ADDHD or Normal 7 year old Boy Behavior

I'm concerned that my 7-year old son could have borderline ADDHD but at the same time, could this just be normal 7 year old boy behavior? When seeing him play baseball for instance, he loses focus on the field (can't stay in the "ready" position, rolls around in the grass, always looking around himself and not at the game), is constantly "goofing" around in the dugout and doesn't seem to listen to the coaches instructions. I don't see any of his teammates acting in the same manner. At home, he has a hard time listening and following instructions, we have to tell him several times to do or not to do something, he interrupts my husband and my conversation, changes subjects when talking mid-stream, and has a tendancy to be very talkative at times. When playing with friends, he never knows when to "stop" goofing around, often to the frustration of some of his friends. However, having said all of this, he is doing well with his schoolwork (I never struggle with homework issues), has a good focus with his piano lessons and has plenty of friends at school. He never has had serious discipline issues at school and the teachers/coaches/principal say he's a very sweet boy that is well liked. However, in seeing a lot of the other boys in his class, my son appears more immature and rather impulsive. Would you consider the above behavior typical for a 7 year old boy or could he possibly have symptoms of ADDHD?

[camnev]

I am so glad you posted this.  I am having the exact same problem with my 6 yr old son.  None of the others his age act like this.  He is in T-Ball this yr and he goofs around and tends to be in his own little world.  I talked to his dad today and he told me that all of these signs that you mentioned are signs of ADD.  My sons dad had it when he was my sons age.  He still wets the bed which is suppose to be another sign.  I found a website that will list all of these for you.  There are 3 different types in ADD and the one that we are both describing is called Inattention.  That is the one you should read.  It goes a-i.  There is a whole list.  Let me know if this helps.

[Morgan277]

Often times kids with ADHD require structure to help them.  At home and on a baseball field, you dont get the structure that they require therefore these behaviors come out.  Also does he like playing baseball?  Maybe simply, its not his thing.  If you are very concerned, speak with your school psychologist at the school and he/she can provide you with checklists to see if he exhibits characteristics of ADHD.

-A school psychologist

[anxiousmomtobe?]

I agree with Morgan, does he really want to play baseball?  Maybe there are other activities that will interest him more.

If he is coping well academically and is able to maintain meaningful relationships I would let him be.

And let him pick his own activities.

[AKR1]

Thanks everyone for your input! I think you're right about the baseball comments. He seems to be more focused with basketball so this could be his last baseball season! :-)
Thanks again!

[morning941]

Well my story is a little bit different from the first writer because my son is  an 8 years old  boy .He is very active and friendly.But he mostly gets into trouble when he goes to school and we do not see the behaviours at home that the teacher says he exibits at school.For example his teacher said my son says inapproprite words and  tends to distract the others but one thing that i have noticed of him is that whenever he is in a group and something goes wrong he tends to take the blame and because of that he gets into trouble because he will speak the truth but the others will deny and also he is easily distracted.But he does very well with his  school work . i dont  know what to do and i cant understand what's going on can somebody please help me?

[T465]

My daughter is a good hearted friendly child. She is also having trouble at school. My husband and I have noticed that her hyper activity is getting really bad. And we are going to be seeking guidence from our family Dr.. But at school I realized when she gets in trouble for talking, that she is not generally the only one talking but, she is a very loud speaker as am I so she is the one who gets caught because she's the one the teacher hears most. Also I've noticed that unfortunitly my daughter tends to get wrapped up with the kids that do cause trouble but of course she is the one who is caught. And as you said the other children will not fess up to their part. It is very possible that you son does do these bad things but, is he being influenced by another.            

[teenia]

Some behaviors can be caused by food allergies.  Also bed wetting can be another sign of food allergies.  Maybe consider a Naturopath.  I think some boys mature slower than others.

[Mawmaw708]

I have a 3 yr old grandson. We really need some help. I dont know if he is addhd. And from what i understand that he is to young to be tested. He is vary hipper ALWAYS into something. Hits other kids is mean to them. Will hit any one , bite them slap them. My son is getting married next mo. And his new wife will put him on insurance and going to try to get him into see a DR. But right now we are about to our wits end.He does not talk vary well still does not make sentances.You ask why he did something he says i dont know. Is there anything we can buy untill we get him to a Dr, that will help him calm down. I tried calm child it did nothing. And help or suggestions would be appricated.

