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Child Behavior (Expert Forum)
doesn't follow directions
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development
doesn't follow directions
by brown_sugar12, Jul 03, 2008 03:13PM
My five year old niece was born to a mother who indulged in crack cocaine during the time she was pregnant. My niece now can't seem to follow directions well at all. If she's given more than one direction at a time she will complete one task.No matter how many time I repeat myself she can't seem to follow through. In addition to this, she trips and falls seemly for no reason at all. Nothing has to be in her way yet she falls. Could this have some relationship to the the drugs? If anyone has any answers can you please help me ?
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., Jul 04, 2008 06:58AM
, Jul 04, 2008 06:58AM
The traits are not likely to be associated with the intrauterine drug exposure, but it really does not matter in a certain sense. Regardless of the etiology, the question is whether or not to intervene. Relative to following multi-step directions, it is not unusual for a child so young to follow the first direction and then be unable to recall the second. Children of this age should be given only one direction to follow at a time. So it's the expectation that is unrealistic. Relative to balance, her pediatrician should be consulted about whether the degree of imbalance is developmentally out of the norm.
