unbelievable behaviour

[Hasrfer]

Hi, my 6 year old boy is non verbal and has been diagnosed with ADHD.

He is very cheeky and very innocent.

but i noticed something .

He is started to interesting with the knife.

He is paying attention when I am cutting vegetables and he is also trying to do it.

Sometimes he get the knife and keep the sharp side to his tummy and very slowly he slide the knife left and right over the the T-shirt.

Recently, he started doing something with a knife that made me want to write to you.

I'm trying my best to explain to you. He gets the knife and holds the edge of the knife handle. He points the knife point to his tummy. It looks like someone is trying to kill themselves.

Then he went to the kitchen drawer and opened the drawer. He got the knife sharpener and started sharpening the knife very bravely .

Believe me, I don't use the knife sharpener very often. Actually, I am not using it. I remember one time I used it a month ago for the first time.

Actually, I don't know how he found the sharpener. How he knows it's there and how he knows it's used for shaping the knife.

My boy is not aggressive. He is not hurting others. He is very friendly.

I want to know if something happened inside his brain.

He is not doing anything by himself. I wash him, brush him, and dress him. His IQ level is low. And he is going to a special developmental school.

Your experience and suggestions are appreciated.

[Imakecutebabies]

Have you gone over knife safety skills with him when he cuts vegetables with you? I am wondering if he is pointing it toward his tummy out of innocence, since you say he's very innocent, like he's wondering how it feels, or whether there is something more concerning happening.

If you have gone over knife safety skills, and he should be aware that poking his tummy with a knife is not safe, then I would ask his psychologist about it.

I would also put the knives out of reach.

[LisethHIS]

Hi Hasrfer,

Thank you for contacting CHADD National Resource Center on ADHD. In addition to the previous advice regarding knife safety, I suggest installing a lock on the drawer for added safety precautions. It would be prudent to discuss these concerns with his pediatrician and consider getting a medical evaluation from a behavioral and developmental clinic. Therapy could also be beneficial for him. You can find professionals specializing in ADHD in our professional directory chadd.org/professional-dire.... If you're unsure of where to start, contacting the nearest Children's Hospital or reaching out to your insurance provider for a list of providers may be helpful. Your pediatrician may also have recommendations. If there's anything else you need assistance with, please don't hesitate to let us know. We're here to help!

Best Regards,

Liseth

Health Information Specialist

CHADD’s National Resource Center on ADHD

chadd.org

[Jgirlie123]

ADHD might be the wrong diagnosis. A non verbal 6 year old most likely has autism, not ADHD. He needs to be re evaluated by a specialist. I’m in this field so this is my clinical impression. You are dealing with mis diagnosis here.

[im-blue]

I agree with the person who made the previous reply that you may want to have your son assessed for autism. A large percentage of people with autism also have ADHD and the two conditions can mask each other at times depending on what behaviors are the most obvious.

[ADHDuderino]

Hello Hasrfer, Firstly, I realise this is overwhelmingly concerning. My son is 7 with ADHD, I am often concerned by his impulsivity, especially around sharp tools or other potentially harmful situations. It is entirely reasonable and any parent would be, having ADHD myself I also have a disproportionate assessment of "risks". However, I am learning that a large amount of this is "natural curiosity" and to a degree "Why cant I do that? Its not fair to keep stopping me!"

Fortunately, I am usually able to rein in my "NO!STOP!" fear response and explain the why something is a bad idea. Certainly the invasively impulsive thoughts that relate to risk are in need of constant reminders of the probable consequences🙄 That said, he is often receptive to an explaination, which is fortunate again.

Secondly, I also agree that as others have mentioned, a "revisit" regarding diagnosis may well be helpful. Either way, helping your son understand the probable outcomes of "getting cut" and general knife safety will give him some "answers,rules and reasons" to help him better understand. Unfortuanately with some children, experience is the only "accepted" teacher 😵‍💫 My sons awareness of the safety in using a Hot gluegun was only learned by a burnt finger😱 But a small accidental injury, without serious consequences, has helped him understand and he can even use the experience to reason other possible risk too (I am very proud of him for this😍). The easiest answer is always "remove access to risk" but that often increases curiosity and the desire to access it, and doesnt keep a child safe when you are not there. 1) Keep sharpeners and actual "sharp" knives away and high, 2) Designate a specific knife for him to use (others are for grown ups only) his own tool, then teach him to use it safely (as if it was a razor sharp sword). None of this is demonstrating "My son will become a psycho killer knife murderer", to any young childs mind, the idea of being able to "seperate" things into pieces that dont go back together is quite a strange idea. Like "Object permanence" and "law of conservation", such an idea is harder to grasp for children with neurodivergent brains. As long as he learns "the rules" to be safe, he may well stick to them (and even tell you off when you dont follow them!) Parenting in general seems to be "Stop them hurting themselves" 90% of the time to me 😵‍💫🤣 Best wishes, 🌈🦄🐒