Seeking Moms' with Children with A.D.D.

My daughter does not have ADD, but my baby sister was "hyperactive" when she was little. They wanted to put her on drugs, but my parents refused. They did some research and found the Feingold Diet. There is a website and a book. My parents stopped giving my sister artficial colors and flavors and preservatives and there was a huge difference. When she was eating (and drinking) all that stuff, she could not sit still and could not focus. Once they stopped, she was a calm "normal" child.

It's worth a try! Good luck!

J.-

I encourage you to at least start the process. My 9 year old son - was diagnosed at age 4 with ADHD - and even though I opted to hold off on meds until I saw his school work becoming effected - it was beneficial for those who worked with my son to know that there was something that could effect his learning. He did not start on meds until 1/2 way through 1st grade - where I really saw him struggling. It also never hurts to get the diagnosis if it truly exists - because there are so many services available to children with this diagnosis - in our school systems! We can all benefit from assistance and support!

Good Luck - P.

I have a 11 year old son who has been on meds for adhd from age five. We thought about testing him ourselves but the big recomdation came from the teacher. She knew there was a prob and she;s the one who has to have them in a learning enviroment half the day. Have her give you a full eval and see what she thinks. I also have two younger boys that sometimes I think that they are adhd also. But in talking to the teacher of my middle shild she is the one who said no theres no way. My youngest is 4 and will be entering school next year and me and my husband has already talked about what we'd do if he should start having probs. I think the best thing is being ready for it. For us it really helps already going through it with one child for so many years. He still has issues now and then but he is mainly a straight a student and we see where the meds have help him so much! And if you do have her tested and she's not then you haven't lost anything, but you've gain knowledge. Good Luck!!

I dont think its good to have a child tested before the age of 6 and even then its too soon sometimes. My son was tested in kindergarted at 6 yrs of age and it did come back normal. we also got our hearing and vision tested and those were normal but after some struggles we finally took him to pediatric place to have him evaluated and he had binoccular vision and another eye issue- both not caught on his eye test. I recommend talking to your ped about your daughters issues and working on some focus games to help her. I learned so much about this in one year its amazaing and I am only sorry I didnt start sooner. my son didnt like to do puzzles so we didnt go them. he didnt like to play games so we didnt do them. We now learn he knows his weaknesses and avoids them and not to allow this. love praise and reward but do not let them avoid. It was really hard for me not to get angry sometimes because my son wasnt listening but he has a processing delay and cant. theres a difference and even now we have to remind ourselves he wants to he just doesnt know how to so we have him repeat back what we just said etc. simon game is useful. I can not believe the improvement with one year of OT and exercise we do at home- i also have him enrolled in Tae Kwon do.

I beleive some children do have ADD or ADHD but I also know it is way over diagnosed. there are so many things that falls into the same category so I would recommend asking your ped for an order to have your child evaluated and tx for OT or PT then if normal thats fine then the Connor test for ADD. Teachers are very smart and aware but often jump the gun on it. they also need to be aware of there are other issues out there that will fall under the ADD/ADHD category.

The earlier the better, so she has time to learn the skills and routines she needs to compensate for the ADD. Also, then the schools can support her if she has an official diagnosis. It can also help avoid her being labelled incorrectly as uncooperative, etc. Good luck, and take care of yourself because it can be so stressful and tiring.

My response would be, what can testing hurt? You may be jumping the gun but since you know what your son went through, I can understand why you would want to do what you can to help your daughter. 5 is young but I really believe teachers know the signs....

My son is 10. He was "borderline ADHD" at age 7. When he started his medicine, it really seemed to make a difference. We have since struggled, the Dr wanting to raise the dosage. Right now I am just trying to adjust his diet because his medicine took his appetite away & he really had a hard time sleepting. ADD & ADHD is a very hard thing to deal with. You will find the right path to take. God bless.

Hi J. A,

This is E. from Northern Chicago area. I also have a son with ADHD, he's 15. I also have a daughter, she is 11 and for the longest time I have seen many signs that she may have A D D as well. I have never tested her because her degree of ADD is very mild compared to my sons. I feel that with all the things I have learned from my son I could apply it to her early on. My son takes the highest dosage of concerta and I don't want to put my daughter through that. Not that I don't condone the medication (I thank God for it everyday)but giving your children medication comes with many things attached and I just don't want to put her through that. If you see that your daughters symptons are worsening then I would take her in for testing but if it's just mild I bet you also know a lot of things that you can do to help her that have helped your son.
I hope this is helpful, I always sympathize with parents with children with A.D.D. since I know what a challenge it can be for both the parents and the kids.
E.

