Ritalin not working any more...need advice & prayers [Archive]

architectlink

September 29th, 2003, 01:13 PM

My son is in an awesome Christian school with a teacher who has 32 years experience. We knew that he would outgrow ritalin eventually (3 different doctors separately agreed he needed this) and this is the note we got from the teacher today (1.5 pills of ritalin was not working any more, and we went to 2 pills in the am..)

No, I’ve seen no noticeable difference (after going to 2 pills of .5 mg in the am) in Alex.

Actually, he has been more:
1. silly,
2. annoying some childen (so they would say something to me)
3. loud (with calling out) than before.

Could this not the medication for him?? I know there are so many different kinds on the market. I’m scratching my head?!?!

Since there are so many other prescriptions for ADHD, and since my 8 year old seems to have grown out of his dosage, his ability to function has slipped back about 4 grades...(he was testing several years beyond his ability, and now seems to function as a 4 or 6 year old with no ability to limit his talking or bothering people or interupting or ability to focus).

Your prayers and any advice will be discussed with our doctor, but as usual, they don't have much time to discuss options and seem to want to push the drugs that THEY like, not necessarily what is best for the child.

Thanks for your prayers.

glorymj

September 29th, 2003, 01:25 PM

My son has ADHD. We control it without medication this way:

1. He's homeschooled. That gives us the flexibility to allow our son to be a BOY and to run and play and do boy things when he needs to. So many public schools want little boys to act more like girls (be quiet, sit still, etc..) for hours on end with virtually no release. God just didn't make little boys that way. :laugh

2. Eliminate refined sugar from his diet. Natural sugars like honey and maple syrup do not seem to affect him. Give him a popsicle, though, and you will see what I mean!! Okay, so we are not perfect at this - but at least we know that we'd better lock the gates and let him loose when he has a cookie. :D:

3. Give him plenty of exercise. He needs to burn off that steam somehow. We bought a house with a fenced in 1/2 acre that he can run in. This also helps him to concentrate when we DO need him to sit still, be quiet, etc.

I know it doesn't answer your question, but it works for us. I've always been very concerned with the over-medication of our children. :):

Mindenite

September 29th, 2003, 01:27 PM

I have a friend with ADHD (I think) and he said that when he was younger, just shuffling a deck of cards during class or doing some other simple activity helped him focus (though the teachers usually took such activities away from him). I am thoroughly opposed to drugs but I acknowledge that in some cases, they may be needed. This friend I know is in college with me and functions very well. He can even be more focused than I at times since he can easily be doing 2 or 3 things and then add to class discussion when something catches his interest. It amazes me that he can pay attention when he seemingly is occupied with other things but it works for him. I am not sure if this helps in any way but usually there are other, non-medical ways to solve these problems.

architectlink

September 29th, 2003, 01:38 PM

I had hoped this would not become a debate on homeschooling or drugs as we have already gone that route for years. There are a few moms out there who do have the same situation at home, and this is not a "let the boys burn off steam" issue. This is a crippling, severe, inability-to-function, absent-minded professor, REAL debilitating problem.

PS, by the way, we live in an enormous house on 3 large lots and he is so destructive (accidentially-he is punished every time) that he has destroyed all of the landscaping, broken all of his toys and has destroyed the house blinds). I met a divorced man once who blamed his ex wife for not controlling his severely ADHD child, so I understand that IF you do not have a child like this, it is easy to assume that they don't need meds or need to change their diet.

We've been the non-medical route and he cannot even function at home with his sister. He is severe, not like an average boy or even a hyperactive ADHD boy. He moves constantly and it is impossible for him to stop the constant movement.

Two parents on one cannot keep him focused for 5 minutes. and we don't watch tv, don't have computer games and he LOVES JESUS, but he cannot function until his mind slows down.

We've been to seminars on ADHD and my mom, who is also a retired teacher of 30 years with handicapped children can sometimes get him to focus when he is on his meds and she is one on one with him. Basically he is home schooled at a private school where one of us has always been around to help the teacher...It takes an adult constant refocusing of HIS focus, because he cannot learn to do it himself.

He does not eat any sugars, refined or not, he doesn't even like it. He eats mostly plain pastas, meat, carbohydrates. We've already done all the diet and home school stuff, and he cannot even keep from bothering the children at church for two hours.

So, any thoughts on what works beyond homeschooling and diet and prayers you can offer are still helpful.

DeeLeeKay

September 29th, 2003, 01:54 PM

I would talk to your Doctor. If there is a physical problem(and it seems to be) rather then a spiritual(rebellion) then proper medicine is the answer. Sometimes a body gets used to the medicine and either another type is needed or more of the kind he is using. Again seek qualified Medical advice. This is nothing to play around with.

skylark

September 29th, 2003, 01:57 PM

Have you tried Concerta; time released ritalin? It was exlplained to me that the effectiveness of a dose of ritalin is like a bell curve, so it will increase in effectiveness, then peaks, then slowly wear off. Then another dose is taken. With extended release, the effectiveness of the medicine increases, then peaks and remains at this level of effectiveness for a long time, then wears off. So you don't have the valleys that you get when one dose is wearing off and another has not yet taken effect. I hope that made sense, if not I'll try to explain again.

Has your son's teacher tried monitoring his behavior with a contract, and rating his behavior in several very specific areas each day? I think that it can be very helpful to use behavior modification in addition to medication.

discovergrace

September 29th, 2003, 02:06 PM

architectlink:
I hear ya loud and clear.
I also know how you feel about debating this issue. If your anything like me....you have hashed this over with God! I know that my almost 9 yr old son NEEDS this med for now. This is the boat that God said to get into so to speak!
When our son was 7, we put him on a small dose. I think I remember it being 5 mg in a.m and 5 mg at lunch time. It worked so well for about 3 months and then he had a growth spurt!:doh
We went back to the pediatrition and he said that we had to expect this. He changed his dose to a slow release of 20 mg given to him at 7:30 a.m. It works fine for him. He is in grade 4 now and is passing all of his tests with flying colors etc. The only time I give him a 5 mg fast acting pill is on wednesdays when he goes to guitar lessons after school. He NEEDS THAT PILL!! We have tried guitar without the pill and well....I walk in and see him literally throwing himself up against walls!:frusty
I wonder if your son just needs an adjustment?

edited to also add that we pray a LOT for our son. Every morning we pray that God will bring him a focus and calmness to his body so he can do his work and make good friends.

architectlink

September 29th, 2003, 02:16 PM

We have an appt. with the doctor who is an expert, but it helps to have Christian advice from other moms who have seen the same things as me. The doctor does not live with us, and the teachers and other moms notice and point out things I never saw.

I can't remember why he did not try the concerta...I think the pill was too big, but when we have our appt we will discuss.

Thanks so much for your comments...I will read and reread when I get more time later.

Originally posted by discovergrace
edited to also add that we pray a LOT for our son. Every morning we pray that God will bring him a focus and calmness to his body so he can do his work and make good friends.

This is an awesome addition. Actually my son prays all of the time, even out loud in restaurants, his heart is so pure and the rebellion is so out of his bodily control. He has such a pure heart and when he is calm, the children love him to death. Thank you so very much for this prayer, as God really speaks to my son through prayer!

4Freedom

September 29th, 2003, 02:17 PM

I am not in favor of ritalin. I think it is mainly a drug designed to prevent young boys from becoming mature men, which will cripple and harm them emotionally and in other ways. I believe that most children are diagnosed with ADHD because little boys are simply being – little boys.

However, you may be one of the few who need the medication. WHat I will say, is that I have heard that going off Ritalin (or that family of drugs) FAST - can do great damage to the mind. I have head that a person should be eased off of them over a year or more. I would do more study on the effects of rapid dosage change or decrease. Nothing in here should be construed as medical advice.

sandy111

September 29th, 2003, 02:23 PM

have the dr. do a blood test to see where his vitimin and mineral levels are. This can cause serious stuff when one is low in something. even what your son has I've read.
praying..

(I'm not into holistic stuff either) just something that I went thru.

antsinmypants

September 29th, 2003, 02:37 PM

I'm in agreement with Sandy..

Have the Dr check everything he can think to check, and he MIGHT want to go ahead and do some day-long testing.

My brother had a sugar problem that caused his sugar/glucose to change to blood alchohol. He did everything that everyone else says is ADHD/ADD now days, and when the Dr did a day long test, we finally figured it out. He was way out of control when he had sugars, and was very destructive and couldn't pay attention-- not even 3 minutes..

Off the sugar, he was "light years" ahead of other kids his age..

We had to limit his sugars and carbohydrates (loads of bread/pasta/rice/potatoes were out of the question).

BUT, if he is one of the kids (not doubting you as I don't know you any better than just seeing you here ever so often) that ABSOLUTELY cannot go without something to correct the chemical imbalances.. He may need to change medication or "up" the dose.
If he's going thru a growth spurt, it will severely change things.

glorymj

September 29th, 2003, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by architectlink
So, any thoughts on what works beyond homeschooling and diet and prayers you can offer are still helpful. I was not debating anything, and I have not seen any debates on this so I'm sorry if you took it that way. You asked for advice, I was giving you some based on a long and difficult struggle we've had.

I KNOW what ADHD is - it runs in our family. You don't need to lash out when I was only offering advice on how we cope with it. Some of our other family members cope differently, most by using medication.

If you feel you need to medicate your son, by all means take it up with your doctor. I was only giving advice on how my family deals with it. No, it's not easy. Yes, the days can be long. I feel it's worth it, personally. I can understand if you don't.

shiplover

September 29th, 2003, 08:50 PM

well.... I have 3 daughters who all are ADHD. The oldest 2 are on medications. We use Adderall XR. it is time released. The youngest is able to function and learn without the medication.

The middle child of the three has the worst behaviors, with impulsivity, inability to concentrate without the meds. We have done a drug holiday from the med during each school year for a month to have the teacher be able to give us some input as to whether that year might be the one when we can stop the meds.

Additionally, the exteneded release med has given much better results, as in grades, ability to concentrate, the ability for my child to feel like she is part of the class, not something weird or different, because it also helps her control her extremes of emotion.

