Help Me-ADHD

[HappyLawyer]

alrighty - It's been 4 days since we started the adderall xr and my son has
been up to 12 - 1 every night. I usually am sleeping by 10:00 so this has been tough on me. Any one else experience these problems and what have you done. I am exhausted.

my dr told me to be precise when i give her the afternoon dose of ritlan, the exact hour, if given too late, it will wear off late and keep her up

 

[LOLA2]

my dr told me to be precise when i give her the afternoon dose of ritlan, the exact hour, if given too late, it will wear off late and keep her up

We don't have an afternoon dosage. just 5 mg in morning when he wakes up.

 

[HappyLawyer]

We don't have an afternoon dosage. just 5 mg in morning when he wakes up.

that is my dtr afternoon ritlan dosage, it is pretty light to keep him up all night, but i agree not to de sleep meds, perhaps a new type, talk with the dr

 

[wvdislover]

I agree. Maybe you should try a different med. My DD9 started on Adderall when she was 5, but it made her sick. We were on Concerta for a few years. She did well on it, but didn't need much sleep (she could go to bed at 10 or 11 and still get up at 7 for school) . We switched her to Focalin XR several months ago, and now she usually NEEDS to go to sleep around 9 or so, esp. on school nights, giving her about 10 hours of sleep. Any less than that and she can be really difficult to deal with. Good luck!

 

[Frankiesmom]

My DS almost 5 has high functioing Autism and they also think ADD;the school system and a psychologist sugested meds-the developmantal pediatrician-said no way and slao my son's ped. said the same thing. I didn't like the thought of med's at all. The ped said there are no studies on these med's done on kids before age 6 and that the school was just looking for it to make their jobs easier? Now my Ds is going to a special ed kindergarten with an 8:1:1 ratio;he also has his own personal aide throughout the day. This has helped wonderfully. Right now he is attending a summer special ed pre-school. He started this school in jan-thru the school district-after being kicked out of 2 private preschools. He is doing wonderfully;I will not even consider talking about meds until he is at least 6 and we can all chart his progress this year. I am a nurse and sometimes it's all about throw a pill at it and it will go away. There are many kids that have been helped by these meds-including my dear sister-who was mainstreamed-she also had ADD and dyslexia-she just graduated from a Masters program. So no flames here;but sometimes it really seems to ring true-there are way to many kids on these meds and they can't all need it-it is alot of teachers/special ed programs pushing parents to request these stimulants.And alot of DR's are more than happy to oblige. There are behavioral management programs that can be implemented before the next level-which is medication. Angel

 

[XOoOoVEEoOoOX]

Hi all!

While I, personally, dont have a problem child with ADD I think my sister does, unfortunately, when she has taken her DD, now 3 going to be 4 in Aug, the doctor has told my sis that my neice is just too young to diagnose. Now, we have had several children in my family with ADD ADHD, etc (at least 3 cousins and my younger Brother) and she exhibits alot of the same traits that they did. Inability to sit still (even when sitting in a chir she has to jitter her leg or move her head around) She gets very emotional when you reprimand her nicely, but could care less when you loose your temper ( I know my sister and I should try not to loose out temper with her but man is it hard1) She is just REALLY BAD!

Now here is my problem, we have decided to take her and her DSis (who only misbeahves when she is with her sister, when she is alone she behaves really well) to The World in September..and I am so worried about how she will behave, I mean the older, well behaved one WILL listen when it all comes down to it, but the younger one just WONT...I dont want to totally dprive her of going, because she is at the age where everything will be magical. How do you guys handle your children @ the world..someone recommended child leashes, but really I think that she is too old for them. What are my options to try and make this trip as pleasant as possible? I dont want our trip to be a disaster, and I dont want her to interfere with anyone else's enjoyment of the parks, but I just have a feeling she will

 

[HappyLawyer]

do any of your family members act different or treat your adhd child differently? I am so close with my mom, but a few months ago, i let her have it and i was pissed and my family could not believe it because she and i are so close. She treats my dtr differently then my neices, if my dtr does something she is always yelling or something, being mean to her and i will no longer stand for it, i told my mom, don;t ever put me in a position to choose between you and her i love my mommy to death but she will lose.