[mona1018]

I have a 7 year old son.  He is very responsible.  He helps out around the house, cleans his room, just a good kid most of the time.  He is loud when he talks and he likes to play alot.  At school, he makes good grades, but will play with his pencils while the teacher is talking.  She has said he is very hyper and thinks he has adhd.  Futher investigating on the internet, I found that only 3 - 6% of children worldwide has adhd and there is already 33% of the children in his class that is on medicine. (5 out of 15 children).  The other thing that I have discovered is that school starts at 8:30 am and most of the children arrive at 8 am.  They have to set in the gym and there is no talking allowed.  Then they go to class.  At lunch there is no talking allowed.  These kids are in primary school which is grades pre-k through 2nd.  My child is a morning person.  He plays hard  during the day and goes to bed at 8 pm.  Is it reasonable to assume that if the children are not allowed to talk that they will talk somewhere?  Anyone else have this problem.  How much activity does a 7 year old boy require during the day? and how much interaction do they need with other children?  I would appreciate any information.

[LRM1021]

Any school that requires 7 year olds to sit in a gym before school and not talk, and to not talk at lunch, is asking for the impossible. It sounds like this school has some very harsh rules.

My son is loud-- like his mom:)- and talks CONSTANTLY - like his dad:) He gets in trouble at school for talking too much and goofing off just about every day. But he gets very good grades, has friends,and is well liked. While he can be a bit of a smart aleck, he is also a very good kid most of the time at home, and at school, he is never disrespectful or intentionally disobedient.  

He has been diagnosed with mild ADHD. But since he has no social issues, and no academic issues, and frankly, at home, no discipline issues ( he does talk too much--- but I can ignore him when I need to:) -- his drs have advised against medicating him. Additionally, he has some other medical issues that really prohibit us from using stimulant medication on him anyway.

If your sons grades are good, he could be just bored-- he might be very smart and simply does not have to pay as much attention as other kids to "get it" -- that's one thing about my son that his teachers have said. He's not paying attention as much as the others -- in part because he does not NEED to.

It sounds like you have a great kid-- congratulations!!! Sorry his school has such silly rules -- no talking during lunch---- my goodness that borders on insanity, I think.

[professionalmomoftwo]

I have a five year old who seems to be having a similar issue.  He is very active and very helpful at home.  He does have normal childhood behaviors and is easily redirectable at home- which does not seem in keeping with any diagnosis of ADHD.    

He is having some problems only at school.  His teacher is always commenting on things which seem really "picky" in nature.  Mostly I feel that she needs to adapt some of her teaching skills to fit the kids in her class.  She often complains that he will disrupt class- but when I ask for examples of what he may be doing... none of the behaviors seem to warrant her fixation with the issues.  She often sends him to the office and he is on the verge of being dismissed from preK- which I find absolutely absurd.  

There have been two episodes of behaviors which I did not endorse and these have been corrected.  However after those episodes it seems his teacher is fixated with finding other things wrong with his behavior- often complaining about childhood behaviors that teachers would usually just handle on their own- without having to involve parents/principals...

I don't want to quell his enthusiasm and spirit however I wish there were some compromise that could also satisfy his teacher.  I think my child feels as though he can't do anything right at school- she never endorses good behavior.  

Any suggestions?

frustrated with preK

[cardiakid]

I need some help here.  My 7 yr old boy attended a birthday party this past weekend.  There were about 13 children invited according to the parent of the birthday boy.  During the party my son was hurt in the back yard by a swing and ran from the yard, across an ajoining soccer field and into a creek.  All the kids in the party followed him, along with the mom hosting the party.  She found him waist deep in the creek and he told her, " I want to cut myself, I want to make myself bleed."  She apparently retrieved him from the creek and walked him back to the party.  When my husband picked him up from the party, my son did not say anything and neither did the parent hosts.

Later in the evening we received a phone call from the mom.  She said she did not know exactly what happened to cause his flight from the yard as she was inside the house, but told me of the above events.  When I questioned my 7 year old, he said a boy he did not know, laughed @ him when he fell of a small trampoline and hurt himself.  Same boy also told him the birthday boy didn't really like my son and that my son was the last boy to be put on the birthday list for invitation.  Then when my son hit himself in the face with a swing the boy said "Thats hilarious"

I can only imagine he felt rejected/sad/bullied by this kid and he ran to escape the scope of this boy, after being hurt emotionally and physically.  What really disturbed me was the comment my son made to the mom about harming himself.

