ADHD Type Issues

I am an adult with ADHD. My 18-year-old daughter has ADHD. Please do not be afraid of the label. Think "different" instead of "disorder" and communicate this to your child as well.

People with ADHD have great hearts and usually have gifts and passions which are extremely valuable to society.

Visit the following web site for practical solutions for your ADHD-related issues and to learn how to celebrate your unique child.

www.celebratecalm.com

2 moms found this helpful

I completely understand where you are coming from. My daughter is now 6 and was diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago. We took her to a neurologist who "officially" diagnosed her with it. She has more of the ADD, not so much of the hyperactivity, but they are all classified the same now. My husband also has it. He was diagnosed as a teenager and still suffers from it to this very day.
We tried changing her diet before putting her on medication. It worked for a little while and then we started noticing that she was going back to her same old behavior. She has been on medication for over a year now and it works great for her. She was able to start doing better in school and is great in all of her after school activities.
Like you I don't have a lot of time to read, but enjoy it. I went to Barnes and Noble and bought a ton of books on the subject. They have helped a lot.
One thing that they all say (and you will find this online too) is that karate (Martial Arts) are good for children that suffer from ADHD. Ashley is now a green belt in karate and she loves it. It is amazing how much of a change she has made over the past year and a half.
Good luck, I know you are going to need it.

1 mom found this helpful

Been there my son was diagnosed by a professional in the last semester of the first grade. We had noticed he was having a hard time staying on task. He became so frustrated and started feeling dumb because even with gentle reminders to focus he just couldnt. He was never disruptive or hyper only distracting himself. We already eat very healthy no sodas,candy, red dyes and rarely processed foods so we eliminated that as being a solutin even with natural remidies prescribed by his doctor. We finally put him on meds. If you can go natural and it works do that first. If not try the medication. I cried I did not want to medicate him, After the 2nd day of being on it (the first day he was at home on sunday and I just wanted to monitor him on) after school when I picked him up he Thanked me for helping him fix it. His self-esteem was raised and he told me he didnt feel stupid anymore.(which by the way he was already being considered for higher learning)so it seemed funny that he would feel dumb. He is now in in the third grade we have changed from concerta to daytrauna because we wanted a little more control over it. He only takes the meds during school day and I keep him off of it over the summer. As a mother it is a hard decision to make I finally came to the conclusion that if he were diabetic I would give him insulin. The medication is not a magic pill I still have to be very organized and give him responsibility that he can handle. We have check lists for everything even on his desk at school. This helps him a lot. I hope this helps you. Good Luck !

1 mom found this helpful

Take a look at this website: www.blockcenter.com Dr. Block specializes in treating ADD/ADHD without drugs using nutritional and dietary intervention and testing for allergies. She's also written a how to book for parents to follow her protocol. My younger son had ADHD tendencies and I was at the point of having him evaluated and I was reading alot of books myself (your local library should have some good books on the topic) and I realized that whatever my son had I had too. It was at that point that I found out I was celiac and allergic to dairy. I had both my sons tested and they both had the problem. My younger son's ADHD symptoms improved tremendously and my older son was on the Ausperger's end of the spectrum and he improved tremendously. So, I would absolutely first look at diet and nutrition (many kids need extra B vitamins, magnesium, etc.) and allergies before considering drugs at all.

1 mom found this helpful

I would NOT put him directly on meds. I saw on Oprah a long time ago, a male doctor in Dallas that specializes in diagnosing ADHD. I don't know his name, but I bet you could do a Google search. Especially if you have health insurance, I would go this route first. ~K.

No, no, no on the meds. Yes to diet change (look at the food colorings - a friend's son was reacting to the "red"! IMmediate and remarkable difference - Also I reccomend ADHD, The Great Mis-diagnosis by Dr. Julian Haber (a pediatrician) - it's an excellent resource.

Please don't be so quick to put him on meds! Just let him be himself and don't let the school or anyone else pressure you to medicate him. I homeschool my 8 year old because there is no way he would be able to sit still in a classroom. He is hyper and has an extremely short attention span. Is it ADHD? Who knows? I'm not going to give him medicine to change his personality just to make things easier on everyone else!
So please before you start giving him medicine, think about whether it is really best for your SON and not everyone else! Is he learning OK? Is he a disruption to other children? You don't have to do it if you don't want to.

Check out my website. Original Limu has had a lot of great results with kids with ADD or ADHD. It works with your immune system to get your body to take care of itself.
Fucoidan is the ingrediant that comes from limu moui(a seaweed from oceans off of Tongan islands).
www.discoverlimu.com/jcarden

H.,

I had the same experience with my son. The daycare and the school said to put him on Ritalin. I didn't think he was hyper. He was VERY smart and one teacher told me she thought he was just bored. I held out, and by the time he reached the 4th grade, he was so calm and laid back, just as he is today at age 24. You can't find a more mellow guy. He truly was just very smart and not being challenged enough. I would try working with the teachers and seeing if they have gifted classes, etc before putting him on medication.

PS. I'm not anti-ADHD med. My daughter is ADD and took it for a while in high school. She probably still should, but she's 21 and stubborn....

Good luck.

I have numerous friends who have gone through this same thing. They have all changed their child's diet and have seen remarkable changes that they thought never could have occurred. The issues were all food allergies. We go to a doctor in Arlington who is great. He is an applied Kinesiologist Chiropractor who does allergy testing. It is absolutely amazing the differences we see in ourselves and our children. My husband used to get migranes and we found out he was allergic to dairy. No dairy, no more migranes. My daughter is also allergic to dairy. For her, it causes a build up of fluid and mucus in her, primarily in her ears and nose. We keep her off of dairy and see a dramatic difference in her. I am allergic to wheat and I can tell in my attitude and how quick I am to react instead of taking time to respond if I eat wheat. It is amazing what food allergies can do to you. If you would like the name of our doc, I would be happy to share it with you. Please just don't jump on meds, as there are ALWAYS side effects.
Thanks,
S.