Can ADHD children qualify for disability or SS payments? I mean i was reading on the website it talked about not being able to leave your child with a sitter, things like that, i was curious if anyone had ever looked into that before?

How do our children get ADHD? i mean, never ever ever drank or smoked how?

 

[wvdislover]

Hi all!

While I, personally, dont have a problem child with ADD I think my sister does, unfortunately, when she has taken her DD, now 3 going to be 4 in Aug, the doctor has told my sis that my neice is just too young to diagnose. Now, we have had several children in my family with ADD ADHD, etc (at least 3 cousins and my younger Brother) and she exhibits alot of the same traits that they did. Inability to sit still (even when sitting in a chir she has to jitter her leg or move her head around) She gets very emotional when you reprimand her nicely, but could care less when you loose your temper ( I know my sister and I should try not to loose out temper with her but man is it hard1) She is just REALLY BAD!

Now here is my problem, we have decided to take her and her DSis (who only misbeahves when she is with her sister, when she is alone she behaves really well) to The World in September..and I am so worried about how she will behave, I mean the older, well behaved one WILL listen when it all comes down to it, but the younger one just WONT...I dont want to totally dprive her of going, because she is at the age where everything will be magical. How do you guys handle your children @ the world..someone recommended child leashes, but really I think that she is too old for them. What are my options to try and make this trip as pleasant as possible? I dont want our trip to be a disaster, and I dont want her to interfere with anyone else's enjoyment of the parks, but I just have a feeling she will

I don't think a 4 yr old is too old for a leash. It sure beats losing the 4 yr old at the World! I would also recommend a stroller--WDW strollers are capable of holding bigger kids than umbrella strollers (I recently had my DD4 and DD9 in a double stroller for a week at WDW--DD9 is ADHD and would have disappeared in a heartbeat!). I also didn't have to hear them complain that they were tired of walking all day! As for behavior, how does she do if you withhold privileges from her, e.g. If you don't behave, you won't get to ride Small World, while big sis does. Make sure you follow through with what you say. Maybe seeing big sis get to do some fun things will encourage her to behave better. Also, make sure she gets enough sleep and eats pretty healthy while there, avoiding excessive sugar and food dyes (makes my DD9 more hyper and moody). Treats are okay, but not all day, esp. without more substantial food to cushion the blow. Good luck! Have fun--you're right, this will be a magical time for her!!!

 

[wvdislover]

HappyLawyer: I don't think anyone knows for sure how our kids get ADHD. Some get it through heredity (I have it, I think my dad has it, my DD9 has it), some get it b/c of a health problem you may have had during pregnancy (research shows that thyroid problems during pregnancy can cause ADHD symptoms), I've heard of some premies later diagnosed as ADHD (a cause? My DD4 was premie and is a very high maintenance child), taking illegal drugs during pregnancy, environmental factors. Some kids just get it for no reason at all.
Also, I have heard rumor that our kids can collect SSI. I got started on the process a few years ago, but my case worker lost my paperwork, then forgot about me. Then the whole program underwent major changes, so I just quit. I may try again, since medical bills are piling up, as are therapy and tutoring bills. LMK if you find out anything!
I know things are difficult with your DD. Embrace her as she is and think of how her ADHD qualities can help her in her future one day. Maybe together, the two of you can research famous people in the past and present who were/are ADHD, such as Einstein, Ty Pennington (Trading Spaces and Extreme Home Makeover), the lead singer of Casting Crowns, etc. and how they were able to make the most of what they were. I try to make a point of this with my DD9 whenever I get a chance, b/c she has a really low self-esteem in many areas and doesn't feel like she can do anything. I want her to know she can do almost anything she puts her heart into. Good luck! I'll keep you in my prayers!

 

[Dawnjoennikki98]

My daughter is 7, she'll be 8 in october. We don't have insurance, so she is not getting any help ...The school will not help since she is getting decent grades! Although school and homework are a huge problem...I am dreading the school year already, but hopefully we'll have a better start than last year. So, she was diagnosed by a neurologist as having ADHD, Anxiety, and I actually forget the other thing...it was really just a fancy name for "something wrong in the head" lol. This was last fall, right before we lost insurance... The school OT, who cannot treat her, did give me a list of activities etc.. to do with her and believes she has sensory processing disorder. She has every symptom just about...But the neurologist was a much older woman, and never even heard of SPD!! Anyway, she is a great kid, very smart, awesome at gymnastics...but she has lots of problems also, and sometimes I am at my wits end. Do children with mental disabilities get to go through the handicapped entrance in lines at disney? I doubt it, but just asking. So, we're going to Disney in 4 weeks. She is an only child, and my sister is coming..

