do you think my son has ADHD or autism???

[benjimom]

My son has been having a lot of issues at school.  He is five and in kindergarten (I've posted before).  Anyway, he is really struggling with teh reading adn getting very frustrated at school. He has gotten aggressive with other kids at school too.  the aggression toward others is NEW.  he has been having trouble staying his seat, etc.  Also sometimes during class he will make noises and will nto stop when the teacher asks.  One day he went out of the classroom and opened the door where they keep the fire extinguisher, when you open that door, the glass smashes.

Anyway, yesterday he had a playdate with a  boy who has a mild form of autism, they really played together well nad he said he had speech delays like him.  My son did not learn to talk until after 3 years of age.  Also, he said he liked htis boy better than others at his school.  I remember in preschool he really liked this autistic child there nad he would hug her and they played SO well together.  Maybe it is just coincidental, but made me wonder could my son's issues be autism on a mild level.  

It has gotten so bad at school taht on Monday he will have 1:1 teaching in a room by himself.  he jsut cannot seem to operate in the classroom at this time.  He does not like the teacher adn that does not help.

he is in karate and does well in that and listens to me most of the time.  He has his moments.  Sometimes he has meltdowns where he starts moaning/groaning and then he gets to where he cannot  stand up. It's like he cannot gain compusure.  He also has low frustration toleration too.

I took him to his pediatrician, he wasn't sure if he had ADD/ADHD ?  He said it could be possible.  Also he has had a hard year, we went thru a divorce that was final in Aug 09, he has had multiple childcare providers,  his dad is in jail now for probation violate, dad is alcoholic. Dad got out briefly in Dec, but ended back in jail shortly thereafter.  Also in Nov, while dad was in jail, I helped cleaned out his apartment as his lease was coming to an end.  I wonder if those events could have impacted him some.  

It's hard to know anymore.  But do you think I'm totally off my rocker to think this?  

[benjimom]

Thanks for getting back to me.  Yes, I wonder if we are missing something too, but it seems like if you have anything wrong they say you have ADHD if they don't know what else to put on it.  I also notice people do not put much importance into psychosocial events that have happened in the child's life.  

My son does well in a lot of other areas, he does pretty good at home, he's not perfect, he takes Karate lessons and does well there.  He plays with other kids in the after school program and has done well and okay with the babysitter, it's at school where he as the isues.  He said today he wished I could come and be his teacher at school!

[loulou192]

just a thought but my grandson is going through same thing his mom in jail off and on his dad outta the picture we have adopted them but with stress so early in his life drs now beleive its detachment disorder. his behavior so close to that of my little guy. hes 6 and the behaviors got worse when he started kindergarden last year he to has to be accomidated at school for aggression and other stuff. he was first dignoised with adhd than maybe autism now detachment disorder.

[benjimom]

wow.  My family keeps saying I should put him on medications. This behavior really started the middle or December.

[dollyn]

my son was having seizures that you couldn't tell he was having them and then as times has gone by he started to have more than one kind of Seizure,He doesn't know when he is having one and he also doesn't know what he is doing when he has the Seizure.
I didn't know at first that there was so many different kind of Seizures and that with  Seizures came  a lot of other things.  Like

sleeping problems
acting out, with out knowing he is doing it at times.
stress
anxiety
anger
fallen
running into things
hard time learning
a few times peeing his bed
gets frustrated
hard time saying what he wants to say.
grinding teeth

Now still has those things and also other things.like

twitching in his sleep
head drops
looking like he is going to fall,as if he is a drunk.
stares off can't hear you
rolling eyes in sleep
forgetting things
clingy more than ever
sleeping a lot during the day ,because Seizures make you tiered

[benjimom]

Thanks, I am getting worried.  Right now they have taken him out of the classroom and he is getting 1:1 instruction.  I am worried that this will not be a good thing in the long run for him.  He acts out so much in class now and when I say you need to behave he says "it's so hard to be good".  I am at my wit's end.  Thanks, maybe I will take him to a pediatric neurologist.  Was your son activiely having seizures, because I have heard of some having seizures and not knowing it.

[dollyn]

I don't think you are off your rocker.

I think you have a lot going on and happening for both of you.Now take a deep breath .

a lot of Children are being diagnosed as being add or adhd and even Autism these days. The best thing I can tell you is to please get him in to see a Neurologist and have them do some test ,like blood test to check all his blood levels and other things to make sure everything is normal and also do a EEG .Right down things as they happen like what time ,where he is and what happen before and after . take it to the doctors with you.
Your son may not know what he is doing ,I know my son doesn't always know what he is doing because he is having a Seizure and we can't always tell when he is having them,because some Seizures you can't see.Witch makes it hard and scary.
I have read and talk to many people who kids where on drugs for add or adhd and even told the child had autism and that ,was not the case.Because there are things that look like these things but is something else because the doctors and parents didn't check everything and parents don't no any better. The Schools don't help because some teachers just don't want to do there jobs.And the Schools get money for every child who is on drugs and has an IEP.