First check to make sure your son is not bored. You said he is no more hyper than other boys his age. If not, then he is not ADHD. He could be ADD, though, so I would have that checked out by a medical doctor. My daughter has ADHD and I tried everything under the sun to avoid medication. (I am a teacher and see the numbers of kids on meds, and it is scary.) After trying routines, schedules, incentives, consequences, diet changes, vitamin supplements, parent techniques and who knows what else, we ended up just trying the medicine. My recommendation to you is to first find out if ADD is the problem. THen I thin it is responsible to try other means FIRST. If these other means do not help the problems at school, then just try medication. I tried Daytrana one day with my daughter and it was like night and day the difference. Our doctor says that children who do NOT have ADD will react adversely to the medication, shaking, not eating, etc. My daughter has taken the patch for one year and we have never seen her better. She feels better about herself because she is now functioning as the others in her class are able to function. I told my daughter she had ADHD and that was why she needed to take medicine, but I also told her that she is IN CONTROL not the medicine, it just helps her brain have time to make choices. I also told her that she would not take medicine forever for this... she would grow out of it. Good luck to you! I know exactly how confused and unsure you feel right now.

My sister is a teacher and had one of her kid's moms take the kiddo of red dyes and refined sugars and it was a world of difference. But more importantly, I work w/ a mom currently and she took her daughter to Healthy Kids pediatrics in frisco and saw the nutritionist that specializes in this. the doctor took her kiddo off all wheat products and various other things as well as putting her on vitamins. the mom didn't tell the school what she was doing and they were soon asking her why her child was attending better and doing better. my advice is definitely to look into diet first! look into this doctor her name is doctor bain. it's worth it!
A.

Hi H.,

I realize that teachers do have a working knowledge on children with ADHD, but when did that teacher get a pyschological degree in medicine? I am raising my three oldest grandchildren, ages 13, 11 and 10. The two oldest have ADHD. There are at least seven types of ADHD. Before I would put your child on medicine, find a good pediatric psychologist office and have your child tested. Don't just go on what the school says or tests him for. The testing can tell you more than just if he is ADHD, it also will give his IQ level and other great things. We did this with the two oldest grandchildren and found out not only do they have ADHD, but they also have Dysgraphia. To learn more about that, just google it. Also, do some research online about ADHD. If you have not done yet, it would be good to go sit in on your childs classes for one half or one whole day, to get a first hand experience of how he is in class. Finally, if you do have to put him on medication, get a pediatric psychiatrist to handle that, not a pediatrician. And from experience, you want them to put him on a medication that is long lasting or timed release to work through out the day, like Adderall XR and/or Vyvase. Finally, H., just know that having ADHD is not the end of the world, just a detour in the path, until you find the right path.

Check out this web site -- Your son's teacher may/may not truly understand what ADHD is -- or think it's a myth. You can ask the HEB School District to test -- but your best bet is to find a pediatrician that can truly diagnosis. Look at WebMD also for a list of the drugs -- many are really "Speed". Taking these drugs may also limit his career choices in the future also -- e.g. fireman/policeman, etc.

http://www.childbrain.com/adhd.shtml

Before you decide to put your son on any type of medication, I would think about it really hard. Once a parent allows the school system to tag their child as ADHD, the stigmatism associated with ADHD can be felt for life. Not just for their youth, but possibly for their entire life. Your school records can follow you into college and then into the workplace. I'm not saying that there is no such thing as ADHD, but I do think it is over diagnosed when it comes to boys. Most public & private schools are scheduled and created with girls in mind because they are planned by women. They allow very little time for releasing stress, and almost no outlets for the type of activities boys like to be involved in. Therefore, boys fidget and get bored. The teachers then automatically think ADHD when really it's just boys being boys. I have 3 boys. My youngest is 15 now. In 4th grade they tried to tell me he had ADHD. He doesn't. Please do some heavy research on this.

I would recommend having your son tested for Gifted and Talented if your school has a program for that. My middle daughter had a few issues that "fall in" the ADHD category but it turns out that her IQ is 123 and she is only 6. The things that my daughter's teachers have told us since pre-k are the same that you listed... focus, attention span and staying on task. We also have to help her with self-control which just means (for her) not to talk when the teacher or others are talking. My daughter thinks she knows what people are going to say and tries to finish their statement. My ped. said that before even exploring the option of meds that he wanted to wait until my daughter was receiving number grades not just the "M,S or N" like you see on the kindergarten and first grade report cards. We did not make it to number grades before they tested her for GT. My daughter was just plain bored in class and would get in "trouble" to gain attention and that was hard to get her to understand. Since she has been in the GT program (since Nov 07) she has been so much happier and is now being challenged and most of the lack of focus and attention span issues have been solved. The program is designed to help kids think deeper about what they learn in class. So say they are learning about community in their regular class in the GT class they will talk more in depth of what each community has and what they all need to run smoothly. Our GT teacher also teaches the kids how to stay focused in their regular class and it helps that the material covered in GT is a step deeper than what they learn in the regular class. It has helped my daughter stay on task in class because she realizes that she has to learn the basics with her 1st grade teacher so that her GT teacher can challenge her in the GT class. Anyway, I hope that my rambling has helped. It sounds like we a few things in common. Keep in touch ____@____.com.

A little about me:
I am a 34 yr old Stay-at-Home mom of 3 girls 8,6, and 3. I have been married for almost 11 yrs. I also have 4 other part time jobs - I have a home-based childcare service, I make and sell jewelry, I sell caps and gowns for grads with my mother and I do contract work for my husband. And if I actually have some spare time I love to scrapbook.

