We are getting our son tested for ADHD: What should we expect?

Due to reports from my 6yo son’s teacher, we are having him tested for ADHD. He has a hard time keeping his hands and feet to himself, along with not listening to redirection or simple instructions. He won’t stay in his seat and talks excessively. What are some?s I should ask the dr, what should I be prepared for? also, what are some tips or tricks to get him to behave better? I have grounded him, taken away electronics and all his toys, I have even set him at the kitchen table all evening with just books as punishment for his bad behavior.

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They will try and put him on meds. I would advise to wait until hes older. Hes young and full of energy but every doctor u see will throw adderall at him

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You need to get a book on ADHD and get a referral for him to see a specialist and take their advice.

Yeah you’re punishing your child for a developmental issue, not bad behavior. Take him to a psychologist who can help you with coping skills in addition to any potential meds.

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IMO he’s 6. You shouldn’t make him sit still as a punishment… I mean you wouldnt wanna be stuck at a table reading either…hes just growing up and I’m sure schools a different environment then home. I wouldnt put him on meds just yet. I would see what other options there are

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I wouldn’t use books as punishment. Have u tried sports to see how he does following directions, listening etc in an environment outside of the classroom?

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If he is ADHD, he can t help it wiithout proper medication. The Doctor will be the judge. Good luck.

Don’t punish him if he can’t help it x try to encourage him by play x

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My son was tested at 6, it’s a basic questionnaire. How he rates will determine if he’s ADHD. With that diagnosis you can try medication…

No tips on how to get him to behave… pretty trial and error.

Changing diet may help, limited sugar ect. Can also ask for an IEP with the school. If he’s behind you can assess for special education with the AEA.

First can u sign him up for sports ? Does He have downtime before each class? Does he get enough time to eat? TO PLAY? My son as yours was tested when he was 5…His Dr. Said…after watching him play for 1 hour Tell that school&Teachers to become more fun… John was active and I was tired… lol He also was in Flag football/wrestling &After school I let him wined DOWN…play outside…he was a HYPER DUDE…however we where not about to give him something we as parents didnt tug think was Good …I trust Myself &His Dr…so …Good luck…ps I understand some may need it …also

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Where I live you have to see a child psychologist…they do behavior therapy first before any meds

Great resources.

My daughter is severe ADHD with Genetic Disorders and Comorbidities. As am I. check out Dr Russel Barkley. He’s the Bomb.

Please don’t take the advice of waiting until older. That 100% hinders their learning. Personal experience.
Medication is 100% justifiable for ADHD. But not everyone with ADHD needs medication. And Drs do not push medication either.

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This is a before and after picture of being on adderall! Only a years difference! It wasn’t worth the side effects which one of them was no appetite and losing weight! He’s been off it now for quite awhile and he still struggles from time to time but we find ways to manage! Send him to school with someone he can fidget with (stress ball ect), caffeine has the opposite effect on adhd kids, try giving your child a little cup of Mountain Dew prior to school and see if that helps, Walgreens/Walmart also sells dissolvable all natural calming tablets that work fairly well too! Don’t Medicare unless you absolutely have too!

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Punishment will not work if he has adhd routine stay to it and if he get to much put him somewhere safe for time out and give yourself some time. Get him a diagnosed if he have it the u can get pip to help with him to give yourself a break

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD last January. Literally all he did was make her read something and quizzed her on it while I filled out one piece of paper. And boom. ADHD and odd. We didn’t do the medication route because she’s doing too good in school. She just has a very hard time listening to what she’s told to do and comprehending anything. Even in school. She’ll be mine in March.

Hes to young to really test . My son is adhd we took him to Duke university in nc the doctor told us not to medicate until until he was 8 . Diet has alot to do with hyperactivity red dye is really bad. . Stay on a routine and fallow through on punishment

You and the school teachers will have to fill out questionnaires.
What helped my son focus was NO ELECTRONICS Mon-Fri he earns them on the weekend. IT WAS HARD to get it started but we are 2 years into it and he knows he’s better at school for it.
I won’t recommend using books as punishment. He will have a hard time in school after, seeing all the work as punishment. I have boxed up all his toys and took them out of the equation, and left only a small educational toys avaiable. <3 good luck mama!

