ADD/HD moms?

[DonnaMarie]

If you have a child dx add/hd, and that child struggled with reading, to the point where they are at atleast one grade level behind their peers, do you think the add/hd affects their inability to progress in their reading?

I'll post more later, but wanted to see if anyone has been in that situation.

Thanks so much,
Donna

[AndreaD]

My ds isn't behind in his reading- but he had a rough start- simply because he coudln't SIT and focus and keep his eyes where they needed to be long enough to make progress. We've since started him on medication, and he's come SOOO far. He's improved and is doing better now.

[TonyaP]

DS is not diagnosed, but I do think his focus issues impact all of his studies. He does OK on computer/video based things and retains everything he hears. He even retains what he reads, once he gets through it. But it takes his quite awhile to read or write anything because he'll get 1/3 of a word done and then lose his place! For instance, he'll get distracted between the "be" and the "gan" in began and then can't figure out what the word is. :unsure:

I've recommended Reading Rescue 1-2-3 to several folks because it did help me come up with some ways to help him practice focussing. I don't use all the techniques in the book, but I do focus on helping him with eye tracking. We use something to point to each word or an index card held under the line he is reading to help him stay in position.

In the last year we have made considerable progress. Though it was a trade-off, he seems to lose math ability as he gains reading. :eek:

[laurie in ok]

Is the problem comprehension based? I ask, b/c I do think that ADD/HD can have a large impact on comprehension. I know my dd had such a hard time staying focused on anything she was reading that she would then not understand it. She would keep reading and re-reading the same section b/c she would get to the end and not kow what she read.

[DonnaMarie]

Thanks so much for your replies.

I don't want to write a book, but in a nut shell, my oldest is adhd, but it never affected his academic progress. He actually scores much higher than grade level in most areas. His adhd affected his behavior, which makes relationships difficult for him.

Now I'm thinking dd, 9yo, may have add but in a totally different way than ds. She is beyond her years in the social/relationship area, but is so far behind academically. I never even thought about the possibility of something like add affecting her inability to read.

Just something to think about.:unsure:
ETA: Meds only made ds worse, so I'm hesitant to try that with dd.

Donna

[Laura F]

Donna,

My oldest was diagnosed with ADD this fall, but most people would have no idea. She's not hyperactive so her problem behaviors are much more subtle than many boys who have ADHD. I really enjoyed reading Healing ADD (http://www.amazon.com/Healing-ADD-Breakthrough-Program-Allows/dp/0425183270)by Dr. Daniel Amen. He maintains that there are 6 distinct types of ADD.

[Chris-AL]

Have you thought about dyslexia? My ds has dyslexia and it makes it very hard for him to stay focused because it is such hard work to read. He is doing some better, now that we are using specific curriculum for dyslexia. Dyslexia also makes it hard to retain what he has read because he has strained at every word so he loses the big picture. He learns wonderfully when I read to him.:D

Interestingly, the dyslexia tester has had moms sure that their child had dyslexia, test negative for dyslexia and positive for ADD. So it sounds like having dyslexia can make one prone to being distracted, and having ADD can make it hard to sit still long enough to learn to read or process what is being read. And, of course, some kids have both.:unsure: