Monday, February 13, 2012

Friday, June 05, 2009 lulu asks

Q: 17 yr old son touching, poking, invading personal space

I have a 17 yr old son that has been diagnosed with severe adhd since he was young. He has always been very affectionate. He also  touches, pokes, puts his arm around, pats heads etc. to a very annoying degree. He stills does this. He does not touch strangers or people that he does not care for, but he does this to teachers, other students in addition to all his family members/friends. There have been MANY complaints from the schools and even has had assault charges (last year)  for what he considered being "playful". Is this a symptom of ADHD? Do others see this issue? He definitely has issues with understanding someones personal space. I have done searches and can't seem to find an answer to this.

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Answers (1)
6/ 8/09 2:06pm

Lulu

 

Many children with ADHD are emotionally immature as compared to their peers, so, although your son may be 17 years old, emotionally he could be several years younger.

 

Invasion of personal space could be a combination of seeking out sensory stimulation and impulsiveness. You might try having your son hold a stress ball to give him something to play with and fidget with, especially when in situations he may be more touchy than others feel comfortable with.

 

Eileen

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6/ 8/09 10:51pm

Great advice! Thank you!

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6/ 9/09 12:40pm

Let me know how it works!

 

Eileen

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