ADHD is a possibility but really unlikely.

Your son is 6. “Adult” behavior like being able to sit still for hours on end shouldn’t be expected by a six-year-old.

Again, while ADHD is a real thing, it is insanely over-diagnosed.

There are plenty of behavioral strategies worth trying before diagnosing or medicating the poor boy.

It may be frustrating trying to corral a room full of kids, but that’s no reason for the teacher to jump straight to ADHD.

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And if hes ADHD remember when someone talks to him hes not hearing them right its kinda like the teacher on Charlie brown blah blah blah

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Make sure he’s sleeping well and doesn’t have any sleeping problems before you get him diagnosed.
Sleep deprivation symptoms in children are the same as ADHD/ADD symptoms. So many child get miss diagnosed with ADHD/ADD

My sons school did the same but I fought them until he was older. I didn’t get him on meds until he was almost 9 and even then I hated to do so. Its important to go to a psychologist, not just a family dr to get diagnosed. They do a more in depth screening. My son went for a 3 hour evaluation and I sat in the office. It made me uncomfortable not knowing what they were doing but kids act different in front of their parents. Try other alternatives first.

Sounds like a normal child that has energy. My teachers and doc all wanted to put in on ADHD medication. So glad my parents didn’t listen and put me in after school sports and clubs instead.

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CBD oils and thc are amazing natural no damage to kidneys ect

Allergy testing. Our food has so many additives that kids are sensitive to that cause ADHD symptoms.

My daughter is ADD & ADHD. It’s hard to find the line between disobedience or if it’s her disabilities at play. I understand the struggle. She is currently on meds and it helps but it’s not a fix all. I find that reminding her to stay on task and helping her to refocus helps a lot. In time you’ll find what works for your own child.

Also set up a reward system that you and his teachers can do with him. Maybe just earning tickets for good behavior and listening. Then he can turn the tickets into you for his reward that he chooses. Also involve him in coming up with the rewards and what he is expected to do to earn them. If he is involved in making it he will be more excited in doing it. The $ tree have small packs of raffle tickets you can buy. With my son, I had given his teacher some she could reward him with and he would come home and put in his ticket cup. Tickets would earn kindle time, he gets to pick dinner, he get to be the “boss” for a certain amount of time like 10-15 minutes. The key is to be consistent with it and sometimes it would need to be “refreshed”. Also I found structure and checklists helped my son as he got older.

Why would learning/reading books be used as a punishment? That’s teaching bad habits. Better option to spend time with him reading books together not use as a punishment :woman_facepalming:. There’s plenty of alternative ways to help promote positive behaviour at home and school . Try diet change , less sugars, no red dye etc. Poitive reinforcement for good behaviour at home and school, so many good days earn a little prize out of a surprise box. Follow drs instructions for the test but know a medication isnt a cure all and you may have to try many things before finding the right combo. Remove electronics during the week , they must be earned and still limit the time on them. Limit screen time period , try activities he enjoys to burn energy off.
Doesn’t sound like adhd to me sounds like a child acting out , and teachers are frustrated ,overworked and underpaid and would like classrooms to run smoother. Try alternatives first , but whatever you do stay consistent habits dont change in a week or 2

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How about lots of exercise! Use the time exercising to teach math, English grammar, science, etc. But good food, exercise, and learning. Not an easy solution, I would wear out before the child. Consistency is important. Punishment doesn’t work.

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I know you’re asking for advice but I wouldn’t ever punish a child with books. Books should be something we encourage, not use as a form of punishment

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I know this sounds weird but try removing red dye 40 from his diet completely including like bath bombs that he may use that have red dye 40 in it it causes hyperactivity in children and anxiety in adults I did it with my two-year-old and the results were absolutely amazing

My son is severe ADHD. He is not hyper but has impulse control and ODD. Has a hard time listening and remembering a lot of things. We find that simple instruction and small tasks help. Change in diet also helps. We cut out red dye 40 and only allow small amounts of sugar on weekend. Please dont punish him for things he cannot control. And dont punish with books. That could make him hate reading as he gets older

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If it is adhd, stop punishing him, its mental health. It would be like punishing someone for depression. Do things to help him focus, and reward good behavior but stop punishing “bad” behavior that you know is just from the adhd.
Also, books should be a reward, not a punishment.