H., my son's teachers wanted to put him on meds since kindergarten....he's been in a parochial school his entire life. We didn't put him on meds until last year and it made a huge difference, both in his self esteem and eventually in his grades. I say "eventually" because from first grade through fourth grade, he was an "A/B Honor Roll" student. When he began attending an all-boys Catholic school, where the academic bar was significantly raised, he began having trouble with grades, etc. For the first few years we worked with an OT in a Sensory Integration (SI) therapy program. It gave him tools and activities to use to help him focus until it was abundantly clear he was at a point where needed something more. Hope this helps.

L.

(Mom of a 10 year old and a 12 year old boy)

I recommend the ADD Answer Book and The IQ Answer: Maximizing Your Child's Potential both by Dr. Frank Lawlis. These books teach all kinds of ways for parents and children to cope with add/adhd. I would never put my child on medication for ADD/ADHD until I had a definitive diagnosis by a neurologist using a CAT scan. The CAT scan will show a certain area of the brain to be consistent with other add/adhd sufferers. Other diagnosis, using just a checklist filled out by the parents and teachers then evaluated by a physician,without a scan is way too subjective in my opinion. I think 1st grade is a little too young to diagnose a child, but I'm not an expert.

H.,
I would be careful in just putting him on medication. I know for some children the medication can be extremely helpful. But I would have a complete evaluation from a professional and evaluate whether there are other reasons he may be unable to focus that are behavioral in nature and can be remediated with behavioral intervention (and I am not suggesting behavioral in a bad way, but potentially external stimuli or situations that may be distractive.) I would just ask alot of questions and see if there could be non-medicinal intervention.

Being a health care professional I have read much lately about how healthcare professionals are quick to put kids with ADHD on meds and some children who really do not need them.

Hope this helps!

First of all, take your son to a reputable Study Center to be tested for ADHD or ADD. My daughter was tested when she was in 1st grade and was diagnosed with ADHD. She was tested at a 4th grade level of reading and math. I was very adamant about not putting my child on medication. If it is found that he has ADHD or ADD talk with your childs teacher about ways to help your child stay on task. For alot of children it is as easy as being redirected to the task at hand. If your child has a good teacher they will do whatever they can to work with your child. My daughter was fortunate enough to have great teachers that worked with her and learned her study habits and what she needed to focus and perform. I sent her to tutoring with her teachers and we both had weekly counseling sessions with the school counselor. It took alot of work on both of our parts but we got thru elementary school with no medication.

Are you sure your son is not just bored in school? I had a friend go through this. His son is very intelligent and was finishing his work quickly then annoying the other children while they were trying to finish their work. He just needed to be challanged. Could that be the case with your son? (I hate to see kids medicated if they don't need it)

Hi- I know what you are going thru. This started for us when my son was 4 yo.Teacher after teacher telling us something was "wrong" . We went to 3 Psychologist before we finally broke down and paid the big bucks to do a brain scan. Yep he has ADHD. Then we went ont o try Bio feedback, change in diet, herbal supplements, advocare, social school(3 hours a week) blood and stool test to see if his emvironment was toxic. EVERYTHING..he is on meds now b/c he was getting worse and worse and none of this was really helping much. He was still having problems and could not sit still.
The 1st thing you need to do is get him evaluted by a dr. who is not going to try to throw drugs at you and go on.
Then go from there.

Ok I have been reading your responces and it frustrates me. My sons IQ is 135.. He is not in the gifted program b/c he can't get his regular school work done. Your son CAN be ADHD and Gifted or just smart.

I personally wouldn't do medication unless a doctor says it is absolutely necessary. I would think that if he is above average intellectually, maybe he just needs more stimulation. He might be too smart and getting bored with his curriculum. Have you thought of getting him tested for gifted & talented. I think today's society has a tendency to over medicate if children are not "normal". We need to consider that some children are "above normal". Good luck!

My name is D., I have twin boys who are 13 now, but they were 8 when they were first diagnosis w/AHD AND ADHD, my advice is not not automatically put your kids on medication, but please do your research. With the help of my pediatrician and teachers we did determine that this is the best action, but you as a parent know your child best.The down side for me is taking off work every 3mos for a follow up and without insurance the medication can be very expensive. And my best concern is that I do not want my children to become dependent on medication.

it took 6 months of numerous tests and numerous opinions, as well as lots of research, before we decided to medicate Nathan. Before any of this happened, we did changed schedules, eating patterns, discipline methods, went to physical/occupational therapy and lots of things because of sensory issues. This one test may be the first of many. At the end of the day, it's a combination of the Concerta and the changes that helps him to do better, as well as time and maturity. he has outgrown all of the worst things that they said would stop him forever from getting ahead in life. there is hope!

Please let me caution you about jumping to any kind of conclusion that your child has ADHD. I am a licensed social worker who has worked my entire career with children who have emotional and behavioral problems. I have seen my fair share of children who truly have ADHD and I have seen an even larger amount of children who do not have it, but have teachers who alert parents that they think the child has it. It is important to know that children with ADHD are so unable to focus they can not complete assignments to make good grades. Boys in general have difficulty focusing and even staying still. That is about being a boy, not about ADHD. You will always be able to find teachers who will identify children as ADHD. You will always be able to find primary care physicians who will medicate children for ADHD. But it takes a psychiatrist and most often a psychologist to actually diagnose this accurately. A psychologist can complete specific testing that will definitively identify if your child has ADHD. Often boys, in the classroom, who are smart get their work done, or understand the work ahead of everyone else, and then get bored. And when boys are bored, they become distracted!! Certainly if a child has ADHD, then medication can be very effective, but a child should earn his or her medication with significant behavior that is impairing their ability to function. I don't believe children should be medicated for behavior that is within the realm of normal behavior for that child, even if it requires educators to do different things with that child. Please be educated and advocate properly for your child. A truly ADHD child is difficult to manage at home as well as at school. If you are doing things at home that work, then the school could do those same things. Just because a teacher wants you to consider medication, or even because you find a doctor who will give medication, does not mean that you have to do it.