Additionally, these meds are short acting, excreted by the kidney, and do not form blood levels that must be monitored like other medications to maintain a therapeutic range. The meds do not build up in the body but are excreted very rapidly. That is why the better success is had with the extended release type of the ADHD meds.

for those who homeschool, my hat is off to you, you are very brave and I can applaud you whole heartedly, however, I know there is no way on this God's green earth that I could homeschool this child. I would go stark raving mad. There is more thatn enough challenge after school and on days off.

Also, I am a registered nurse and I did the homework about the medications long before I had my kids use them. I had to satisfy that I had plenty of knowledge before we started.

there is more to the story however, we had our daughter on Ritalin for approx 3 years, every day when she would get home from school and would have a major meltdown. Turns out is was the let down from the med. We do not, nor have we ever seen the meltdown from the Adderall regular or XR.

The point is you might need to try different meds.

browneyes

September 29th, 2003, 09:53 PM

My dh and his 3 children all have add and they all used the Adderall also with great results!!!:thumb

architectlink

September 29th, 2003, 10:44 PM

Thanks for all the great tips, and the blood sugar thing is probably something else he might have (my hubby melts when his sugar is low)...we need to ask the doctor to do blood work, since he has not suggested that...

As far as the Adderal, it puts my son to sleep...so many people have had such great results and he just slowed down to the point that he was drowsy. We took him off it immediately.

I definitely think he has had a huge growth spurt, since he is eating a lot of healthy food, but perhaps the carbs are too high. He loves pasta, loves corn (high carb), he is not a desert person at all, so holding back anything sweet is not a problem. I try to keep the dyes out of his diet (red especially) from juices. He is very very skinny, and pure blond hair, which makes him more susceptable to allergies...

I apologize if my request to limited responses seemed like lashing out.

The doctors here are not very available (it takes forever to get an appt., and I worked at the hospital for 9 years) and it seems that the more educated I am prior to the visit, the more educated the questions I can ask them in limited time. Additionally, I have found that God works with me by bringing the answer through several people, and He confirms the answer to me in the same way. I know some people think a child can be fixed through homeschooling, but he is not like the children at our church who are homeschooled..., it has been a long educational process to help people understand that he can be taught to deal with his situation, but it is a long tedious process (and I am a stay at home mom who focuses all my attention on two children).

He cried tonight that the other children don't like him (melt down period) and so we spent some time inviting the children who have been meanest over (one at a time) so they can swim and spend one on one time alone with my son. I think once they get to know him better, that they will play together and have a great time.

I am trying to sort advice on meds, because I have noticed that many parents here have had similar instances as me...

Thanks so much and I appreciate the prayers and advice.

sandy111

September 30th, 2003, 12:49 AM

Please again, (don't mean to repeat myself but must)
on the bloodwork, make sure they do it on the vitimens and minerals!!
God Bless:P:

HollowofHishand

September 30th, 2003, 09:01 AM

I as well have a lot of experience with ADD as my son has it (as well as his father and my father in law!).

My son was diagnosed at the age of 7 and it really answered a lot of questions for us. We tried for 6 months not to go the med route and finally my mom said "He if needed glasses would you deny him those?" That got us thinking better about the meds.

He was on several meds for the first year but we finally settled on Ritalin. His dose had to be adjusted as he grew up, but I discovered something much more amazing - food intolerances.

We took him to an allergist and found (through what is called an elimation diet" that he had reactions to milk (protein, not lactous) and all corn products (syrup, flour, on the cob, etc). After we took these out of his diet, the meds worked so much better and his mood swings went away.

There were times that I thought one day I would have to change the locks on the doors and throw his stuff out into the street in a tough love final battle.

When he entered high school we made him stay on the Ritalin for the first year. After that we told him he could get off, but staying off would be up to him. We reinforced that ADD is not a curse, but a gift. A gift of a wild horse that needed to be tamed to get any benefit.

All I wanted was for him to get his high school diploma. As I look back now, I can hardly believe he is the same as that destructive little boy.

He is currently in his second year of a two year college, has a ton of friends, a job, a car, a girlfriend, A LOVE OF GOD, and is looking to continue his education at a very good polytechnic university in the Albany area.

Keep up the good work, Architechlink and remember that your son knows he is different and can't understand "why him."

I will keep you all in my prayers.

YSIC,
Alison

architectlink

September 30th, 2003, 09:30 AM

WOW! Thanks...

Originally posted by HollowofHishand
finally my mom said "He if needed glasses would you deny him those?" That got us thinking better about the meds.

Mom's are so insightful about their grandchildren!

Originally posted by HollowofHishand
something much more amazing - food intolerances.

We took him to an allergist and found (through what is called an elimation diet" that he had reactions to milk (protein, not lactous) and all corn products (syrup, flour, on the cob, etc). After we took these out of his diet, the meds worked so much better and his mood swings went away.

Now this would be a shocker...he LOVES corn on the cob and corn...and he takes a lot of milk products...that will be something to look into. Again, thanks...

Originally posted by HollowofHishand
There were times that I thought one day I would have to change the locks on the doors and throw his stuff out into the street in a tough love final battle.

I will keep you all in my prayers.

Thanks for the prayers for all children who are struggling! I've noticed that the children who bullied him the most at school don't have a dad at home, so I figured we would meet that challenge head on and invite them over more to play at our house.

The thought crossed my mind about the tough love thing just yesterday, wondering if this was going to go on another 10 years, or if he would ever gain control of himself.

Thank you all so very very much and I will push for the blood work on vitamins, allergies, etc. God Bless!

Leigh

September 30th, 2003, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by HollowofHishand
We took him to an allergist and found (through what is called an elimation diet" that he had reactions to milk (protein, not lactous) and all corn products (syrup, flour, on the cob, etc). After we took these out of his diet, the meds worked so much better and his mood swings went away.

Another possibility is an 'environmental' doctor. I don't believe there are many around, but I do know of one in the Atlanta area. (From what I remember, problems with her own child led her into this field of medicine.)

I know several families who have taken their children to this doctor. It is amazing that many of the children have tested positive for allergies to common things, such as wheat, corn, milk, etc.

She is similar to an allergist, but goes about testing and counseling in a different way.

Please keep us updated on your son.

mooseamerica

September 30th, 2003, 01:38 PM

I have ADD, and I can tell you from personal experience, it is horrible. The difficulty in carrying out day to day no-brainer tasks can be overwhelming.

I agree that if meds help, then they should be used. I am on Ritalin myself, and I'm 45!! I decided to go for the meds when I read the eyeglasses for the nearsighted comment in the book "Driven to Distraction".

There are many meds available, and it's just trial and error to find the right one. And diet alterations are a fantastic way to go too.

I have no new ideas for you, but I sure do support your looking at all avenues for help.

ylf1999

September 30th, 2003, 01:52 PM

I'm praying.

I have severe ADD and I don't respond to medication so I know how much frustrating it can be

YBIC

Headin'Home

September 30th, 2003, 06:07 PM

Have you ever heard of using an AdvoCare product called Spark?

My wife works with many ADHD kids and this has helped trememdously. The best part is that it is all natural.

michelle95

September 30th, 2003, 06:57 PM

We took him to an allergist and found (through what is called an elimation diet" that he had reactions to milk (protein, not lactous) and all corn products (syrup, flour, on the cob, etc).

Alison, that milk protein wasn't "casein", was it?

HollowofHishand

September 30th, 2003, 10:07 PM

Michelle,
I honestly can't remember which protien it was that my son was allergic to, but casein sounds familiar. If you have info about it I would love to read it.

Also, Mooseamerica - my mom was a psychologist and good friends with the guy who wrote Driven to Distraction. I even had lunch with him one day. He was such a nice guy, a bit shy. But my ADD son was with me, and the two of them got on like a house on fire (since they are both ADD).

I have not see him since my mom died though. I have no idea if he is still even in practice.

michelle95

September 30th, 2003, 10:22 PM

That's pretty interesting...if you don't mind, I am going to get Frog to either pm you are start a new thread.

There's been a link between autism and casein intolerance. While I am not saying your child has autism...I'm beginning to think that Frog has been hitting the nail on the head.

architectlink

November 24th, 2004, 10:45 PM

I wanted to update you all since last year on this subject.

1. My son was off ritalin all summer and is frankly very annoying to be around, because his self control is so bad.
2. His severe stomach aches ceased on the last day of school last year, and since then I have found out from a bunch of moms that their children also suffer from anxiety stomach aches and acid reflux. I believe that our Christian school has way too many children and there is too much competition to keep up.
3. This year with all of the hurricanes and with ritalin, my son is barely passing...he got mostly c's last report card and this interim report was mostly F's.
4. I am looking into a special Christian school that works with children in classes of 6-10 instead of classes of 22, and I am praying that my husband will see the light. He does not want to admit that there is any problem, even when faced with the interim report card which is mostly failure.
5. We are having our son tested for learning disabilities on Dec. 9...and I was told to put him on ritalin (which improves his testing by 500%.) I think they should test him OFF ritalin so that they get a true measure of his problem, not a drugged measure...
6. We continue to monitor his food intake and have extremely healthy diets with plenty of fruits and vegetables. My son doesn't ever eat candy or sweets and is pretty healthy. He also loves God with all of his heart.

Please pray for us to have discernment and continual education of teachers who claim to be Christians but don't seem to have control of their classrooms.

architectlink

November 24th, 2004, 10:47 PM

faith4ever

November 24th, 2004, 11:03 PM

My son was diagnosed as ADHD when he was 5, and put on Ritalin and all it did was make him a zombie. He would need more an more of it to zombie him out until I stopped giving it to him. He developed little habits while on the medicine that some he still does, and some took several years for him to stop doing. One was chewing his fingers. Literally chewing them. I controlled him with herbs, vitamins and supplements after I refused to keep using the medicine.

One supplement that helps a lot is a B complex. L-glutamine also helps a lot. But I would say the B complex helped most of all. He needed calcium and magnesium supplements too.

Another thing you might try is taking him off milk and wheat products for a month and see if there is a difference. I did this with mine, and found that the wheat doesn't bother him, but milk products do. He got very hyper and irritable when I introduced them back into his diet. I could tell everytime he ate something he wasn't supposed to.

