My 7 year old son has been diagnosed with ADHD since he was 5. I am a teacher and suspected he was even before the official diagnosis. SK is not violent toward other kids, but other boys will not play with him because he comes off as immature (if you can say that about 7 year old kids.)

Academically, he struggles because he cannot finish any work on his own. If my husband and I do not sit next to him and prompt him at every question, he would not finish a thing. He has a 504 placement at school which allows for extra time, but federal funding does not allow 504 children the chance to go to a place like Special Education children for extra help. His teacher can not hover over him and prompt him, nor would I expect her to. Being a teacher myself, I know where SK needs to be and he will not get there at this rate.

The flip side of this is that if SK could orally respond to all of his work, he would most likely be a gifted student. Although he appears to not hear instruction, he can show mastery of the lesson orally. It does not seem that he is dyslexic or dysgraphic since he can read and write correctly if he was not so distracted by himself or his surroundings.

SK does not have problems with aggressiveness. He has a very poor appetite, and will not go to sleep until 9 or 10 pm despite getting the medicine at 7:15 on the dot every weekday. We have stopped medicating during weekends in the hopes he will eat.

All meds we have tries (except Concerta) have worked for about 6 months before that formula, despite dosage is ineffective.

So my question is this: When is it ADHD or when is it a behavioral issue?

Any and all help is appreciated.

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