ADHD support

**NewLeaf** · 03-08-2010, 01:04 PM

My son , 7 yrs. is diagnosed with ADHD and mild Aspergers syndrome.

I just wondered if anyone wants to start an ADHD kith to talk.

**IntlMom** · 03-08-2010, 01:07 PM

Here it is:

Hi! I'm Traci, and I'm the mom of a 11 year old son with ADHD.

We began Adderall at the age of 4 for hyperactivity and impulsivity. We occasionally try to take him off because it can tend to cause some anger issues, but after a few weeks, we are always running back to those stupid drugs that give us our son back...... it's a never ending battle, and a battle that I am sure I share with lots of others. We've been talking about it in another thread, and it's clear, we need our own "place".

**IntlMom** · 03-08-2010, 01:08 PM

oops, I started one at the same time....... Sara, feel free to delete one of ours.

(sorry)

**NewLeaf** · 03-08-2010, 03:04 PM

See, great minds think alike!!
I hope some more "great minds" join us.

**NewLeaf** · 03-08-2010, 03:17 PM

Hi Traci,
It looks like we both started a kith, hopefully Sara can delete one.

My son is 7 yrs old and diagnosed with ADHD and mild Aspergers syndrome. In case you don't know, Aspergers syndrome is a form of Autism. It is named after Hans Asperger who discovered children with symptoms of Autism but with a high IQ. These kids tend to have obsessions that they memorize facts and can "spout" them out at any time. My guy has been interested in trains, spongebob, Mario, legos and more. He seems to have a photographic memory. He is in the gifted program at school but his social skills are about 2 yrs behind.
His ADHD makes it hard to focus, stay on task, remember, sit still, control impulses (aren't fart noises funny to everyone?) and behave like everyone else.
I could write a book but there isn't room here. My point in including both AS and ADHD in this post is that so many of the symptoms "cross over" and you end up not being able to say which symptoms are comeing from which diagnosis. In the end we treat the symptoms and the problems they bring, not the diagnosis'.
DS started medication at age 5 yrs, at the time the major hyperactivity started. Isn't it funny that the hyperness started when he began going to school?
The meds "unlocked" our son who we knew was in there the whole time. For the first time he smiled, laughed, drew a picture, sat in my lap, gave me a hug and had a give and take conversation.
I am still interested in getting him off of meds this summer for awhile. I hope we can accomplish a med break to help him gain weight and to see how he does.

**zakity** · 03-08-2010, 10:18 PM

I have an ADHDer and I am ADHD. We put our son on a modified Feingold diet and works wonderfully for us.

**Rhiamon** · 03-09-2010, 07:19 AM

I am Tracy my dd is 6 and has ADHD, a LD, and a major impulse control issue. She is on medication that will be getting a readjustment on the 25th. I think that is hard for people to see how smart these kids really are because they can't get over the behaviour problems.
The med have helped so much for our daughter. Nice to see I am not alone. Thanks for starting this kith.

**NewLeaf** · 03-09-2010, 07:39 AM

Rhiamon, My sons meds are not lasting as long as they should and he needs a readjustment too. I've noticed his grades went down. He tells me that he "can't remember" the answers to put down. He says he is reading the info carefully..... He has also been in a little trouble lately for not finishing hiswork.

I hate upping his meds, but what on earth do I do?

**miss_thrifty** · 03-09-2010, 08:47 AM

Im Charlene and I have a 17 yr old ADD child. Was on meds in Elem. years. Isn't on any now.The anger and hyper part have diminished . He will not graduate this year with his class, has 2 more credits next year to get but is not disappointed with himself and looks it as learning curve. He wants to be a welder as his trade.

**hotprincesscm** · 03-09-2010, 09:00 AM

Hi, I'm Christina, My 11DS has ADHD, was just diagnosed this past October. We battled and struggled for a few years before we realized that maybe the problems he was having were more serious than him just acting out in school. The doctor right away said that he had ADHD. He's on two different meds at this point and both are at or just about at the highest dosages. We are still trying to find the perfect balance. But he is doing better than he was. This is such a hard disorder to get under control. And because it's so common these days people just write it off and don't really understand, all that is going on with these kids. Even the teachers and principals at school just arn't that understanding. But we are getting through it, day by day. And I wonder why I'm prematurely going grey! Ha! Zakity what is the Feingold diet? I think that I have heard about it in my research but from what I remember it's a paid site or something. I have cut out artificial colors, sweeteners, and flavors from my son's diet(not perfect but better than we were) tried going to a more natural diet...Any other suggestions I am all for, my goal is to work him off meds as much as possible without disrupting his life too much, if I can do it through diet, exercise and lots of love I would be so happy, but I know it's not always that simple!

