Seeking Moms That Know About ADHD

My daughter was daignosed with ADHD when she was in kindergarten. I refused to put her on any medication because I had seen negative results from others who's children were over drugged! By the time she was in Second grade, it got worse and so did her grades. She was an A student, but could not concentrate and lost interest fast leading to her getting in trouble a lot for interupting the class. The teacher pulled me aside and suggested I have her tested. I told her she already has been and then she suggested I research it more so I did! Now I can say I am glad I did. She has been on medicine for 3 years now but I only give it to her when she is in school. My son was also diagnosed last year with ADHD in kindergarten and I did not hesitate to start him on the medication as well. He is a totally different person when on the medication. Don't get me wrong he still gets in trouble (lol) but his grades are great and when we forget a dose the teacher definately knows! They even call me to bring it to him! lol Each child is different and reacts differently. I would research as much as you can and talk to a pshycologist as well.

I suggest talking to her pediatrician, from there they should give you a referral. When you go to the referring doctor they should have you fill out a very detailed history of your daughter (if not then I would probably find someone else)....if you need help remembering details I would write down each "episode" down in a notebook, be as specific as possible.

Then go from there, try to read up as much as you can about ADHD/ADD so you can be as involved as you can with what actually happens to your daughter. Now you are going to hear lots and lots of opinions on the subject lol especially if she officially diagnosed but as long as you know in your heart that you are doing the right thing for your child then forget the negative ones ;)

I was a teacher and had many experiences with children that were ADHD and several that were not but were still labeled as such. I agree with some of the other responses...ADHD is not the only explanation. As young as your daughter is it is too early to run with ADHD especially since the drugs for that are very powerful. I applaud you for exhausting every avenue to find out exactly what is going on. If it is ADHD, for some kids the medications make a huge improvement but finding the right medication and the right dose can be a very long and drawn out process. Even if it is ADHD do not jump straight to medicating her. There are other alternatives such as changing habits in her diet. Stay strong and remember that you are the advocate for your child so if you are not comfortable with medicating her...you don't have to. Good luck!

I don't know much about ADHD; however, my three year old will have a meltdown over small stuff if she doesn't get enough sleep. She gets emotional over everything and misbehaves frequently. Once she has had a good nights rest she is much better. Maybe her sleep problem is causing these behavioral problems. Ask your sleep specialist. Good luck.

B.

I am a nursing student and a mental health tech at a local children's mental health facility. No child should have an official diagnosis until a physician has observed/monitored the child's behavior over the course of at least six months. This allows the health care provider to rule out other causes of behavioral changes such as food allergies, sleep apnea/altered/disturbed sleep pattern, hearing or vision problems, emotional problems, etc. A school is in no way qualified to make a diagnosis. Neither teachers nor guidance counselors or social workers are trained in medical diagnosis. Trust your instincts. Most of the meds that are used to treat ADHD/ADD contain some type of methamphetimine in them. Some parents have noticed drastic improvement in their children following these meds and just as many have seen no improvement whatsoever. To be honest, five seems a little too early to diagnose a child with ADHD. Most five year olds have meltdowns, and usually when a child's behavior is out of the norm something else is going on that maybe you don't know about such as something at school. You are definitely a good mommmy for wanting to help your daughter. Educate yourself on the pros and cons of ADHD treatments if she is diagnosed with the disorder. I cannot stress enough how important it is for the diagnosis to come from a doctor/psychiatrist and only after the child has been evaluated over at least a six month time frame. You seem to be on the right path by taking her in for a sleep study to rule out other causes for her behavior.

My 4 year old does the same thing. He has always had sleep issues. He also has behavioral problems and following direction. He also has an issue about wetting himself at night still. I have talked to his pediatrician and she told me that she couldn't do any kind of test or anything until he starts school and the school has to request it. It is so frustrating and hard to deal with. I mean its like he's bouncing off the walls at all times.

I am a mother of five,4 boys and 1 girl.I have four of them who were initially diagnosed ADHD OR ADD. We have since found that it was more a symptom not the cause in three of the four.I believe in ADD & ADHD but feel it is used too much.You need to educate yourself as much as possible and find a DR who will work with you. If you can get your child tested by a neropsychologist.they have a wider range of knowledge in this. Many children have a learning disability that is being missed.and the acting out is from the frustration.Take it slow and trust your MOM instincts.I did and now know my children have different forms of dyslexia not adhd or add. It could be different for your child. I know people who have found processing disorders to blame also.Trust that you know your child.and find someone to work with you,If they offer a pill as a cure all go some where else it doesn't work that way. Good luck, I have alot of info contact me if I can help. L Lane

If your daughter goes to school you should be able to talk to the social worker at the school. Our son was tested at school and then seen by a doctor. The schools have the same tests as the Doctor's do and she can be tested while at school without missing any days.

Her teacher will have a sheet, you should get one as well, and then she will be tested by a third party as well. The forms from her teacher and your form for how she acts at home will then be evaluated and with the other tests; they will set up an appointment with you to give you the results and their recommendations. You can then get a second opinion with your child's doctor; taking the "tests" with you.

ADHD~ Problems with attention as well as being Hyper; bouncing from one things to another

ADD~ Problems with attention but no behavior problems.

I have found that what the teachers call behavior problems are not behavior problems; they are simple reactions to being bored. When my son was tested; he had a score of a genius as well. He was bored in class. He also has a photogenic memory and knew when he had completed a sheet already. He didn't understand why they were doing it again and many times would refuse to do it again. This was a "behavior" problem to them. He saw it as a waste of time, he had done it, made a 100 on it, so why do it again.

Hope this helps.

Taking her for a sleep study is an EXCELLENT idea. Sleep deprivation can cause all sorts of behavioral issues. The problem my stepdaughter had when she was six stemmed from her huge tonsils, which were causing sleep apnea. She could never get any REM sleep because her breathing was so disturbed, and her behavior showed it! She also had problems with night terrors and sleep walking. After her tonsillectomy, all of those issues disappeared within a couple of weeks. I also have the impression that lots of kids are lumped into the ADHD pile when they may have other issues that are not addressed. Please don't let anyone pigeon-hole you and your daughter. You know her best...trust your instincts!

L.