If you need a good psychologist, I would recommend Dr. James Hall in Fort Worth and a good psychiatrist is Dr. Tatum also in Fort Worth.

A little about me: a working mom with a husband of 11 years and 2 boys: 6 and 19 months.

My son has a very high iq and was miss diagnosed 2 years ago with adhd. What he ended up having was obstructive sleep apnea. He couldn't get a very restful sleep and thus was a terror during the day. He spent 2 years on medications that really didn't seem to help that much. He had surgery last Sept. and he is absolutely perfect. The Dr. removed his tonsils and adnoids that were enlarged. His attention span is normal and does not have any issues at all at school. He hasn't had meds since Sept. as well. His symptoms at night were - light snoring, restlessness, fliping, kicking and turning all night. He had a very short fuse as well and would explode. Now his is just a very normal but very smart young man. There will always be issues because of the high IQ but that we can deal with. Good luck and have him evaluated by an ENT Dr. and a clinical psychologist.

Nevermind, you have lots of good responses here! I'm not sure how to delete mine! :)

NO, Don't automatically put him on medication. Check out what that medication is for ADHD, very scary! Do everything you can natural first, yes on the diet! Try Chiropractic! Just google Chiropractic and ADHD and you will find sites that will better explain why Chiropractic works! Why not a natural approach vs. putting drugs into our children's bodies?
A. M

My son is ADHD and all the males in my family are so I have some extensive knowlege of this topic. First off you should find you a good doctor that works with adhd children. Usually you would need to go to a phsychiatrist for diagnosis. The doctor I think that that one woman was talking about is doctor Faulkstien (sp) he is great. He is the one that diagnosed my son. He is one of the top doctors in the U.S. for adhd. he can also test for learning disabilities and such which sometimes accompanies adhd. My son is very smart but he is in resource because he cant keep his attention fixed in a regular class room. I would not jump to conclusions and as a teacher that lady should know better. Lack of concentration at 1st grader level is common.
here are some traits of most adhd children that might help. When you go into walmart does he get real hyper all of a sudden. The different colors and shapes will set off an episode. Sugars will cause the opposite effect in adhd children than non adhd children. Adhd children alot of times will get sluggish and sleepy with sugars. I give my son sprite an hour before bedtime and it helps him go to sleep and stay asleep.
But mainly if you have a feeling he is have him checked out with a good doctor and dont do anything until you know for sure.

Hi,

I am reading an interesting book called "The Wonder of Boys" by Michael Gurian. One of the points is that education today does not recognize that boys are very physical creatures and just do not sit still for hours on end. They need physical outlets.

Please do not medicate your son based on one teacher's recommendation!! I will try to stay off my soap box, but I feel strongly that our kids are overmedicated today. If you are looking for support on how to work with your school, your son, and keep him off medication, you can join a discussion group at Mothering Magazine http://www.mothering.com/discussions/. You will find lots of people who can support our decision.

I would really focus on getting your son to have enough time in the day for physical activity. Does your school have a recess time after lunch? Is there time for UNSTRUCTURED playing and running around? These can help tremendously.

Good luck! Do what you know to be best for your son.

I have seen many children throughout my 15 years in the education system and as an advocate for natural remedies, I say NO TO MEDICATION!!! The meds put chemicals into an already chemicallly imbalanced system. Make meds a LAST, LAST, LAST resort...It is possible to control ADHD with diet and behavior modification(counseling, psychological techniques & exercises)...That's where I have seen more success. With meds, missing or delaying scheduled meds may cause more adverse reactions than utilizing nature. It is your child and your decision, but I urge you to do your homework and make sure meds are really necessary. With most meds, it's going to be long-term. Ask yourself whether you want to subject your child to chemicals. Some of the meds have possible serious side effects, you won't know whether your child will suffer them until they have! All you have to rely on is to hope they don't suffer any of them...Good luck and again...do your homework, read everything you can about the medications available and other options.

Please try all the behavioral modification techniques that you can find before medicating-he is pretty young to carry a label that might not be correct and if he is smart it is a good time to try rewards for staying on task and completing chores, etc. Make sur ehe gets plenty of exercise-most boys this age don't sit still real well anyway and as long as he is accomplishing tasks in school and at home, don't worry too much.

Don't medicate just because a teacher says so, have your son tested. His doctor should be able to give you a list of people or clinics that test for adhd. Being in first grade is about the time adhd is found in most boys. Depending on which type they have, will decide if you need pills or other types of training for him. If you are in Tarrant county, Cooks has a good program for testing. There is usually a waiting list and insurance doesn't always cover the cost.

H.,

Our daughter is 8 and was diagnosed with ADHD this last summer. Her issue is also with focus. We only in the past week have started medicine (Focalin 5mg) and it is not something we prefer. So far, I have not noticed too much of a difference, but she is at school, so I don't see all of the effects. (We do not give it to her on weekends, holidays, etc.)

Here are a few resources for you...

www.chadd.org
www.add.org
www.ncgiadd.org

The above were all recommended by Scottish Rite Children's Hospital.

You have my best wishes as you travel on this journey!

Before you "Label" your child make sure that he is being challenged in class..sometimes an unchallenging situation leads to talking and lack of focus...if you do decide to have your child tested, I would choose someone who is independent of the school. There are several backs out there on ADHD..one that I recommend is Driven To Distraction : Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood by Edward M. Hallowell...not sure about the diets...but educate yourself and do not just accept what people tell you about your child, find out for yourself and work in parternship with his teachers. Good luck!