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Diet and exercise and consistency go a long way. Try those avenues first before medication. He is 6 you do not want him drugged if it can be prevented. I’ve seen first hand what those drugs can do later on down the road, esp if it can be prevented and controlled

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Using books as punishment?? I think that’s going against everything your trying to accomplish if your making things he will need to do at school to learn a bad thing…

Why the fuck would you punish him for something he can’t help. He needs way more activity and cut out artificial dye

Both my kids are on meds. My son just turned 8 (on meds 2years) my daughter 13 (on meds 5years) they dont have any problems with weight or eating it’s all about structure an proper diets not alot of sugar. They also have things called chewies you can get them off line its jewelry they can chew on with out hurting them self’s also fidget cubes for school. I’m 31 an have it an I don’t medicate haven’t at all an due to it my education is very low due to not being able to focus in school also people with adhd learn very different! My kids grades were awful before the meds now they both have As in every class. As they get older you can wing them off of it…

Have him help teachers with task. Help him find ways, when fidgetty, to move something else, such as tap toes, finger tapping. It is like restless legs, very hard to control, unless can distract your body. Not able to do this well in school when teacher talking. Find programs after diagnosis that help. Learning Centers help teach focusing, how to get homework done with patience. Kids will figure out how they need to learn with some good initial help. Everyone must try to understand where their limits for helping are and seek help gmfor their child. Some may be behavior controlling, but a lot us not that, but is learning different way to learn since their processing may be different.

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You just need to let the therapist do there assessments my 3yr old was diagnosed with severe add and adhd. And a speech delay. No meds yet. But i know how to work with her because im severe add/adhd also. You just need to figure out him and what helps

What a shame you’re punishing him for something he can’t control. And punishing him with reading? You’re setting him up to fail.
Try talking to a doctor about a diet change, more exercise, give him a quiet area to calm himself, teach him how to soothe himself. Look into meds to see if something works.
Punishment for a mental disorder is horrible.

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My seven yr old was just tested for ADHD and before we had him tested, we put him in karate. It’s helped him tremendously. We found that keeping him active along with a good diet and plenty of sleep curbed his behavior in class alot. He still has his moments but it’s gotten alot better

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Is he sleeping through the night?
Have him evaluated for sleep apnea.
Most kids who get the ADHD diagnosis are sleep deprived. They snore and wake up through out the night .

Apply for SSI disability to help cover expenses.

Please don’t punish him by making him sit & read books. It will only cause him to hate books & reading. My son was diagnosed with ADHD at 3 years of age & he just turned 36 yesterday. When him & his twin sister got out of the tub & had their jammies on, every night I sat & read to them. I made it fun by asking them easy questions such as, " now what color did the farmer say his cow was?".
It made him & his twin sister listen better & it made it fun. They looked forward to night time for years because of our bedtime story time.

Grounding him and taking away tech will only make things worse as your not dealing with his adhd properly he can’t help his behavioue he wants attention take him out if he likes camping or something he can burn energy everyday he needs that

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Such a huge subject…
Consistency.
Punishment doesn’t work because she can’t help it.
I recommend a Psychiatrist for medical treatment (meds if necessary) AND a cognitive psychologist who will teach her ways to handle her excess energy without disrupting a classroom.
Chin up, though, 2 of my kids has ADHD and the third has ADD.
They are all now hs graduates, 2 are college graduates, and are all 25+ yrs old. All are happy, healthy, productive citizens…

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Advice: before you put him on medication, put him on a no food coloring diet. Especially no Red#40.

Many studies showing that being the culprit of ADHD diagnosis.

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Books are not punishment they are a joy

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I feel sometimes kids just get bored, how are his grades, is he actually disrupting the class, is he keeping kids around him from learning. These are questions I would have for a teacher. I have seen parents get kids medicated because a teacher finds it disturbing. Please remember they are still kids. Have him tested for a gifted program he may need to be challenged more. I do not agree with punishing him with a book, that is an encouragement. Drs, will diagnose with knowing your child 5-7 mins and move on which is not fair. Find a reward system that works for the both of you like a happy meal on fridays if he doesnt get in trouble, a new hot wheel car. Nothing expensive just a motivator. Sometimes all kids need is to be motivated. Now if its affecting you that’s a diffrent story, but if hes good for you and just acts out at school that is a normal thing. That’s something you can work with.