The next day I asked my son if he really wanted to make himself bleed at the time and he said yes.  I asked if he still felt that way and he replied no.

I would appreciate any feedback.  I'm scared about what he said. Do I need to seek help for him?   Is this normal?   Also should I call and chat with the hosting parents about what really happened?

[jctlw]

I am reading the comments and I have the same issues. I have a 7year old boy who is always getting into trouble at school.  The teacher has called me in to talk about his behaviour( only been back to school for 3 weeks).  I have taken his special things away but nothing changes.  He is really lacking a male role model as his father is not really involved.  Some have suggested adhd but I am at my wits end.

Any feedback would be great.

[margypops]

Get him on Supplements ,one study recently has suggested that Food supplement treatment of ADHD may be of equal efficacy to Ritalin treatment, All children especially those with learning difficulties ,benefit from a multiple-mineral supplement with antioxidants, B Complex and Vitamin C and fish oil.and Experts advise parents to always focus on the positive side of any child's behavior, channel his energy in constructive ways.

[morningflower]

My 7 year old son has been dignosed with ADHD and we recently put him on meds for it. I have fought with myself over this for the last year. We have modified his diet 2 years ago with kale and fruit smoothies; no sugar drinks no junk foods, no juices we read labels and limit sugar in his diet he gets whole foods and unprocessed foods especally no artificial sweetners. We have seen a big difference in that alone. If he has a treat I make it.    I have always noticed a difference with Him. He has trouble making friends and keeping them, and he is a little socially backwards, behind.  He has big impulse control issues. He just had no ability to refrain from doing something he knew to be wrong.  We paid for the testing to be done and it was the best thing I could ever have done. We are getting him treatment for ADHD and some learning issues. Within one hour of taking meds we noticed a difference in him. In one month he has learned what we have been trying to teach him in 6 months. It is such a blessing. Healthy diet, supplements, and a healthy, structured enviroment  is the best thing for them.

[Encephalomalcia]

ADHD is diagnosed a lot in the USA.  Lots of other countries do not even believe in ADHD.  Children are children.  They are active, they do not always pay attention and really how can they when they think so much more than we do.  Children and teenagers are much more creative than adults because they have more brain chemical activity.  I do not believe that any child should be put on Ritalin unless there is proof of a chemical imbalance done by tests to measure this not by observation alone.  When you look at all the side effects of Ritalin and the organ damage that can result, I think every parent would question it.  Let children be children.  Active, happy and silly.  A silly child is a happy child and we all want our children to be happy.  Take care.

[DrainClan6]

I've read most of everyone's comments above.  I have taught for 11 years in elementary and middle school.  I have four children of my own, three boys and one girl, ages 8 months to 11 years old.  I had to speak out because I have seen first hand, the BIG difference between a boy and a girl.  My daughter who is almost 3, can sit still and write and draw for hours where as my 4 year old boy can't!  It's not ADD, ADHD, etc., it's the way boys are wired.  He needs to have physical activities outside on a daily basis.  SADLY, this is a practice that most school systems do not give importance to: such as DAILY P.E. or DAILY RECESS, or a combination of both.  This is important for children to go out and run and interact with others outside of the the walls of a classroom.

It is such a sad thing to see how many children are being medicated, too early, too much, and these kids with amazing personalities turn into ZOMBIES.  I've seen this in my classroom so much.  I ask that you goggle alternatives to medication for hyper or active children (particularly boys) before you medicate your kid (and hopefully your Dr. will ask you to do the same).  All children need structure, make sure you have a schedule for them when they are at home.  Also, some of the expectations of schools are ridiculous!  When I taught kindergarten at a public school I had 35 kids by myself and I was reprimanded because there were too many scuff marks on the floor and the janitor had to work harder in my room!  I couldn't believe what I was hearing!  I had my room set up in centers and my kids moved around all the time.  We had quiet time and reading time, some kids had a harder time sitting for those times but please, they were 5 and 6 years old!!!

PLEASE, think and search alternatives before you run off medicating your children.  Look into foods, drinks, etc. you may be giving them that is causing the hyperactivity or lack of concentration.  Are they sleeping enough hours each night?  Do they have a set time to go to sleep?  Do they go outside and play when at home?  You need to help you child "get the wiggles out" first before expecting them to sit still for a long period of time.