Hi, H.,

I went through a similar situation with my now 3rd grade son when he was in 1st grade. I would suggest you do several things:
1. Schedule a complete physical that will include screening for sleep apnea and low iron stores. Both conditions can cause ADHD symptoms. My son had both.
2. Investigate having a complete psychoeducational analysis done by an outside source. It sounds scary, but it is just a day of testing, including IQ, learning styles, and so on. We learned so much when we got the results. Very bright little boys who are not in the right learning environment are often not intellectually challenged/stimulated and will show ADHD behaviors.
3. Talk to friends and family members to get their HONEST opinion about your child. They may have some interesting insights. You have to be open to whatever they have to say, even if it's not what you want to hear.

I'd be happy to share more of our experiences with you off-line, if you would find it helpful.

S.

H.:

You might want to consider changing your cleaning and personal care products to non-toxic products. I have a home based Healh and Wellness business with Melaleuca products and they have helped many Moms with this problem. They are safe and inexpensive and are scientifically proven to do what they say they will do. I'd love to share them with you if your interested. You can contact me at ____@____.com, or call me at ###-###-####.

Sincerely,

S. Brewer

I want to be one of the few who can attest to the value of medication. If you end up with a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD, do not let all these opinions against meds make you feel guilty for trying them.

My son is now 8 and was diagnosed last summer. We always knew something was different about him but never had any trouble in school except excessive talking and silliness. He has always been a very bright and highly creative kid who marched to the beat of his own drummer. But our home life was always a struggle. Things were always having to be repeated over and over and it was not due to defiance. After checking his hearing (which was fine) we resolved that he was just so "superfocused" when in the middle of things that he didn't hear us. But getting out the door or to bed always ended up with tears because we were frustrated and angry with his lack of response to our requests. Not to mention the crazy silliness and hyperactivity everywhere we went! We were walking on eggshells because he was moody and might lash out in anger or break down in tears any time we got frustrated.

His first grade teacher never thought it was ADHD despite our checking in with her all the time about his behavior. Apparently he was more focused at school than at home. The structure and peer influence helped him. And he is very bright so classwork was never an issue.

But toward the end of 1st grade, he became very sad and his self esteem began to falter, which is why we took steps and saw a Psychologist and Psychiatrist. We thought he was depressed. We told him we wanted him to feel happier and these were people who talk to kids all the time and help them feel better. Once diagnosed, we told him ADHD is like having blue eyes, its not a disease or anything. In fact, we told him that along with ADHD come gifts. His gifts are in the creative realm and he is proud of that.

Long story short, we have had an amazing year in 2nd grade. We have had trial and error with meds like Focalin and Concerta, and are now happiest with Vyvanse. Concerta was good but Vyvanse gives him more of an appetite and he does even better in school.

A very important point I want to make is that the meds have NOT caused his creativity or personality to become flat. In fact, it has allowed him to become even more creative! He has now turned his interest to piano and is flourishing so much that his piano teacher thinks he is uniquely bright.

I asked my son if he would like to take a little break from his medicine to see how he feels off of it and he REFUSES to even consider it. He said he would get into trouble in class and not be able to finish his work. He said NO WAY! He is so much happier and has more friends than ever before. His self esteem has soared as high as its ever been and he almost always has a smile on his face now.

Our road to diagnosing this was:
1. Summer before 1st grade we were fed up with difficulties and took him to our Pediatrician's office where there was a specialist who is there for discussing and testing for all similar issues. She ran a battery of 4 tests, one of which was Conner's. Two of the tests indicated he was NOT adhd. Conner's gave him a 70% chance of having adhd and the final test was borderline. She said give him another year in school and see what happens.
2. The depressive symptoms took us to a psychiatrist who looked at the old Connor's results, then gave my husband and I our own version of Connor's to fill out separately. He interviewed us and our son separately for over an hour. Then very confidently concluded ADHD, combined type. We decided to try meds right away, but also see a Psychologist to help with behavioral issues.
3. Met with Psychologist on several occasions and he helped us devise a plan to restructure the way we interact as a family at home, to help our son get a fresh start and get back on a positive track. THIS WAS INVALUABLE!
4. Results: Focalin made him immediately more irritable. Switched to Concerta and results were positive but not perfect. Upped the dosage and found it to be AMAZING. After 4 months of tinkering with 3 different dosages to control side effects (hard time falling asleep, not eating), we decided to try Vyvanse. Now he is eating more and we are playing with bedtime routines to help him fall asleep faster.

Should you go down this ADHD road, please do not be afraid to give medicine a chance!

Hi H.,
I have a son who is dyslexic and even though this is not the same, they do have some similiarities.

One of the best things I could have done for him was introduce Spark Energy Drink to him, Spark works with mental clarity and focus. We have had several Mom's and Dad's who have terrific stories to share how this has helped their children with school work and more.

If you would like more information about this product please call me at ###-###-#### or visit my website www.advocare.com/9812406 click on "Active" and then click on "Spark", scroll down and you can see all the information about this amazing product.

Good luck,
T.

There is a good book about treating ADHD without medication. I can't remember the name of the book but the author is Dr. Frank Lawless. Maybe this will shed some light on it for ya! Good Luck.

I would say do everything but meds first. Although meds are not evil - they can be quite helpful. My son in in 3rd grade and we started our path in Kinder. If you live in the Dallas area try to get in the see Dr. Rao: ###-###-####. He will check to make sure there are not allergies and help you with a diet and vitamin plan. Also try reading the book: Healing the New Childhood Epidemics (Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies). It is a big book but worth your time in education. The author, Kenneth Bock, has been on TV a lot recently and people are really understanding more these days.

