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Anyone have an ADD/ADHD child? (1 Viewer)

Socrates11

Footballguy
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry:

Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.

 
what are his symptoms
Lack of impulse control, he can't sit still in class, he's constantly grabbing other kids, he constantly interrupts the teacher as she tries to teach/read to the class, he shouts out the answers instead of waiting to be called upon, he acts defiant whenever a teacher tries to reason with him, the list goes on and on.
 
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry: Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
I've got a son with AD/HD and another with very mild ADD. Both are now in their late teens. I've also been a middle school teacher for 16 years.I've never believed in the whole diet thing. IMO all it does is deprive the kid of some good stuff like bread and cookies.ADD/ADHD are legitimate conditions. Look at it this way: If your son was bipolar would you #### around with his diet instead of using medication that has been proven to work? Medication for ADD/HD can be a godsend. The problem is finding which meds at which dosage at what times work the best. It can be a long and difficult process. Of course there are some kids that do not do better on the meds and/or they have adverse side effects. But typically I've seen a lot more positive outcomes than negative.
 
what are his symptoms
Lack of impulse control, he can't sit still in class, he's constantly grabbing other kids, he constantly interrupts the teacher as she tries to teach/read to the class, he shouts out the answers instead of waiting to be called upon, he acts defiant whenever a teacher tries to reason with him, the list goes on and on.
When did he start showing these symptoms?
 
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry: Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
I've got a son with AD/HD and another with very mild ADD. Both are now in their late teens. I've also been a middle school teacher for 16 years.I've never believed in the whole diet thing. IMO all it does is deprive the kid of some good stuff like bread and cookies.ADD/ADHD are legitimate conditions. Look at it this way: If your son was bipolar would you #### around with his diet instead of using medication that has been proven to work? Medication for ADD/HD can be a godsend. The problem is finding which meds at which dosage at what times work the best. It can be a long and difficult process. Of course there are some kids that do not do better on the meds and/or they have adverse side effects. But typically I've seen a lot more positive outcomes than negative.
Are the meds for life, or are they viewed as something to get them over a hump until mature enough to control their behavior?
 
what are his symptoms
Lack of impulse control, he can't sit still in class, he's constantly grabbing other kids, he constantly interrupts the teacher as she tries to teach/read to the class, he shouts out the answers instead of waiting to be called upon, he acts defiant whenever a teacher tries to reason with him, the list goes on and on.
When did he start showing these symptoms?
Since pre-K.
 
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry: Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
I've got a son with AD/HD and another with very mild ADD. Both are now in their late teens. I've also been a middle school teacher for 16 years.I've never believed in the whole diet thing. IMO all it does is deprive the kid of some good stuff like bread and cookies.ADD/ADHD are legitimate conditions. Look at it this way: If your son was bipolar would you #### around with his diet instead of using medication that has been proven to work? Medication for ADD/HD can be a godsend. The problem is finding which meds at which dosage at what times work the best. It can be a long and difficult process. Of course there are some kids that do not do better on the meds and/or they have adverse side effects. But typically I've seen a lot more positive outcomes than negative.
Are the meds for life, or are they viewed as something to get them over a hump until mature enough to control their behavior?
They shouldn't be for life. Every kid is different but I would guess that by 16 or so most kids should be able to be weened off of them. I'm not a doctor of course.
 
Good luck through this. I don't really have much advice, other than I think it's the right choice. I went through this a couple of years ago with my now 8-year old. It was worth it... although it does take some time to find the right medication and dosage. We went through two drugs that worked really well, but had undesirable side effects.

It's tough to make this call, given the stigma of ADHD meds. But with kids that really are ADHD (which it definitely sounds like your kid is) it can be a significant boost to their quality of life, and yours.

 
Good luck through this. I don't really have much advice, other than I think it's the right choice. I went through this a couple of years ago with my now 8-year old. It was worth it... although it does take some time to find the right medication and dosage. We went through two drugs that worked really well, but had undesirable side effects. It's tough to make this call, given the stigma of ADHD meds. But with kids that really are ADHD (which it definitely sounds like your kid is) it can be a significant boost to their quality of life, and yours.
:goodposting:Pretty sad that people don't see anything wrong with Zoloft or Paxil or Wellburtrin but when it comes to ADD/HD meds people that give them to their kids are "lazy" and "over medicating".
 
