Need advice on ADD/ADHD

[newchickenfamily]

Hello all....

I'll try to keep this brief. DD (age 6) has recently been diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive type) along with anxiety. She is about 3 years behind developmentally. Been working on getting the right help for nearly 2 years now. Things are starting to fall into place with the school district, doctors, specialists, etc...

Does anyone have any links to online support systems (such as this, but for ADHD)? I'm still working on wrapping my brain around how to best help my child and understanding what she needs to help her function. At this point, we are not going with drug therapy.

Any input would be most appreciated from the wonderful people here on BYC!!! I know you all will have some words of support!

 

[klf73]

Hi
I have 6 kids, my 10 yo was dx with adhd and my 2 yo dx with autism. This site is informative and usually very supportive, been a while since I visited...
check it out
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-psaddchild

good luck
Krista

edited to say that we only medicated the 10 yo last year, it was affecting his classwork drastically, so after 5 years of struggling we had to do something. He is still with the same kids and hasn't been kept back, which would have devastated him. He only gets it for school

 

[d.k]

* Hi! I was just doing some surfing on the topic for myself last night. I found one support site that looks quite promising, but didn't seen terribly active last night, and may not be much into natural alternatives, (which is what I hope to find more of. . .) Want me to find it again?? Ed: It's www.additudemag.com

 

[arlee453]

I have a 10yr old son who was hospitalized last fall with anxiety-related mental health crisis for 9 days. He has been diagnosed ADHD since 1st grade and has always been the kid who marched to his own drummer since day 1.

We chose to medicate for the anxiety and the ADHD and it's made all the difference in the world for him. His anxiety was debilitating for him, and the disorganization of the ADHD made it very hard for him to cope at all.

It was a tough choice to medicate but it has been a God-send for him - makes it so we can get through the day without panic attacks, passing out from panic attacks, and being so out of control and impulsive that it drives everyone around him crazy, and keeps him in constant trouble.

He will tell you he's much better on the meds than without - they help him concentrate and focus. His ADHD is more the inattentive/impulsive than the hyperactive kind, but he's techincally diagnosed mixed.

He sees a pediatric psychiatrist who specialises in ADHD/Anxiety disorders for his medication adjustments about every 2 months, and sees a therapist about every 3-4 weeks.

I try to think about his problems just like if my child had Asthma or diabetes or any other chronic disease or medical condition. You find the day-to-day strategies that work for you (medications and/or behaviorial modifications) and treat the crises as they come.

Getting GOOD doctors who specialize in these disorders is so important too - someone you feel you can trust with your child and that YOU can talk to also.

Feel free to PM me and I hope you find some good strategies that help your daughter!

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

well I dont have a child with ADHD - but my DH was told he had it when he was in high school -- it is a daily struggle for him to function in and out of the house with the simple things - he is fine if he has something to focus on - he is a machanic and does great at his job - but when talking to him he will drift off subject or- say something completely not related to what everyone else is talking about.

He needs to ask the same questions over and over and over ..... again until it finally sticks in his head and stays there. He is very hyper at times and will be very restless getting up and moving from one thing to another through out the day mostly on weekends when he is off from work. He also has no memory at all he is very forget full because he cant focus long enough to pay attention to what he needs to remember ( this is very frustrating for him and me )

We tried him on ridalin (sp wrong i know ) but it made him a zombie and he was unable to funcation worse than when is off the meds - so we are going without any meds - which makes life with him a battle daily - he can not comprehend the simple things - like telling him how to run the wash machine he never can remember - or how to balance the checkbook, he is total fixed on the time and will always show up at least 30mins early to anything - Dr's says it is just how his brain works.

but I have seen this man stand on the edge of the lake and stand perfectly still for HOURS when he is fishing

good luck with your DD and helping her figure things out -- I was told that most kids out grow this - but in the case of my DH he will always fall into the ADHD class

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Hi. First I want to say good luck. It is a hard thing to deal with, but it can be, and your child can become a very succesful, happy, person.

My oldest son (he is 11 now) has ADHD. He was diagnosed at 5. He started kindergarten and could not function. I was told he would never learn to read, was basically un-teachable in almost every area. This was a good kid....we taught him how to control his hyperactivity himself from the time he was tiny. So, he wasn't disruptive, jsut could NOT learn. Anyway, I pulled him out of school and started the next year....used that year to find a way to cope. Anyway, that was the long way of saying, if you get to the point where you feel drugs are necessary....don't feel bad. We did. With the help of medication (he is now on Strattera) he is at the top of his class in almost everything (though he did inherit my bad math skills). He reads at a 12th grade level according to the school but in reality only reads books intended for adults. In fact, he and his pediatrician discuss literature most of the time. He is a beautiful, respectful, polite, kind, young man. Without the medication he can function but it takes everything he has to control himself.....therefore he can't learn. I am not about to say I think every ADHD kid needs meds, just that if they really do, it can be a life saver.

Again, good luck. I wish your whole family the best.

 

[tiki244]

I have been told that there are many foods and dyes in food that can cause this. And I have heard accounts of people going with an 'all natural diet' and had amazing results. This is all I can tell you, no specifics. Good luck with your daughter.

My step grand son has ADHD and he is behind too, but very smart. They just cant concentrate, or/and follow through. I hope you can find some good ADHD groups.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
That's interesting, they tested my 10 yo and reading was his worst, but was high school comprehension level for history, geography, stuff he likes

Crazy4Chicks- my son had reactions to some of the meds he tried, but not all work the same, if he really wanted to, there are other options(meds) available

Krista

 

[tiki244]

I have also heard for some mental illness' that a very structured but simple daily routine is good. Always go to bed at the same time, etc. It helps me greatly when I keep the same routine.

 

[arlee453]

Quote:
Luvmychicknkids... that is my son exactly. Without the medications, he can either learn or behave. Not both at the same time. In 1st grade he was really good at being good - but he coudn't concentrate on being 'good' and learning at the same time, so he basically marked time academically all year long (while getting S+ on behavior in the class room)

We have switched him over to Vyvanse this year for his ADHD from Adderall. It's made a big difference in evening him out in the evenings and getting homework done.