I took my son in for allergy testing and found he is allergic to many things. I believe that has something to do with it all. One test produced an almost stupor in him, he totally zoned out and when they gave him the shot to counteract it, he came back.

Now they say my son has autism, but I really believe it is an allergy induced type. Chlorine in swimming pools used to send him out of control. I think maybe bathing and drinking it are part of his trouble now, but I can't afford to put in an expensive filter system in my house for that.

Just some ideas.

Kitty2kat

November 24th, 2004, 11:23 PM

You might consider having your doctor test him for Ausbergers Syndrome. It is often diagnosed as ADD/ADHD, but it's not. It is actually a very high complex form of Autism. Most kids who have it are very intelligent, but when it comes to self control or social skills they have a very difficult time understanding what is or is not appropriate.

Hope this helps.

Bible Girl

November 24th, 2004, 11:24 PM

Since you all are on the subject of diet control,

I would check out the South Beach Diet for carb control only. Not for weight loss. The Zone Diet is fairly close also. Basically it is all protein and vegtables/fruits complex carbs versus simple carbs. You will be amazed at what foods we eat have simple carbs.

Both diets are into lean, good protein (milk is limited) And fresh vegtables and nuts (no corn, or carrots) and some others are limited. Fruits,(no raisins, limited Bananas,etc) basically ANYTHING that turns to sugar without your body having to work to break it down into sugar.

I went on this diet myself, within 3 days I stopped napping all afternoon, I stopped being as emotional, and I just felt better. Plus I did lose weight, but that is not waht you need for the kids. Just the carb and fats education part of it.

Both of these diets are basically what diabetics are on. And they work. My cholesterol dropped way down and all my lab was perfect. That was after 2.5 months on this diet.

Also not sure how many of your kids are drinking diet soda, but the aspartame in it has never really been tested for safety.,And in fact in extreme heat it breaks down into wood alcholol. It has been associated with memeory loss and inability to concentrate. You can have aspartame levels drawn if that is something your kids consume a lot of.

I always wondered why when I bought diet soda that sat out in the grocery stores lot in a pyramid sale form always tasted funny. That's why.

BY the way has your child been tested for diabetes? It way messes with the brain in kids.

Anyway, just .02 worth about the diets part of it.

BG

onsolidrock

November 25th, 2004, 02:35 AM

Thyroid gland problems can also cause similar behavior

architectlink

November 25th, 2004, 08:55 AM

Thanks! What is such a miracle from God is that other people have also been giving us the same advice, ie my husband started the South Beach diet (by 2 cardiologists) and he has lost 12 pounds in 12 weeks and now he sees the importance of eating correctly.

My son is allergic, like most of the kids on the street during springtime, but he is basically not allergic. My girlfriend had her child tested and he has asbergers also (sp?)...

faith4ever

November 25th, 2004, 09:08 AM

It is Aspergers Syndrome. I believe that is what my son has. But when he was little, they told me that he had ADHD and not autism. Then when 16, they diagnose him with autism. My son is smart, but has no common sense, no sense of judgement and very poor social skills. The hyperactivity he controls on his own pretty much since he has gotten older. It now just comes out in strange facial "grimaces" when he thinks no one is looking, or forgets someone might be looking. From the age of 7 to now(19), he has lost, or holds back all his emotions. He used to laugh and smile and have a sense of humor. Now he will hardly ever smile, and nothing seems to make him happy or excited, or even sad. Except if he has had too many milk products. Then he will let his irritability show through just fine. :sigh

I have never let him drink diet pops. I have always thought they were not good for you. But I still think the chlorine is affecting him.

Caligirl

November 25th, 2004, 02:33 PM

Will pray for you..
All mine were ADHD, all fosters children that we were able to keep as our own.
3 of them, with the BIG "H". LOL Awww man, do they have energy and how many times you are bought to tears without knowing that to do I can't even count.:twitch
Then, all the well meaning moms that didn't have ADHD kids telling you what you should do and what your probably doing wrong.... :twitch

When we found out what was wrong with our children, my husband and I both cried. And we don't cry easy...but you get to point at times when you think that you are the worse parent in the world and it was such a relief to know that it wasn't you that was causing all this behaviour... :twitch

We finally did the ritalin and it work wonders. But still, even with the Ritalin, still didn't solve all the problems, just made it manageable...
My son, he still didn't do that well in school with the meds, but it kept him from flipping out and gave him Glasses on the brain as said in other posts.

I also think of it this way..they don't have a BRAKE. Especially my boy, he never used his brakes :freaked ...it seems the thought process doesn't continue all the way through as those that don't have it. You teach them ..don't do this or that or you will get in trouble.
Most kids before they do something, they think it through, Add kids don't.

They stop short as in ... They are thinking..."I want to break that ,won't that be cool...then do it."
Others kids without ADD finally learn, I want to break that but know I will totally be in trouble if I do, so stop.
Mine was missing that "STOP" or break part of the thinking process. The meds, they give them that "Break".

My son, he couldn't stay in the regular school so now he is just doing the GED thing and then going to college, and you know what, that is fine by me....my other daugther is in school and she is doing fine and will grad next year...
My other two, other issue that are not connected to much to add so another story.

The good news is, my two that are home are off the meds now only because they now seem to be able to handle it without it. Before, no way they could so I was so grateful for the Ritalin.. They are now 18 and 16.

My son, he was as destructive as your boy at home, not so much at school...he saved it for when he got home :twitch
Before the meds, none of my friends would have him over their house, they all came over to my house... :twitch LOL..

Now, all that "H" is gone and he can control it. They still are ADD, no question. But they seem to be able to handle it right now.
They may need it later on when they have all responsible for themselves and life gets a bit faster, but for now they good.

Every child is different...each handle different drugs differently as well. Each person handles different dosages ...My daugthers took "10" 3 times a day.
My son "5" 3 times a day...
It can change year to year so don't get discouraged.

You are doing a great job with your boy, you are teaching him about Jesus and he loves him, that is the most important thing in this world. :): He will guide you in all you need to do and know, your boy will be okay..
Once they get that hyper focus in the right direction, God will use them in mighty ways...
God is good and faithful.

blitzkreig

November 25th, 2004, 05:21 PM

I have a nephew with ADHD. Not nearly as severe as some. But my Sister-in-law was NOT going to put her son on medication.

I think when I look back it was a form of denial on her part that he even had a problem which irked me the most. It was obvious.

She started him in French immersion school for grade 1 and 2. :doh

Anyway fast forward and he is now in grade 5 (regular English school) and finally she is giving into the recommendation of her doctors to get him on Ritilan.

Problem is this kid is in grade 5 and can't read. Not a word.

He is smart as can be as well as a kind and caring little fellow ... now.

But due to her reluctance in the first place he is so set back that he has to go to "special school" ... which isn't so "special" let me tell you ... :yell

scoutmom

November 25th, 2004, 11:07 PM

Please pray and let me know if you have any comments on this need:

We are having our son tested for learning disabilities on Dec. 9...and I was told to put him on ritalin (which improves his testing by 500%.) I think they should test him OFF ritalin so that they get a true measure of his problem, not a drugged measure...

I am dealing with a lot of these issues at home as well. My personal opinion is to have him tested in his normal state of mind ( no ritalin) If they insist, see if they will do it on different days with and without. I feel your pain, I deal with some extremes in my household. The extended release ritalin does not work well for us..he does better on small doese more often, which is a pain to remember. We tried straterra and I couldn;t even tell he was on anything, he about drove me up the wall. Now my youngest has been diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia and learning diasbilities and he is 7 asnd not reading yet. We have it alot easier because we homeschool but I know that is not the answer for everyone. I also had a husband who was in denial for a time, just pray for him. Maybe giving him some info on the symptoms may help...let him see the symptoms for himself.
Just a thought. It is not easy but I agree that kids with ADHD are special and have awesome thought processes. they can have a productive life and accomplish a lot if the right resources can be found.

Best wishes from my household to yours.

sandy111

November 26th, 2004, 12:55 AM

my youngest used to get very agitated as a child.
so someone suggested caffiene.
even if its a cup of coffee.

I'd had it, so I went and bought him a coke at the store and with 2 swallows he was
a different kid.
I mean different. For him caffiene calmed him. whereas some it is a stimulant.
strange but it worked. This is common is some people.

why? I have no clue. but it works.

There had got to be a reason for all these children to be having such problems.
our food anymore is'nt food. I don't even feel good going out to a fast food place and getting a burger and eating it. It does'nt taste right. The minerals, vitiemens and such are not there as when we were kids......so allergys, defincincys, inabilitys ect.....
Like I said, there is a reason, maybe too look at dyes in the food??
and I wonder about these hybred vegetables, say like seedless watermelons ect.
changing that has to change something in that......

PLEASE LORD SHOW THESE PARENTS WHAT IS WRONG AND HOW TO CORRECT IT!

Sam

November 26th, 2004, 05:16 AM

But due to her reluctance in the first place he is so set back that he has to go to "special school" ... which isn't so "special" let me tell you ... :yell

That is a pity , isn't there a mainstream school nearby with remedial facilities?

My DD was in a remedial class for a couple of years, which was wonderful, the occupational therapists, speech therapists etc. came to them.

I think maybe we were blessed to have an understanding school who catered for these kids.

faith4ever

November 26th, 2004, 04:40 PM

Corey

November 26th, 2004, 09:17 PM

I've been diagnosed with one or the other, ADD or ADHD - can't remember which, but was counsoled by the doctor that I could have as high of doses of ritalin as legally allowable. I've never tried it.

The Zone diet by Barry Sears (basically a controlled insulin-release lower carb diet) worked wonders for me. Hope this helps out somehow.

Corey

onsolidrock

November 27th, 2004, 02:35 AM

A note of caution about ritalin. For those who don't have Add/ADHD, when they take ritalin, it makes them high. It doesn't have that effect on those who do have it. There is always the temptation especially among teenagers to sell their ritalin to anyone who wants to get high.

Caligirl

November 27th, 2004, 03:50 PM

Caligirl, they finally had my son up to 40mg a day, way too much for a 7 year old, and he just kept needing more to calm him down. It didn't ever help him to be able to sit and do his work, but it did help him just sit there. :sigh Plus, all the other troubles that came with it. I really urge parents to try supplements and diet first before they put their children on Ritalin. For some it is wonderful, but for others it isn't. Sometimes all that is needed to control the hyperactivity is what I said above. My son was kicked out of his regular class because I told the school I was refusing to put him on any more meds. They suspended him the very next day.