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry:

Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
I've written about my 7 yo son and his Severe ADHD ad puking in the GMTAN. If I knew how to use the search function, I would post some links.I understand what you are going through and you are making the right move getting him tested. We first noticed he was "different" around 3 (he has mild Aspergers too) and Kindergarten was a nightmare.

I don't feel like rehashing everything right now but please have hope and no that things can get better.

Please always feel free to send me PM's with any questions you have. Hang in there man.

 
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I have a son who is a senior in HS and is ADHD. He has been on meds since 1st grade. Tried several different meds over the years but Adderall worked best for him. He has seen his regular Md and Phsychiatrist. One thing that they disagree with each other on is if he can eventually stop taking the meds. MD says yes and Phsychiatrist says no. I do know for right now the answer is no. If he don't take his meds in the morning he is a little hyper and can control that part since he has matured. But the ADD part is uncontrollable. He can't focus on even small tasks.

 
what are his symptoms
Lack of impulse control, he can't sit still in class, he's constantly grabbing other kids, he constantly interrupts the teacher as she tries to teach/read to the class, he shouts out the answers instead of waiting to be called upon, he acts defiant whenever a teacher tries to reason with him, the list goes on and on.
My 8 year-old was diagnosed when he was 5, all the same symptoms. He wears a Daytrana patch for school and takes Focalin on the weekends. He's never hungry with the patch (it's been a stuggle to get him to drink a milk and eat half a sandwhich at lunch) so the pill on the weekends gives his skin a break from the patch areas and he eats more regularly, instead of breakfast, minimal lunch, huge dinner. But the pill only works for 3-4 hours at a time, the patch lasts all day. He's totally different on the patch versus on no meds and it's helped him succeed in school. Before the meds he was always getting yelled at for being up out of his seat, not paying attention, etc. The patch keeps him focused. It took a couple years of trying different meds, combinations, doses, etc. and it's still a tweaking process as he grows up.That's for the ADHD. He was also diagnosed with ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) and we tried therapy and counseling before recently trying Intuniv. It was really effective the first couple weeks, but now I'm not so sure it's making a difference. That seems common, as it's a non-stimulant and the body can adjust to it after awhile.
 
I'm not a teacher/doctor or authority on the matter, BUT

My wife is a 3rd grade teacher and she has told me some stories of kids in her class that would constantly disrupt the class because of their uncontrollable urges to yell out answers, stay seated, distract other children, etc (some of the things you already mentioned).

There was one story I remember vividly (because I met the kid when visiting her class), a child in her class was particularly rowdy and was extremely disruptive and would often rock back and forth in his seat violently and would stand up and walk around in class without permission. I could tell looking at this kid's face that he knew he was being distracting, and I honestly believe he couldnt contain himself, no matter what he tried.

Eventually, his parents (who were on the ball) got him tested for ADHD/ADD and was subsequently put on some ADHD/ADD medicine (not sure what it is, I can ask my wife and send you a PM if you like). After taking the medication, my wife noticed that his behavior was markedly improved, as he could control himself better and overall was quite submissive. She said that when he was on the medication he was a totally different student and could concentrate on his work and not distract other students/become a distraction himself.

I think there is certainly a segment of children out there (more in this age than I can recall when I was growing up) that need this medication in order to keep themselves in check; as those urges are uncontrollable.

Hope that helps. :shrug:

 
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:blackdot: for later. I have a 9 year old with ADD, very similar situation to yours. I am at work now, but will go more in depth tonight.
 
And we saw signs as early as 2 1/2. Would watch TV, totally focused, but as soon as a commercial came on he would bounce of the walls until the show was back on. Even while focused ont he show, he was at the same time pacing, standing on his head in the chair, making noise.

It's very hard to understand how he can't just "listen" and do something. But it's true. He can't sit still at the table eating, always moving around in his chair, sitting sideways, etc. We'll talk about how he sitting, he'll tell me the right way he needs to sit, he'll show me he can sit right and it's all good. Until two bites later and he's no longer focusing on keeping himself seated, he's hanging off the side of the chair, totally unaware of it.

 
And we saw signs as early as 2 1/2. Would watch TV, totally focused, but as soon as a commercial came on he would bounce of the walls until the show was back on. Even while focused ont he show, he was at the same time pacing, standing on his head in the chair, making noise.