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Ask the school to see if another parent at your school has been through this, and if you can meet and.chat to them.

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Contact your insurance company for recommended doctors or pediatrician

Could it be he is just extremely bored at school. My daughter had the same issues at school. When they tested her she didnt have ADHD or ADD. So they gave her an IQ test to find out that she was advanced and she was bored with what they were learning. Moved her up a grade and shes not had any problems since.

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You can change behaviors with diet. Also look at the things he is eating with dye in them (almost everything). Red dye is the worst. Gut health is directly related to most everything. Try changing up his diet before you use sythetic medication.

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My daughter was diagnosed with adhd they put her on low dose meds just to help focus in school she got straight fs in first grade before we tested her that’s even with working on school things. She got held back in first grade we started the meds the following year and she’s had a HUGE improvement. Not all meds are bad or make them like a zombie. They also put her in iep classes and she works with a special teacher 52% of her day it’s kinda like a special needs class but they do the exact thing class is doing just at a slower pace. So I’d get involved with your school and see what else they can do after he’s diagnosed. It take a while to get into special things at schools. But note my daughter only takes her meds when she has school or we do something that requires her to sit still or to focus. Other then that weekends she doesn’t take it. You can message me if you have any questions about iep or the special needs program. The doctors will ask you a series of questions and they will determine if he is or isn’t so be honest on that.

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My son is 6. He has severe ADHD combined type.
Every child is different.
But I’ve found…
-eliminating red dye, yellow dye, and carmel color
-keeping things like stability pods, a kid’s treadmill, and things that allow him to be appropriately active
-an economy reward system where he has to do things he needs to do before he does things he wants to do first…plus some bigger rewards
-vitamins
-caffiene
-medication. This one is controversial but for us it was the BEST option because nothing else on its own was enough

As far as the evaluation…it varies by doctor. Our doctor had YEARS of physical, occupational, and speech therapy notes and evaluations (different issue) which helped with diagnosis and made the process pretty easy.

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About 20% of children are misdiagnosed with ADHD. But I think it’s a risk worth taking because if they do have it, you will be glad to have a solution.

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Teacher is not a Dr and can not tell you it is that. First change his diet to all natural foods no fake stuff no cereal no sweets all fruits n veggies. Bet it changes and if that don’t work start sitting with him at home pop up in school. NEVER PUT YOUR KID IN MEDS

Please don’t use books as punishment! Let him move.

we did for 7 yrs because the teacher thought he needed it. he stayed on it until 7th grade and my daughter said “no more”. it did him not one ounce of good.

I disagree with books as a punishment. That should be used as quiet time or relaxation time.

The Learning Centers helped my son by retraining his brain in 1990’s $25.00 hour. 8 months 3x a week. Very Successful

I struggled with my daughter focusing in class as well as at home doing homework. Her teacher would constantly tell me shes very easily distracted and has a hard time focusing. She wa in therapy at the the time for some trauma she experienced as a toddler. They recommend an evaluation by the psychiatrist. It was very simple we sat with he dr and they asked me questions as well as her and diagnosed her with ADD they prescribed her a low dose medication for 1 month to see if theres any difference. After a week her teacher noticed such a huge difference and so did I. Homework that took her 2 hours to do shed have done on 20 mins. She could.focus much better. It’s such a life changing thing for our family. She no longer struggles in class

My son was doing that… He is actually high functioning autistic, has adhd and dmdd. :eyes::eyes: But, I knew something was wrong with my child. I just needed the doctors to see it for themselves! He is now 15 and takes 4 meds during the day, just to function “normal.” :pleading_face: If he is off his meds, you know.

My oldest son (7) was put on adhd meds and it changed him. He was not my baby boy while taking that stuff. Took him off after a few months. Now we just make sure he eats right, and hes able to run off some energy every day.