.

Hi Faithforever,

I fought the meds for a long time, for all of them. I was told by so many that they probably needed them but I was one of those that thought it was the easy way out so refused for a time to put them on meds.

My son seem the one that was the most hyper, and he needed the least amount of ritalin. 5m..Where my daughters didn't seem that hyper, needed 10.

When I finally decided to go for the meds was after watching my kids and learning about it myself, not from anyone else.

When one night when we were praying..my son was asking why doesn't God help him stay out of trouble.

He didn't ever get in trouble for being mean or destructive at school, just didn't do his work...to much distraction. At home he would get in trouble for breaking things and just out of control running around. Literally couldn't sit still.

He then told me this one night while we were watching TV, it was a show on ADHD actually...a story of a mom and her son...she sounded just like me, the son sounded just like my son. She was saying how she never use to yell...was pretty easy going but now she seems to be yelling all the time and didn't want to be that way.

After the show was over, my son looked at me with such pain in his eyes and said.." Mommy, why does it hurt so bad just to sit, I can't sit still mommy"
I thought to myself, what a horrible feeling, it is like you can never rest!! :twitch
That did it, the next day I went to the library and started reading all I could on ADHD and about using meds..not using meds..diets...whatever I could find.

Finally though much prayer, they were put on meds and it was almost as if a miracle had happen..immediately they were able to focus and my son had friends that were calling him all the time now. Before, they liked him but he didn't stand still enough for them to get to know him to well...Unless I invited them over, no one called.
Literally, after that day, he had four close friends that stayed close...his grades did approve, so did my daugthers...Girls, it is a little easier for them to control themselves but even with them, friends were now staying.
Can you imagine being small and no friends..what a lonely place to be.

As they got older, they all wanted to be normal and not take drugs. So I would let them try a week of school without it in High school. They decided they did need it on their own but not on weekends.

Now my one daugther does fine without it in regular High school, and my son going to adult school seems fine as well. Not to much distraction and small classroom does it.

BUT, there is NO doubt in my mind for my kids, they needed it when they were taking it..No doubt whatsoever. I think they would have became angry and frustrated without it ...
One daugther, she never did take it. She left at age 14 to live with bio parents. To this day, she is still angry and suffering and that may be part of her problem...I am not sure with her, she is now 24. I have tried to get her to go in and see if there is some type of imbalance, but she hasn't as yet.

Those that think that it is easy to put your kids on speed...they havent a clue of how hard that is. You get attacked if you do, you get attacked if you don't.
Each case is different. Some it works with diet..some they don't. Some work with meds, some don't.
I had the school giving out my phone number all the time for parents that struggled with no meds or meds. Or those that didn't want to admit there was a problem.

If they called, I never ever ever told them to put them on drugs, or not on drugs. I explained to them what ADHD is in layman terms and gave our story.
Then after that, they were the only ones to decide what was right for their children, only they can be sure.

One mom cried after we talked. She said..." I can't believe it, I have ADHD..I know that now, and so does my daughter" then she said...through her tears, "If only I had known this years ago, my life would be different I bet"
So sad what so many have to go though :(:
All I did was give our story.

As far as the kids selling them at school...so true...I put the drugs away and was in control of giving them their dosages, even though they were old enough to do it.....they can make some wrong choices at times and I wasn't going to be the one to put that type of temptation in there way. :twitch
They never seem to even think of doing such a thing and never asked for there bottle of pills anyway. They did tell me that some kids were doing that in their school though.. :twitch

Pray hard, and know that God will lead you to the right decision...don't listen to anyone else's story and do the same just because it worked for them.
Each person is different....

Another thing I did before putting them on drugs...I went to the school and sat and watched them play on the playground...they didn't know I was watching but I watched for a month.
My poor son, he couldn't play any of the games, to much going on in his head...he would just go up to whoever he could and grab the ball and run..or grab the person's shirt in play...couldn't understand why everyone would get mad at him, he was only playing his own game, the only one he could... :(:

Caligirl

November 27th, 2004, 04:31 PM

Caligirl

November 27th, 2004, 04:47 PM

Just a thought. It is not easy but I agree that kids with ADHD are special and have awesome thought processes. they can have a productive life and accomplish a lot if the right resources can be found.

Best wishes from my household to yours.

Amen to that :):
Actually, they sometimes accomplish more then the "Norm"...
Hyper focus and energy are not a bad thing if put in the right direction..
A very good thing in fact...
The adult people I know with ADHD that have learned how their mind works, they are really successful in whatever they do...Some are still on meds, some not.

architectlink

January 22nd, 2005, 09:31 PM

I wanted to update you all on answers to above prayers for discernment and guidance from God on the subject.

Before Christmas, my bible study teacher showed me a great book called UNRAVELING THE ADHD FIASCO by Dr. Ben Stein. In it he describes that if autistic children can be helped without drugs, then adhd children can be helped without drugs.

We read the book and had our son tested without ritalin...he tested well (although the public school counselor gave us grief for not drugging him for testing)...AND WE REMOVED HIM FROM ALL DRUGS BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
Although the teacher is not overly pleased with his performance, he is doing fine in school...his grades have come up in several areas and he is eating better and getting along with the other children better (thanks to the tips in the book). I think that the teachers just prefer the kids to be drugged because it "dumbs them down" and they don't want to deal with the children...

He is doing better now than he was before. He is 9 years old and although he is more active, he is just a regular active boy who needs extra discipline.

I am so pleased and thankful for God for sending us this book. Thank you all for your prayers.

BeachBeliever

January 23rd, 2005, 07:34 PM

I am so glad that your son is doing better.

I work in the medical field and see SO much "over-drugging" of both children and adults --- for every conceivable problem/issue --- but the excessive use of amphetamine-class drugs for kids that range from simply "active" to severely ADHD compromised, is truly out of control. It is my opinion that this happens as a result of the public school system AND pediatricians who are so over-loaded with kids/patients that they don't have the time or ability to give the proper (or necessary) attention to individual children.

So .... they just drug them all. Horrible.

I've seen Father G-d manifest His MIRACLES through change of diet --- especially regarding sugar/glucose and gluten/wheat.

As a child I suffered from life-threatening food allergies (some of which are now re-appearing, now that I've reached my mid-thirties) ... and I have first-hand experience with the effects of the tiniest alteration in diet ... and how a minute amount of an allergen can cause problems that are exponential in scope .... from bad moods to skin problems to hair loss to excessive weight gain in a matter of weeks - like a 50% increase - to major organ damage (liver, kidneys, heart, brain) to loss of life.

BTW, I have tons of great medical connections .... where are you in Florida? I'm in Atlantic Beach - just outside of the Jacksonville Metro Area. I not only have the Mayo Clinic here and the great Baptist Health System that includes the world-class Nemours and Wolfson Children's Hospitals, but Gainesville, FL (the University of Florida) is nearby (my hometown and part of my medical sales territory) which houses Shands/UF Medical Center - the leader in research medicine worldwide. Gainesville has three huge resources: the University of Florida, the UF Sports Teams (football, basketball, etc.) - the GATORS, and the Medical Community. The city is 'chock-full' of docs!

I will help you any way I can. Praise G-d that (at least) one day, your son will be perfectly whole and experience continual Peace/Shalom from Jesus.

Your Sister In Christ Jesus,
Beach

Enoch

January 23rd, 2005, 10:42 PM

Hey Architect,

Great to hear things are going well for your son. I wasnt around RR during the time you started this thread. I grew up on Ritalin in the late 70s, the first in my school to get it. I was a guinea pig for it I guess. I outgrew it's effects about 9-10 years old. Shortly thereafter I turned to alcohol and marijuana to sedate myself. I would trade my ritalin at school for a joint. After many years of going nowhere, I was finally diagnosed with severe manic depression of which I probably suffered with from childhood. Well, now I know I did.

I'm not saying that's what's going on with your son, but if anything recurs later on you may want to keep that in mind. My medicine works great for me and without it, I'm bouncing off walls and cant keep quiet today at my age. A totally different person really.

You probably by now know the dangers of Ritalin. I know of one other child that was put on Ritalin and it didnt help, they were pulled off and placed on Depakote and they now function. I suspect there are many children out there diagnosed with ADHD that are really suffering from mania. For myself, without my meds the stimulus of society today is almost unbearable and I've pondered greatly what it's doing to children at that impressionable age.

But it's great to hear all's well now. Praise God.

God Bless,
Enoch

LisaAnn

January 24th, 2005, 09:59 AM

I have been doing some studying in Luke ch13 recently and vs 11 really jumped out too me:

"And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself."

I looked up spirit in this verse in Strongs and it indicated that it was an evil spirit.

I have been pondering this in my own life for the exact opposite reason of ADHD. I have fatigue that is so bad that I often feel as if I have taken a sleeping pill when I have taken none.

In my study of this I feel as if the Lord is telling me that this isnt some sort of medical problem but is a 'spirit of infirmity' like mentioned in Luke 13:11. I intend on fasting and praying and rebuking it and possibly being annointed.

Perhaps this is something that you havent considered with your son...........it could be a spirit of infirmity. If this is the case then the only one to bring healing is the Great Physician. No amount of Ritalin in the world, or monitoring his food ect. will help him.

architectlink

February 21st, 2005, 10:30 PM

UPDATE...PRAYER WORKS...

HE IS NOW OFF RITALIN SINCE CHRISTMAS AND DOING MUCH BETTER...And we all have been using the reccomendations in the ADD Fiasco book on how to keep him focused on what he is supposed to be doing...here are more great ideas from another anti drug speaker, who is pro-nutrition...his website is incredible too: http://www.resultsproject.net/

See the email I just sent out to all my friends in Orlando about a speaker here in town on this subject:

Tomorrow night, Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 6:45 pm (ORLANDO) is an incredibly interesting presentation about Improving the Learning Environment for Children through Diet (not drugs), showing parents and teachers how to raise children's self esteem and how to teach children with attention deficit characteristics. My mom (a retired learning disabilities teacher) and I were blown away by all of the simple things we learned about food and how it impacts our children and their learning on a daily basis.

