I don't expect anyone to make a diagnosis but I need some help so I can help a young relative. I think she may have ADD or ADHD or some sort of chemical imbalance, or maybe just depression.

She's 22 and has a 22 month old son. She grew up in another city and has only been in my town about a year. Her Dad says she's kind of forgetful sometimes. That's an understatement. She almost always forgets something when she leaves my house and no reason to get someplace in a hurry. One day she left her purse. Same day she forgot something else and had to come back again. Apparently she's been this "forgetful" for several years.

My primary concern is for the safety of her little son. If she's on the internet or watching TV she's oblivious to what he's doing. Two nights ago she was playing solitair on my PC. He picked up my lighter that was sitting inches away from the keyboard. When I came over to light a cigarette it was gone and she said she hadn't seen it and knew nothing about it. The next night he got into and dumped my sewing basket (needles, pins and buttons) which was less than two feet away, while she was watching TV. There was another sewing basket on top of it and it was gone and she didn't know a thing about it. She'd vacuumed my carpet - couldn't have missed it and acted like I don't know what I'm talking about. I found the lighter in front of my refrigerator. Missing basket was crammed between end table and couch, right by her.

Several months ago we were working to clear out her Grandmother's house because it was going to be sold. We were together and there were things that she threw away and blamed me because she said she asked me and I told her to. If she asked the question, I didn't hear it and these were things that were important. All the while, she seemed to be in a big hurry and couldn't wait to get it over with. Once she gets something on her mind she has to hurry up and do it or she might never do it.

She just got a new job (it's her first week) and has started having a drink (alcoholic) before she goes to bed so she can unwind, and she says the job is boring. I think this could lead to a drinking problem if she's not careful.

She's not on drugs, and drinks alcohol occasionally until recently. She's helpful, reliable, not necessarily irresponsible exept for watching her son. She got good grades in school and went to college one semester. She won't miss a Sunday in church.

She has a brother in town that's sick and tired of her. She's staying with my son until she can get on her feet and twice he's pulled the plug on his PC because her son is tearing up the house and she doesn't know it and they're in the same room. I don't think she does it deliberately. I think she concentrates so hard that she hears nothing, sees nothing and knows nothing else but what she's doing at the time.

I know she dearly loves her little son. Given all her good qualities I can't believe she's just irresponsible when it comes to him. I think she needs some help and unfortunately I'm the only one in the mood to try to figure it out.

Anybody have some ideas? She doesn't have insurance.