It's very hard to understand how he can't just "listen" and do something. But it's true. He can't sit still at the table eating, always moving around in his chair, sitting sideways, etc. We'll talk about how he sitting, he'll tell me the right way he needs to sit, he'll show me he can sit right and it's all good. Until two bites later and he's no longer focusing on keeping himself seated, he's hanging off the side of the chair, totally unaware of it.
ruh roh
 
And we saw signs as early as 2 1/2. Would watch TV, totally focused, but as soon as a commercial came on he would bounce of the walls until the show was back on. Even while focused ont he show, he was at the same time pacing, standing on his head in the chair, making noise.

It's very hard to understand how he can't just "listen" and do something. But it's true. He can't sit still at the table eating, always moving around in his chair, sitting sideways, etc. We'll talk about how he sitting, he'll tell me the right way he needs to sit, he'll show me he can sit right and it's all good. Until two bites later and he's no longer focusing on keeping himself seated, he's hanging off the side of the chair, totally unaware of it.
ruh roh
That's not all that uncommon.
 
And we saw signs as early as 2 1/2. Would watch TV, totally focused, but as soon as a commercial came on he would bounce of the walls until the show was back on. Even while focused ont he show, he was at the same time pacing, standing on his head in the chair, making noise.

It's very hard to understand how he can't just "listen" and do something. But it's true. He can't sit still at the table eating, always moving around in his chair, sitting sideways, etc. We'll talk about how he sitting, he'll tell me the right way he needs to sit, he'll show me he can sit right and it's all good. Until two bites later and he's no longer focusing on keeping himself seated, he's hanging off the side of the chair, totally unaware of it.
ruh roh
That's not all that uncommon.
ok thanks. My 2.5 yr old exhibits a TON of those signs. Obviously hoping its just cuz hes a 2 yr old.
 
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And we saw signs as early as 2 1/2. Would watch TV, totally focused, but as soon as a commercial came on he would bounce of the walls until the show was back on. Even while focused ont he show, he was at the same time pacing, standing on his head in the chair, making noise.

It's very hard to understand how he can't just "listen" and do something. But it's true. He can't sit still at the table eating, always moving around in his chair, sitting sideways, etc. We'll talk about how he sitting, he'll tell me the right way he needs to sit, he'll show me he can sit right and it's all good. Until two bites later and he's no longer focusing on keeping himself seated, he's hanging off the side of the chair, totally unaware of it.
ruh roh
That's not all that uncommon.
He was in Daycare and then Pre-school around the same time and we could watch him on the room cameras and during circle time. Unless he was the the one being engaged by holding the book or getting to point to the shapes, he was the only kid wandering around, constantly. 19 other kids doing criss-cross applesauce. During snack and lunch, the teachers were constantly guiding him back to his seat, and he was up again walking around a minute later. Things like that, where so often he was the only kid doing these types of things, were seen all the time. My mom would always brush it off as "He just marches to the beat of his own drum."There's plenty of normal 2-3 y.o. type of things in there, but it was the consistency and difference in his levels of it versus other kids. All the kids could be running around and crazy, but then when it's time to wind down or line up, he was always the kid that couldn't turn it off.

 
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:blackdot: I have some concerns that my son may have ADD. He displays all the similar symptoms you mentioned here. My problem is he is young for his class, Sept. birthday. I read a study that said ADD/ADHD tends to be diagnosed more often in younger kids within a grade level. We are giving him some time to see if he grows out of it. He is leaps and bounds better than he was last year but he still need to work on his behavior. He may never be an ideal student, but I do see progress.
 
My wife, Kindergarten teacher, and I also see all of these symptoms with my son. As of now, I tend to lean on the side of this being a behavior problem created by something we are doing wrong in parenting.

We'll see, I guess. :(

 
I have a 10-year-old daughter who has been on Methylin (Ritalin) since 2nd grade. She was always hyperactive, but never to the point we were concerned until she started having trouble in school.

She is extremely smart, tests at the 99th percentile in everything, but routinely was one of the last students to finish in-class work. It never manifested itself in behavior problems, just trouble focusing on schoolwork. Her teachers would tell us they would look up and she would just be gazing out the window. She could not focus long enough to get her work done.

We have some of the same problems at home...we'll tell her to go get dressed, brush her teeth, etc....10 minutes later she is sitting in the floor reading a book. What are you doing? What do you mean...you didn't tell me to do that? I know on the surface that sounds like a kid that just doesn't obey, but trust me it is very much a focus/attentiveness issue.