 

[wvdislover]

To the best of my knowledge, the school HAS to help her. At the very least, she should have a 504 plan in place allowing for classroom interventions, such as preferential seating in class (front of classroom, near teacher), additional time for completing assignments, reduced work (if necessary), positive feedback in class, etc. As for the sensory processing disorder, why can't the OT help her? My DD9 has received OT in the schools since she was 3 years old for a sensory processing disorder. ADHD, SDI, and anxiety all affect how she performs in the classroom. Your DD should have a 504 plan or an IEP that helps to put her on an even playing field with her classmates. If she was blind or hearing-impaired, she would get help. Your DD has an attention/sensory impairment, so she should also get help. If the school doesn't help your DD, they're only setting her up for failure later. If school is difficult for her now, imagine how much more difficult it will be when she gets older. In terms of your trip to WDW, Disney does have a system in place to help kids like ours--the Guest Assistance Card. It doesn't give her front of line access, but it is supposed to ease the waiting experience. It's possible you won't need it, depending on the lines when you go. We went back in June, armed with a letter from our ped. explaining our DD9's issues, but by utilizing FastPass, we only had one or two long waits, and DD was excited and armed with food and a GameBoy, so it wasn't a problem. For Crush, Dad stood in line and DD and I walked around a little bit and then joined him in line. No one seemed to have a problem with this (I'm sure they would have if she'd had a meltdown in line, though!). Good luck! Hope this helps!

 

[Dawnjoennikki98]

yes, this really helps me, thank you. but i don't know what to do about the school? I am so frustrated, I feel like telling Nikki to get bad grades, just so she can start getting help! (i won't!)they judge everything on grades, which makes no sense. She could be doing better with help, and especially emotionally!! school is so stressful for her, it's a nightmare.

 

[GreenGirl8]

I don't know the above poster's exact situation, but I am guessing that the school is not picking her up on an IEP because they are claiming that her disability is not "adversely affecting her academics". That is one of the huge criteria for receiving services regardless of your disabiliity. Also, if she is not on an IEP, she can not receive related services including OT, APE...etc.

A 504 would be a fantasic option, I urge you to ask your school about this. If there is a disability that is not giving her equal access, even though it is not adversely affecting her academics she is entitled to the 504. This is a legal binding document that must be looked at once a year. While it does not offer all the services of an IEP, if you push hard enough, it can really help.

You should also note that all children are entitled to a Behavior Support Plan which is developed by the school and parents to investigage why behaviors are happening and the best way to go about improving the situation. These plans are ongong...meaning, if one doesn't work...it should be revised.

With all of that being said, have you gone through the assessment plan and pycho-educational testing process with the school? PM me if you want more information.

 

[JenJen]

My daughter is 7, she'll be 8 in october. We don't have insurance, so she is not getting any help ...The school will not help since she is getting decent grades! Although school and homework are a huge problem...I am dreading the school year already, but hopefully we'll have a better start than last year. So, she was diagnosed by a neurologist as having ADHD, Anxiety, and I actually forget the other thing...it was really just a fancy name for "something wrong in the head" lol. This was last fall, right before we lost insurance... The school OT, who cannot treat her, did give me a list of activities etc.. to do with her and believes she has sensory processing disorder. She has every symptom just about...But the neurologist was a much older woman, and never even heard of SPD!! Anyway, she is a great kid, very smart, awesome at gymnastics...but she has lots of problems also, and sometimes I am at my wits end. Do children with mental disabilities get to go through the handicapped entrance in lines at disney? I doubt it, but just asking. So, we're going to Disney in 4 weeks. She is an only child, and my sister is coming..

Man this sounds Just like my DD. She was in Gymnastics for years until she shaddered her elbow and was awesome, She gets all A's, She Has SIDS but things are improving now that she is older. Very Very Hyper (always talking and when no one is listening she will make noises or talk to herself) but perfectionist. She is also a awesome actress. Things just have to be a certain way for her and everything is black and white no grey area. I just feel so lucky she does so well in school. (very good memory)
Very high anxiety in inclosed, loud, crowded places if she feels like things are out of control. It is bad news.