Just my humble opinion as a mommy of four and a teacher...

[jdtm]

I don't see any of his teammates acting in the same manner.


I copied the above sentence from the original posting.  This, I believe, is the "key" sentence.  Just another point of view ....

[MO376]

My son is 7 years old and suddenly he seems too much attracted towards girls. He feels like kissing girls and also feeling bad about it. Always he talks about girls and also sometimes compare with his mother. From his behaviour it seems like due to watching of excess TV.

Can anyone help to improve his behaviour?

MO

[MO376]

My son is 7 years old and suddenly he seems too much attracted towards girls. He feels like kissing girls and also feeling bad about it. Always he talks about girls and also sometimes compare with his mother. From his behaviour it seems like due to watching of excess TV.

Can anyone help to improve his behaviour?

[mstonge76]

My son is 7 1/2 and he is having the same behavior problems that some of the others are having at school and at home.  He has a hard time focusing on things and we are constantly reminding him over and over to do things and he still cant focus on what we say.  He has been getting into trouble at school since kindergarden and it seems he is always running with the wrong crowd.  The ones who always get into trouble, its like he is drawn to them.  His teacher says when she calls on him he has no idea what the questions are and will always give wrong answers, she says that his school work is turned in alot wrong, but his homework is very good, he comes home and knows exactly what he is doing.  I'm wondering if he is bored or he just doesnt click with her way of teaching.  I know that if I didnt care for my teacher at school it really showed in my grades.  He also has always wet the bed, and it seems he has a hard time getting close to peaple in relationships.  He just isnt interested in people atall.  He has friends at school and the teachers say he gets along with kids and is well liked, but then he tells me that they make fun of him and they say that he is mean and stupid.  He gets into trouble at school almost daily and is getting detention for pushing and things pretty much every other week.  He has a little sister who is 19months and I couldnt ask for a better brother, he is sweet and helpfull and wonderful to her.  The teacher says she is going to put a group together for a SST.  Does anyone have any advice on this?
Sincerely Frustrated & Confused

[marie6720]

I to have the same problem with my 7 year old son. He is very smart and gets good grades. He just goofs off a lot and can't sit still. He doesn't lose focus on anything though. I don't know how to stop him from goofing too much. Sometimes kids don't want to play with him, because he likes to play rough.  I don't know if its because he is an active athletic kid.  

[suesue242]

Hello

I have 7 year old twin boys and they are hyperactive and need to run off their energy. They are normal boys. To ask boys to sit and not talk all day is abuse. The whole system looks at grades and not at what is good for children, especially boys who are made to climb trees, run and create. To drug them up because they do not fit the package is not ok. They are children and deserve a childhood. And not to be on drugs. What are the side affects!  What are the emotional effects of losing your childhood because your teacher wanted the class to "behave and get good grades".
  I think it is not the boys who have to change but the system. In my day, wow I just said that, we had games every day at school. Now they do not. Does that not speak for itself.
I find being a Mum of boys hard too at times. Yes they are wild and not like girls. Mine climb trees, make creative stuff, build. If they are not busy with that they fight. Yes sometimes I feel like tearing my hair out but please please please try anything before putting any children on drugs because they act like children... It is there only childhood.

[antaya7]

I have a 7 year old who has a temper like a bull, he is demanding and can be downright hateful at times. He needs to be going all the time, if he is not he cries and gets angry and me and my husband. We come home from work so tired and we spend the last 4 hours of our day outside playing and catering to his behaviour. I cannot take it anymore, the kids and the neighbourhood do not want to play with him. But at school he is bright and behaved and the teachers like him. Is this a normal 7 year old? Is the demanding and angry disposition normal?

[Sumanadevii]

Having raised a gang of sons, I think the kid is normal.  Wetting the bed?  If you don't make a big deal over it, it will pass.  Many boys do wet the bed.  The less said the better.  Teach him how to change the sheets and be discrete about it.

If he is being so good in the classroom, he wants to please.  When school is out, he needs to burn that energy!!  I have always said, boys do not belong in a formal school setting until about ten...lol...

[Sandman2]

  Well, he's perhaps not quite normal, but I doubt that he has ADHD.  You can't turn it off and on at that age.  If he can control himself at school and get decent grades, then he can do so at home.  The problem is that he is bright and has learned how to control you.  He has learned that the anger and and demands get him what he wants.  This can be stopped, but it will take about 3 weeks of very consistent action on your part.
  I suggest you get the book - "SOS Help for Parents," by Lynn Clark for a detailed list of actions.  