Night and day difference when she takes her "pill." We have Methylin ER, so she takes one pill in the morning. We've had no problems at all with attention problems at school over the past 2 years.

Anyway, I would rather her not have to take it, but I feel like we would be doing her a disservice by not getting her help she needs to function up to her abilities.

 
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My kids are all f'd up. Even my stepdaughter, whom I am in the process of adopting, has attempted suicide, so she fits right in. Anyhow, my youngest is a simple case of ADHD. She was prescribed Concerta at the beginning of the school year, and it's made a world of difference for the better.

 
'The Doctor said:
if you can id avoid adderal. its like legal coke meth
It's exactly what it is. It's an amphetamine made with lab chemicals instead of batteries and cement mix.
 
My oldest son has PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) which is on the autism spectrum. It's frequently called atypical autism because he really doesn't exhibit a lot of the characteristics associated with autism (kind of similar to Asperger Syndrome, which I think JC has shared he has). I think of it as supercharged ADHD, he literally can not keep eye contact for more than 3 seconds if he is off his medication.

We started with Ritalin at a very early age (5 I believe). He was extremely moody on it and after a year we moved to Adderall. That was like throwing gasoline on a bonfire, he had a meltdown at school where it took 3 adults to pry him off of a door. We then moved to Focalin, which didn't create meltdowns, but wasn't very effective helping him focus. After a year on it, I looked over at him and noticed he was crying. I asked him what happened and he said "Nothing, I just want to be happy." :cry: He didn't take any more of that.

We tried a summer school with him on no meds, hoping he had matured out of it. The teachers tried but he was just all over the place (but he was very happy). We finally landed on Vyvanse about 3 years ago, and it has been the most effective medication for us. No meltdowns, he is happy (but still not as joyful/silly when he is off of it), and is more focused. He's still the most unfocused kid in class, but he's very bright and is controllable.

My youngest son has a mild case of ADHD, he just switched from Focalin to Vyvanse. Both make him a little more subdued, but not depressed. Vyvanse does appear to have an appetite suppressing effect in my boys.

It may take you awhile but you will find the right medication for your son. It can be a heartbreaking journey at times, but both of my kids are in the gifted program, play sports, and generally have a fun time in life. Let me know if you have any questions.

PS We also see an MD and a psychiatrist, I encourage you to get them to speak to each other directly if possible.

 
'Socrates11 said:
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry: Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
My son is 11 and is just getting diagnosed. A psychologist ran a slew of test on him and determined that ADD is a small component of it. He did say ADD is over-diagnosed and over-medicated, but in my son's case, he has a pure ADD case and medicaiton will help him. We will be starting his medicaiton soon, so we will see.My son is very smart, but cannot focus in school and basically finds school boring. He frequently forgets his assignments, forgets when he has tests, and it frequently doesn't even registered that he messed up. So despite being very smart, he is getting B's and C's and is now staring to get D's. He was definately trending the wrong way.He is never disruptive is school. He just withdraws. He loves to read, so when he checks out, he is frequently reading. Most of his teachers thought this was good, so they allowed it. Perhaps if he were more disruptive, he would have been diagnosed earier.
 
'Socrates11 said:
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry: Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
That sounds like exactly the same story that we went through with my step son. Throw in the fact that his dad didn't think (and still doesn't) that there was anything wrong with him and it made for a very complicated situation. We ended up taking him to a behavioral specialist without his dad knowing and he is on a medication that he can miss a couple days and not have a drastic effect because his dad does not know he is on medication and would throw a fit if he found out. It has made a huge difference in school for him. When he was in 2nd grade we took him off for a week to see if his teacher would notice a difference. 3 days in and we received an email asking if there was anything different going on at home because she noticed a big difference in him at school. The medication that he is on is an 8 hour medication, so the full benefit is during the day when he is at school, but that is the biggest plus. He still has the energy of a typical 9 year old, but is able to concentrate and it helps control the out of nowhere burst and screams. We didn't want to put him on medication because of all the horror stories we heard about old medications, but the doctor assured us that medication has changed a lot and it has been a definate blessing.Don't be ashamed or afraid that you have a child with ADD. Think of it as you are able to help them and make a big difference in their school life and possibly even their social life.If you have any questions, feel free to PM me and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability. Good luck to you and your child.
 
