I think my son may have ADD

[Julie1976]

My son has been increasinly having more trouble in school. It's only because he rushes and doesn't check his work.  He's in 5th grade now and his 3rd and 4th grade teachers all said the same thing, he's a smart kid but he rushes and needs to check his work.   He doesn't get really bad grades and stays above C but we can't get him to fix this problem that he's had for a couple of years now.   I think the following may be other symptoms:  We tell him to do something and he forgets and goes and does something else completely.  I know he's a kid but this happens all the time.  He was doing a paper the other night and had done one side of it and the other side was exaclty the same and he had to come ask us again how to do it.   He plays basketball and seems to only put an effort into for only so long during the games and half asses it the rest of the game and seems to forget the plays.   I don't want him on meds because I don't want to alter his personality which I've heard can happen.   Does any one have suggestions?  Or do not all meds alter personalities?

[TheJerseyGirl]

 I see a lot of boys his age that have similar problems...I wonder if it's just something they all grow out of??? Years ago, I can remember so many boys in my class would have been dxed with ADD , ADHD and they gave them nothing but detention back then. LOL

Like you, I don't want my kids on meds. They all have side effects and you just have to decide if it will be beneficial to him to take them. He possibly will do fine with them and I guess that's something you'll only know by trying them.

There are groups on here for ADD and ADHD. Check them out and ask some moms on there how they're making out. Good luck to you and your son!

[Ann7227]

My son was and still like it I thought ADD too. Because his brother has ADHD. But now after we have used meds . We found out it didn't change nothing. We found out it's poor Comprehension . I would get him a tutored. 

[atlmom2]

My girls rushed and made careless errors, but they don't have ADD.  Its something they finally learned by HS to check their work though.