Help with 1st grader in school

My sons teacher had a conference with me in regards to my sons behavior in school and immediately suggested that he has ADD.  She says his handwriting is illegible.  Yes at times it is, but has improved.  She states that he doesn't listen or follow instructions in class.  He fidgets and gets preoccupied with stacking erasers, playing with pencils, or playing with anything he can find.  His test scores have remained mainly above 90's and a couple in the 80's.  At home, he does well on his homework, but gets easily distracted.  What should I do?  Who should I see?  

[specialmom]

Well, I have a first grader as well.  He actually has sensory integration disorder and is prone to all you describe with your son.  He's not on any medication but does see an occupational therapist once a week.  An occupational therapist could evaluate your child and tell you if sensory is playing a role here.  For my son, he is now functioning beautifully in school, his hand writing is on target and fine now, he maintains himself and sits to learn.  He's also very smart and does great with his academics.  

Sensory involves the nervous system and processing.  My son has to have had a lot of physical activity to sit and listen in school.  We go to parks and run, climb, roll, hike, jump, and swing a lot.  He does swimming (indoor when it is cold), plays soccer, jumps on a trampoline or mattress on the floor, does the monkey bars, etc.  Lots of this outside of school helps him handle school better.  Right before school and in class, doing crab walks across the floor, wall push ups or chair push ups, carrying some heavy books across the room, erasing a dry erase board, moving some chairs, etc. all help him keep his "engine" slowed down.  

Handwriting and sensory issues go hand in hand because of motor planning which is part of the nervous system.  This affects the brain processing of fine motor control. My son had an issue as well---------  we worked on it.  An OT has grips, writing boards, and can help tremendously.  Writing up right ---------- tape a piece of paper to a wall is helpful.  We do big color pages this way.  Wheelbarrow walks are good for core stregnth needed to write.  Regardless if it is add or sensory, the school OT should help him with his handwriting.  We do private OT and as I said---------- my boy's handwriting is now fine.  "Handwriting Without Tears" is a great helpful program for kids.  You can get books at a teacher supply store, on line or ebay.  

Having a fidget may help with homework at home as well as doing it after some physical activity.  A thick piece of chewing gum also helps. At school, they make these wiggle chair pads (inflatable) that sit right on the chair and a child can wiggle without getting up.  Feeds their need to move without distracting others.  Fidgets at school would be a good idea too.  

Anyway, google sensory and see what you think. Let me know. We've had a lot of luck with our son using sensory strategies to make school a great place for him.  good luck

[outsidethebox]

This is my first post in this discussion group but I was just about to post a very similar situation going on with my first grader, saw your post and here I am.  

I had parent/teacher conferences this week for my 1st grader and she told me the same things.  Except she feels it is not ADD/ADHD.  She feels it's immaturity and impulsivity.  His handwriting is poor, not necessarily illegible, but probably close sometimes.  Her big thing with him is that he doesn't follow directions and is distractable.  For example, a lot of times he does not write his name on his papers even though they have been instructed repeatedly, over and over to do this first thing.  And on math papers he starts at the wrong place alot.  Writes several numbers and letters backwards.  

Andrew (my child) is just a different kid.  He's high strung, excitable and totally un interested in school.  Well, most parts of it at least.  It takes telling him several times to do something.  He does it here at home also.  I tell him repeatedly to put his shoes away and 5 times later with very stern talking does it get done.  He doesn't seem to be very observant in the classroom..  I ask him who he sat by at lunch and he says he can't remember.  That kind of thing.  Academically, he is doing OK...reads very well.  

She is going to start sending me home a weekly report as to how he is doing each week and if he does well we are going to give him a special reward.  I always wondered if he didn't have some sort of sensory disorder.  Loud noise is upsetting to him, he seems to have poor muscle tone in his hands. (which is why I always thought the handwriting was so poor).  

I have a hard time believing it's ADD though....he is a "young" first grader.  His bday is end of April.  

[mjk123]

definetely ADD or be even ADHD see a child behavioral health person they could prescribe helpful things

[benjimom]

TO me, it doesn't necessarily sound like ADD/ADHD.  It could be immaturity, which is more likely. My son has Sensory processing disorder and handwriting has been difficult for him.  I think boys in general have a lot more issues with handwriting and reading.  It's harder for them and I think girls do better in this regard.

If you think he has a sensory issue or suspect it, ask your doctor for a referral to see an OT, sometimes the children's hosp can do an eval and other private companies. It is worth checking into.  They told me my son had ADHD at school and so I checked out other avenues and he has SO many sensory issues, I never even realized I guess b/c he's my only and I knew he was hard.  I even took him to a psychiatrist and he did not think he had adhd.  One principal said you don't realize how hard you are working, I agree with her, I've worked so hard with him.

I think the all day sitting is hard for kids. I wish more schools would integrate "movement" breaks into the curriculum, I think it would help so much.

It is stressful to hear about all these things from the school, huh???

[benjimom]

i had another thought, what is their plan for helping him with the handwriting, sometimes OT helps kids with this issue. Can you get an eval from teh school OT?