This has not been my experience. Typically, my son is so well behaved out in public that other adults make comments about it. Unfortunately, this was not the case today. My son was playing soccer at sports and games camp. He wanted to help another kid guard the goal. The other kid said no. My son didn’t listen. The other kid slapped him and my son cried. It isn’t that my son is poorly behaved. He just doesn’t always pay attention to what’s going on around him. He also might not listen to what others say. That is when he gets into trouble.

My 8 year old son is usually better at home; however, let company come to visit and that changes.  He is better with things being in a normal routine.  Going out can be rough.  I try to make sure he has a good night sleep before outings.  Also no outings when meds are wearing off.  I believe he gets over stimulated, nervous and excited.  The main thing I have learned is to stop the behavior when I see it starting if possible.  We went to the zoo today and he was doing great until it started storming.  Add dissappointment, excitement, and fear of storms and he got the meltdown symptoms.  I took him away from evereone, let him talk it out - not easily - tried to get him on something he is interested in (cell phone game) sat with a piece of pizza…..30 minutes later we were good to continue.

I have more trouble with my son in public too. I think when you add in all the variables of a public environment to the mix it turns into chaos. The stimulation and distractions to the brain from all the new Sounds, smells and noises as well as a different set of norms and rules makes it hard on him. Plus I know what triggers my son’s behaviors and can modify our home environment to meet his needs.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my post! This was very helpful!!

It seems to be the over stimulation and active environment surrounding them. Our son is 10 now and likes to stay home vs going anywhere. I’m sure that still is a factor…..he seems to have a sensory issue when in public. It was worse when he was younger and it seemed to get better with age. He can control it better on his own and knows how to deal with it.
Also, when we go to family gatherings….our son seems to act up more. Again, he is over stimulated and I find that my family gets frustrated with it and they feel that he should control certain behaviors (after many discussions with them) We just leave sooner when that happens. Let stressful for all!

It depends on the situation. Shopping is torture for any kid. My son prefers to stay home if I need to shop. Family get togethers and dinners can be boring. I make sure he’s got something he can do if he gets bored. If he’s bored, he will misbehave. At home he’s got plenty to do so it’s not as much of an issue. I don’t think these tendencies are exclusive to ADHD.

My son does act now far more in public ( social settings, school, family outings, etc) than he does at home. At home with myself, his father, and his brother he is pretty laid back. He can become hyperactive at times by running or yelling, but all in all he is very well behaved. The second company walks throught the door he is totally different. He is overly excited. Runs all over the house. Seeks all the attention by getting objects to show off, etc. Or if we leave and go to a family outing, when he sees the other kids, he is uncontrollable. He loves his family, sometimes too much. We are just beginning medication. I hope it works…....

The reason is overstimulation. He needs a calm environment. Ask him how he feels when he gets this way. I would shorten trips and take him alone. This is what i do whis my son who has the same issue. He will improve if you work on it. Also make sure he understands the consequences for misbehavior. If he breaks the rules, leave the store immediately. Show you mean business.

Good luck!

Reply posted to a duplicate conversation thread:

My short answer is yes. I did notice this in my son as early as 2 years old (he is also 6 now). One thing that I noticed with his ADHD is that he becomes a product of his environment: when things are quiet and relaxed, he’s more quiet and relaxed. When things are hectic and he’s in an environmental that is over-stimulating (bright lights, loud music, large groups of people), his behavior is worse. He also has trouble with transitions (i.e., going from a quiet car ride to a large family gathering).

There are many reasons why this happens, that science backs up, but it’s basically because the mind of an ADD child has trouble processing different sensory experiences, and filtering out what sights/sounds/smells we should be focusing on from those that are merely background noise. This is why I can’t talk on the phone if there is music playing, or carry on a conversation in an office where a person next to me is on the phone. smile

-Posted by AndreaG57

Thank you all so much. I agree he becomes over stimulated. I was not sure if that sounded like ADHD or maybe something else. We are new to this and we are trying to do as much research as possible. We start a few other medical test in a few days just to rule out anything else other than ADHD that could cause his symptoms. I really appreciate the feedback!

My son is worse at home than in public.  He is usually pretty good when he is out or with others.  Please make sure prior to medicating your son that he actually needs to be medicated.  He may just be over-stimulated and need to be in a more structured calming environment.

I would not presume that I could diagnose your child. While he might show some symptoms of ADHD, it doesn’t mean he is ADHD (I did my graduate research on ADHD and am myself, along with my 3 adult children and 4 out of 6 grandchildren have been diagnosed). However, if you suspect this might be the problem, talk to your pediatrician and ask if he/she can suggest a psychiatrist who works with children who are ADHD. The doctors can then make an appropriate diagnosis and discuss it with you. Please do not just take someone’s word for it…ADHD cannot be properly diagnosed by a teacher, layperson, another person who has experience with it or a person who is ADHD. It needs to be properly diagnosed by a doctor!