The cost is only $10 and Florida Hospital has child care included. I urge every parent and child to see this presentation by Steve Plog. The presentation is across from Florida Hospital on the 3rd floor of the 7th Day Adventist Church on Orange Ave (across from FH) at 6:45. There are signs directing you where to go. The website for the presenter is: http://www.resultsproject.net

Here are some of the SIMPLE tips that we learned that you won't believe until you see the research that backs it up:

1. Milk is one of the biggest causes of ADHD symptoms.
2. Children are not drinking enough water and it causes toxic substances to collect in their systems.
3. Many children do better standing up doing their homework than sitting down.
4. Many children focus better doing homework in 15 minute increments, then running around for 15 minutes, then back to 15 minutes of work. (15 on, 15 off)...
5. 500 People were interviewed regarding success in life, and the lessons learned are included here. Additionally, 27 of 27 criminals tested positive for certain deficits in their nutrients in their bodies, increasing stress, hostility see link: violence.http://www.resultsproject.net/SR_on_Nutrition_&_Violence.html
6. There is a book called the DRUG INDUCED NUTRIENT DEPLETION HANDBOOK that all parents should read before they give their children any drugs, including aspirin, antibiotics, etc.More later...Hope you can make it. I will work on having him come back before next October to speak.

Blessings...

faith4ever

February 22nd, 2005, 11:37 AM

architectlink, :clap I am so glad you have found something that works! :hug I am sorry! I lost this thread awhile back and forgot about it. :tape AND, I just now read what you said in the beginning, about people who don't know. Your child was destructive. Mine was too!

My son literally tore up my home. His room has huge holes in the dry wall. My woodwork is all torn up. My washer and dryer have dents in them where he pounded on them with a hammer. There are holes all over my shed outside from him. I could go on and on. He used to habitually pee in his room, on the floor by a wall. I couldn't get him to stop these things. Punishment had zero effect on him. There are so many things he did, I can't even begin to list it all. Just now, at age 19, am I considering, re-doing his room now. I think it is safe to go ahead and fix it, after all these years. :(:

I was blessed to have an older son who was more mature for his age, and could watch his brother when I went to work. I am sure some will frown on that, but it worked, they are 22 and 19 now and still alive(But I am sure that is when my son did his finest work, ie: pounding on my freezer with the hammer. He is sneaky!). My son was a truly hyperactive child. The ritalin turned him into a zombie and never once helped him focus. I tried desperately everything I could think of to help him when he was growing up, and became more desperate the older he got because I knew the right help would help him more when young. But I could never exactly pin point a specific thing that helped him the most.

He was older when I tried all the allergy, diet things. I sincerely believe that his is an allergy problem. Especially milk products and chlorine. I think if I had known this when he was little, it would have made all the difference in him now. I see things we have done that make a difference in his behavior, but after the ritalin and other meds, like I said, he seemed to change. Those things we have done though, did help him get through school, along with his IEP and special ed, but I think he will need supervision all his life.

I honestly believe in my heart, that if I had done the allergy, diets, and supplements and herbs sooner, before kindergarten, he could have been greatly helped. I am not giving up on him mind you. But I know nothing else to do. I even tried an one more round of other medications about 2 years ago to no avail.

He may have Aspergers syndrome and nothing would help him. But I know he has allergies to foods that wind him up like a top, so in my mind, that means to me that what he has could have been cured by a diet and other things. After all, who's to say what causes autism?

I love my son dearly, but he is not always easy to live with. He shows no love towards me. I am sure he does, but he keeps all emotions in a tight rein. It isn't the way he used to be, but it is the way he has been for several years now. I can't touch him. I have pictures when he was younger of him holding on to me and laying against me, looking up at me and smiling. :cry Over the years, he just changed into this quiet, unemotional person. He won't hardly speak to me when he used to chatter endlessly.

I know that he is on this earth for a reason, but sometimes, and I hate myself for thinking this, but I think that I wish I had never had him. :cry I KNOW that he is here because it is God's will, but I think I failed God to do what I was supposed to do for him. God gave him to me for a reason and I failed miserably. I am not looking for sympathy. I am saying what I think is true. I did not get my son the help he needed, early enough when it would have made a difference, and that was because I was lukewarm in God at the time. I love my son dearly, don't get me wrong and would fight to the death for him. That's why I feel so horrible about wishing he had never been born.

He is 19 now, and I haven't found anything that helps him enough to be self sufficient. If I wanted to, I could move him into one of the group homes around here and maybe that's what I should do because it might help his social skills. But I can't do it. Not yet.

maryr_32

February 22nd, 2005, 07:36 PM

What do you guys think of this info? Just curious.

http://www.radioliberty.com/adhd.htm
http://www.wildestcolts.com/adhd/sham.html
http://www.losthorizons.com/comment/archives/ADD_ADHD.htm
http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/myth_add_adhd.htm
http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/articles/add_invention.htm

I have to say, I've always been one of those who thinks it's awfully funny how it just "popped up" out of nowhere and now everyone seems to have it. I think it's just the changing society. So much stimuli. Kids are supposed to have alot of energy.....anyone remember that?

faith4ever

February 22nd, 2005, 07:58 PM

I haven't read the rest yet, but the first one seems to have been written by one who does not have a hyperactive child and doesn't have a clue.

Having skimmed through a couple more, it sounds to me like the notion of blaming the parents is trying to come back. :tsk Maybe I am not reading them right.

discovergrace

February 22nd, 2005, 08:35 PM

AKKK!

I guess you have to have a child with adhd to even begin to feel the depth of frustration, confusion and fear a parent feels. I guess you have to be a parent of a child with adhd in order to realize the monumental decison that they have to make when they either refuse or place their child on medication.
I guess if you aint walkin' in their shoes..you just don't know.

Dani D

February 22nd, 2005, 11:17 PM

I read the most wonderful book called "The Maker's Diet" (You may have heard of it - a Christian author named Jordan Rubin wrote it) - anyways it confirmed to me that our diets can really make or break our health both mentally and physically. I don't know much about Ritalin but I take amino acids and omega supplements for anxiety that work well to keep my brain chemistry normalized. I would encourage speaking to a holistic doctor and possibly consider interveinous supplements and enzyme therepy

faith4ever

February 23rd, 2005, 06:50 AM

discovergrace, are you flaming me?

I would say yeah, that's right. Unless you have a child like this, you don't have a clue.

It's the same for anything, unless you walk in their shoes, you really don't know. It is so easy for people to look at someone with a hyperactive child and think that if they just disciplined them right or gave them the medicine that helps them like if it were diabetes and needing the insulin. It is so easy for people to sit back and judge when they just don't know.

My son is older, so we went through the school years in a time when this was just starting and there wasn't very many like him. People really looked down on us then. Most thought that if I would just discipline him.....time outs didn't work, spankings didn't work, on and on, what did they want me to do, tie him to an anthill covered in honey?

discovergrace

February 23rd, 2005, 12:49 PM

Faith4ever: No...I was referring to the articles posted by maryr.
I don't see how you took my post as a flame towards you.
I get so dang frustrated with people who do not have adhd children...who do not spend hours in prayer and many sleepless nights trying to keep their child safe, but they seem to have all the answers, like it's so simple.
I have people in my church who have told me that I am wrong, dead wrong for putting my child on meds. Yet...this one gal has a son who died from alcohol/drug abuse and driving while impaired. Another gal who told me how bad of a mother I was for putting my son on meds, has a son who is 17 and in and out of jail for stealing cars etc for drugs.
Who is right and who is wrong? Am I doing the right thing or the wrong thing? Are you doing the right thing or the wrong thing??
Am I just trying to give my son the best opportunity I can to be successful in the future?
I just get so tired of it all.
Someone gave me some sort of german 'remedy" the other day. They said that this would help my son calm down and focus...to take him off of the meds and put him on this "natural remedy"...I get to reading up on it and lo and behold it tells me that it is dangerous to use all the time. That it is to be used for short durations. How does that benefit a child who can not focus or be calm without medication?
What I am saying is that anything and everything has a risk to it...whether it be natural or not.

architectlink

February 23rd, 2005, 07:45 PM

Well, even though we were so pleased with the recent seminars we have been to, we DID get this letter today from the teacher...STILL SETBACK BECAUSE THE TEACHERS WANT THE KIDS TO BE DRUGGED OR PERFECT...
(I am seriously considering changing to a school with smaller classrooms and/or doing some homeschooling.)

I am very concerned about YOUR SON right now. He is trying very hard, but he is still struggling with being able to pay attention in class. He does not seem to be able to focus or concentrate on any one task longer than a few minutes. I have found myself standing in front of him more and more each day to keep him on the work at hand. He is such a willing young man, and tries so hard to please. I am seeing some frustration in his expressions though as he is constantly being asked to turn around and concentrate or not to sing during a quiz.

I have also had some students sitting next to him begin complaining more and more about him distracting them. He continues to talk to them during quiet work times and laugh out loud to the point that they are getting distracted from their work. I will be moving seats around this week, so hopefully that should help some.

I am just overwhelmed with how much he wants to do good, and how hard he tries, but then less than a minute later is doing the complete opposite of what he is supposed to be doing.

Mrs. ____ and I are working together to do things to encourage him, remind him, and get him to stay on task. He had a couple very good weeks without missing assignments, but he is back this week to having quite a few. Some of the math pages he is leaving in his desk and not taking them home to be finished. I check his steno for him each day and for a while I will make sure he has all of his books and papers, but I can’t do this for the rest of the year. Fifth grade is not going to pack his backpack for him.

He has some very low grades on his progress report coming home on Friday. His reading grade is mostly due to not turning in SRA’s on time. He has 3 right now he is to complete. In math he is not being able to concentrate on his work long enough to get the pages done. I imagine what he is bringing home to finish is a great deal and is taking him quite a long time to complete. His social studies grade reflects low scores on his outline and tests. I believe that he left his book and outline here at school before the last test.

Mrs. Golat and I are being positive with Alex, trying to reward him and praise him for the great work he is doing, but at the same time, we feel that we need to be very stern with him in getting him to recognize what he is responsible for doing.

