - is this ADD?

[Guest guest]

I'll be interested to hear some of the other responses. Does he

prefer to play by himself? Does he have a hard time looking at you

when you speak to him or when he's speaking to you? Just curious.

- H

> Colin has a very difficult time keeping his hands to himself. He

has a

> constant fetish with his twin sister's hair and is always touching

it.

> If you take him into a store he cannot stop touching things. He

has a

> very difficult time listening to myself and his father. You really

> have to get down into his face and make sure he is looking into

your

> eyes or he does not hear you. I'm wondering if these are signs of

ADD?

> I'm worried about his ability to get along with his peers because

he

> can't control his actions. When you tell him to stop he usually

> doesn't until he is asked several times or removed from the

situation.

>

> On the other hand, he has a great attention span. He will sit and

> listen to every detail of a book (and even long chapter books with

no

> pictures that his twin sister can't seem to focus on) and watch

your

> face as your read. He is always in the front at story time at the

> library or preschool listening to every word. He can sit and watch

tv

> and not pay attention to anything else going on in the room. He

takes

> in every detail and repeats it back to you days or weeks later. He

has

> an amazing ability to remember details. He can sit and play with a

toy

> for a very extended time. My neighbor was amazed this week that he

> played with the train set for a full hour while her son was

> doing lots of things.

>

> I haven't talked to my Ped about it yet because I'm not sure what

they

> would even do, but I wanted to see if any of this is familiar to

you

> all.

>

> Thanks,

>

> Colin (RSS) and Hayden - 4-3/4 twins

> Grant - 20 months

[Guest guest]

,

Colin's behavior sounds like a sensory integration issue. Kids who

are tube-fed are more likely to have difficulty in this area. Their

senses just do not coordinate and mesh as those of other kids. The

fact that he CAN attend to stories and recall details and play alone

for long periods of time is very indicative of ADD. Those kids can

pay attention to anything that interests them, but not a thing if it

does not.

One thing you may try is a kind of sensory diet. Since he enjoys

touching so many things, provide him with lots of tactile items -

koosh balls, play doh, bubbly water, stress balls, bumpy things,

etc. He needs to feel and process these things to make up for what

is lacking. Sometimes by addressing these areas, the ADD becomes

more in control.

Just a start.

Jodi Z