 

[MissD]

hi all i know it has been a while since i have been on this particular board but i find myslef at my whits end. Daughter has ADHD and lately i find myself well you can imagine, i do not want to spank her. I need some alternatives, Last day of school stole 2 bucks off teachers desk. The lied about it. Has been stealing food around the house and hiding it, she is not neglected and eats like horse, she gets anything she wants to eat. Today sole m & m's from my sisters house, now sister already has a hard time dealing with my dtr, not everyone understands ADHD and how difficult it can be. She is my child and i love her but i have no idea, is she acting out, or can this be part of her disability, on the outside stealing is stealing but it could be more then that, i welcome all positive feedback please.

I haven't read through this entire thread, so I apologize if this is a repeat of an earlier post. You'll see that this subject is close to my heart, and I'm a bit passionate about it.

Many children with ADHD also have bipolar tendencies--their symptoms DO overlap a great deal. Often those tendencies are /overlooked/ignored/rolled into the ADHD diagnosis and not properly diagnosed or treated. Impulsivity (as in stealing, poor decisions/choices, etc) is almost textbook BPD stuff.

My DS, now 12, was one of those children and we went through several years of misery with him being mis-diagnosed more than once. Many professionals are reluctant to 'label' a child with BPD (somehow ADHD is more acceptable) and too many children and families are unnecessarily paying the price to avoid the 'stigma og having a BPD diagnosis'.
The 'stigma' only exists in the first place because people don't understand BPD and are fearful of what they don't understand. The reason people don't understand it is because so many have tried to hide the diagnosis, out of fear of the reactions of others. It's a vicious cycle-BPD in children is very real and often ignored. The reality is that my son has a mental illness, a brain disorder, and his condition needs to be addressed no differently than a child with any other medical condition.

We finally found the right help when Time magazine ran an article about kids with BPD, and had a 60 question or so quiz along with it--my son had all but 2 of the indicators. I asked his therapist (new to us at that time) if BPD was a possibility, and he said he doubted it. To his credit, within a few months, he told us that our son did have BPD, and the correct treatment plan was put into place.

Life has been much better since we got the right diagnosis, but will never be easy. Meds always need adjusting, puberty sets in and totally messes things up. His first year of middle school was QUITE a challenge.

FWIW, I would question whether or not your daughter may have issues other than her ADHD at work here. There is lots of info on the web about BPD, ODD and other conditions that often accompany an ADHD finding. Don't be afraid to question the professionals..you spend much more time with your child than they do. Get the answers you need...Just don't give up. PM me if you a need a boost--I'll be glad to offer whatever help I can.

My prayers are with you.

 

[HappyLawyer]

My daughter is 7, she'll be 8 in october. We don't have insurance, so she is not getting any help ...The school will not help since she is getting decent grades! Although school and homework are a huge problem...I am dreading the school year already, but hopefully we'll have a better start than last year. So, she was diagnosed by a neurologist as having ADHD, Anxiety, and I actually forget the other thing...it was really just a fancy name for "something wrong in the head" lol. This was last fall, right before we lost insurance... The school OT, who cannot treat her, did give me a list of activities etc.. to do with her and believes she has sensory processing disorder. She has every symptom just about...But the neurologist was a much older woman, and never even heard of SPD!! Anyway, she is a great kid, very smart, awesome at gymnastics...but she has lots of problems also, and sometimes I am at my wits end. Do children with mental disabilities get to go through the handicapped entrance in lines at disney? I doubt it, but just asking. So, we're going to Disney in 4 weeks. She is an only child, and my sister is coming..

ok forget lawyer, now i am speaking as a former special ed teacher, they MUST help, if they Refuse, tell them to check the IDEA standards, call your principal, and make a request in writing for a special education evaluation.
then contact the school district, the superintendent if need be, you are entitled, if that does not work, let us know i will provide you with some websites of people who will get involved,
hearing this really makes me mad, i'm flamin over here

 

[Dislifer]

Spanking won't help...I read somewhere that spanking has been researched and proven not to help. I think you should get counseling to help you deal with her otherwise her problems will get bigger (and yours will follow) and she might suffer academically. Also, I have read that once a week counseling is often not enough ... be consistent AND plan on the counseling lasting A LONG TIME...there is no quick fix!
Good Luck to you!!! In the mean while...keep talking to her maybe some of what you say will sink in!!!