I am going to keep working with Alex until we get this tackled, but I wanted to let you know that right now he is having some big struggles. I know that he will keep working at it because he is that kind of young man, determined and willing. signed the TEACHER

Hisgirl

February 23rd, 2005, 10:09 PM

Oh, I feel for you. I have a son who has ADHD, autism, and mental retardation. I just had a conference with his teacher and therapists that they basically are at a loss for what to do with him. He is currently on Adderall, but they can't really tell if it is working because his anxiety level is so high. It is incredibly frustrating. They all love him, but just don't know what to do with him. Sounds like Alex's teachers are the same way. Is he on an IEP? Because his teacher sounded a bit arrogant about how fifth grade will not be packing his backpack for him. If he needs the help, then they should be helping him with it. I will keep you in my prayers. It is hard for people who don't have children with ADHD to understand why they act the way they do. They think you can just "get it out of his system" and "Let him be a boy" What they don't understand is that I would just LOVE for him to be able to be a typical boy. Oops. I turned this into my own vent. Like I said, I will be praying for you and your son.

discovergrace

February 24th, 2005, 12:03 AM

My prayer for all of our kids is that they will either be healed by the grace of God or they will grow out of it.
I apologize for my rant in my other post.
It is just so hard and so disheartening to be told your wrong at every turn in the road..

architectlink

February 24th, 2005, 10:10 AM

Good morning everyone!

Well, my wonderful son is home today doing his homework with me until he gets it done correctly....turns out he has been doing his long math wrong all along and instead of asking for help he has been doing everything else to deflect it...well, now he is calmly working at the table on problems and he understands what he is doing.

I appreciate your comments SO VERY much and I hope no one feels flamed on either side...We've been on meds for years and nothing really worked (except he was dumbed down to sit still for long periods). Anyhow, now that the LORD has opened doors with Dr. Steins book and this Steve Plogs website...I want you all to know that there is hope for all of our children.

Steve Plog does a great seminar on ADHD (he has it). You know how all of the parents with "normal" children have those bumper stickers that say, MY CHILD IS ON HONOR ROLL AT SUCH & SUCH SCHOOL.... He has bumper stickers that he gives out that say:

YOUR HONOR ROLL CHILD IS GOING TO BE WORKING FOR MY ADHD CHILD SOMEDAY!

architectlink

February 24th, 2005, 10:14 AM

I really believe that God sent Steve to our town to educate my husband, my mom, me and my son on the subject.

check out STEVE PLOGS WEBSITE...The website for the presenter is: http://www.resultsproject.net...

HE HAS ADHD AND IS A WONDERFUL PRESENTER TO CHILDREN AND PARENTS ON ADHD...PLEASE TRY TO SEE HIM IN PERSON OR HIS WEBSITE.

Here are some of the SIMPLE tips that we learned that you won't believe until you see the research that backs it up:

1. Milk is one of the biggest causes of ADHD symptoms.
2. Children are not drinking enough water and it causes toxic substances to collect in their systems.
3. Many children do better standing up doing their homework than sitting down.
4. Many children focus better doing homework in 15 minute increments, then running around for 15 minutes, then back to 15 minutes of work. (15 on, 15 off)...
5. 500 People were interviewed regarding success in life, and the lessons learned are included on his website...check it out. Additionally, 27 of 27 criminals tested positive for certain deficits in their nutrients in their bodies, increasing stress, hostility see link: violence.http://www.resultsproject.net/SR_on_Nutrition_&_Violence.html
6. There is a book called the DRUG INDUCED NUTRIENT DEPLETION HANDBOOK that all parents should read before they give their children any drugs, including aspirin, antibiotics, etc.

There is so much more on his website...check it out.

Blessings...

Caligirl

February 24th, 2005, 11:50 AM

discovergrace

February 24th, 2005, 11:59 AM

After all these years, I have come to the conclusion that each child is different. You can't put them all in the same catogory whatsoever, even with ADHD.
Some may have been effected by diet, others have not. My two girls do have ADHD and never could drink milk because it would cause ear aches so they pretty much stayed away from dairy so I know the ADHD did not come from milk. They also drank tons of water...

But, that does not mean that could be the cause for others.
It can be dangerous to tell someone to put there child on drugs, it can be also dangerous to tell them to go off the drugs.
What works for one, may not always work for another. Course once something works for your child, you want to share it with the world because it is so exciting that you found the cure and want others to know.

But the fact still remains, what is good for one, may not be good for another.

Each parent has to pray and pray and pray that God will lead them to the right way to handle this with each child because they are all so different.
And we need to always be careful not to put any guilt trip for those who do put the child on drugs, or those that don't.

It is a hard road to watch our children suffer so much, but God is good and faithful and he will lead us all to the right one, whichever that may be.

I believe that God has used your post this morning to confirm what He has been saying to my dh and I.
We were just talking this morning about how different every child is. How what works for one will not work for another.
The guilt trips are phenominal...by those who say they "have the answer."
The latest guilt trip that has kept me up for the past month was a group of ladies from the church telling me that there is no reason for me to keep my son on meds now that he is being home schooled. He tried for a day without meds and it was traumatic. I have gone through all the "what am I doing wrong?" etc...

Caligirl

February 24th, 2005, 12:35 PM

I believe that God has used your post this morning to confirm what He has been saying to my dh and I.
We were just talking this morning about how different every child is. How what works for one will not work for another.
The guilt trips are phenominal...by those who say they "have the answer."
The latest guilt trip that has kept me up for the past month was a group of ladies from the church telling me that there is no reason for me to keep my son on meds now that he is being home schooled. He tried for a day without meds and it was traumatic. I have gone through all the "what am I doing wrong?" etc...
I have been there, done that! :twitch Many tears and many second guessing throughout the years that is for sure.
The thing is, I don't doubt and never have that many "honor" students will be working for ADHD kids. They are extremely bright and can be really successful.
Most famous people were Add'ers. They didn't fail in business, but in relationships and that is a lonely place to be.

They are extremely bright and when they use that "hyper" focus in work...great things they can do.
There problem is no brake, and when you don't use that brake in relationships... :twitch hard...and it is harder for the person that they live with..

My brother in-law...super close to the Lord and he is ADHD as well. He is super successful, lots of money, and I am sure some "honor" students are among those 150 guys he has working for him.
He never was on meds growing up, but he is now.

I will never forget the day my sister came over. She was in tears and said this.." I know you have 3 Add'er and it is hard. But with you, they will be leaving when they get older and you won't have to live with them. I am married to one and have to live with him my whole life."
Now she loved this man, but with his hyper focus, his no brake, caused a lot of stress with my sister and their children at home.

He finally saw that and he himself decided to go the doctors and get help.
He went on the meds but still struggled with it. He wanted to just trust God to get him through without drugs. He eats healthy, he doesnt do dairy foods so that is not a issue. He is in super good shape and works out all the time.
He sent away for all the "natural" helps. But for him, nothing worked.
He would start to go into a depression each time.

So it seems like each year he tries to go off...but each time, he goes in the depression and that hurts everyone at home so he goes back on them. Last Christmas this happened again. He was ready to sell his business. Once he got back on his meds he was fine again. Just a chemical imbalance for him and the meds correct it.

I tell my kids all the time that there is no question they can be successful. But they also have to have that brake.

Ritalin worked great for my kids growning up. I will never regret that at all.
They are older now and seem to have calm down some but still have a hard time focusing.
They have chosen not to take the ritalin now and are trying to do it without. They could of never done that when young. They would have no friends whatsover growing up.

MY son is now 19 and has been off it for 2 years now. He did go in a small depression and almost went back on it but made it through.
My daugther, she struggles somewhat in school but is making it so far. Been two years for her as well. She is 17...
I don't know how they they handle life when out on their own or when married.
But they will have to make that choice if and when that time comes, hopefully through prayer.... :):

architectlink

February 24th, 2005, 01:10 PM

I believe that God has used your post this morning to confirm what He has been saying to my dh and I.

We were just talking this morning about how different every child is different . How what works for one will not work for another.

The guilt trips are phenominal...by those who say they "have the answer."
The latest guilt trip that has kept me up for the past month was a group of ladies from the church telling me that there is no reason for me to keep my son on meds now that he is being home schooled. He tried for a day without meds and it was traumatic. I have gone through all the "what am I doing wrong?" etc...

Amen....

The reason for posting my experiences here is because for years this was my scenario with my child, and perhaps other people can relate...(many do, who PM me)...praying for you all!

1. When he was born--in the birth canal for a long time, impossible to nurse
PRAY PRAY PRAY
2. Baby--a lot of ear infections, tendency to smash things, good eater
PRAY PRAY PRAY
3. Slow at crawling and walking (but I didn't know because it was my first child) PRAY PRAY PRAY
4. Slow to talk clearly, people asked me about therapy possibilities
PRAY PRAY PRAY
5. Toddler--fell asleep at dinner, feel asleep when drinking milk
PRAY PRAY PRAY
6. Adenoids out and very few infections or allergies since (except Spring time) PRAY PRAY PRAY
7. Elementary--tested very high on IQ things, but couldn't get the easy stuff
PRAY PRAY PRAY
8. Teachers requesting he be put on adderall, (which put him to sleep)
PRAY PRAY PRAY, LEARN NEW DISCIPLINES
9. Teachers requestiong he be put on ritalin and then concerta (manic episodes later).
PRAY PRAY PRAY--DOORS OPENING, DOORS CLOSING
10. Teachers loved him, but the other children could not relate to him
PRAY PRAY PRAY--DOORS OPENING, DOORS CLOSING
11. Talks constantly, hums, kicks chairs, etc.
PRAY PRAY PRAY--DOORS OPENING, DOORS CLOSING
12. Read Dr. Stein's book, too him off Ritalin at Christmas
PRAY PRAY PRAY--major DOORS OPENING, DOORS CLOSING
13. He is gaining weight and doing better, although moves too much in class
PRAY PRAY PRAY--DOORS OPENING, DOORS CLOSING
14. Saw Steve Plogs seminar and signed up to do the RESULTS PROJECT whereby they track everything a child eats and does for a few months.
PRAY PRAY PRAY--MAJOR DOORS OPENING, MAJOR DOORS CLOSING

Caligirl

February 24th, 2005, 01:13 PM

I wanted to add.
So many people are asking ..."Why so many Add'ers nowadays"?
The answer is pretty easy.