[antaya7]

Thank you I will look for that book, He is bright and yes you are right he does control every situation. I am on the hunt for that book. thanks again

[Jules24469]

I have an 8 year old and his school seems to be focused mainly on reaching the hightest TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) scores (which the begin taking in 3rd grade, starting in K so they can keep their "commended" status.  He is now in 3rd grade.  Ever since day one in that school my son has been sent home with notes stating that he does not "participate in class".  He does not test well and does not focus in class.  After I saw his classroom(s), from K-3rd (he now has 2 classrooms in 3rd grade) it's not hard to understand why condsidering every square inch of the tiny rooms are covered with some brightly covered item (i.e. Mickey Mouse, ABCs,  animal pics and so on).  There are appxly. 25 kids per teacher.  When my son returns home from school I go over what was covered that day in school with him and his mind may wonder.  I keep him on track, because it has been a long day, and he DOES KNOW the subject material.  My son, as well, gets blamed for things he has not done in school, he was just too shy to speak up and tell the teacher(s) who really did it.  He has been bullied be both teachers and students to the point where my husband and I had a conference with his teachers and principal last year.  The principal all but said he needed to be on meds, just like her, now grown, son.  His teacher this year, one month into the school year, said the same thing!!!  MY OPINION ...  the principal and teachers are lazy and don't want to take responsibility for what is actually going on here.  My eight year old does not need to be zombified to accomidate 24 other students, teacher and principal just so he can score higher on his TAKS so the school can get more money from the state.  BTW, he comes home with fair grades, yet his report cards are always A/Bs.  Something is going on with our school system.  I know that my son's mind drifts and he needs to be kept on track, but to quote John Candy in "Uncle Buck" ... "I don't think I want to know a six-year-old who isn't a dreamer, or a sillyheart. And I sure don't want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I don't have a college degree. I don't even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they're ALL good kids, until dried-out, brain-dead skags like you drag them down and convince them they're no good. You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it, and I'm coming looking for you!"

[Sandman2]

   If by any chance your son has ADD or ADHD, he does not have to go on meds.  However, there are many techniques to help him focus in class and at home.  I suggest you buy the book, "The ADD/ ADHD Answer book," by Susan Ashley.  It will not only help you figure out if he has something like ADD/ADHD, but will give you lots of valuable tools to help him if he does.  It also will show you ways to force the school to accommodate (instead of ignoring) him.
   Best wishes.

[Marebear74]

If there is a "Children's Hospital" near you, you can call them and see if they will test your son for ADHD or ADD. There is also "ADHD/ADD Comb. Disorder" That is what my 8yr. old son has. Sometimes the hospitals will be doing tests for new medication's. The tests and medication is free and sometimes you even get paid for your time and travel. Good luck and best wishes!! -Marebear74  

[Marebear74]

I forgot to tell you. Alot of times kids can just be kids. That is the way i thought, but when it affects their school work and their behavior at school. That's when it became a concern for us. That is when the doctors get concerned also.

[Sqbsnax]

I had wished that I even knew about ADD/ADHD when my son was in elementary school.  He's 20 now so at the time I didn't know anything about it.  Unfortunatly, he wasn't diagnosed with ADD until he had failed out of the 6th grade.  By then, his need to be the "class clown" had worn down his teachers and his classmates and caused him to miss or be unable to retain important learning and social skills.  With the help of his medication and assistance from a caring staff at a new school, he did a complete 360.  My son was still himself but he was able to curb his complusive behavior and excell.  He is in college now, but I can see where his troubles with focus in elementary school have carried on to his adult life and he has to work harder than his classmates because of some of the basic learning he missed out on.  My advice is if you are concerned that this may be an issue, you really should look into it.  The sooner the better.  

