 | Last Fall, my 7 yr old first grader was diagnosed with borderline ADHD. Recently, a more extensive evaluation was conducted which included surveys and 3 hours of classroom observation. The written assesment that came back was not good. It indicated that my son displayed all 9 of the signs of ADHD
It is obvious to me that a problem does exists. However, I am not convinced that its some type of brain disorder like ADHD. Intuitively, it seems there could be numerous causes for his behavior. The evaluation seems too subjective to conclude whether or not he has some type of disorder.
If he did have a brain disorder or ADHD, wouldn't he be inattentive in all situations ? For example, during the classroom observation, the observer stated that he stared into the distance for extended periods of time or didn't listen to the teacher's commands. If he has ADHD, it seems to me that he would have trouble listening and paying attention in all situations. However, He has no problem listening to me read a story to him and he can recall minute details about the story weeks or months later. He is also able to draw a picture, watch a movie or TV with complete focus. It seems to me that he only has trouble with things he would rather not do. In other words, he is choosing when and when not to pay attention. If he had ADHD, would he be able to turn his attention on and off like this ? |
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