Re: behavior - is this autistic or adhd?

[Guest guest]

HI Jenna

I am no expert but do you think he is reacting to certian foods? Is this worse some times rather than others? I was wondering if a trial of diet like Feingold might help which was specially formulated for kids with ADHD.... (Google Feingold and you will get loadsa information)

Or perhaps a trial of digestive enzymes... (Houstons are best IMHO, see www.mandimart.com)

Many some social stories could help teach more appropriate stuff or modelling nice interactions outside, its really hard isnt it cos it really must be quite chaotic in the palyground for a child with autism.

Sorry not a lot of help, not having a good day, but others will also chip in, lotsa luck.

Luv Caroline, Aberdeenshire

xx

[Guest guest]

Si this a recent thing - its the full moon on Saturday - effects a lot of kids this way - saw it very single month in mainstream secondary - the other staff stopped thinking I was loopy after a couple of months LOL

Mandi x

[Guest guest]

Hi Jenna

Your son sounds so like my own, except he is 7 and the size of a 9 year old. Louis goes to mainstream school with statemented support. He has a diagnosis of high functioning autism.

Louis also finds that lots of other children in the playground energise him! He too is very physical. Watch out for windy days, as this always makes him worse.

His LSA and the lunch time supervisors who all know him use the term "no hands" to remind him not to touch others (particularly difficult to stop him grabbing others when playing chase!) We also use social stories about what he should do at playtime.

Can you suggest diversion at playtime eg get him playing with the playground equipment rather than playing chase etc

Our other strategy is that we have given a select number of his friends (or more precisely the attractive girls that Louis wants to chase) a stop sign which they carry in their pocket. They bring this out and say "Louis No", and that often works.

Anyway, a few ideas that work for my son.

Kay.

behavior - is this autistic or adhd?

OK I could use some input again. One of the biggest problems Jack is having right now, in school, is that he gets too physical. He is large for his age - just turned 5 but the size of a 7-8 yo. He has had this behavior from a very young age. In nursery he would 'bump' in to children.

From what I understand it is mostly during the afterlunch, outside free-time. So he's full of (food)energy and he just seems to feed on the chaos outside (no I don't believe it is really chaos but through Jack's eyes - that may how he see's it). His teacher just spoke to me today, because he hurt somebody. Jack tends to grab other kids then either hold on to them or 'swing' them away. He's not out to hurt them, but it happened, and it has happened before. I sooooo do not want this to become an issue for him.

His teacher suggested maybe giving 15 minutes freetime, then separating him and letting him have 15 minutes of "down time" - like block building on his own. I agreed that the idea of alone/down time sounded good. Do you think this is an autistic thing or something else. Do you think there is something I could do to help? Anything I could maybe have the school suppliment to him BEFORE lunch that may help calm him.

I only see this behavior when he is in large crowds. If he's playing with small group of children he is reletively well mannered. One on One he's great. He is not yet dx'd. He is due to be observed by the educational psychologist, and we meet with him mid-march. So right now we are on our own.

I'd love to hear any comments or advise!

-Jenna

[Guest guest]

WOW - Today was a rather windy day! what do you think that is... extra stimulation?

also in his old nursery, the line was "hands to yourself", we reinforced it at home, but again with large numbers of kids, he was/is really hard to reach. His brain just is so overwhelmed with everything else, that you just can't get to him.

I think the idea of bringing the blocks outside for him is their "diversion technique". I think it should help, I think the stimulation all day is a lot for him. He spends quite a bit of time alone after school, he seeks out his quiet time when he's not so distracted.

THANKS!

-Jenna

behavior - is this autistic or adhd?

OK I could use some input again. One of the biggest problems Jack is having right now, in school, is that he gets too physical. He is large for his age - just turned 5 but the size of a 7-8 yo. He has had this behavior from a very young age. In nursery he would 'bump' in to children.

From what I understand it is mostly during the afterlunch, outside free-time. So he's full of (food)energy and he just seems to feed on the chaos outside (no I don't believe it is really chaos but through Jack's eyes - that may how he see's it). His teacher just spoke to me today, because he hurt somebody. Jack tends to grab other kids then either hold on to them or 'swing' them away. He's not out to hurt them, but it happened, and it has happened before. I sooooo do not want this to become an issue for him.

His teacher suggested maybe giving 15 minutes freetime, then separating him and letting him have 15 minutes of "down time" - like block building on his own. I agreed that the idea of alone/down time sounded good. Do you think this is an autistic thing or something else. Do you think there is something I could do to help? Anything I could maybe have the school suppliment to him BEFORE lunch that may help calm him.

I only see this behavior when he is in large crowds. If he's playing with small group of children he is reletively well mannered. One on One he's great. He is not yet dx'd. He is due to be observed by the educational psychologist, and we meet with him mid-march. So right now we are on our own.

I'd love to hear any comments or advise!

-Jenna

[Guest guest]

Caroline,

I don't think it's food. He brings the same ol PB & J sandwich everyday - loaded with probiotics and HNI! He's been eating them since he was 1, with no problems (the probs + HNI for about 1 week now).

The commen thread with this behavior seems more to be the large groups of kids - Thus I'm another Mom that tends to toss out those birthday party invites. I like the social stories idea. I'll research that a bit. I've got to get into his head before these situations start.

THANKS - Jenna

Re: behavior - is this autistic or adhd?

HI Jenna

I am no expert but do you think he is reacting to certian foods? Is this worse some times rather than others? I was wondering if a trial of diet like Feingold might help which was specially formulated for kids with ADHD.... (Google Feingold and you will get loadsa information)

Or perhaps a trial of digestive enzymes... (Houstons are best IMHO, see www.mandimart.com)

Many some social stories could help teach more appropriate stuff or modelling nice interactions outside, its really hard isnt it cos it really must be quite chaotic in the palyground for a child with autism.