what are his symptoms
Lack of impulse control, he can't sit still in class, he's constantly grabbing other kids, he constantly interrupts the teacher as she tries to teach/read to the class, he shouts out the answers instead of waiting to be called upon, he acts defiant whenever a teacher tries to reason with him, the list goes on and on.
He may never be able to sit still in class. That's hard enough for "normal" students. On the other hand, he may not have to. If he can use a stand-up desk, he may have an easier time. Check out the stand up desk section:http://www.fidgettofocus.com/blog/
The AlphaBetter Desk is an adapted student desk designed for use by children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (DHD). This height-adjustable desk allows students to sit or stand and to swing their legs based on their natural energy levels, so they can learn in a way that is more consistent with the developmental needs of their minds and bodies. The desk has a swinging pendulum footrest, allowing students a noise-free outlet for expending their natural energy, burning calories, and fidgeting.
This seems to be a reasonable accomodation that the teachers could go for.
 
I'm glad you are getting him help now and not waiting. You really are doing him a favor but just be patient trying the different meds until you find something that works. I have ADHD but wasn't diagnosed until college when I couldn't take it anymore and finally got tested. I have always been hyper, never been able to focus and I was constantly in trouble in school for talking, disrupting, etc. but since I had straight A's all through school it went undiagnosed. I have tried a few different meds and the only one that worked for me and didn't have bad side effects (as in changing my personality too much) was Adderall. I took it through the rest of college & grad school but didn't take it on weekends, breaks or summers to make sure I didn't get addicted to it and it made my life so much easier. I stopped taking it a few years ago hoping I had grown out of it but it is driving my poor husband nuts. He is constantly going behind me bc of the things I forgot, misplaced, etc. It is so frustrating for me because I try so hard to focus. I keep thinking about going back on the meds but I decided a couple of weeks ago to try changing my diet to see if that made a difference. We went the route of going primal/paleo which meant cutting out all things processed and within 4 days we both noticed a huge difference in me. It felt like I was coming out of a fog. I could actually listen to what someone was saying to me without them having to repeat it 3-4 times, I could think about one thing and go complete it without stopping to do 10 others and forgetting the original thing and for once in my life without medicine, I didn't feel like I was in a wind tunnel bc of all the sounds/stimulation I couldn't block out. I haven't been eating clean this week bc of being so busy with everything for Christmas and I feel like crap already and back to be distracted all the time. It only took about 2 days of not eating clean for all my symptoms to come back. As soon as Christmas is over, I am going right back to it and hopefully I can manage my symptoms that way but if not I will be going back to adderall. There really is no way to describe to someone who doesn't have ADHD what it feels and how frustrating it is so just be patient with your son as he gets older and learns to deal/cope with it himself. You literally can't turn your brain off. If you ever have any questions, feel free to PM me. I know there are a couple of guys on here who have talked about their experience with ADHD too but just be prepared to go through some ups and downs with him and understand that he may not grow out of it either.

 
My step-son is a severe ADHD he has been on every medicine possible Zoloft or Paxil or Wellburtrin,intuniv, ritalin. Nothing ever worked along with alot of conseling. It makes you go crazy that you can't fix the Problem. Actually took him to a neurologist(and did alot of testing) and he reviewed all of his meds, and told us to stop giving him his meds and see if it helped. Did for about 2-3 weeks then his behavior resorted back to his usual self but we kept him off of his meds, and just work with him and the teachers to know his limits. Usually give him one task to do and if he doesn't do it, we take his stuff away,make him goto bed early, make him walk to school for punishment etc.. After trying many methods, this method seems to be working.

Still take him to his conselor once a week, and constantly in contact with his teachers. But things are better. GL

 
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Socrates, the process of going through medication trials for ADD can be very challenging. It will be most helpful if your docs start with the smallest dose of something short-acting like plain old ritalin, to see how he reacts to it. It's out of your system in 4 hours. A trial should last for a number of weeks unless the reaction is strongly adverse. Once you've settled on an appropriate dosage, then you can address longer-acting alternatives.

ADD is a lifelong condition. It doesn't just "go away". People learn to cope with it in better and different ways as they mature, but it's always going to be there. Whether your son continues to need medication throughout his life is impossible to know right now, but don't let others tell you that it's wrong if he continues to need it. The notion that kids grow out of ADD as teenagers is a very outdated one -- any doctor who subscribes to this needs to do some more reading, in my opinion. Keep in mind that children with ADD are known to mature socially quite a bit more slowly than their peers. It will be especially noticeable in high school. (I have a 16 year old with ADD who is learning to drive right now) :scared:

Dr. Ed Hallowell's book Driven to Distraction is excellent. He's a Harvard trained doctor who also has ADD himself and has written eloquently on the subject of ADD throughout the lifespan, and the 'gift'of ADD. There are aspects that are a gift and it's important for you as parents to embrace those things about your son.

