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Uncontrolable noies and complete lack of attention span with my 6 year old son

My 6 and a half year old son started making funny noises about 6 months ago and doesn't seem to know he is making them. Some times he hums, othertimes it is randon noises that can be heard if you are in the same room with him. If you ask him to stop he has no idea that he is even making the noises. They stop long enough for him to talk to you then resume almost immediately. It is to the poing where my son is even making noises in his sleep. What can be causing this?
The other concern with my six year old is that he has absolutely no attention span. He can not concentrate on anything longer than 2 or 3 minutes, unless it is a video game where there is no repetition and soemhting new is always happening.
He is in first grade and the school is starting to comment on both of these issues. I have taken him to his pediatrician and they say that it is normal. There is nothing normal about these issues to me. He does have asthme, but these don't seem to be related to breathing problems.
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189897 tn?1441126518
COMMUNITY LEADER
  So your pediatrician has gone from,  "its normal" to, "the best they can think of is ADHD."   They don't have a clue.   If you can,  look for a pediatric psychiatrist or psychologist.  They will have more experience with these issues.
Helpful - 0
973741 tn?1342342773
Well, let me just say that I know exactly what you are talking about.  Google sensory and read about making noises.  It is more of a nervous system impulse than a blocking in the case of noises made by a sensory kid.  Sensory integration disorder looks very very much like adhd as both involve the nervous system.  Sensory is often confused for adhd as it is the lesser known of the two and many thinks get lumped into the adhd category.  They are treated differently though and it is important to be accurate in a diagnosis of any sort.  What would happen for noises with sensory is activities by an occupational therapist to address a nervous system issue typically to calm it and then behavior modification or giving of alternative things to stop noise making.  The activities also calm the nervous system so a child can focus (which is one of the things that we've seen real benefit from occupational therapy ourselves.)

I'll ask you again to google sensory integration disorder.  If teachers are telling you it adhd or professionals, etc.---------  I'd research sensory integration disorder first.  So similar and you don't want to go the lines of medication, etc. as it wouldn't work for a sensory kid.  They'd have no benefit and all the side effects.  And I'm telling ya, my child is a different kid once we started working on his nervous system.

Now sensory and anxiety are are interrelated.  My son came home today s ucking on his shirt which he hasn't done in a long time.  We do a special Christmas thing this weekend and he thought it was tonight.  He was keyed up.  He wasn't "nervous" anxious, he was excited anxious.  He was following a brain impulse to calm himself orally.  The reason why I say that sensory and anxiety are interrelated is that other kids that do not have sensory can process emotions in such a way that it doesn't present itself as an anxiety symptom.

Okay, please google sensory integration disorder and let me know what you think.  When in an occupational therapists office that works with kids with nervous system issues, noises are not uncommon.  good luck
Helpful - 0
757137 tn?1347196453
I hum and I am 81. No one seems to care. I hum low.
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
I would consider it maybe anxiety I have seen this and its as if they are blocking what they don't want to hear.Has he had any trauma around the 6 months time when it started , is there any noise or arguments he is trying to block out ?The person I have seen do this is an adult and still does it when anyone gets into any heated discussion ,he is neither ADHD or any other label
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There seem to be a lot of issues. Sometimes it is worse at school, sometimes it is better. There is no particular set routine to it. The noises did start right before school started, and he has good and bad weeks with it. I have checked out Sensory integration, and while he shows some signs throughout it doesn't look like he fits in any one catagory. It is getting really bad. The school requested I take him back to his pediatrician to figure something out. I did, and the best they can think of is ADHD. While I think that could cover his attention span, I just don't know if that is the answer. It alsmost seems as if there is more to it that I just can't place. I am struggeling to figure this out becuase I just don't know what to do and it seems to be getting progressively worse. While he does have his good times the bad times are getting to be more prolonged. While he is making these noises (which like I said just started 6 or so months ago) he blocks out everything else and tends not to respond to anything.
Helpful - 0
973741 tn?1342342773
I wanted to clarify that when I said google sensory------- I meant sensory integration disorder.  
Helpful - 0
973741 tn?1342342773
I have another possiblility which is sensory issues.  When my son was evaluated for sensory---------  making noises was asked about 4 different times in 4 different ways.  It is common with kids with sensory issues it appears.  My son does has sensory integration disorder and it is worse at school or anywhere that he is overwhelmed.  

Google sensory and see what you think.  How are your son's fine motor skills?  If he has any trouble at all, it makes school at 6 years old very difficult.  Part of sensory.  Does he seem calmer after some physical activity like swimming?  Is there a possibility that his nervous system is in over drive like my son's and he can't calm it enough to focus?  I have many strategies if you think there is any reason to suspect sensory issues goint on.  Google it and let me know!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Is he making these noises in school?  And, I assume that he is unable to be attentive in class while at school?  Believe it or not, these can be behaviours of anxiety.  Did these behaviours begin when he started school?  You might wish to google phrases as "how to help an anxious child" or "anxiety behaviors of children" or "school and anxiety" or similar words/phrases to learn more about this issue.  The internet should be able to give you lots of help (as well as your son's teacher) re this issue.   All the best ...
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
I have heard this before children I have seen humm a lot its usually if they are concentrating or if they want to block out something they don't like, I don't feel its a concern . I agree with the pediatrician this does'nt seem out of the ordinary, has he any younger siblings ?
Helpful - 0
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