HI All,

Does anyone else have what I call my I/O problem? It's like there's a delay getting things into my brain or getting them back out. I notice it most on my speech or listening. There's some kind of delay that goes on when I'm putting thougths to words.

It really became apparent when I was coaching the kids soccer team. I couldn't get the words out fast enough to keep up with the action. Another example is that I can't sing a song. I might have the words memorized, but when I try to get the words out, I can't keep up with the actual song.

It's the same when I listen to people. I have to listen to the words, then thers's a delay while I decode the words into what they mean.

Is this a common ADD thing or specific to me?

thanks,

al

I can relate to this when Im talking about a subject that I am very famiar with and I have a lot to say to get the full point across .

Being that the listener might get bored with what I am saying I tend to speack faster to get it all out

the faster I speak the more I run into wanting to say something and cant say the word even though I can visulise what the word is in my mind.

I can totally relate. My mind's kind of like a blocked sieve. Things don't always get in and I have a HORRIBLE time getting things out of my head.

My doc is having me get tested for auditory and expressive learning disorders. Joy! I go for my evaluation this afternoon.

I have this problem

Yep, me too. I'll generally pause to catch up every few seconds.

On a semi-related note, does anyone else have problems with understanding speech? I generally find there's a 15 or so second delay between actually hearing the words and being able to comprehend what they mean. It makes conversation nigh on impossible

Wow, it sure sounds like me, except in my case, not only do I have ADD but an Auditory Processing problem. Actually, the two go hand in hand. It's all in one part of the brain. My daughter has the same things. The audiologist told me that thousands of people have this problem and don't even know it. It's not actually your hearing, but how quickly your brain decodes what you are hearing. There are programs to strenghthen this part of your brain but the results are the best when you are young. I am 40 now so basically what I've got is what I've got and I just have to work with it. I've always made the excuse that I have bad hearing but in the back of my mind I always knew it had to be something else because my hearing itself is fine. If anyone here hasn't been checked for this you may want to see an audiologist so you'll know for sure. Boy do I know how you all feel, especially when someone has to repeat something to me more then twice because I couldn't pick it up that quick. Dee

Just like Toby described it: I hear the words very clearly, but it takes a moment for me to interpret what they mean. It comes into my head like rushing water--swirling, tumbling, jumbled, scrambled--the sounds or words themselves are clear, but they might as well be in a foreign language in terms of how much I actually understand. Then, after a moment, all the words fall into their proper order, and I understand what was said to me.
Unfortunately, by that time, I've already said "What?" and the person has begun to repeat what they said.
Its more of a problem when someone says something to me and I'm not actively listening to them when they speak, such as when I'm engaged in a task and concentrating on it.
FWIW, I speak both Spanish and English (duh) and its the same with both.

Tonight was my son's first night for basketball practice. This time I'm assistant coach instead of head coach. There were 7 kids and even though I had there names down, it still took awhile to get each name out. Also, the kids would make a play and there was always a delay from the time that they did what they did, and what I wanted to say to them. Glad I'm not alone.

al

I have something like this going on, too. I think it's more related to a generally slow processing speed for me than any particular auditory difficulties. It only really applies to things I have to think about. After all, it's not likely that anyone is going to get upset if I ask a question the wrong way in a math class; it's more likely they'll just not know what the heck I'm talking about. Also, it does not seem to apply so much in written expression, either.

Unfortunately, by that time, I've already said "What?" and the person has begun to repeat what they said.

Heh, same here

I think the "huh?" or "what?" becomes almost reflex. In most conversations I find myself having said "what?" before I even realise I can't comprehend what was said!

I've been trying to develop a series of pseudo-interlectual conversation fillers that have a fairly high degree of ambiguity, something I can just blurt out while it buys me some time to comprehend what the other person's just said, without making me sound completely stupid.

I think the "huh?" or "what?" becomes almost reflex. In most conversations I find myself having said "what?" before I even realise I can't comprehend what was said!

That's TOTALLY what happens to me - it's *so* aggravating! Actually, I don't know what's worse, that or having people stand there looking at me like an idiot while my brain tries to decode what they're saying.

Does anyone else have problems missing bits and pieces of what people say? For example, on Friday, my boss asked me to email their itinerary (they're traveling in Europe) to an Important contact. Apparently, my brain skipped the "ASAP" part and I got in trouble for it yesterday *ARG*

Same here. I really thought I had a hearing problem, but as part of my diagnosis I had to have my ears checked as well.
They did all sorts of tests on me, like I had to listen to a voice saying a number of numbers and then I had to repeat them, or 2 different voices on each headphone were saying different words at the same time and I had tell them both.
Turns out my hearing was fine, as was apparently my processing.
For me it's a really a focus thing. When someone talks to me, it takes a while to "tune in" to that person talking.
So when the other one says I sentence, I have *waves his arms like moving a huge box* move my focus there, which takes some time.
Just when I start doing that the first "what now?" has popped out.
Normaly by the time the other one has finished repeating the sentence I am done processing it.
But that's only a problem when I am distracted and at the beginning of conversations.
Oh, and when people don't talk loud enough, so I have to make a real afford to listen to them, it makes it even worse.

It's very interessting that so many are having this same problem though :)

It takes a few seconds. I'm very bad at following instruction. I often got frustrated when I'm ordered to do something, real quick. I just figure out about this delay when there's a while that after I take the drug for like 2 weeks, I feel great and everything come in and out so easy. I thought, that's it, it work for me. Anyway, this last for a week, and everything come back to normal. Very depressed after that. Anyway, I was there, it feel great.

I'm scared.