Don’t jump right to medication but don’t write it off. We exhausted all other options with my daughters Innatentive ADHD and it worked for a couple years. Then when it affected her grades again and caused unmanageable anxiety and depression we started meds. She changed her diet is certain ways and kept herself on a rigorous schedule but it came easier with the meds. I explained it as you leaving a light plugged in but the switch turned off. The energy is constantly on so you really never get a break for your brain

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I think you would have noticed since he was very little, I know I have known something was “different” since about 2 or 3 yrs old. I have made the choice not to medicate with pills until we absolutely have to. I really hope everything will go well for you and your family.
Also I agree about the red dyes in food, It differently makes him extremely more hyper then normal!!! Good luck

Making him feel worse won’t make him behave “better”. All it will do is add more anxiety to the adhd. Join Gentle Parents Unite! They have tons of child behavior experts and experienced parents and will NOT let you down. Your son is trying his best, be there for him!

Please remember before taking him to get medicine that’s similar to meth, that hes 6 years old! Kids are supposed to have a bunch of energy! It’s our school system that puts unrealistic expectations on their behavior and anyone who doesn’t obey sitting and acting like a robot automatically has a behavior or mental disorder. .maybe homeschool or a different learning environment like a Montessori school would be better.

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My brother was diagnosed ADHD and was put on medication. It made him a zombie. What helped was being in special education. My brother didn’t feel so overwhelmed being in a shorter class with a teacher who understands his needs. My brother didn’t learn as well in a book, but more visual. I would find parents who have children with ADHD and see what helped with their kids. It might be a trial and error for a while, but you’ll find a solution. I hope the best!

If he gets tested and it does come back that he falls within the range of ADD/ADHD. Please talk to your pediatrician about all of your options. Talk to someone who has ADD/ADHD. I have 3 children who have ADHD and they all have different versions of it. My oldest it effects his impulse control, my middle child it is accompanied with ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) and my third child it’s about his energy. He seems to radiate energy and always on the move. They take medication and are thriving but I would say to also have a behavioral specialist work with your child. A behavioral specialist will be helpful if he is diagnosed or not.

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Take him to the woodshed and give him a few smacks on his bottom !

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I have ADHD and I wasn’t diagnosed until my mid 20s. When I was a kid they didn’t look for ADHD often, especially in girls (from what I’ve been told). I have since been on medication, with the exception of when I was pregnant/breastfeeding. I honestly wished I was diagnosed earlier…I may have done better in school, I just skated by unless it was something I was interested in. But honestly I think 6 is a little young to be diagnosed. I personally have the impulses (my mouth runs faster than my brain) and I definitely get distracted easily on things that I’m not interested in but extremely focused on some things that can be such a small thing…I will lose time because I don’t realize I do it. My main problem is my impulsiveness…with my mouth…let’s just say I’ve never been written up at work for anything I’ve said, until I was off my meds and pregnant…and not just once, but twice. I’ve been there for 12 years and those are the only 2 write ups I’ve gotten :woman_shrugging:t2::zipper_mouth_face:. Do some research first to know what signs are in younger children and go from there…and like others have said they took their kids off the meds…which is an option if they just don’t work for you. Good luck Mama.

Kids like this have a terrible time focusing. I used to call them wiggleworms. Often, they are prescribed medication which can be helpful. The technique to help focus is varied. Some kids can’t sit still for long periods of time. I used to put them towards the back of the room so they cld stand up, move, etc. Some are space cadets. They lose attention and go to a land far away. Those I put up front so I cld keep an eye on them. Often they don’t hear all the directions before activating a response. I wld start directions, wait for the 1 or 2 who started before I finished, back up, repeat and finished the directions. I wld alert the sprinters not to start yet. They are usually boys but girls can be vulnerable as well. They are quieter about it… techniques help but the right med can help take the spotlight off of them.

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Ask about changing his diet,meds,support groups,more exercise.He may not need meds now,but later on could be different.He may also need one on one time with a tutor,or after school.You may also need to help him with home work.Make a “game plan” to try,with different plays if one doesn’t work.I’d also let the school know what’s going on.Most teachers will gladly help you.