There are different reasons for ADHD.

First one, passed down by parents or grandparents. No fault of anyone just what they were born with.

Second..Diet...allergies that can cause ADHD

Thirdly...which I think is the main reason it is really going nuts now.
Drug or alcohol abuse while the child is in the womb.
If you add all those up, you are now seeing the results of why so many.

My kids all have it because of the drug abuse. Their bio moms did drugs during the whole pregnancy.
I remember the doctor telling me this when I asked about my son who was a drug baby.

I asked, "What can I expect when he is older."
He said, " Come back in 10 years and I will answer you." He went on to say that there was so much drug abuse with babies in the womb, they don't have a clue of what is going to happen in the next 10 years. It now has been 19 years since that day.

Well, now we know...very sad because some of this could of been avoided.
I don't think I know of one drug baby that doesn't have ADHD or worse.

But whatever the reason, God is good, and he is faithful to help all those who have it, to guide them on the right path.

architectlink

February 24th, 2005, 01:19 PM

Caligirl

February 24th, 2005, 01:48 PM

I also think all of the increased hormones causing them to grow faster sooner, and all of the additives in foods and also all of the teachers wanting them to sit for 6 hours a day...we never sat that long in school.

Oh, and crowded classrooms,
Not enough Jesus in school,
and the teachers are overloaded with their own problems,
not enough prayer....

on and on and on...
Yes, a lot of how the world is today isn't good for any of us....not only ADHD, but Cancer and everything else is coming out in every family...
Good thing Jesus is coming back soon, this world won't last much longer anyway. :wacko

discovergrace

February 24th, 2005, 01:52 PM

Amen you two!! Amen!!!!

I have felt for a very long time that the hormones in our food that cause grade three girls to have their periods also affect our children with concentration etc. How can it not!?
My son is starting to drink soy milk. He hates it...we do have a family who sells fresh cows milk in town...hmmm..no steroids, no hormones...it's very tempting. He also has eczema as well.
My dh's grandfather and uncle both have add for sure. They would never admit it but I am sure of it. Nothing get's done and if they do start on projects, they never get finished or they lose interest soon after.
I had trouble focusing and staying on task in school..unless it totally caught my interest. Same with my dh.
I think add/adhd is hereditary as well...or maybe it is generational? We have broken that curse over our son. It will stop with him...I pray, pray,p ray...
sigh.

allynnegirl

February 24th, 2005, 03:24 PM

*snip*
I am very concerned about YOUR SON right now. He is trying very hard, but he is still struggling with being able to pay attention in class. He does not seem to be able to focus or concentrate on any one task longer than a few minutes. I have found myself standing in front of him more and more each day to keep him on the work at hand. He is such a willing young man, and tries so hard to please. I am seeing some frustration in his expressions though as he is constantly being asked to turn around and concentrate or not to sing during a quiz.

...

I am just overwhelmed with how much he wants to do good, and how hard he tries, but then less than a minute later is doing the complete opposite of what he is supposed to be doing.

Mrs. ____ and I are working together to do things to encourage him, remind him, and get him to stay on task. He had a couple very good weeks without missing assignments, but he is back this week to having quite a few. Some of the math pages he is leaving in his desk and not taking them home to be finished. I check his steno for him each day and for a while I will make sure he has all of his books and papers, but I can’t do this for the rest of the year. Fifth grade is not going to pack his backpack for him.

...

Mrs. ____ and I are being positive with ____, trying to reward him and praise him for the great work he is doing, but at the same time, we feel that we need to be very stern with him in getting him to recognize what he is responsible for doing.

I am going to keep working with Alex until we get this tackled, but I wanted to let you know that right now he is having some big struggles. I know that he will keep working at it because he is that kind of young man, determined and willing. signed the TEACHER

Boy, this sounds like the P/T conference I had last night. "He is such a sweet boy. He is starting to lose his focus again and just can't control himself. Please up his dosage." :doh DS is on Adderall.

DD is on Strattera (ADD) - still cannot finish her assignments. "About time to take her to her brother's doctor and see what he can do." :yell

faith4ever

February 25th, 2005, 01:41 AM

It sounded like my sons teacher too, only she wasn't as friendly. :(: Does your son have an IEP? He really should have one. And yes, then they need to pack his backpack in 5th grade too. :mad That wasn't nice.

An IEP is essential. They can modify just about anything, plus they can have an IEP even in college.

faith4ever

February 25th, 2005, 08:26 AM

Here is a site I have just found which looks interesting.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/

I don't know how well these work, but could be worth a try.

discovergrace

February 25th, 2005, 10:52 PM

Thanks Faith.
I have put that site into my favorites and Dh and I are going to pray about it and see what God wants us to do.

On a bright note..ds got his tests back from his teacher (we home school) and he has A's in everything but science and that is a B+!!!
I help him a LOT but I have to right now. He did not learn a heck of a lot while in school..or shall I say that he was not taught a lot..*roll eyes*

ChicoSven

February 26th, 2005, 12:10 AM

I have read somewhere that Zinc supplements can help ADHD and loss of concentration.

There was a study done in GB some time ago and it showed that the supplements did in fact improve the children. You can try it but, it definitely needs to be monitored because too much zinc can strip copper out of your body and may cause a reaction with other drugs. Ask your Doc. first. I'm sorry I don't have any links to that.

I hate to see so many kids on Ritalin. My Nephew has ADHD and it seemed to me when he took Ritalin, he would just kind of turn into blank(?) person
. :(:

Cindybobindy

February 26th, 2005, 07:58 PM

Have you ever looked into him having toxic metals in him?
(I do not know if this has been mentioned before to you) There are Doctors who can test him to see if he is high in toxic metals, then put him on a chelation protocol to remove them.
We are doing this right now for our autistic son.

discovergrace

February 26th, 2005, 09:29 PM

No Cindy, I have not heard of that.
Would you go a bit more into detail?
Thanks.

architectlink

March 1st, 2005, 08:21 PM

Since taking him off of ritalin, these are the things we are monitoring and I'll keep you posted:

1. Taking him off milk products (very difficult--but we are drinking 1/2 soy right now and are on our way to soy milk).
2. No canned drinks
3. No sodas
4. He already does not eat anything sugary
5. Drinking a lot more water
6. Having a hair analysis, but some think this is quakery.
7. Watching all dyes he eats, including vitamins.
8. More discipline for giving up on homework assignements

Please continue to pray...he got 3 F's on his interims and he is a smart child. His grades have gone from a's to f's, but we are determined to keep him off drugs and homeschool until he gets over the hump. We believe that the Lord showed us that all of these children do not need to be on drugs

discovergrace

March 1st, 2005, 11:30 PM

architectlink:
God bless you and keep us posted. We are praying about trying that "focus" alternative... Waiting on God right now.
Sincerely, Pam

architectlink

March 2nd, 2005, 06:39 PM

My girlfriends son has Asbergers Syndrome and she told me the other night how well he has been doing since homeschooling and since going to a small CHRISTIAN school with only 4 other children per class.

This will give you the chills...she told me that she thinks that God is raising up his army of boys right now. God doesn't need our children to know book knowledge, because they are not going to be working on Wall Street, but they need God knowledge because they are going to be HIS saints, working in HIS ministry. She also said that she thinks there is a lot of spiritual warfare going on right now because God's army is being attacked. Look around at how many of our sons are being tested right now.

This really clicked for me because I have always wanted my children to be the Lord's servants, and I could not understand why they struggle so much with book knowledge...And now I can rest in faith that the Lord's knowledge and understanding is infinitely better than mine.

Please pray for all children suffering from ADHD right now...they are in a spiritual battle...

Cindybobindy

March 2nd, 2005, 09:15 PM

The toxins in our air, water, and food is really hard on our systems.
I believe our bodies are being bombarded with things it shouldnt have to deal with.
Our son tested extreemly high in arsenic, copper, nickle, aluminum, mercury, and antimony...to name a few. I was really puzzled as to where he got the arsenic, since that one was the highest one, and come to find out it is in any treated wood products. Such as playground equipment, and wood chips on playgrounds. When he was a toddler, he used to eat wood chips on the playground by the handfulls (it used to drive me nuts). He also would make a bee-line for our bark nuggets in our flower beds the minute he was outside, and he would be crunching on those quicker than I could catch up with him. Anyway......there is also stuff that is 'exuded' from new carpet that contains mercury (if I remember correctly). Many things in our environment has these toxins leeching out to us each day.
My son's body cannot process it out correctly, and thus it has built up and caused damage to him. We are doing a chelation process through a doctor.
There is alot of info. out there on chelation therapies, and such.
If you would like to pm me I will be glad to help further.
Blessings,
Cindybo

architectlink

March 7th, 2005, 12:53 PM

Cindy,

What kind of tests will tell you about the toxins? One group does hair analysis, but if you look that up on the internet it is known as quakery.

Do blood tests tell us what kind of toxins?

We live in an old historic house and I'm curious if the old metal pipes leach any sort of lead or anything...not sure where to have the water tested.

Any other ideas you all have are appreciated. I hate to put him back on ritalin but he is not functioning well in his 4th grade class of 22 kids. Perhaps if I homeschool him for a few years then he will be mature enough to go back into the larger classroom settings

Thanks.

architectlink

March 7th, 2005, 02:38 PM

This website is scary:

Think Fluoride is Healthy? Find Out the Shocking Truth in "The Fluoride Deception"

By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege
What do a picture of a smiling girl with perfect white teeth and behind her a ghost-like silhouette of a man dressed in toxic waste gear and a gas mask have in common? This is not a joke, this is what you see when you look at the cover of "The Fluoride Deception," by Christopher Bryson--even before turning to page one you are given a large clue. Much more than a book about the dangers of fluoride, "The Fluoride Deception" reveals a multi-tiered effort, or as Bryson says an abuse of power, by military and industry scientists and public health officials to shamelessly promote fluoride to the dentistry field and the American public with little regard to the implications it would have on human health.