Sorry not a lot of help, not having a good day, but others will also chip in, lotsa luck.

Luv Caroline, Aberdeenshire

xx

[Guest guest]

Does he have one to one support throughout the day? Many children

don't get support during play time which is probably the most

confusing time of all.....if he has not yet learned to moderate his

play I would suggest more support required. Down time would be useful

if he is over excited but not if it is a tool to exclude him. He

needs to learn to moderate his play appropriately _ although at his

young age bumps and bruises are all part of growing up even for NT

children. Decent support with a behaviour management programme should

teach him to calm it down.

As to whether it is ASD or ADHD behaviour - probably either really.

JMHO

>

> OK I could use some input again. One of the biggest problems

Jack is having right now, in school, is that he gets too physical.

He is large for his age - just turned 5 but the size of a 7-8 yo. He

has had this behavior from a very young age. In nursery he

would 'bump' in to children.

> From what I understand it is mostly during the afterlunch,

outside free-time. So he's full of (food)energy and he just seems to

feed on the chaos outside (no I don't believe it is really chaos but

through Jack's eyes - that may how he see's it). His teacher just

spoke to me today, because he hurt somebody. Jack tends to grab

other kids then either hold on to them or 'swing' them away. He's

not out to hurt them, but it happened, and it has happened before. I

sooooo do not want this to become an issue for him.

>

> His teacher suggested maybe giving 15 minutes freetime, then

separating him and letting him have 15 minutes of " down time " - like

block building on his own. I agreed that the idea of alone/down time

sounded good. Do you think this is an autistic thing or something

else. Do you think there is something I could do to help? Anything

I could maybe have the school suppliment to him BEFORE lunch that may

help calm him.

>

> I only see this behavior when he is in large crowds. If he's

playing with small group of children he is reletively well mannered.

One on One he's great. He is not yet dx'd. He is due to be observed

by the educational psychologist, and we meet with him mid-march. So

right now we are on our own.

>

> I'd love to hear any comments or advise!

>

> -Jenna

>

[Guest guest]

Well the police will know about the " full moon " . I am pretty sure

gravitational pull and all the rest of it affect our human tissues and

more.

>

> Si this a recent thing - its the full moon on Saturday - effects a

lot of

> kids this way - saw it very single month in mainstream secondary -

the other

> staff stopped thinking I was loopy after a couple of months LOL

>

> Mandi x

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jenna

It was very reassuring for me to read your original message. When my

husband picked my son up from school last night he was there for 30

minutes with the teacher explaining to him that my son was pushing

children, at one point even grabbing his friend by the throat, that

he is controlling etc, etc. Obviously not a nice experience for us

to have to hear that. This is only in the playground too and

naturally our first reaction was to punish him by taking his precious

play station away. We have sat down and explained to him " kind

hands " .

We think with this was something that started in half term. I

took to the park with my dog and wanted to play in the

childrens play area. There were a group of boys of mixed ages and he

was trying to join in with them. When I looked round again one of

the boys was punching him in the stomach. Naturally I went over and

gave the kids a mouthful (and obviously got a load back LOL!) but

they did seem rather surprised that when I turned round and

said " yeah, really clever hitting a five year old isn't it " that like

your son is a giant of a lad.

has always been " clumsy " when being around large groups but he

has never gone out of his way to be aggressive to other children.

Sorry I can't offer any advice as in the same boat so will be

following this thread with interest. The only thing I can think of

is that on the days I don't work that I bring him home from school.

My son is also not diagnosed (like pulling teeth here)and

unfortunately the Ed Psych seemed to be interested in his strengths

rather than his social skills. To me social skills is more important

for a successful life.

>

> WOW - Today was a rather windy day! what do you think that is...

extra stimulation?

>

> also in his old nursery, the line was " hands to yourself " , we

reinforced it at home, but again with large numbers of kids, he

was/is really hard to reach. His brain just is so overwhelmed with

everything else, that you just can't get to him.

>

> I think the idea of bringing the blocks outside for him is

their " diversion technique " . I think it should help, I think the

stimulation all day is a lot for him. He spends quite a bit of time

alone after school, he seeks out his quiet time when he's not so

distracted.

>

> THANKS!

>

> -Jenna

> behavior - is this autistic

or adhd?

>

>

>

> OK I could use some input again. One of the biggest

problems Jack is having right now, in school, is that he gets too

physical. He is large for his age - just turned 5 but the size of a

7-8 yo. He has had this behavior from a very young age. In nursery

he would 'bump' in to children.

> From what I understand it is mostly during the afterlunch,

outside free-time. So he's full of (food)energy and he just seems to

feed on the chaos outside (no I don't believe it is really chaos but

through Jack's eyes - that may how he see's it). His teacher just

spoke to me today, because he hurt somebody. Jack tends to grab

other kids then either hold on to them or 'swing' them away. He's

not out to hurt them, but it happened, and it has happened before. I

sooooo do not want this to become an issue for him.

>

> His teacher suggested maybe giving 15 minutes freetime,

then separating him and letting him have 15 minutes of " down time " -

like block building on his own. I agreed that the idea of alone/down

time sounded good. Do you think this is an autistic thing or

something else. Do you think there is something I could do to help?

Anything I could maybe have the school suppliment to him BEFORE lunch

that may help calm him.

>

> I only see this behavior when he is in large crowds. If

he's playing with small group of children he is reletively well

mannered. One on One he's great. He is not yet dx'd. He is due to

be observed by the educational psychologist, and we meet with him mid-

march. So right now we are on our own.

>

> I'd love to hear any comments or advise!

>

> -Jenna

>