First please do not punish your child with books. Secondly please don’t medicate your child. even with an ADHD diagnosis of kids need taught to use it as a strength not as a disability

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It sounds like my grandson at school but I don’t believe he has adhd my grandson just needs consistent rules I have no problem with him because I have set guidelines for behaviour if he doesn’t behave I use the naughty corner it really helps with him

Traditional school is not for every child

Punishments aren’t always best, most kids with ADHD don’t know why they are being punished because they also don’t understand why they have all the energy they do, a lot of acknowledgement at home will help, lots of 1 on 1 calm activities to practice sitting calmly (coloring, reading books together, writing letters, numbers, names for learning) lots of outdoor play at home could help as well. My 4 year old has ADHD, a diet is the best thing I’ve ever tried, cutting out red dyes, foods/drinks filled with sugar simply because it adds so much more energy on top of what they already naturally wake up with.

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Don’t start with meds right out. Diet change may help, natural remedies are always best. I’m also a huge supporter CBD oils and rubs. You may find that helps calm him down and increases focus.

He can’t help it. I have ADHD. I’m rare usually they grow out of it. I’m 52 and as hyper as ever. You could get him in sports. A busy child is a good child. Try not to have to much junk food. His diet is important. Follow through with testing. Chances are he’ll out grow it. Keep him away from the drug Aterol. Give him a hug for me. :two_hearts:

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it not him it is the adhd my son has it he is 34 now

Coffee, cappuccino or mountain dew might help him use self control.

Hang in there. He is a 6 year old boy. Very few boys at this age can sit still all day long. My son at that age also had the teacher recommending ADHD medicine. I refused since his dream job is to be in the military and those meds would possibly make him ineligible. So we kept redirecting him and made sure he had plenty of time to run around and get that energy out. Sometime she would even let him go flip around the carpet as long as he wasn’t being disruptive. It worked and now he is a 13 year old cranky teenage boy.

My brother was diagnosed with ADHD when he was young and the doctor told my mother that it was important to be firm, be consistent and don’t ask them to do something, tell them or they will walk all over you. I’m not saying be mean or anything, but be in control. ADHD does not make them stupid just easily distracted because their mind is jumping from one thought to another more rapidly than other people.

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You could try things like a wobble cushion ( looks a bit like a whoopee cushion but bigger and without the noise) sitting on a chair and still being able to move might help or you know those elastic bands you can get to exercise your arms and leg put one of those around the far legs of his desk and he can bounce his feet on it will satisfy his need for movement without him getting up and wondered round the class , if he is adhd punishment for being impulsive or inappropriate or innatentive just wont work with him they are symptoms of the condition it’s like punishing an asthmatic for having an asthma attack, strategies that will work for him and maybe medication

Stop punishing him for starters and ask for help learning how to deal with your frustrations.

Punishment for behaviour that is not his fault has to stop right now. ADHD behaviour is not his fault.

You need to have your sons teacher fill out a SNAP IV questionnaire, and bring it back to your doctor. You also need to have an IEP put into place with the school.

If you decide to go with the medication route, be aware it will be trial and error to find the right medication and dose for your child. Some will work, some will make him worse or no effect at all.

But again, I cannot stress enough. Do not punish him for behaviours that are ADHD related. Praise for the positive.

There are no “tips and tricks” to get him to listen the first time. You need to do your research on what ADHD even is. Or else you’ll be talking to a wall for the rest of his childhood.

Medicate.

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Also I forgot to add, self esteem takes a huge hit with ADHD kids. You punishing him for behaviour that’s not his fault is going to make him hate himself even more inside. He’s struggling. Get him the help he needs.

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My partners daughter has adhd and is medicated for it. But we also changed her diet at our house. And what foods she eats. We all jumped on board with the food change so she didn’t feel like she was different. Sometimes we don’t even give her the medication. Some foods trigger the bad behaviour it’s a long process but a easy one.

I’ve had ADHD for 71 years.
just keep your child on a diet without monosodium glutamate or MSG. Watch to see if anything else sets them off like artificial colors or artificial flavors. good luck and God bless.