If you are not familiar with the controversy surrounding the use of fluoride in water, toothpaste and numerous other products and industries, your mouth will drop as you read this book. If you are, you will be amazed at just how far and wide the cover-up and deceit stretches.

Bryson cites numerous, and specific, scientific studies linking fluoride, which he describes as "so potent a chemical that it's also a grave environmental hazard and a potential workplace poison," to numerous health ills including arthritis, bone cancer, emphysema and nervous system disorders like Alzheimer's disease and attention deficit disorder (ADD). In fact, the evidence is so compelling that you will likely find yourself reading and rereading in disbelief.

You'll read how a leading Harvard toxicologist who found that fluoride in water produced nervous system changes in rats that resemble attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was fired just days before her research was accepted for publication. Meanwhile, you'll find out the shocking connection between the U.S. Army Manhattan Project, where patients were injected--unknowingly--with plutonium and uranium to determine the toxic effects, and fluoride. And this is only the beginning of the story!

If you've ever wondered about that warning on the back of your toothpaste tube--the one that says a child who swallows more than a pea-size amount should contact poison control--and thought about how fluoridated water, which is drank in uncontrolled quantities, could be safe in comparison, you do not want to miss "The Fluoride Deception."

For those of you who have never thought twice about fluoride in your drinking water, this book is a much-needed wake-up call. And, if you are a dentist who supports the use of fluoride, you cannot afford to miss the information included in this book's 17 chapters. As Bryson says, it was "scientific fraud on a grand and global scale."

"The Fluoride Deception" reads like a novel that you can't put down, but the information, though seemingly fantastic at times, is not a story. Instead, this book chronicles very real people and events and the end result is a masterpiece of documented abuse, pollution and poisoning that can no longer be ignored. I highly recommend "The Fluoride Deception" to anyone and everyone--the message it contains has the power to change policy and opinions, and will make you question the effects of not only fluoride but also of other "safe" chemicals used openly in our environment today.

Stay tuned for an interview with Christopher Bryson in the next newsletter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Related Articles:

Is Fluoride Really As Safe As You Are Told?

Baycol - Another Fluoride Drug Bites the Dust

European Countries Banning the Use of Fluoride

What You Never Expected to Hear About Water Fluoridation

The Big Lie: Fluoridation Helps the Poor

The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jun/9/fluoride_deception.htm

discovergrace

March 7th, 2005, 08:55 PM

Oh man...this all just gets better and better huh? I get so discouraged when I think that I do what people with "knowledge" tells me to do for my child only to be told that it could be harming him. Makes me wanna swear...but I won't.

REG

March 8th, 2005, 06:25 PM

I haven't read this whole thread but I did want to share...
My girlfriend's child was brilliant, fine palying with one kid, but if another came, she'd lose complete control of herself, screaming, throwing fits, saying mean things then denying them....
My girlfriend tried everything, including Ridilin, which made it worse, went to behavior modification therapy, nothing worked.
Fianlly she went to a neurologist, took a brain scan and found out this poor child was having small, barely undetectable seizures. She had 15 in 20 mins. They're starting her on seizure meds now along with behavior thearpy with a new therapist.

Maybe this'll help.

Bethshaya

March 9th, 2005, 11:59 AM

I had a similar situation with my son. We tried stimulants for some time, and nothing seemed to work. That is when the school came to us during an IEP and asked to have another independant doctor evaluate him at their expense. Their programs weren't working that they usually use for ADHD on him.

After going to the Dr, she came back with him being PDD or Persuasive Development Disorder which is on the Autistic spectrum like Aspergers Syndrome is. She said it is so commonly misdiagnosed as ADHD or it can be a co-morbid (goes with) PDD. One of the first tipoffs is when stimulants, like Ritalin, do not work well or have an opposite effect (make the kids worse).

Here are some of the Asperger's/Autism/PDD Symptoms:
Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words
Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
Prefers to be alone; aloof manner
Tantrums
Difficulty in mixing with others
May not want to cuddle or be cuddled
Little or no eye contact
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
Sustained odd play
Spins objects
Inappropriate attachments to objects
Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
No real fears of danger
Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
Uneven gross/fine motor skills
Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range.

PDD has some symptoms like ADHD in hyperactivity, however there is a definate social aspect to the disorder. Children have a hard time being socially appropriate with peers. They mad do "silly" things that are considered "immature" by their peers. They may not make eye contact with others, or reciprocate or interpret feelings of others.

We have since gotten another opinion and that doctor agreed with the new diagnosis. We changed his medication to a non stimulant and he has dramatically improved. He is now on Abilify and Trileptal.

My advice to some of you: Don't rely on just one diagnosis if you are not seeing improvement after some time with the current treatment. If something seems "odd" to you about your child and it isnt getting addressed, seek another doctor out. Read up on different realted disorders for ADHD. It is very possible they are not being addressed by behavioral modification, medication or nutrition. Don't give up and keep searching!

I know how hard it is to sometimes try to not feel some ill feelings toward your child when they are acting up, or not acting like you had hoped they would. There were so many times I just wanted a hug, a smile or some silly interaction with my son. But they usually arent there. When they are, I treasure them.

Bethshaya

March 9th, 2005, 12:44 PM

I have to say, I am truly blessed to have had the most wonderful school system and teachers for elementary and now middle school for my son. Their help, feedback and encouragement has been outstanding and often the crutch I lean on in getting help and suggestions in dealing with him. My son has been in SpecEd since kindegarten and has had the same teacher since kindegarten (until this year). He grew so attached to her. He wouldnt even let her get married a few years ago until he met her fiancee. So they had lunch together one day and he like him and gave his "permission" to marry. :laugh

This year, he transitioned to middle school and the beginning was horrible. They mainstreamed him because he has above average intelligence. Big mistake! His social skills have put him at a huge detriment and he often will not participate in classroom activities, even though he has studied and knows the answers fully. What they didnt realize, was that he had never been in a full classroom all day before and was not only getting used to switching classes, lockers, new larger school, new students, new teachers and new schedules, but was trying to grasp how to interact in a classroom setting where he wasnt the only one, or was one of 25 kids now.

After the first few weeks of school, I was cleaning out his backpack and came across a pocket that was stuffed with pieces of paper. After taking them out, I realized that they were every note, post card, or letter of accomplishment that his first teacher had ever given him. When I asked him why he had them in his backpack, he responded when he missed Mrs D, he would take out the papers and read them, and he felt better about himself.

She knew how to tap into his "special" topics. He was facinated his heritage in Italy. She would look up words each week and put them on index cards for him to learn in Italian. She went on a trip two years ago to Italy and they spent weeks going over brochures and books looking at all the things she was going to see. She took digital pictures of each place she visited and sat down with him when she returned to talk about her trip with him. She sent post cards from each destination and he looked forward to getting them. She was a God given blessing for him.

His new teacher is nice and is quite willing to help. It takes him a long time to make the attachment and now that they realize (with Mrs D's help) what he needs, he is again performing better.

I get emails at least weekly, usually more frequently, with his progress and things that are or are not working with him. The schools have be so active in working together to help him.

I can remember one event where my son was feeling "stupid" because the kids teased him about being in special education. That year, the kids took the state standardized tests and the results came back. The school decided to have a meeting with us and him in attendance to discuss his results. We thought he had done poorly and they needed to talk. He was so upset and kept saying, see, I told you I am stupid" before the meeting.

It turns out, he was in the top percentile of his class.

His first response to the next person who called him stupid, was I'm smarter than you are, you're stupid! :clap (that was a huge confidence booster for him and took alot to even respond to the teasing)

I can only imagine what others go through when in a school system that isnt supportive, or want your children "doped" up so they can continue with their "better" kids without being interrupted.

Pep

March 9th, 2005, 10:39 PM

discovergrace

March 10th, 2005, 12:43 AM

My son was never violent at all but in his grade 2 class, he would donkey kick in the middle of circle time when others were dangerously close to getting a heel in the mouth. Then he would sit down quietly again but he still to this day has a problem keeping his legs and feet from moving...at least one body part has to be moving at all times it seems.
The docotr explained it like a short circuit in his brain went off...
does that help?

Caligirl

March 10th, 2005, 09:20 AM

I'm having problems with a 4 year old boy who is a foster child. Would the mothers here of children with ADHD answer a question for me, please. Are there times your children are quiet and well-behaved and then for no reason whatsover they jump into an hyper-excited state where you can't calm them down? The little boy I have can be quite calm when all of a sudden he goes crazy. He'll start hitting his 3 year old brother to get him all hyper and wrestling with him or he starts jumping up and down on the furniture, etc.. The change that comes over him is VERY noticeable and it happens for NO reason whatsoever. He'll be sitting calmly one minute and the next minute he's like a different kid. Is this a sign of ADHD? :cry

Thanks in advance for your answers.

God bless

You just described my son at the age of four. He would run down the hall way and do sommersaults all the way then jump on his bed. If anyone or thing was by him on the way, they would get hit. He wasn't being mean at all, you could tell, just had to move, move, move...

They can't sit for long, it about drives them crazy. So what happens, they try to behave by sitting nice and calm, but then the pressure of making themselves sit, makes them get up and just get it all out before they think they are going to explode.

I remember my son saying..."Mommy, why does it hurt to sit and be good" :cry

Is your foster child a drug baby? Most that are, a lot of those end up being ADHD.

architectlink

March 10th, 2005, 12:09 PM

Yes, all those wild and crazy swings describe my son, and I do believe that latent allergies play a big part in the mood swings. I have looked into toxins and am shocked to find out how bad flouride (in toothpaste and in the water) is for children and how bad milk is...praying you figure out why this is happening with your 4 yr old foster child.

I also copied from the list above the things that my son meets, but I still don't think that drugs will solve the problem. We are praying about this and we know that God will provide an answer:

Insistence on sameness; resistance to change YES
Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words YES
Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language YES
Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others YES
Prefers to be alone; aloof manner YES
Little or no eye contact YES
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods YES
Sustained odd play YES (HOURS AND HOURS OF LAYING DOWN IN SANDBOX DIGGING)
Spins objects YES
Inappropriate attachments to objects YES
Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain YES
Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity YES
Uneven gross/fine motor skills YES
Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range. YES

I am praying that God will give us insight how to respond to these needs in a non-drug way.