 

[jmskinner]

Hi all!

While I, personally, dont have a problem child with ADD I think my sister does, unfortunately, when she has taken her DD, now 3 going to be 4 in Aug, the doctor has told my sis that my neice is just too young to diagnose. Now, we have had several children in my family with ADD ADHD, etc (at least 3 cousins and my younger Brother) and she exhibits alot of the same traits that they did. Inability to sit still (even when sitting in a chir she has to jitter her leg or move her head around) She gets very emotional when you reprimand her nicely, but could care less when you loose your temper ( I know my sister and I should try not to loose out temper with her but man is it hard1) She is just REALLY BAD!

Now here is my problem, we have decided to take her and her DSis (who only misbeahves when she is with her sister, when she is alone she behaves really well) to The World in September..and I am so worried about how she will behave, I mean the older, well behaved one WILL listen when it all comes down to it, but the younger one just WONT...I dont want to totally dprive her of going, because she is at the age where everything will be magical. How do you guys handle your children @ the world..someone recommended child leashes, but really I think that she is too old for them. What are my options to try and make this trip as pleasant as possible? I dont want our trip to be a disaster, and I dont want her to interfere with anyone else's enjoyment of the parks, but I just have a feeling she will

I read your post yesterday and realized today something I would like to pass on. One, did your sister take her daughter to the pediatrician? She should try to get her to a child psychiatrist. It doesn't mean they will medicate her, but may be able to help with some alternatives also. My son was 3 or 4 when he was diagnosed and put on medication at 5. We actually went for a 2nd opinion (we were in denial) and the Dr. asked what our question was after just being in the room with our son for 5 minutes.

Secondly, it is great that you are including them in your trip. I just wanted to tell you about our trip with my mother-in-law. All I really remember her doing with my son is fussing at him. She made a comment about how calm my boy was when my brother-in-law was sitting on the bed looking at a catalog with him. Sometimes that is all you have to do. I kept letting him take pictures with my digital camera. It's not an expensive one, but it wasn't cheap either. I just make sure the strap is around his neck when he takes it. The way I look at it, if he is not hurting anyone or causing property damage, who cares what others think. Especially at Disney! If your neice starts to act up, try to get her attention elsewhere. Take some items for her to play with while in line. I am sure your sister will deeply appreciate any help you can offer. A gameboy worked great for us, but she is a little young. It might be worth it to buy one of those game systems for younger children (if she likes that sort of thing).

We are looking forward to taking a trip with just the three of us, so we can really enjoy our boy at the park. We can handle him just fine, it is when others start to get frustrated with him, that gets us frustrated.

I sure don't mean to fuss at you for being concerned, it is good you are thinking ahead and asking questions.

I don't know if any of this helps or makes sense, but I really hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[GreenGirl8]

ok forget lawyer, now i am speaking as a former special ed teacher, they MUST help, if they Refuse, tell them to check the IDEA standards, call your principal, and make a request in writing for a special education evaluation.
then contact the school district, the superintendent if need be, you are entitled, if that does not work, let us know i will provide you with some websites of people who will get involved,
hearing this really makes me mad, i'm flamin over here

We can not assume that this child has not been through a Pycho-Educational Evaluation. It could be that she did not qualify because the team decided the disability did not adversly affect her academics because of her good grades. There are other options if this is the case. Special Education is not the only option. In fact, children on 504 plans have access to Special Education services if it is found needed by the team.

 

[HappyLawyer]

We can not assume that this child has not been through a Pycho-Educational Evaluation. It could be that she did not qualify because the team decided the disability did not adversly affect her academics because of her good grades. There are other options if this is the case. Special Education is not the only option. In fact, children on 504 plans have access to Special Education services if it is found needed by the team.

Then have the poster tell us, because it sounded to me because of her grades they did not evaluate her at all, i could be wrong, but the parent can stll contact the district if she does not agree with the findings, it sounds like the school is not and does not want to expose the child to special education services, if the parent has a genuine concern, they should address it and not blow her off.