Blurting, part two

[lgmvol]

My 13 year old son (8th grader) has this blurting thing down to a science. This is his number one problem
He doesn't have aggression, anger, or bounce off the walls. The blurting is what is driving the ADHD.

This is the part of the ADHD that is most damaging to him. It drives the teachers nuts, the kids crazy and me...well, I totally understand where he is coming from.

Here is the problem though, he is usually on topic and attentive in class when he blurts, has the answer and is willing to answer when no one else will.

The teacher is continually asking me for suggestions to get him to stop. Do you all have any suggestions?

[1mom]

oh boy, can i relate! our adhd'ers are the same age, too. i wonder what part of the blurting is "class clownisms" and what part is symptomatic. my son has a few "tricks" he uses to keep his control level up--he reads a book or draws while in class. since he can multi-task, it's not a problem with the teacher. also, it slows him down from always being the first to answer. does your son g/t or high intellegence? if so, and he can muli-task maybe one of these things will help. also, tell him to make 10 hash marks before answering. no one else will know what he's doing and he can use his class notebook or any paper he has in front of him. this should slow him down and get him in the habit of waiting before answering the questions.
please update and let us know how it goes!
prayers,
1mom

[rosyred45]

I have to say, that although Mikey is only in first grade, I never thought of the word multi-task for him...he did use to blurt everythingout, whether on or off topic, but at conferences this past week, his teacher told me that she had a cute "story" to tell me.

She is used to him "roaming"a bit to get his self together while the other kids are already settled. She assured me that he was paying attention, he just needed to walk around to listen at the same time. OK, clue one of the multi-task.

She looked around one day and while she had her back turned to the board, she asked Mikey to answer a question, waiting to see if he was paying attention. He answered her correctly and when she turned around to tell him good job, there he was sitting at his desk reading one of his books, never looked up to see anyhting. She asked him another question, pertaining to what she just said, and he again answered her correctly.
She has been letting him read his books at the same time knowing that he IS absorbing everything that she is saying.
That probably isn't feasable being in 8th grade, but if he is doodling on a peice of paper, sorta like the hash marks, might that help, or at least take the edge off?

Let me know what works, I can always use a little more information for reference. Thanks
Kaiti

[swmom]

I know that blurting out is the ultimate impulsive act. My daughter does this a good bit. However, I wonder if sometimes it's also an attention-getting move by kids w/low self-esteem. I've seen her in action when she's around friends and she blurts stuff out. It's her awkward way of saying "Look at me, notice me."

[rosyred45]

Well, now that you say the attention getting thing, I have to agree with that. My daughter-no dx, has been doing that here recently. not at home, but when we are at school, trying to show off type of thing. I feel really bad because the other kids look at her like "why did she just say that". Stupid stuff that makes no sense, but just talking to talk.

We've had to tell her to take a breathe, she gets that bad.
Don't know where on earth she would get the making a short story long ;D
Kaiti

[Linda]

Kaiti,Paul used to do the same thing in elementary school....the teacher would complain thay he wasn't paying attention...he would be doing something else while she was instructing.

I asked her to have him repeat back what she was saying...and he did....so yeah he can multi task too.

[swmom]

rosyr -

Yes, my daughter does the exact same thing. Oh man, if she could only THINK before she speaks, things would be SO much better.