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Kids and ADHD

Posted: May 18, 2011

My son is 8. He has had a rough time in school. He has always been a hyper kid but never to the point that we felt there would be a problem. We just thought he was more active and and a very hands-on learner. This school year (thankfully almost over) has been horrifying for him. He says kids in class make fun of him, he is constantly getting into trouble. The teachers say he cannot be quiet or stay in his seat and focus. All of this worried us and we took him in for evaluation of ADHD. The physician was extremely quick to hand over drugs and really did not explain the diagnosis very well to us. He tried the first medicine which made him have horrible stomach cramps, would not eat and would just cry ALL the time. So we took him back to the doctor and they switched medications. Put him on one that the only side effect would be sleepiness. He took it and then started falling asleep in class. We had to adjust the time of day we gave him the medicine, but nothing helped. He slept all the time. My son was very active in football, flag football and baseball. While reading the literature with the medicine, it said to be very vigilent about not allowing the heart rate to get too high and not to get dehydrated. This worried me. I talked to the doctors and we ultimately took him off medicine.

I am in the process of trying to switch physicians to get a TRUE evaluation, not only for ADHD but for dyslexia and possible autism components. The teachers are very adament to get him back on meds. We have talked about trying natural supplements and dietary changes first, all of which the physicians said could also work.

Then today, while talking with my mother-in-law (who has always been pushy), she said she was very suprised the school had not called us to DFS for refusal to give my son medications and on top of it, told me that if we did not get him back on meds by next school year, she would hotline us herself. I am a great mother. My kids are healthy, happy and very well-loved. I was devastated that she would say this. Is is really our society that people are that pushy over these meds? I have an older son who has no problems in school and gets straight A\'s. My younger son gets A\'s, B\'s and C\'s - so not horrible grades at all. This has me totally scared and horrified. If anyone has experience with the ADHD drugs, natural treatments or the legal aspects of all of this, please let me know. Thank you in advance. God Bless.

;

Other options - ADDer

[ In Reply To ..]
I have ADD too, only without the hyper component that your son has.

My suggestion is that you visit Daniel Amen, M.D.'s website and possibly read his books. He is an expert who has IDed the 6 different types of ADD/ADHD. On his website are descriptions of each type, sample brain scans demonstrating them, and both supplement and medication protocols for treating each one. (I recommend the former, but to each his own.)

Also see recent studies linking pesticides on produce to ADD. It is for that reason that I buy organic produce and have seen a further reduction in my symptoms. Eating conventional produce just ramps them up.

Wishing you the best.

re: ADHD - imo

[ In Reply To ..]
First of all, tell MIL to take a hike! How dare she even try to insinuate herself into this situation! Tell her to go ahead and use the hotline and then jump off a cliff!

Secondly, this could have been written by me several years back! This doc of yours was just to ready to start meds without a thorough eval, but how pro-active are you in insisting on referrals and testing? I did NOT want my child on meds until he had a DIAGNOSIS. Turns out he had intolerances to a lot of things in his DIET! No ADHD! Of course he was figidty and couldn't sit still, he is very intolerant of foods with high sugars, which are the mainstay of much of the packaged foods in the good old U.S of A.

we had to change our lifestyle, even cutting way, way back on how much television stimulus he got! (rapidly changes sequences in most of the television shows makes our brain neurons fire to quickly, and in a young person could lead to attention problems...) Ever noticed how quickly scenes change on any show? Especially cartoons!

If your doc isn't willing to run a full battery of tests, including food, sleep, activity diarys, then seek out a professional in your area.

Don't be quick to assume that its ADHD is all I'm saying. Could be enviromental or biochemical. The school, actually, should have TONS of resources available to you, start there.

My son is 16 now and a straight A student, had no problems since.

No one should "insist" that you medicate your child! Good grief, that's TOTALLY out of line!

My son has ADHS and Asperger's syndrome - cindy

[ In Reply To ..]
He has been on Ritalin since he was 3 and at night he takes Clonidine to help him sleep. He is now 18 and graduating from school in a couple of weeks.

First of all, if the school is insisting that he be put on medication, then you insist that they do a thorough evaluation of him with the school psychiatrist and psychologist.

I would definitely take him to a child psychologist and have a full work up done. There will be lot of forms for you to fill out and forms for the teacher to fill out, so you want to get this underway before school ends so his current teacher can fill out her forms as to his behavoir this year. Also find a psychologist who treats austism spectrum disorders, so that all the appropriate testing is done if there is even a suspicion of an autism spectrum disorder.

The thing you want to remember with herbal and 'natural' treatments, is that these are not regulated by the FDA. Herbs are drugs, even though you can get then over the counter. Personally, I prefer to give him medicine that is regulated and checked for the same doseage and efficacy of the medicine on a constant basis. Herbal supplements can say that they are a certain dose of that herb but you can never be sure as one bottle may be more potent than the next. That is not something I want to risk with my child.

Also, structure and repetative scheduling is important for these kids. If they know their schedule and have check lists to follow, that will help him stay more focused and on task. I even had what was dinner down to a schedule. We would make up a menu every two weeks, with pork on Monday, hamburger on Tuesday, Chicken on Wednesday, Pasta on Thursday, Carry out every other Friday, Leftovers Satuday and a big Sunday dinner at the end of the week. By having schedules, structures and lists, that takes the anxiety out of 'what comes next' and the unknown. Also the more structure, the easier it is to control some of those impulse behavoirs, but I found with my son, he was so impulsive, he really needed the medication.

I wish you luck and feel free to email me if you want some more advise. My oldest son just turned 21 and has Aspergers, ADD, OCD, etc. I have been through a lot and have learned a lot of coping mechanisms that will help both you and your son. Good luck.

Try Coffee, seriously. - Jen

[ In Reply To ..]
My son had the same problems in school. The teachers would tell me that he could be in the "gifted program" but he would not sit still long enough to do his work. I took him to a psychiatrist, who does not particularly believe in medicating children (I didn't even know that at the time I took him) but she said to try COFFEE. She said that the way coffee picks up adults, it slows down children and makes it easier for them to concentrate. I started giving my son coffee before school each morning, no added sugar, just a natural sweetener and milk in it and his grades rose, he stopped getting in trouble and everything worked out. That was two years ago and he still has his one cup of coffee every morning and he acts no different than any other child.

That is because coffee has caffeine which is a - cindy

[ In Reply To ..]
stimulant, just like Ritalin and such drugs are stimulants. I know it sounds wierd giving a stimulant to an overactive child, but part of their brain that controls impulsiveness and the lack of focus does not work as well in children with ADHD and by giving them a stimulant, it increases this area of the brain and helps them control impulses and stay focused. I have had school psychologists suggest trying some diet soda or drink with caffeine in it and it does help my younger son. He has really developed a taste for coffeee and loves having it every morning and he now only needs his Ritalin after lunch at school. It might not work for all kids but definitely worth a try.

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