Intro and question about ADHD?

Keeptruckin

Hi! I have a question about age of diagnosis for ADHD. We were referred by our doctor to a developmental pedi based on our concerns about my daughter who is 6. We were told after filling out a questionnaire, which her teacher also filled out, that she is not at risk for ADHD. Then the doctor told us she was too young anyways to get a diagnosis. From what I have read, she is not too young. I strongly feel something is going on. I guess I need to get a second opinion. Does anyone have a diagnosis for ADHD for their child and what age was it received? My main concerns are no sense of danger, and impulsiveness. Today she decided to slide down a climbing wall, using it like a slide. She got hurt quite badly. Yet, she doesn't learn from these incidents. She has also jumped down from 12 foot openings in the playground. From what she told us she didn't know how to use the various firemen poles so decided to jump to be quicker. I am stressed as she is always getting hurt, help! In writing this I know I need to get a second opinion.

Keeptruckin

-auntie- said:

Keeptruckin said:

Hi! I have a question about age of diagnosis for ADHD. We were referred by our doctor to a developmental pedi based on our concerns about my daughter who is 6.

Why were you turfed to a dev pedi? TBH, that's a little over the top for ruling out ADHD. A clinical psych or psychiatrist would be my first choice unless the child likely had a developmental delay primary- like ASD. Why did s/he pick a dev pedi over a psych?

 We were told after filling out a questionnaire, which her teacher also filled out, that she is not at risk for ADHD.

This was based on a single parent/teacher questionnaire? 

ADHD symptoms need to be present in multiple settings for the dx. One would expect to fill out something like the Vanderbilt and/or Conners Scales, as well as a more general assessment of social, emotional and adaptive behaviors- like the Vineland and/or BASC2 and a WISC/WPPSI.

We did Conners (parent and teacher), BASC-2, Vineland, WOSC and WRAT when DS was evaluated at 6, plus some ASD specific stuff. Did your reporting not line up with the teacher, or did both of you come up with a report that didn't rise of the level of ADHD?.

We've compared parent and teacher reporting- DS is pretty consistent at home and in class, so his teachers and I reported almost identical issues across Conners, Vineland and BASC2. 

If a teacher doesn't see the child in a setting where the behaviors are present, she can't report them. If your DD's issues are largely in unstructured times, and the teacher has an aide to do recess and lunch, then the aide might be the better choice to report. Or perhaps both should.

 Then the doctor told us she was too young anyways to get a diagnosis.

That's a load of crap. The CDC has guidelines for children 4-18. Most docs prefer to visit the dx at around 6/7, so she should be old enough if she actually has ADHD.

 From what I have read, she is not too young. I strongly feel something is going on. I guess I need to get a second opinion. 

Yeah, you probably do. Trust your gut- you know your kid better than anyone. Maybe find a good clinical psych. Or you could ask the school district if you can put your concerns in an educational need context.

Does anyone have a diagnosis for ADHD for their child and what age was it received?

DS got an ADHD dx just before he turned 7 along with an ASD (Aspergers)dx. He got a Specific LD (dyslexia) dx a year later at 7 1/2. The behaviors associated with these 3 conditions overlap greatly. The first person to dx DS was a clinical psych, we got a opinion on the AS/ADHD a few months later from a dev pedi. The dyslexia came from a developmental neurologist.

My main concerns are no sense of danger, and impulsiveness. Today she decided to slide down a climbing wall, using it like a slide. She got hurt quite badly. Yet, she doesn't learn from these incidents. She has also jumped down from 12 foot openings in the playground. From what she told us she didn't know how to use the various firemen poles so decided to jump to be quicker. I am stressed as she is always getting hurt, help! In writing this I know I need to get a second opinion.

That must be very challenging as a mother. ADHD could be one cause of such behavior, but there are others. It could be processing, global memory glitches or something mote serious like childhood onset bipolar or schizophrenia which are sometimes associated with delusional thinking around self preservation. Sounds like you're ready to look deeper. How is she as a student otherwise?

Thanks for the response! We asked to be seen by a dev. pedi as we wanted to rule out ASD. My daughter has some rigidity, and tends to get a bit obsessive. She basically looked at my daughter and said no, no autism. I will definitely get her into see someone new. Thanks for all the insight!

Keeptruckin

I should add she is a good student, a bit of a know it all. She attends a charter montessori school. She began reading at 3. She makes friends easily but is indifferent to them in some ways. Even today at the park, where we had the sliding down a climbing wall incident, a little girl ran up. She basically said, hey I remember you, let's play. My daughter told her no thank you, I already have a friend here. She doesn't get that people's feelings get hurt. She is polite, but can be hurtful. My husband has ADD, inattentive type, she is very much like him. Bright as can be, but no common sense. My husband is a researcher and a few of his colleagues have been getting their own ASD diagnosis when their kids get one. We half joke that is going to happen to us. Half joke because we know something more may be at play here.

funchicken

My oldest got an ADHD diagnosis at age 5. The dev pedi said there were some other things that we would have to wait to test for when DD is a little older, but the dev pedi felt pretty comfortable giving her an ADHD diagnosis. DD's not impulsive--she struggles with inattention, emotional self-regulation and anxiety. 

I can see why you're concerned, and I think getting a second opinion is a good idea.