Immaturity/Lack of focus in 6 year old

[amybee]

I don't know what to do with my son. He is almost 7 years old.  All through kindergarten and 1st grade we had issues with him being "unable to focus or stay on task" according to the teachers. I see it at home as well, but ONLY when it comes to school work. At the suggestion of my sister (a special needs teacher) I had his pediatrician test him for ADD/ADHD back in May. He passed the tests - his doctor told me he was a long way from having ADD or ADHD. He said he was simply immature and that he would out grow it. However, just 2 days into this school year (2nd grade) and he brought home a note yesterday from his teacher telling me how he took TWO HOURS to do one page that they worked on in class. The class had 30 min. to complete it - in that time Thomas finished 2 words. He then had to use snack time, recess time, story time and math center time to finish the assignment. It has nothing to do with the work being too difficult. He is a smart kid. In fact, at home I sat him down with a page and he piddled around for a good half hour accomplishing almost nothing. I then put on a 5 min. timer and told him if he didn't finish before the timer was up he would have to go to bed early. He easily finished the page with time left over and no mistakes. But we've used the early bedtime thing before without results.  What will work one time will not work the next.  So my problem is how to motivate him to stay focused and do his work. I don't know where I can go for help. I can't talk to him because his answer to everything is "I don't know." and then he accuses my husband and I of being mean for making him do his homework. *sigh* I just don't think I can go through another school year like this...I really don't. It makes me want to cry because I just don't know how to fix it.

Oh, almost forgot - at his pediatrician's suggestion, he has been taking Omega 3 supplements for about a year and a half. He also takes a daily chewable multi-vitamin.  So far this has not helped.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

If he has an attention disorder the Omega-3 and vitamins will not help, though such supplements are useful in general. In particulalr, Omega-3 (in the form of fish oil) promotes flexibility in the neuron (brain cell) walls and this helps the electrical activiyt of the brain to move better from cell to cell.

Now, back to the possibility of ADHD. How did the pediatrician go about the diagnosis? It might make sense to re-visit this issue. As a beginning, I would ask his teacher to complete the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale and you as well. With these results in hand, make an appointment with a child psychiatrist.

On the home front, be sure that completion of homework occurs before any recreational activity. This may enhance his motivation to focus on the work, much as your use of the timer did.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

We do tend to be conservative about diagnosing ADHD in young children. In fact, though, one of the criteria to diagnose ADHD is that the symptoms be present by the time a child is seven. That does not preclude diagnosing the condition at an age younger than seven, because sometimes the symptoms are clearly evident before age seven. Parents often ask when should they consider medication (assuming the diagnosis is accurate). If the symptoms are clearly interfering with a child's mastery of normal challenges at home and/or in school, medication should be a consideration.

[amybee]

Thank you for your reply.  In May we did fill out the assessment forms, as did his 1st grade teacher.  I have seriously considered a psychiatrist.  I have a friend who is a retired child psychiatrist and he had warned me to not have my son diagnosed with ADD/ADHD prior to 2nd grade.  However, after spending two years dealing with notes from his teachers several times a week, I am starting to think that maybe I need some mental help!  My frustration level is at maximum.  He is starting to fight us on everything.  First thing this morning he threw a tantrum about getting dressed for school.  (before you ask, he goes to bed at 8:00 pm and we wake him at 6:45 am)  I've tried putting him to bed earlier, but he only gets more upset.  On weekends it is not unusual for him to sleep 11 or 12 hours.

Also, we do require homework to be done before anything else. That is a rule I was raised with and I have continued with my own children.

I believe I will start looking for a child psychiatrist in our area.  I very much appreciate your response.