Hello J.~

I just wanted to say that I have a 12 yr old step son that was recently (about 1 yr. ago) diagnosed with ADHD. I understand your fears!!
We have went through major struggles with him! I also have a 2 1/2 yr. old son that I feel might have ADHD too! I definately won't hesistate to have him tested as soon as I can! Our doctor says we have to wait till he is 5yrs old but I definately have him tested!! It is soo much easier if it's found early so you can set guidelines & structure early. We have learned that a Very Structured environment helps tremendously!!! I say you are the mother & usually a mother's intuition is right.....so go with your gut!
Good Luck to you!

J.- This is funny that I signed on to momsource today because I was just reading a article about ADD. They were saying that all children diagnosed as hyperactive have allergies and sensitivities especially in food allergies. They say that ADD in children may be a sign that your child is low in Iron. That you should add calve liver, leafy green vegetable such as spinach and kale then add raisins or hard boiled eggs. If this doesn't work try iron supplements with desiccated liver tablets(use a lower dose according to the child's body weight). They also suggested that aluminum and flouride in drinking water may cause it to andthat you should switch to distilled water in cooking, and preparing beverages. They also said to switch to low carbohydrate diet, give the child a tablespoon of quality flax seed oil dailyand supplement with 3 cataplex B tablets daily. They say the change in a few month will amaze you. I have a 14 year old I might just try this on him.

Hi there. My daughter is 11, but was diagnosed w/ADHD when she was 5. I am so glad we had her tested with her psychologist when we did (she still goes to see her pschologist twice a year to evaluate how her medication is doing. In the fall he gives us forms to have her teachers fill out which are a huge part of her evaluation.) She has been on Concerta since then and has done wonderful. It really helped her with her focus in school and really her ability to sit still. All A's & B's, and a wonderful outgoing pleasant disposition. Prior to her diagnosis and medication, school was a nightmare for both her and the teacher. Good Luck!

I see that you have had responses already about Melaleuca & Shaklee. I too shop with Melaleuca and for ADD the benefits are huge!

Couple things - Definitely get the toxins out of your home! The nutrition and what they eat is another HUGE factor and then last they need good supplements. My girlfriend took everything bad out of their home and only shops at trader joes for the food. So there are plenty of options out there without having to give prescriptions. It takes time to adjust, but it will benefit your kids!

GOOD LUCK!

I don't think you're jumping the gun. Have her tested by the FWCS school system or by a child psychologist. You do not want to wait until she's 10 or 12. Otherwise, she will be waaaaay behind in school and start having behavioral issues. It's better to address these things very early on. As a parent we want to give our children every opportunity and make the best of each one. You're on the right track.

Good Morning J.

I have 4 boys and 1 is ADHD, 2 are ADD and my husband is ADHD. It wouldn't hurt to have your daughter tested as well. They say that it is hereditary so she may be. You won't know unless you take her to a doctor. It would be better to catch it now then when she is older.

Good Luck

God's Blessings
D.

J.,
My daughter was "diagnosed" by her teachers, then I took her to the Dr's and they went along with the teachers. She went on those "DRUGS". They didn't help her. I also found Melaleuca and got the chemicals out of the house, ALL OF THEM. She now takes vitamin/Mineral Supplements and she's off that Medication. We are now (she's almost 17 yrs old)contoling her "ADHD" with a routine, diet, and behavior modification. She's happier off the meds, and we as a family are happier. While your daughter may be ADD make sure you are open to find other things to try BEFORE you put her on that medication. A little research in differnt ways to control it can produce a wealth of information and give you the confidience to do what is best for your kids. Remember Dr's don't live with your children, and they rely now adays to much on "the lastest and Greatest" RX out there. While your children MAY need the meds, be open to look at other things that could be safer and healthier. I was told my daughter would need the meds the rest of her life. She's been off it for the last 5 yrs. The sting of her being labeled ADHD has hurt her in several areas in her life. I personally wish I would have done more of the research FIRST before allowing her to be labeled.

http://mychoice.fourpointwellness.com

Remember you know your children the best. Trust yourself, but be open to educate yourself on other possibilities that are out there.

Hope this helps.

S. B

Start the testing now. With my ADHD son who is 6 we are just starting medicine but we've (his doctors, teachers, and my family) seen that he had ADHD since he was 18 months. Getting him the help early has been very helpful as we got his IEP started while he was in Preschool just before he entered Kindergarten. I would hate to think of the additional hardships my son would have endured to get the help he needs at school later.