Good luck and feel free to contact me if you need to talk...

I to am a mother of three, two boys and one girl. I also come from a big family of two brothers and two sisters, including myself. All of kids have been diagnosed with adhd, except for one, our youngest sister, and both of my boys have been diagnosed with adhd along with myself. Most people who havent experienced this debilitating ailment, have a hard time understanding how it affects your thinking,focus, your understanding, problem solving , speech, memory, and worst of all your self esteem. It makes you feel that you are not smart enough to get even the simplest questions or stragies that everyone faces daily. Your thinking is slowed and at times forget the question that now you must try to refocus on the answer. Any problem, question, or just basic reading becomes very complex. An example would be " if sally had four marbles, and billy had three how many would they have together?" a normal person could answer this question no problem, but for someone who has add, or adhd, you would'nt think about the question but the charactristic of sally's looks. Like, does she have brown, blonde or red hair, then you may picture her playing at recess with her marbles. Then your mind goes to the marbles and there description. Then of course you have to focus on billy and those same questions are just as in depth. So your child will have to read the question 3x's to 6x's in silence in order comprehend the question and its needs.
Your brain is in a constant state of imagination, and so many questions being asked at one time. The normal person would go crazy, but for a child who has always had this its normal for them, but they do reconize that they arent as smart as the the other children, that its hard to form opinions, and they just know they dont fit in. There is hope for all of this so dont give in or give up. One of the first things i did with myself and my children, is cut the t.v. Time hardly to nothing at all. You must get him outside most of the day to work off some of that energy. We put our boys in baseball to help with the energy problem and they have found focus naturally, along with learning team work, and problem solving. When they are done outside we eat at the table as a family and are allowed to talk bout what ever they need to get out and usually that gets the talking done. After dinner we wind down and read. Either i read to them or we all have our own books to read. This relaxes their minds, bodies, mucles, and their eyes. They then are ready for bed. This is just our structure for healthy minds and bodies. It also helps releive your stress and theirs. We do all of these things in a combination of healthy eating, and medication. The medication is strictly for focusing and not suppressing their natural energy, or personalities. I did not want them to be on ridlin, or to be zombiefied by any other medications. All children should be able to shine with or without this disability, you dont want to suppress their laughter, or their smiles, the hugs and kisses and all the i love you's you'll ever hear. So dont just settle or ever give up, and at times you may feel the need, but its when their eyes light up that they just discovered the feeling of accomplishment, or the pride they feel for the first time because they did it, but did it by themselves. It is truly like watching a mircale unfold before your eyes seeing them find their inner stretgh, and success.you want to give them the best opportunity you can possibly give. So for some, these ingredients fit family needs perfectly, and for others it may not. As a mother to a mother my best advice is to just lead with a patient heart and understanding of what is hard to imagine for you. Find a doctor that you trust and believe your child's best needs will be at his / hers top priority. Discuss your concerns and come up with a healthy fit plan for you and your family with your doctor.

I hope with all of my heart the best for your family and for your dilemmas, and i hope this helps you.

A., joshua ,tx

Hi H.,

Before you allow anyone to convince you that your son has ADHD, make sure that he isn't frustrated by staying on one thing or area for too long a time. Find out if he likes to do more than one task at a time. Several of my children, all grown now, would circle, or work on multiple tasks. They would spend 10-15 minutes on a project then move to another one. At the end of the day they would have accomplished as much as my others that just did one project or task until it was finished. Ask him if he can see movies in his imagination. That's the clue that he is getting bored and losing interest. He may need variety. Convincing a teacher that makes the class finish one task at a time to allow this method of work is somewhat difficult, but it can be done.

Good luck,
S.

I don't think it sounds like ADHD as you said he is not hyper. Maybe ADD, but you can call a child psych and get him evaluated and into a program that uses modern technology to help him focus. It's eye/brain coordination... like concentrating on a pen (staring at it) while it moves back and forth, while taking deep breaths... this calms your brain waves as you are CONCENTRATING and not thinking about ten other things... It sounds silly as heck, but a doc did it with me and I was all wired up and he showed me the readings. I forget what the therapy is called EDMS or something... I'll look it up.
Anyway... Lots of boys have attention problems and are unorganized who don't need meds...
Hugs to you both as you start this journey!

Do not make any decisions until you take that connor's to a psychologist and get a good accurate diagnosis. The psychologist I refer students to: http://www.fortworthpsychology.com/

Good luck!
K.
readwithkary.com

I can some what understand. When my oldest was in public school they tried to label her as LD and would not even consider testing her for Dyslexia; even though there is family history and she showed all the classic signs( hight IQ, above average vocabulary but low reading ability, poor handwriteing ect.)Anyway the school admistration tried to force us to put her in special ed because they did not want to deal with her needs. Unfortuneatley that is the case in alot of situations the poor techers have to deal with overcrowded classrooms and don't have the time to spend with each child the way they need to, so when one starts to be a little too active or is just plain bored and not being chaleged enough so they start to act up or their minds start to wander and it stats to inerfear with the way the teacher teaches instead of trying to tweek the way they teach that child they try to convice the parents that the child is ADHD and have them put on medication. If you feel that there is more to your childs behavior than just being a typical child talk with your doctor about having him medicaly tested to rule out anything such as allergies. Just always remember you are his parent and you not anyone else has the final say in how you deal with your situation. I know from expereance the schools were we live are not used to parents telling them no, but don't let anyone try to bully you into something that is not right for your child, do what you feel is best. As for how to tell your child be up front with them, we were with our daughter with her dyslexia and she was in the first grade when we started to suspect she had it. Include them in the disscutions with the teachers and/or the doctor,they just might have some constructive input, kids are alot smarter than we give them credit. Anyway, I pray for guidance for you in your situation I know it is hard I have two daughters with very differant learding styles, none of which fit a typical classroom, and after two public schools and a private school we now homeschool so they can learn the best way for each of them.