 
Been through this. Here are a couple key thoughts:

1. One the side effects from some of the medications is "emotional lability", which is basically extreme highs/lows. If you try the Adderall (or any med with this side effect) then watch very, very closely since the extreme lows can lead to very negative consequences (e.g., kids feeling miserable and lost, and suicide at the extreme). Finding the right med was challenging. Adderall was a train wreck for us. We ended up on Strattera, and have only needed to adjust the dose some as he's grown.

2. Once you have an official diagnosis, I highly recommend that you get a 504 Plan in place. The 504 Plan documents the reasonable accommodations that your child is afforded by law for his diagnosed disability, and that are defined largely by you and the school. This document takes care of those teachers with limited understanding of ADD/ADHD, as the accommodations are required and no longer at the discretion of the teacher. For example, we defined that his success wasn't going to be defined by how well he sat perfectly still in a chair, so an accommodation was that he could take a brief break to stand or whatever. We had him physically seated to the side of the room with fewer distrations (vs. middle of the class). We documented that work not finished in class (where there are lots of distractions) could be finished at home and turned in. We defined that taking away recess so he could stay in class to do more homework was not appropriate as the recess provides a needed break for activity. Those kinds of things.

Drop me a line if you have other questions, and best of luck!

 
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Thank you all for your comments. He has an appointment on Friday to get the ball rolling. Don't feel nearly as apprehensive now.

 
'Socrates11 said:
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry: Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
tl;dr
 
'Socrates11 said:
My 7 year old son is starting the process for being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD and starting treatment, which will likely include medication. This has actually been a long time coming, but we've kept trying alternatives to get him dialed in and calmed down, such as diet and other ways to try to hold off his triggers, but nothing seems to help. He was too much for his pre-k teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his kindergarten teacher, but we said he'd grow out of it. He was too much for his 1st grade teacher, so we said lets get rid of food dyes, too much sugar, gluten, etc and see what happens. Now he's too much for his 2nd grade teacher and is on the verge of being kicked out of his gifted program. We've always thought that meds were prescribed too frequently for normal but very active children but now we're starting to come to conclusion that our son is in that group that really does need them. It's tearing us up. :cry:

Any advice appreciated from those who may have gone through something similar. Thanks.
I've got a son with AD/HD and another with very mild ADD. Both are now in their late teens. I've also been a middle school teacher for 16 years.I've never believed in the whole diet thing. IMO all it does is deprive the kid of some good stuff like bread and cookies.

ADD/ADHD are legitimate conditions. Look at it this way: If your son was bipolar would you #### around with his diet instead of using medication that has been proven to work?

Medication for ADD/HD can be a godsend. The problem is finding which meds at which dosage at what times work the best. It can be a long and difficult process.

Of course there are some kids that do not do better on the meds and/or they have adverse side effects. But typically I've seen a lot more positive outcomes than negative.
???

 
My 7 year old son has ADHD and has the classic symptoms of....can't sit still,hyper, can hyperfocus when he likes something (like Legos or the Wii), and is very disorganized at school and loves hugging kids and the teacher.....

The key is to get it properly diagnosed early in their life. Some have their kids take medicine, but my wife and I are making that the last resort. We have our son talk to a behavorial therapist who is trying to work with him to manage his ADHD...trying to mould his behavior so that he can deal with it properly. We're trying the diet.....son is on a casein free diet and we're starting gluten free......not convinced yet that it totally works, but we're going down that avenue because we don't want to medicate our son if we don't have to. We also don't want our son to feel as if he has a disability.....while it actually is a disability, it's one that can be completely managed so that one with ADHD can live a very productive life. BTW, some of the most successful people in the world have ADHD, like Bill Gates, Howie Mandel and Ty Pennington.