If your daughter gets the help now she will be able to learn the techniques sooner on how to cope with the obstacle ADD creates. You can wait until you think it is necessary (if it ever is necessary) for medicine but it doesn't hurt to get the testing and other help now.

Hi Joanne,

I have a 6 year old son who was diagnosed with A.D.H.D. and we got that diagnosis at 4 years old. You are absolutely NOT jumping the gun. If you think your child has this, I strongly suggest taking him to a pediatric neurologist and having him diagnosed.

M.

From my experience, my 16 year old has had ADD for a long time. We noticed it early on, but both the school and the doctors indicated that the tests aren't designed for kids until they are about in the 3rd grade. Since my son started on Adderall XR, in the 5th grade, he's improved dramatically. His grades still weren't top notch, however once he started High School, his grades, attitude, cooperation, darted way up. I've always been told that a child has the attention span equal to the number of minutes to the number of years. If your son is 6, about 6 minutes at a time is all you can expect. I found that if you have several things you want him to do (pick up his room, get the mail, take the dog out and brush his teeth) - then you have to give him instructions of one at a time. They aren't capable of retaining the details of several things at once. Hope this helps :)

JoAnn

I think you are right to be concerned, especially if her teacher is thinking the same thing. Our daughter was tested and diagnose when she was eight, and I wish we would have done it sooner. She ended up repeating the second grade.

I would suggest talking to your son's doctor and get his opinion on the situation. He/She will be able to tell you if she is too young for testing or not.

Hi J. A -
Get her tested!! Early intervention is the key.
Good luck,
S.
Lisle, IL

No I don't think you are jumping the gun. My daughter who is now 22 had add. I had to struggle with the school to get her tested, so I went to other sources, counselors and pleaded with them. She was tested, I think she was a little closer to 7, tho, and I had to find a doctor who would see her for medication. I was just persistent, explaining the struggle I was seeing her go thru, and the struggle we had with keeping her on routine. I say go for it!

Pat

I had my son tested by the school. I demanded it in kindergarten. They did not comply and had to last year because I needed it done to help my son. He does not have ADD or ADHD. He has other issues that cause a similar reaction. He has food issues.

The sooner a child is helped the better. Most children do not get tested until third grade by then it is to late. With your daughter part of it is age and part of it is her. The more you and the school can help her learn to succeed the better. I wish all children could be tested so that their learning styles and strenghts can be discovered. The areas of strenght can be praised and focused on as positive. Weaknesses explained as us finding a way to help them make sense of it. We expect to much of children. None of us are perfect or know everything. Why should children.

I am sorry your son has had such a hard time. Read the book the Edison Gene (spelling). My mother read it and says it is my son to a tee. I do not have time to read rigt now. We just have children who can survive and do things other people cannot. Tell him not to dispare. As I tell my son you will never fit in and that is very ok. Your brother and I never did either. I like being different. It is better to be a leader then a follower.

I have an ADD'r in 6th grade. He was diagnosed in first grade. I knew before first grade that there was something amiss with him but I wasn't quite sure what it was. It wasn't until 1st grade, when he was required to sit still and focus that I had him tested. He was immediately put on medication and has been doing very well ever since. I think age 5 is a good time to be tested.....before she goes to first grade! You aren't jumping the gun at all!

It is very possible that your five year old daughter has A.D.D. My older son(now 25)has it, my younger one doesn't. We didn't realy notice anything until toward the end of the second semester of kindergarten. He started falling behind in getting his work done. He would bring more papers home to complete or even start. He could tell us the instructions, but couldn't get them done in school, or at home unless I stayed with him constantly. We figured he just couldn't print fast enough or the teacher was trying to get them to do more than the class could handle, especially with the end of school nearing.
In first grade, he ran into trouble keeping up fairly quick! We tried rewards and punishment, but nothing helped. We talked to the teacher several times to no avail. Then in March, an assistant teacher came to their class. This gave the teacher more time to study & work with our son. She finally decided that he may be A.D.D. and wrote a letter to his Dr. He was soon diagnosed as such, put on medication, and kept up very well after that. When older, we asked that his seat never be placed near the windows or near the door where he could see into the hallway. Sometime in 8th or 9th grade he refused to take his meds and has not had them since. I still feel he needs them, but his wife doesn't(of course, she's never seen him medicated!). This is an inherited condition. My husband recognized the symptoms in himself when our son was diagnosed. We have also realized his daughter has it.
Read all the books you can on it, but remember each child is different and their symptoms may be different also. Most of all, teach your children there is nothing wrong with taking medication that helps them to do their BEST. Also teach them that having A.D.D. does NOT mean they are not smart. Most of these children are very intelligent, their brain is just wired a little different! They can accomplish anything they WANT to do. Sometimes it also may help kids to know the names of famous people who later were found to have A.D.D. so they can relate to positive "heroes"!

