We are going to start seeing a therapist next week but they already have him pegged as having some sort of disruptive behavior disorder. I'm not sure that's accurate. Could having a high working memory but low (relatively) processing speed be to blame? Or am I just trying to avoid a somewhat negative sounding diagnosis
My DS11 (ADHD-in) has some similar issues. Oppositional disorder has been suggested. I don`t think so, but I do know he is lacking skills in frustration tolerance, flexibility and problem solving in daily life. A book that has helped me is
The Explosive Child by Ross Greene. Since I read this book and started implementing his approach, life with DS11 is 100% better. He also started ADHD medication around the same time, so that has made a difference as well. The yelling, tantrums, etc have pretty much dissappeared.
As far as the problems with organization . . . well, we aren`t doing as well on that front! Basically, I act as his Executive Function. I am trying to show him organizational methods that work for me, and modelling what I hope that he learns to do himself some day. Last year at school his teacher helped him quite a bit and gave him a different system (one big binder instead of a lot of duotangs) to keep track of his stuff. We are also going to try a watch with text message alarms set during the day (toothbrushing, packing up homework, etc). He doesn`t like that I go through his school bag every day and tell him what homework needs to be done, but I do it anyway. I`m trying to back off a bit this year and let him see the consequences of not following through. He starts middle school next year as well. gulp.