[Marebear74]

Gosh, that must have been so hard to know some thing is going on but, not know what. Even harder to not be able to help your baby boy when you see him going down hill. I had to get on my son's doctors from thew time he was 4 till 8yrs. They say they don't like to really think about this disorder till at least 6 yrs. of age. It's just so needless to wait so long just to diagnose something you know is wrong. And the heartache and emotional toll it took on him is very sad and was so hard to watch. Plus even after having an IEP meeting for him at his school they still left him in a class w/ a teacher who had no idea how to help him and really treated him bad in front of the whole class. She put a circle of tape around his desk and called him a behavior problem because, he could not sit still and would try to go help everyone else in class. While the rest of the other children went to the rug for story time he was made to stay at the back of his classroom in his desk. Made him feel like an outcast. I walked in and saw that, well let's just say i think they all had a different idea of who i was. Plus i found out he was sitting in "In school suspension" with kids 2 x's his age; 3 out of 5 days of school. No wonder my baby was'nt learning anything. Just to let everyone know, if you have any problems with you child's school not teaching them properly, look up a group called "TEAM CHILD". They are great, promise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anythoughtsforamom]

Well... I am on here for basicly the same reason as everyone else... My son will be 8 tomorrow... He is extreamly smart, makes honer roll, does his homework etc... Yet when it comes to rules and impulse, he seems to loose himself in his acts. I tell him to not to do something, on first opertunity, he does it... I ask him to do something and get only greif. He gets over emotional, angry, sad, hyper. It seems everything he is feeling is extream one way or the other. He cant get along with other kids, there for he has really no friends to speak of. I've tried rewarding him when he is cooperative, When he misbehaives I have tried everthing from revoking privilages, grounding, talking with him. I've finally, after roughtly 6 years of this intense behavior, put him into councling. They put him on a very mild antidepressant... Which barely seems to make a difference. Just yesterday, while in the kitchen cooking dinner, he snuck out, took the neighbor boys bike and rode down the road. I went looking for him not even 5 min. later and he was about 2 blocks away! This behaivior SCARES ME! I've always been about trying to teach him thru words and experience, yet yeilding no results... He will make the same mistake over and over and over again. And when asked why he did it, knowing the consiquences, he replys, I dont know... I'm just dunb, why did you have me if all I do is stress you out...  Horrible things... I try to go easy on him, yet now I feel stressed to a level that I'm not sure how much patience I have left for his behavior. He is such a lover... Hugs and kisses all the time, sweet little guy, yet his imlplulsivness and emotions seem to rule him... Any thougths on how to deal with this?

[Sandman2]

  I have one very important question.  Do his teachers see the same problem.  Forget the grades - at this grade level a very smart kid will coast.  Does he break their rules?  Does he get into trouble at recess?  Does he interrupt the teacher?  Did he have a bad time at the start of the year and then adjusted to school and is now not having these problems?

[slrr]

I am so happy to read these posts and know I am not the only person in the "wondering what is going on with my son" stage. My son has always been an extrememly bright boy... but he has a hard time expressing himself and is very impulsive when he doesnt get his way or is upset about something. In school he is fine, does not get in any trouble.. the teachers say he is very well liked... he actually one the award for being the student of the month. He has a lot of friends, but he is only 7. I worry as he grows up other kids are not going to tolerate these impulsive behaviors he exhibits. In Kindergarten I had him going to the school psychologist to work on his impulse reactions and the psychologist said he was doing much better. This year he did not continue with the class because they said he was fine. I wonder if he is ADD or ADHD because at home also he has a hard time following simple directions and tunes my husband and I out. He almost seems lazy, but we realize he is zoning us out. If he does have ADD or ADHD we would not medicate him, so does anyone have suggestions on how to cope? help him? THANKS

[Sandman2]

      I think the key words here are "extremely bright" and is "only 7".   Kids who are young and very bright have minds that work faster than their common sense.  They don't yet have the maturity to be more diplomatic.  Its pretty much a "me" generation kind of thing.  However, they do quickly learn what works and adapt to it.
     It sounds like he has figured out what works at school (and sad to say for you) what works at home.  I think that he is not so much zoning you out as he has learned that it is a easy way to get what he wants.  Honestly none of the things you have mentioned are ones that would suggest ADD.  It does suggest a very sharp kid (immature) who is bending his surroundings to his needs.  
   Suggestions:  First, do enjoy him.  This is going to be a ride for you.  He will definitely get better as he matures.  However, he will also become more calculating (dare I say sneaky).
You need to be very clear in your expectations.  Both you and your husband need to always present a unified front (so he can't play one against the other).  If you do punish him on the spur of the moment - he will probably use that to his advantage.  Use immediate timeouts for a few more years (get "SOS Help for Parents," by Lynn Clark. for very effective ways to use this) and then when he breaks rules - maybe around age 10 - tell him that you will decide what to do and let him know the next day.
     And you know the experience of school psychologists and teachers are not just for kids.  Use their expertise to help you.  Chances are his teachers have also had very bright kids.  I was fortunated enough to have had a lot of them.  They taught me a lot and hopefully I was able to do the same for them.  Point being - get their suggestions too.  Hope this helps.  Best wishes.
  