There are a lot of misdiagnosis for ADHD nowadays. I would look up holistic approaches before allowing medication. Many of those things include change in diet as well and regular exercise to burn off some of that excess energy. I have a 9 year old with ADHD and while he is medicated, our best behavior days are the days he plays outside for awhile and plays on his tablet (he has educational games that he doesn’t realize are making his brain work). Wear out his body and brain and he will get optimal sleep, all of which leads to a more focused child.

We just got our son diagnosed with ADHD last Friday. There is a questionnaire that both the parents and the teachers fill out. Our dr gave us lots of info about it at his appt. Next week, we are actually taking our daughter in to see about her having ADHD as well. For our daughter, we have to be super consistent with things. We are still in the process of figuring out what all works best for each kid. Also, there are medications that can be prescribed. For now, in our family, we are choosing to wait on any meds and see what we can do without to help them.

With my son we started with a child psychiatrist and a child behavioral therapist we see them once a week and work on different coping techniques. Medication is sometimes needed. Because adhd is a chemical imbalance of the brain. They cannot control it. Their brain works much faster then a neuro typical child. There are some great groups on Facebook that have been extremely helpful

My son is 7 and has severe ADHD and a few other issues. Rewarding works way more than punishing. Its best for parents to understand that your child does not want to be this way. They try to be the best they can be but impulsiveness gets the best of them. Its truly something that they can’t control. It must feel terrible to not have control of your own body. We tried several different medications but all of them had too many side effects for him. He has a meeting with a specialist to see if we can find the right one for him. Its okay to go in either direction and your child will probably tell you which way he feels better. My son prefers his medicine because it helps him control himself. Routine is best for my son. Doing activities that help get some energy out. He also goes to a therapist once a week and through play therapy she teaches him and we learn more of what he needs since he’s not always able to communicate that with us. Be consistent. No means no. Even with my son having severe ADHD, he’s very well behaved and very polite. We get compliments all the time for it. You learn what works for YOUR family.

Take out sugar drinks even juice with sugar and take out red dye food and drinks.

I work with children who have a diagnosis…look in your area for skills training behavior…would be under mental health since this is considered illness…then make sure you notify the school with documentation so they can accomodate him as the laws.permit in your state…no punishment…your child physically cannot help it when it comes to being still…do your research…

Honestly, as a parent? You should exhaust every single available option before medicating. He is 6 years old. What 6 year old do you know that is FOCUSED?? He. Is. Six. Maybe…clearly…punishment isn’t working. So try something else. Attempting punishment and having it fail then immediately jumping to medicine seems a bit lazy, in my opinion.

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It is expected for children at 6 years to be hyper . Sometimes it’s not ADHD or ADD. Watch how your child behaves at home when given a chore or task if he can’t follow through with your request after explaining twice then you may have a reason for concern, also I found with my child when giving a book to read one that’s appropriate for his age of course , have him read to you and see how focused he is also watch him when he watches t.v. if he can sit still maybe he’s just bored at school. My daughter was hyper and her grandmother gave her mountain dew without my permission but it calmed her down and she use to bounce off the walls. I know I know who gives a kid mountain dew to diagnose them? After that I took her to a specialist and she was diagnosed with ADHD and a few other things. Once she was diagnosed I got her an IEP at school. That’s an individual education plan and the teachers could meet all of her needs. I hope this helps.

#joking
But honestly, the medication really helped me.

My son was diagnosed at 3 yrs old with ADHD, a sleep disorder and disruptive behavior since then he has been on almost all the meds this last med he was on wasn’t working since he started school he has been better behaved his teachers love him and I have taken him off all of his meds except his melatonin to help him sleep don’t get me wrong he still somewhat hyper but with those types of meds there are lots of side affects and the main one for him was they calmed him down so much he was always tired and didn’t want to do anything and he gained weight I have a 6 yr old that weighs 93 pounds I have him on a strict diet no sugar or caffeine and no foods with alot of carbs he is so much better

Stop punishing him as he just won’t understand all it will come across too him is your angry and he won’t no why ( part of ADHD and how his brain works ) …You will get asked a bunch of questions about behaviour and school reports sleeping patterns etc …Then maybe a trial of medication …My son has ADHD ( crazy hectic no fear and seriously naughty at school ,He could go without sleeping 2 days straight …First day on medication and I had a completely different Child a complete turn around …Now 12 months later his amazing at school and home …