Unsure whether to seek OT help for dreamy 5yo boy

[AndiE]

Thanks for the thought but DS1 sleeps really well - asleep within minutes of the light being turned off around 7pm, and down for the count till 6am pretty much every day.

I spoke to DS2's OT today who thinks it would benefit DS1 to have an assessment. She agreed that his teacher would have the best insight given she sees him daily. She actually said the same thing his teacher said to me several weeks ago ... that because he's dreamy and not focussing well AND is also quiet and not disuptive in class he can easily overlooked and therefore could "slip through the cracks". I don't think that will happen this year as his teacher is all over this issue, and we've already had a couple of one-on-one chats about what DH and I can do at home to help. But, as the OT indicated, if we get on to this now, it could well save him some grief for future years. She said being dreamy didn't indicate ADD, but I guess that's what a formal assessment would be about.

[AnyDream]

AndiE - you wouldn't necessarily know by looking if his sleep is good or not. I've always believed myself to sleep like a log (and am difficult to wake, even) but it turns out when I did a sleep study that my brain wakes itself up dozens of times a night. My sleep "looks" normal to an observer but I am massively, massively sleep deprived, and probably have been for most of my life. FWIW as a child I fit the description of being away with the fairies. And I was referred for the sleep study in the first instance because of cognitive difficulties. Obviously, it's not the first thing to investigate, but do bear it in mind as time passes, especially if he develops any other signs of tiredness, fatigue, lack of motivation, or even depression.

[AndiE]

Thanks Marydean - given what you and the other gals have said I will keep it in mind (... I had no idea, he doesn't wake or twist and turn much so always assumed he slept well! Obviously he might, but he might not!). Cheers

[Seven Oaks]

Your GP does not sit with your son for a day trying to teach him. I'd trust your own heart and the teacher too. What's the worst that could happen? The OT says, hey, you know, I think he's doing ok, lets leave it a bit. Or you get the chance to help him earlier than later?

You aren't asking for him to be diagnosed, or placed on a spectrum, are you? You just want to see an OT.

You're the mum. You know your boys best.

Good advise there. Hope it all works out for you and DS

[Cass72]

Get him checked out if you have concerns by all means (if anything it will put your mind at rest). But you know he just may be a normal 5 year old boy who finds sitting in a classroom full of people dull.

As an aside, I'm a little anti "diagnosing" children (and pigeonholing them) because they are at a different stage to their peers, so apologies to all if I offend.

[meow]

Do it. OT is fun so it's not like there is any harm in going along. Have you tried modifying diet too? It may be that something is giving him brain fog and making it difficult to concentrate.