Hi H.!
I am a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. I see you have received lots of advice which is wonderful support for you!

I have worked with many children who have ADD/ADHD and many who have had that label but not had "classic" characteristics of the diagnosis. I think it is important to get a THOROUGH evaluation.....for children who really do have the chemical imbalance in the brain which is the underlying problem, medications WILL help and make a HUGE difference. However, I personally believe many children are misdiagnosed....thus for them, the medication does NOT work and the side effects are not worth the trouble or the cost. And, for mild cases, non-pharmaceutical options are available......such as diet changes, better sleep habits, more structure or simple adaptations to the school/home environment, or even some sensorimotor activities which can improve attention by keeping the brain from becoming too overstimulated or understimulated throughout the day. Even with those who do benefit from medication, these options can be VERY IMPORTANT AND HELPFUL to their success, so they are definitely worth exploring.

My advice is to cover all your bases. While a checklist can be a good starting point, it is not the be-all/end-all diagnostic tool. See a doctor or pschologist who specializes in diagnosing ADHD. Ask to see an Occupational Therapist. Do your own research on the diagnosis and possible treatments. Do not rush into anything. Start with the least-invasive options first. I am not advocating for or against medication....only that you step carefully along your path to make the best decision for your guy.

Good Luck!

I went through this with my son. I never saw that he was hyper until I saw how he was on and then off of his medication. We can also tell a HUGE difference in the way he does in school when he is on his medication compared to how he was before the meds. He would call it his eye medicine because it helps him concentrate on what he is doing. We just explained to him that the teachers said that he was having some trouble concentrating on doing his work and that these pills just help him do better. He can tell a difference in himself when his pills aren't at the correct dosage.

We pulled our daughter out of public, where, of course, meds are king, and put her in a private Montessori. We also had a full educational assessment done on her to FULLY screen for ADHD, not just some stupid checklist (but we did that, too- qhile she was in public). Both the Montessori & the assessment have been invaluable. My daughter is not ADHD, but is GT, AND MORE THAN THAT- she learns DIFFERENTLY!!!!! I'd consider private school before I'd put my little square peg on drugs to fit into their round hole.

D.

H.,
Ther are many things to try before medicine. Google alternative medicine for ADD. There is biofeedback, Craniosacral therapy. Does he have sensory issues? If so, call Integrative Pediatric Therapy.
Hope you find something besides meds.
Thanks, L.

My son is 14 years old now and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. I am also a nurse. We were told that he would be held back in school if he wasn't medicated so we tried Ritalin for 2 weeks and my son was a different child but not in a good way. He laid around all day whining so we took him off the meds and began a 5 year battle with the school system. It is proven that ADHD children are extremely intelligent and are usually bored easily because they are not challenged enough. The side effects of the medications are very scary and the long term effects of some of these meds are not known. The school systems are too quick to insist on meds instead of alternatives. Most of the teachers are in classrooms with too many kids and do not have the time for individual attention. We were told every year that our son would be held back unless he was medicated and we had to fight for his rights constantly. He has always, and continues to be on the A&B honor roll. We finally got a teacher in 4th grade that noticed that he was bored with his school work and he would finish alot faster than the other children then he would start talking and distracting the other children, so this teacher started giving him 6th grade math papers to work on after he completed his work so he would stay busy until the other children could finish their work. It really takes a special teacher that cares and understands. Just stay strong and continue to fight for your son. Understand that he is very smart and will have a hard time relating to some of the other children. Most ADHD children are loners and will have a few very close friends. My son has 3 friends that he has been friends with since kindergarten. He continues to usually prefer being by himself or with family instead of doing things with his friends like other teenagers. (at least he's not out running around on the street like some teens) Keep your patience and stay strong. You can google ADHD and find many helpfull web sites. There are some alternatives to meds such as coffee. It is a stimulant for adults but acts as a downer for ADHD children much in the same way as Ritalin. Ritalin is a narcotic that is often stolen and sold on the streets as speed. Your son will eventually out grow alot of the hyperactivity and will learn to adjust.

The Connor's checklist is just one of many tools in the clinician's tool bag to make an ADHD diagnosis. It CANNOT be used alone to make a diagnosis. Please see a clincial psychologist or neuropsychologist who is trained in ADHD assessment and has done many of them. A pediatrician is not equipped to make this diagnosis - they lack the training and the time. A psychologist will do a full evaluation - taking about a day and interviewing both parents and sending the Connor's form to teachers. There are many factors (depression, anxiety, boredom, lack of structure, etc) that can lead to ADHD-like behavior. Only a full evaluation can reveal what's driving the behavior. Please do not medicate unless it is absolutely necessary. In some cases, even kids who meet criteria for ADHD can be helped by merely changing/restructuring school and home environments. Good luck!

My son was also advised to be put on medication. I didn't. He is now a 6th grader. We still have issues but I don't think meds are the way to go. Meds can stunt his growth, suppress his appetite, and many other things. Just change his diet, i.e. stay away from red food coloring and modify his behavior, i.e. give him more time-outs and let him know misbehavior will not be tolerated. Remember, boys are going to be boys!

I have a kindergartener and in daycare last year they said that he might have ADHD. We took him to his Dr and she recomended changing his diet before trying medication. We have taken most sugar out of his diet especialy at breakfast time. That has helped a great deal. You might want to talk to his dr and discuss options.

Look for Dr.Ross Stewart who treats ADHD without drugs. He has an ad in Frisco STYLE and is well known.