Hi! My 5 year old daughter was just diagnosed with ADHD. My Dr. wants a second opinion before starting any kind of medicine, which is fine by me. But I am slowly accepting that she will most likely need medicine. This has been very hard for me to come to terms with. Her teacher is actually the one who first approached me about the possibility of add or adhd. She has been really wonderful in helping my daughter be able to focus and get her work done, which is a huge problem for my daughter. So I have been keeping her teacher posted about her Dr visits, etc, and she keeps me posted on how she does each day in school. You should probably start checking into it for your daughter...at least so you and the Dr and her teachers can know what is going on if there are any issues in the future, or if she is struggling with something, you'll know why. My daughters teacher tells me my daughter will have a very hard time in first grade if she doesn't improve her focus/attention. And I don't want her to drive friends away with her hyperness. (plus, it can be very stressful at home with her)At least you will know what the situation is upfront, or if add is not the problem, you will be able to keep searching. Good luck!

BEfore you do anything else, particularly consider meds.......READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN ON HOW SPECIFIC DYES AND CHEMICALS ARE RELATED TO A.D.D. Take those out of the child's diet and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised!!....Problems solved and no meds and a much healthier child!

J.,

I just started a business with Shaklee and I'm very passionate about Children's Health. I have some information on A.D.D. and would love to share that with you. Please let me know if your interested in learning more about how nutrition and some other changes can help you and your family.

T.

J....My almost 9 year old has ADHD. We did not start him on meds till he was 7 1/2. Now my youngest son who just turned 6 yesterday also has the same signs and Im sure he does have ADHD and he is in Kindergarten, but I wont even have him tested till next year. Sometimes kids do grow out of this, and this is what Iam hoping for. Give her another year, even though I know it is hard, since you know the signs. Just give her another year and see what happens with her..Good Luck

you are a stay at home mom would get the other childern tested . this will help you and the famly . each child is different and they may not be on the same level as your son meaning they may jsut be at the bottom of the add level or in the middle or at the top? my daughter 's friend is just at the bottom but, she is ok and on jsut a low dose of meds. i do hope this helps have a nice day

Hi,
I had shared this information with a woman a few years ago who's son had ADD. She did not believe it was true however, her friend believed it because of a prior experience when she arrived at her home once. Her friend mentioned that she could smell Pine Sol from the curb of this woman's home. The information I shared with her was from Dr. Joyce Woods. Dr. Woods has a degree in indoor air quality and the effects it has on your health.

"An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air."

"ADD/ADHD are epidemic in schools today. Behavioral problems have long been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds. Use of Ritalin has skyrocketed since 1990.

"There has been a call from the U.S./ Canadian Commission to ban bleach in North America. Bleach is being linked to the rising rates of breast cancer in women, reproductive problems in men and learning and BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN."

Of course I am not telling you not to follow your own doctor's advice. But I can tell you that if it just means switching stores to better and safer products vs. putting my child on meds, I'd opt for the better & safer products. Then if that didn't work, I'd give the meds a try. I hear so often women with boys being upset because the teachers immediately jump to ADD & meds, & testing, etc. Here's a safe possible solution that you, your hubby and your child could be happy with.

I'm a Melaleuca customer and I have to tell you that their products [visist www.saferforyourhome.com] is the reason I no longer suffer from migraines. Yes, I could be still taking Excedrine Migraine or even Imitrex for the rest of my life. But I'm so grateful that someone told me about better safer products from Melaleuca. If my mom had only known this when I was in HS 20 years ago!

Check out the products or the main online catalog at www.melaleuca.com. If you'd like to test drive the products, let me know and I'll show you how to become a preferred customer and shop a the PC price like I do.

I wish you well in whatever you decide to do.

~M.
###-###-####

I do not have any children w/ ADD. I think that your instincts are correct and you should get your DD evaluated. Esp if her teacher is suspicious.

I'd like to offer a suggestion for treatment, if you need to seek it. Homeopathic medicine is a wonderful alternative/natural medicine that is extremely helpful in curing children of this imbalance in their body/system. This Dr. in Naperville practices homeopathy exclusively and has had many huge success stories of cure in ADD/ADHD kids. Here is her newsletter on ADHD. It's full of wonderful information. Best of luck.
http://www.dupagehomeopathic.com/newsletters/adhd.pdf