[ginaco]

SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR is hugely the culprit in my opinion we are dealing with hypoglycemia on many levels when their poor little bodies do not know what to do with all the refined sugar, white flour, white pasta they ingest etc. etc. The adrenaline kicks in and the blood sugar levels go wacko!!  So.... less sugar and a really good multi-mineral vitamin (with NO food coloring) and hugely calcium magnesium before bed is helping immensely with my 7 year old boy.  It turns his into an attentive, sweetheart:) I am a stay at home mom who has dealt with all levels of hyper, hyper, hyperactivity in my boy. (ADHD child)

[Sandman2]

   hyperglycemia is one thing.  Sugar has no proven link to ADHD - see myth #4
   http://www.medhelp.org/add-adhd/articles/Dont-Believe-These-10-ADD-ADHD-Lies/5
      However, I agree completely about a good diet.   And by the way, if sugar is the main culprit, I would be seeing my doctor about that.

[Agoodmom]

I agree and believe that you are a very intellectual mother and teacher!! I have an 8 year old son who since the first grade has been in trouble at school for excessive talking and playing around. I on the other hand do not have hardly any behavior problems with him at home, he is kind, friendly, loving, and gets along with everyone. He does most of his homework on his own without help, and sits very quietly while doing it. His teacher suggested moving him up a grade last year since he is an honor role student and was at a fourth grade reading level at the age of 7 to see if maybe his problem was from being bored with class work that was not challenging enough for him, but when moved to the next grade it was decided that his maturity level was not that of the other kids so he was moved back. He often misses the "20" minute recess time at school for bad behavior, which I believe just adds to the endless energy that all kids have. I work as a substitute teacher and I see different school's discipline policies and classroom rules all the time. I have seen few that actually allow kids to be kids and ones who take the appropriate steps to teaching kids how to use self control.

I believe that too much is expected out of elementary kids when it comes to having to sit in a classroom for 8 hours a day with barely any activity time, and teachers wanting them to be silent all day. Kids are kids, they are playful, silly, talkative, fidgety, curious, rebellious at times and still trying to learn and figure everything out. I am tired of teachers and schools wanting 7 and 8 year old children to act like 12 year old kids!!

[specialmom]

Ugh,  One of the things that frustrates me with schools is when they take away recess from kids for being too energetic in class.  The irony is that recess and running around/physical activity is exactly what a lot of kids need to stay calm in school.  They defeat their own purpose.  

I think if a teacher was complaining about the things you mention, I'd talk to them about other methods of working on it besides curtailing the outlet to their energy.  In fact, perhaps if he had short breaks in which he could do something physical in the classroom, it would help him overall.  Even little things like erasing a chalk board (do they still use those, lol) or a dry erase board can give some calming input to the nervous system.  

School is an exciting place.  Kids can get hyped up.  I work with my kids to understand that school is the 'work place' and I will set up  lots of fun socializing with their pals outside of school.  And I do.  It helps a little.  

I have two boys, one does have sensory integration disorder and school is where we would see more problems than at home.  But these are things I work on with both of my kids.  

I know that when I'm in my 8 year olds classroom, I do my best to help the teacher bring down the 'chaos' level as it can be a bit much.  I do understand that kids do need to maintain themselves in the classroom in a respectful way so that everyone can learn.  But teachers would be wise to understand that movement, shorter sessions for lessons but many of them, and keeping the material lively would benefit all including themselves when they have a better behaved class.  

[allmymarbles]

He sounds perfectly normal and has his own unique personality.

[Sandman2]

    Ya, the problem is the teacher and not the child.  Having been both an elementary teacher and principal, I can say that some teachers just can't deal with an intelligent child.  Be glad the upward movement did not work out!
    I have found that most of the times bright kids will figure out what works and doesn't and will adapt.  But I do agree that to miss a recess is a hardship.
    I would try and find out specifically what he is doing that drives his teacher nuts and then work on that skill at home.  Notice I did not say punish him!  I said work on the skill he needs at home.  There will be a carry over to school.  If you can be more specific - I may be able to give you some suggestions.