What you don't want is to have a diagnosis into your adult life, like myself. I have ADHD and didn't know it until my son was diagnosed and after reading about it, that most cases of ADHD are genetically passed. I had the same types of issues as a kid, hyper, impulse control issues (couldn't control my temper on the golf course.....I would have been a great junior golfer, perhaps could have gotten a golf scholarship.....I am currently a 2 handicap....ADHD clearly hurt my potential back then)....and issues with zoning out. When you get into your adult life, it becomes VERY difficult to change behaviors that you developed when your ADHD is untreated. I am currently working on it because it's very difficult on my wife to handle my ADHD son and her ADHD husband. My parents claimed that they tested me, but I don't believe it.....they didn't know as much as they know today, and a doctor likely didn't diagnosed anything since I was very successful in school. A lot of ADHD kids struggle in school.....luckily my son isn't one of them.....he's a very smart boy.

You need to be very active in your kid's education. My wife constantly talks with my son's teacher and makes sure everything is going well. We were also able to get special accomodations to help him in school. Talk with your kid's teacher or principal to see what they can do to help your ADHD child succeed in school, as well as ensure that the kid's ADHD doesn't affect other kids at school.

Regarding medicine, I tried Adderall, but hated it.....it really is like speed. I take Vyvanse 50mg dose and it's perfect for me.....my focus is much sharper. But don't think that taking medication just automatically cures ADHD....it doesn't, it just helps with focus and attention, but still you need to work on behavioral changes or behavorial development to completely be able to manage ADHD.

 
And we saw signs as early as 2 1/2. Would watch TV, totally focused, but as soon as a commercial came on he would bounce of the walls until the show was back on. Even while focused ont he show, he was at the same time pacing, standing on his head in the chair, making noise.

It's very hard to understand how he can't just "listen" and do something. But it's true. He can't sit still at the table eating, always moving around in his chair, sitting sideways, etc. We'll talk about how he sitting, he'll tell me the right way he needs to sit, he'll show me he can sit right and it's all good. Until two bites later and he's no longer focusing on keeping himself seated, he's hanging off the side of the chair, totally unaware of it.
ruh roh
That's not all that uncommon.
ok thanks. My 2.5 yr old exhibits a TON of those signs. Obviously hoping its just cuz hes a 2 yr old.
I'm in the same boat. My son is 2 and is a lunatic. Love him to death, and usually it's funny. But he literally can't sit still if he isn't interested in a tv show, book or playing an iphone game.Hopefully it will go away but we'll see.

 
My wife and I always knew that our son (now 10 years old) ran at a very high level ALL THE TIME. But I figured out he was ADHD when he was about 5-6. He had gotten in trouble at school again, and I was having a sit-down talk with him. As he was sitting in his chair, he simply could not sit still. I asked to stop fidgeting. He would stop for a few secods, and then started fidgeting or kciking his legs. I was mad! At the time I didn't understand. STOP MOVING AND SIT STILL WHILE I YELL AT YOU FOR GETTING IN TROUBLE AT SCHOOL... that was my thought anyway. But I was very aware that physically and emotionally he could not control himself. It was then that I realized we were dealing with ADHD.

I have been wanting to try meds for a LOOOOONG time, but my wife has been adamantly opposed to it. My son does fairly well in school as far as grades go, and he can be somewhat of a disruption. And he gets VERY distracted when he should be concentrating on other things. I just think that medication could help him do so much better.

The hardest part for me is that the constant hyperactivity, loud, distracted, disconnected behavior makes me mental. I feel as though I am always angry, and it is really affecting the relationship with my son. I try to be patient and tolerant, but it is an unwinnable battle. There needs to be consequences for his actions, but then he can't control his actions... it's a catch-22.

I'm hopeful that my wife will eventually come around on the meds issue.

 
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My wife and I always knew that our son (now 10 years old) ran at a very high level ALL THE TIME. But I figured out he was ADHD when he was about 5-6. He had gotten in trouble at school again, and I was having a sit-down talk with him. As he was sitting in his chair, he simply could not sit still. I asked to stop fidgeting. He would stop for a few secods, and then started fidgeting or kciking his legs. I was mad! At the time I didn't understand. STOP MOVING AND SIT STILL WHILE I YELL AT YOU FOR GETTING IN TROUBLE AT SCHOOL... that was my thought anyway. But I was very aware that physically and emotionally he could not control himself. It was then that I realized we were dealing with ADHD.I have been wanting to try meds for a LOOOOONG time, but my wife has been adamantly opposed to it. My son does fairly well in school as far as grades go, and he can be somewhat of a disruption. And he gets VERY distracted when he should be concentrating on other things. I just think that medication could help him do so much better.The hardest part for me is that the constant hyperactivity, loud, distracted, disconnected behavior makes me mental. I feel as though I am always angry, and it is really affecting the relationship with my son. I try to be patient and tolerant, but it is an unwinnable battle. There needs to be consequences for his actions, but then he can't control his actions... it's a catch-22.I'm hopeful that my wife will eventually come around on the meds issue.
Wow, are you me?Another worry I have with his behavior is his social skills. My son is a pretty nice kid and everyone's friend right out of the gate but his hyperactivity comes across as very annoying after awhile and it makes many of the other kids start to resent him, especially when he seems to start hogging all the attention in class with his outbursts. He is often very down on why the other kids don't want to seem to hang out with him much anymore, though he thinks it's their fault not his.
 