H.
I know you have gotten alot of responses. My ADHD son is 23 yrs old and my suggestion would be to not start him on meds this soon. We went that route & it was hard. He had bad rebounding issues etc.
A good friend of mine has a 10 yr old who has had speech & add isuues for years. About a year ago she went to se a homeopathic doctor and her son was a new kid almost instantly. They changed his diet & takes supplements. The doctors name is Dr Rao at 3608 Preston rd in Plano. ###-###-####.
I wish you & your son all the best. I know what you are going thru. I only wish I had this doctor 17 years ago.

My prayers are with you! It is very hard having a very smart child. His mind is everywhere!!! I would try changing his diet first(no sugar). I have a real problem with medication for children. My son is very gifted and has problems staying focused also. Talk to his school and see if they will test him for the gifted program. Also, let him play outside more. Gifted children love to build and explore. Good luck

J.

H.,

Sounds like he may be bored if he is so far ahead. As a mother of two boys I can relate. Mine are both very active and I worry that when they get in school they will get diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. I am opposed to drugs in general and would try everything else first, so in that vein there is a man that I know who runs a clinic that treats ADD and ADHD in Dallas through bio-feedback. His name is Ditt Welch and his number is ###-###-####. I haven't used his program but have heard some amazing testimonies about it from other people I know. It is at least worth a look.

All the best!
N.

Hi H.,
I am a fourth grade teacher, and I am surprised that a form was sent home for you to fill out.
Schools are not allowed to "diagnose" a child. A staff member cannot say they "think" your child has ADD or ADHD. Only a medical doctor can make that determination. I don't know about other states, but in Texas, a teacher cannot say those words. Only the teacher's observations can be given to you.
A teacher can inform you of the signs and/or symptoms which she observes in the classroom, but she cannot tell you that it is A.D.D. or even that she thinks it is.
As a parent, I would want to see what options my doctor gives. As a teacher, I have seen medicine drastically help children who truly DID have ADD, but at the same time, I've seen children for whom medicine did nothing because the child was misdiagnosed.
Good Luck!

A Little About Me: I am a mother of two and a teacher.

You have to get him on Original Limu my 4 yo grandson's daycare told my daughter-in-law she had to get him on medication or take him out. she tried Ritalin one time and he had a very scarry reaction so she threw them away. He too is very smart and even at 4 he can run through a computer learning game like no other. I had actually started drinking for other issues but notice in the borchure that it was used for ADHD so we started him on the Limu and after 4 weeks he was a totally different kid and now 2 months later he is a "normal" 4 year old boy that can sit and completely color a picture, eat a meal etc. Limu is a drink, he loves and asks for, and is all natural Limu is actually brown seaweed but this one has Fucoidan and you can go to pubmed.org and put in Fucoidan to find over 700 studies. I really suggest you look into.

L.

Until having my daughter last April I was a special ed. teacher. I taught kids who had learning disabilities most of the time, though I did work with a few who had severe disabilities. I saw some students truly benefit from medication once they found the right one, but I also saw some children transform into zombies. I would find a good specialist (I can recommend one I trust if you are interested) and discuss your concerns. If the Dr. is diligent they will not put your child on meds unless it is needed and you are comfortable with it. Although pediatricians are terrific, they don't specialize in the behavioral/ psychological aspects of the child, so I would personally go straight to a child psychiatrist with a good reputation. Sometimes a med is all a child needs to help them focus- but not all of the time.

H.,
FYI,the Connors test is just a one sided sheet of paper with about 20 questions on it. It's just a screening tool that will show the school/your teacher how your child behaves at home vs in a school setting. They will send one home for Mom and one home for Dad.
It will certainly not diagnose your child with ADD or ADHD.
My answer to your questions would be:
1. Do not put him on meds based off of the results from the Connors test--
2. Get him diagnosed by a professional before changing diet (you said he is no more hyper than his classmates)
3. Don't even worry about telling him anything right now because you don't know what you are dealing with

I don't know of any 1st grader that does not,at times, have issues with focusing, attention and staying on task.

Take the test (what can it hurt?) see what the school's counselor thinks about the results and then go from there....one thing at a time.

Good luck and keep us posted!

S.

Hi H.-

There is a always a long and a short way to go the distance; I am hoping you will get this resolved quickly. I always like to take a natural stand on most issues. Personally, I would try to eat all or mostly organic, limiting his exposure to environmental toxins. You might want to try a gluten and dairy free diet as well, even if it was for a short time. I would always want to leave drugs as a last resort, because once you get started it is hard to get off of them. Check out this website: www.neurotherapydallas.com It is a non invasive approach to find out what is really going on with your son, and with a few months of treatment you might have this problem correctly diagnosed and treated! I have been through it and know children who have had success with it as well.

Need more info., let me know. Best of luck to you!

I had a child simular, and I would try a lot of things before meds, as he doesn't sound that bad from your letter. You could try diet, that would be good anyway. No foods with red dyes, cut the sugar etc. If he has a lot of outlets to play outside and run off his energy this will help, and not computer games etc. this can make them more hyper.

I would first talk with your ped. Medication isn't always the first step nor is it required.
Removing the artifical sweeteners, flavoradditives and other fake things in our food is a good step. My DD has ADHD and is on medication. She has good days and bad days depending on her food intake. The more sugar and fake junk she eats the more wired she seems to be.
I have read articles about physical activity helping to curb the impulsivity of the person. Karate was recommended because of the focus it requires. It rewires the kid to learn how to concentrate.

i would not recomend medacin at all if you don't think he is really adhd! i have a cousin that is and she is a much nicer person when she isn't on it (her mom takes her off summers) i have heard stories about teacher putting kids on it because they are easier to deal with, not because they need it and i think the is SSOOOOO wrong! kids are supose to be roudy. i would suggest challenging him more. sports, tutoring, books. no way i would put my kid on it if i didn't think he really needed it. that's just supressing the genious!