**2ndGenGranola** · 03-09-2010, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by hotprincesscm

Ha! Zakity what is the Feingold diet? I think that I have heard about it in my research but from what I remember it's a paid site or something. I have cut out artificial colors, sweeteners, and flavors from my son's diet(not perfect but better than we were) tried going to a more natural diet..

I'm not Zakity but we have used the FG program. I don't use the term "diet" because it is more than just a diet. The diet part of the program eliminates artificial colors, artificial flavors, certain preservatives and artificial sweeteners. For a period for time you are asked to remove natural foods that are high in salicilates (sp? - aspirin-like substance that cause many to react) then reintroduce them one at a time to see if the child reacts to any/all. Some people feel the need to eliminate additional items such as corn syrup and sodium benzoate. Some take it even further to GFCF depending upon the needs of the child.

The other part of the elimination is chemical. Some of the biggest chemical offenders are Tide, Downy, Glade plug ins and various "smelly" body products/perfumes. Many find these to be bigger offenders than the "diet" items. One Dr I heard speak said that the first thing he did when testing a child with ADD,ADHD etc, was to ask the parent to remove all forms of Tide and Downy. He said 80% of his patients showed marked improvement.

There is a cost for the book of researched items. It is the size of a yearly journal. It lists the products that are found to be within the guidelines of the basic program. As a convenience, they also mark items for those who are eliminating beyond the FG program (corn syrup, GFCF etc) Items are researched because you cannot tell if a product has, for example, coloring by just reading the label. If you buy say a strawberry yogurt, they are only required to list if they add red dye during the processing of the yogurt. They are not required to list if the strawberry they used was dyed red (which most are) and many kids are sensitive enough to react to that minimal amount. They are also not required to list certain preservatives on the ingredient label. The cost covers the printing of the book. The book is a convenience item. Anyone can take the time to phone around to each company and ask about the ingredients used in their products.

**hotprincesscm** · 03-09-2010, 12:39 PM

Thank you! I don't mind the cost of the book. I just remember when I was researching, I came across a website and it was a paid website for it, I wasn't going to get into all that. It sounds like I am doing some of that stuff already. But I will be looking further into that"diet" to see what I can do, would love to get my hands on the book! I never thought of the chemical aspect of it....I do use some tide here and there not a whole lot of air fresheners and the sort. But it can't hurt to eliminate as much of the chemical things in our lives, as possible anyways! Thanks so much for your information!

**2ndGenGranola** · 03-09-2010, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by hotprincesscm

Thank you! I don't mind the cost of the book. I just remember when I was researching, I came across a website and it was a paid website for it, I wasn't going to get into all that.

The "paid" website "comes" with the book. It is mostly for discussion of the book and people who run into problems.

There is a free group on yahoogroups.

Be warned though. Like just about any board, there are a couple "extremist" characters there. Just roll your eyes and go on.

**craftypam** · 03-09-2010, 05:05 PM

I have ADHD. I also have 3 sons. Two have adhd. The oldest is extremely smart and did terrible in school because he had many social problems. My second one had a learning disability because of it; missing alot of learning from not paying attention. My oldest one could not even sit in a chair during silent reading. They are both adults now 30 and 27 and very responsible adults. Took ALOT of work to get them there. As teenagers they both did alot of stupid things and got in trouble for not thinking first. Thank God that time is OVER. Oldest was treated horribly in school by teachers and students alike because of his social behavior. Thanks for starting this because anyone who has children with adhd would love to be able to share. Wish I had this when my ds were young and in school.

**NewLeaf** · 03-10-2010, 04:48 PM

My ds 7yrs went on a field trip today with his PACE (gifted) group. I was a nervous wreck. I called the school twice to remind them to take his medicine with them.

They went to see a play of Alice in Wonderland. I was not sure that ds would be very accepting of a "girl" play. His perceptions of thngs are very black and white. Right now if he thinks something is for girls he won't be around it at all. He runs out of the living room if a "girl" commercial comes on.....

Anyway, he said he had a great time and liked the play. He brought home a poster and told me about all of the characters.He was especially excited that they ate McDonalds for lunch. But he said he could not drink his Sprite because he had no straw. Again black and white. No straw, no drink. I asked him why he didn't take the lid off. He said he didn't think of that.
To him , the drink had a lid, the lid had a special spot for a straw to go in- therefore thats the way he was supposed to drink it.
See what I mean about social skills?