Wow, are you me?

Another worry I have with his behavior is his social skills. My son is a pretty nice kid and everyone's friend right out of the gate but his hyperactivity comes across as very annoying after awhile and it makes many of the other kids start to resent him, especially when he seems to start hogging all the attention in class with his outbursts. He is often very down on why the other kids don't want to seem to hang out with him much anymore, though he thinks it's their fault not his.
It's kinda crazy when you realize that you are not alone, huh? True ADHD kids share very similar behavior patterns, and we parents share many characteristics too.My wife and I worry about socialization too. Like you, our son is very friendly and very social. But he can be a bit too much at times, and other kids get annoyed.

Here is a link to parent's guide to ADHD. It's pretty long, but you can skim through parts that aren't relevant. He refers to ADHD as a "time" disorder. This was invaluable to my understanding of the condition. The reason that there is such a stigma around ADHD is mainly because of ignorance. People think they know what it is, but really they don't undrestand it at all.

Here is one part that was very eye-opening to me:

This one you probably didn’t think about, the psychological sense of time that comes out of this executive function, your ability to sense the passage of time. Why do we have this? To anticipate and get ready for the future. Without this system, by the way, there would be no past tense or any future tense in language, because what are you referring to? When you use past and future tense you are referring to images of the past and anticipation of the future.

So, here’s a prediction, never attempted by any theory of AD/HD. AD/HD delays all of this. Well does it? Do people with AD/HD have problems with sense of time? You’re damn right they do. Do people with AD/HD have trouble anticipating the future? You bet. They live in the now. Like Dennis the Menace, isn’t it always now? Don’t talk to me about tomorrow. Don’t talk to me about next week. Doesn’t matter. Now, now, now.

Here’s an interesting prediction: I predict that if you study young preschool AD/HD children, they will not develop past and future tense in language as early as other children. If my theory is wrong, you won’t find any differences, and that part of the theory is dead. But I will bet you it’s true. I’ve actually already tested it through interviews with parents about AD/HD children. They do not refer to time, the past and future in language as much as other children do. Other children start talking about tomorrow, next week, next month much earlier than AD/HD kids do. AD/HD adults have a terrible sense of time. We have now finished our fifth study of sense of time. AD/HD destroys it, right down to intervals as short as 10 seconds. Time escapes them.

Now, let’s juxtapose that finding with this finding. Modern human culture worships time. The best-selling books in nonfiction section of bookstores are time management books, and you have a disorder that destroys the sense of time. AD/HD is the consummate disorder of time management. We start out living in the now as preschoolers. As we get older, this window opens. Looking back, to look ahead, and it gets wider and wider and wider, until in our early 30s this window is 8-12 weeks out. Most of the decisions you and I are making are for events that lie about 8-12 weeks out. We can anticipate further out, but that’s our average fore-period for decision-making. AD/HD slams that window shut. AD/HD makes you live in the now. What does that mean? It means you will not get ready for the future until it’s here.

So, let me give you another name for AD/HD: time blindness. AD/HD creates a nearsightedness to the future, a temporal myopia, so that the individual is always waiting until the event is here, imminent, before they do anything to get ready. That is a fascinating insight into this disorder, that people with AD/HD have a temporal neglect syndrome. They cannot anticipate events that lie ahead and use it to guide their behavior, and it doesn’t matter how much you talk about the future. They will not get ready for an event until it crosses their time horizon, and their time horizon is right here, smack in front of them. Now you know why everything is left to the last minute all the time, always late, never ready, never prepared, never has materials, right? Do you see how devastating AD/HD in a modern culture would be?
 
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'Hooper31 said:
I didn't get an answer to my question, so I'll try a new question.Would you like some alternative ideas to try before you drug your child into submission and begin to atrophy their brain?
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.
 

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