He wouldn't stop talking. He kept interrupting the two students who were conducting (under Ms. Stiritz's supervision) his APD tests at Texas State University. I could hear it happening from the other room. Granted, he was saying "yes ma'am" to every question, but I was growing infuriated. I wanted answers. I wanted them to sternly tell him to be quiet and answer all the hearing questions. It wasn't happening. He wasn't on his best behavior.
"Have you ever had him tested for attention problems?"
Instead of answering Ms. Stiritz with an honest "yes", I said, "I'd really like to know what you think."
He has been tested a few times, since he was three, for ADHD. As recent as last spring, his teacher asked me if he should be tested. I was always told he didn't have it. Since he didn't have autism or ADHD, there didn't seem an appropriate category in which the many testing experts could put him. But, Ms. Stiritz is a true expert. She's been doing this for years. She's written papers on it. She's given lectures on the ADHD/APD phenomena. She knows ADHD. She knows APD. I wanted her opinion.
It came at the end of the APD testing. She, along with her two students, entered the small room where I was waiting. We sat at a table together and Jared found a book to "read". He sat there, quietly, not moving an inch... just reading. They went over their findings and we discussed what needed to happen next. We talked for a while (a long while). He sat, quietly reading, for a while (a long while). As one student observed, "he didn't even rock or move his feet."
Ms. Stiritz told me that at the beginning of the test, she thought he was classic ADHD. But, when we were sitting there, not only did she say he was definitely not ADHD, but that if we even attempted to put him on ADHD medicine, it would not work. It was nice to hear another expert tell me my son doesn't have ADHD. My favorite part was that she wrote it in her actual written report, that went to his Pediatrician, teacher, principal, etc. Here's what it said:
"Jared showed many behaviors during testing that are indicative of ADHD. There was constant movement and excessive talking and interrupting. However, he displayed no ADHD behaviors outside the testing booth while we were talking with you. This suggests that he does not have ADHD. He shows ADHD-like behaviors when tasks are difficult for him or when he has trouble understanding. It is important to realize that these behaviors are due to his language/learning problems, not ADHD."
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
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