To the over-concerned teacher of my 5-year old: I hate to say that I know more than you, but your diagnosis of ADHD and obsessive-compulsive disorder seems a bit premature to me.
Yes, he tends to get distracted if something shiny walks past.
Yes, he has a hard time doing your in-class assignments for the hour you allotted.
And yes, he wants to be the class clown.
But did you notice that he acts up because he's bored? Or that he never understood that those worksheets were something he was graded on?
Because, while i'm no expert, I can't help but think that such disorders would not go away overnight after a 10 minute heart-to-heart...
I'm just saying....
so been there done that and WTF is a teacher doing offering medical diagnoses :) Seriosuly though, while fMhson does have adhd, his sister does not, yet her teacher within a few weeks of starting K sent me a note
ReplyDelete"She may be trying her best, but perhaps she is just impulsive and unable to control the issues we are seeing. Have you ever been concerned about this type of behavior at home if you have witnessed it?
Oddly enough my 5 year old, who can already read, does not enjoy sitting on the floor for 30 minutes at a time to be taught what sounds letters make and to listen to a book she could read herself.:
We were reminded at a wedding this weekend just how squiggly my DS can get if he isn't allowed an hour of real learning and an hour of running around each day. If he gets both of those he's beyond angelic. Without and he starts doing stuff like getting stuck between the slats of his chair because he wants to see if he can fit through.
ReplyDeleteThank you both for your replies! I'm sorry to wait so long before replying, but as you I hope you'll understand, things have gotten rather hectic this week. Not only am I going through crunch time at work, but in-laws are visiting and we working out that whole "your son will fail kindergarten" thing...
ReplyDelete@feMOMhist - I can't begin to describe my frustration with our teacher. If it was so much of an issue, why did she wait 2 months before mentioning it? Nevermind my concern about whether or not she is qualified to make such judgments...
@nicoleandmaggie- I agree that it's all about balance. Keep 'em challenged, but also give them a chance to run off some energy. Which is why I'm a bit concerned that recess and gym is no longer taught in a lot of schools. But I suppose that's a topic for another day....
In the meantime, my wife and I are thankful that our pediatrician is very even-keeled. We'll take a wait and see approach to investigate if our corrective measures are helping any. After all, if he is truly ADHD, simple talking to will not alleviate his struggles.
While some may think it was a bad idea to have already met with our pediatrician on the subject, I think it's critical that everyone involved in my son's life is aware of what is going on. Just because my wife and I don't think we should be worried doesn't mean we're right. After all, I specifically chose NOT to become an MD - mayber there's a reason for that....