My son will do odd impulsive things. This morning he ate something (candy that he knew was off limits). When I asked him what was blue all over his mouth, he said it was the candy. He told me that he didn’t want to eat it, but he just couldn’t help it…The odd thing is, it was a candy cane, a big one, and it would have taken him a long time to eat. So, throughout that whole long time, he couldn’t stop???
Very odd and confusing behavior.
Anyone ever experience an impulse that lasts a long time??
Re: Has anyone ever experienced this type of impulsivity???
…..or, maybe he really likes candy and wanted to eat it really fast before he got caught? I don’t think that every behavior can be linked to a diagnosis. Has your son displayed this type of behavior in the past? If so, do these behaviors typically involve food or are they observed in various settings? If you answered “no”, I would relax. Sometimes, boys will be boys.
Re: Has anyone ever experienced this type of impulsivity???
My son who is 7 with ADHD is the same way. If he knows he can not touch something he will stand there and focus on it and not be able to resist the urge to touch it and when asked he will advised he couldn’t help it. He however started becoming more compulsive and actually stand there and reach for it then pull his hand back and reach for it again, he may do that three or four times and finally give in to the urge to handle whatever it is. It has been anything from food to breakables.
Re: Has anyone ever experienced this type of impulsivity???
My son is now 12 years old and we have run the gammet of problems with his impulsivity and medication and such. The simple answer to your question is “yes” this type of impulsivity is very common in children with severe ADHD. The reason your son could not stop himself is because he cannot control the impulse and thought process that would stop another child from doing the same thing. Some of this CAN be controlled by the right type of medication or combination thereof. What most people who have children with ADHD don’t understand is the way these very special children think. Everyone SHOULD have a “STOP” button somewhere in their thought process when we contemplate doing something we probably shouldn’t be doing. However, children with ADHD seem to skip right past the “STOP” option and hit the FAST FORWARD button instead. Their thoughts are always in fast forward and that is why they are extremely impulsive. One way you can help your child is to teach them to STOP, THINK, ACT, RESPOND (STAR). This method is easier to teach younger children than the older ones but is helpful. IF you can talk your child through this process repeatedly then it might help them to think a little slower. First, get them to Stop what they are doing, then get them to Think about it, then help them to determine the correct way to Act on their thought process, then help them to Respond as to whether their action was the best action they could have taken. But the first thing you really need to consider is, if the medication (if any) your son is on currently is the best medication. If you are still seeing the impulsive behaviors then it may be time for an adjustment or a different medication. Hope this helps.
Re: Has anyone ever experienced this type of impulsivity???
My five year old son is the same way, in fact I had one of his teachers tell me that my son had told them that his mind tells him to do things. He doesn’t want to do them but his mind tells him to do them and he does. He knows its wrong but he can’t stop. My son is ADHD, but I don’t know if it’s that or if it’s more than that.
That sounds like it might fall more in the OCD type of impulse. A compulsion so strong that it HAS to be satisfied.