Need some advise about ADD

We have a 6(almost7) year old daughter, last year her teacher suggested that she may have ADD. We took her to the peditrician and she said yes i think that she has ADD here is a prescription. After being on the medication for only a month she had lost 10 pounds and would not eat and couldn't sleep at all. We took her back to the doctor and she said that we needed to add an afternoon dose of a different medication... Still losing weight, no sleep, and she only smiled once in 8 weeks. She had lost all of her personality and was like a zombie. We decided to take her off the meds for the summer and i think that she has done great but her tutor seems to think that she still shows some signs of ADD. Does anyone have any suggestions on ways to control ADD without medication?

My younger brother has been on all kinds of meds like that. The side affects are just about as bad as the problem. Every kid with "ADD" is different. You will probably have to try a lot of different things and fail but if you want alternatives to the meds I'm sure they are out there. Good luck.

Also keep in mind that ADD meds are all essentially a form of amphetamine, which means they are habit forming, and amphetamine withdrawal is pretty unpleasant.

Well, I.... ooooh shiny! (runs off)

Which may be a contributing factor to the growing Meth problem (as in methamphetamine): Kids develop a physiological and psychological dependency on their adderall prescription, then go off of it for a number of reasons, and self-medicate with Meth, as a replacement.

Conversely, lots of speed addicts turn to Adderall and other drugs in that family when they can't score meth.

Adderall, like all forms of speed, creates a desire for more stimulants. I know two people who had successfully quit smoking cigarettes for years and then relapsed after starting on ADD meds, they said the cravings for cigarettes and caffeine were very very difficult to manage.

I know some people have had a lot of success with changing their child's diet. I am sure someone on here can give you very detailed info about that but for some it can make a big difference. I know the author of Everyday Paleo talks about the changes in one of her children when she changed their diet. What can it hurt?

My son's 3rd grade teacher told us we should talk to our pediatrician about his problems "focusing". I mentioned it and the doc said he didn't think his issue was medical but more maturity and discipline. We cracked down on his school work, got a tutor (which I see you have done) and waited it out. He has a very late birthday and was always the youngest in his class in elementary school. Eventually his maturity level caught up with his peers and the extra help from the tutor (part of that success was boosting his confidence in the subjects he struggled with) and he is on par with his friends. He will start high school this year.

Ever consider homeschool? The way your child's mind works isn't as much her problem as it is her teacher's problem. Homeschooling an HA/ADD kid is extremely challenging but the freedom to learn how to deal with life in a way that works best for him/her is worth it. Everyone has to learn how to adjust to life and things that need to get done in life, it's just harder for some people and +1 on the caffine,,, it really works.

These days in the public school system "your child has problem focusing" = I can't teach my way out of a wet paper bag, so lets medicate your child so I can continue to milk the taxpayers for every penny.

When I do have a child, I'll do anything I have to, to keep them out of public school.

Typical ADD meds are bad news. They're essentially speed. Ritalin is one I was given, VERY briefly, when I was about six.

I had the contrary reaction to it. It didn't slow me down, it sped me up!



Take this only as information: I suffer from ADD but have tried Aricept, the alzheimer's medication, on a trial basis and I would say that
it is for all intents and purposes a CURE for my ADD. When I use it, it stabilizes me. I have better memory all around, both long and short term,
I remember appointments and things that need to be done at specific times better, and I'm able to settle down and work on projects with focus
and purpose for much longer periods of time.

I'm not suggesting it should be used on kids, but it has a good reputation among the college crowd for helping them around exam time.

It has essentially no side effects, too.

I personally think it should be over the counter rather than by prescription.


My trial with it was good enough that I want a doctor to give me a prescription for it.


One thing ADD-ridden kids do not need is a diet that's high in sugar and caffeine! If they're getting a lot of those things, you've GOT
to reduce their intake!


CJ

The fact that some of the meds are a form of amphetamine really concerns me. I really can't see myself agreeing to put her back on any type of meds. I would love to be able to be able to put her in a private school but we also have 2 more school age children and tution for 3 children(plus I am currently in college trying to finish my degree) would break the bank. I have read a lot of information on fsh oil supplements can help with focus.

I completly agree with you... I don't think that ALL teachers are like this but I know that my daughter's teacher was !! She was very disconnected from her students. I made my presence very known in her classroom volunteering to do every party,multiple projects with the class just so I could see how she interacted with the students especially my daughter. What I found was very frustrating. I think that most of my daughter's struggles come from having a poor teacher.

The coffee thing is very interesting... and we tend to try and not give them caffeine but we may try that and see what happens. She actuallly likes coffee too !! Thanks !!

I have ADD and work in a professional environment that is fast paced, constantly changing, has strict deadlines, is client service focused, and is very demanding. It's hard, and I have to work hard at overcoming my ADD.

I take Adderall twice a day because without it I cannot function at this point. My ADD is that bad. I hate it because it makes me moody, I am not the normal happy go lucky guy I usually am, it kills all appetites, and if I take it too late I cannot sleep at night. I take one dose at 7 AM and one at 12 PM. However it allows me to work in a career I love. Adderall is an amphetamine, it says right on the bottle that they are amphetamine salts. Oddly enough when I drink a huge cup of coffee or soda I seem to feel the same may. I can concentrate better and get jittery just like on my adderall. But it doesnt always work.

Although I use the medicine, it is not an end all. I started late on addressing my ADD because it wasn’t caught very early, so I feel I have an over reliance on the drug. I had always relied on my medicine and so had my parents. But it isn’t a fix.

Do not let doctors use drugs as a quick fix for ADD because it will not help your daughter in the long run. It may make your life a little easier and the schools life a little easier, however it will not help your daughter. It should only be used as a supplement or if all else fails.

I wish that I had learned about my ADD early on and had learned to deal with it. Because even with the drug right now, as much as I rely on it, I still have to teach myself good habits to function at my job. This is important to understand, even with the medicine, I still needed to learned good habits to overcome my ADD.

My best advice is this.

To understand how to help your daughter, you have to deeply understand ADD and what your daughter is going through and how she sees the world. This is by far the best advice I can give you. Understand ADD and then you will understand how to help you daughter. She sees the world very differently from you and most people have no idea what someone with ADD goes through on a day to day basis. Once you understand ADD, you will understand why she does what she does, why the teachers make certain comments about her behavior, and ultimately how to help her build habits to overcome it.

Teach your child how to handle ADD without medicine first. Build habits into her that will help her control the symptoms. You need to work closely with someone who knows about ADD. There is also a TON of information online about healthy habits you can build into her.

Good habits are having her always sit at the front of the class where she can directly see the teacher and not be distracted, have her always write down homework assignments and notes, ask the teacher to always write the homework assignments on the black board instead of just verbally communicating them, ask them to write down the homework assignments and give them to your daughter, build habits like "do it now or write it down", make check lists for her when she wakes up i.e. wake up, brush teeth, comb hair, put clothes on, pack bag, eat breakfast, check lists for when she goes to sleep, remove distractions when she is studying like the TV, have her study in a quiet room of the house where there isn’t a lot going on, and before she responds in class write down what she wanted to say and think about it before speaking. Have her make check lists of things to prioritize in her day. Follow up with her each evening the tasks she was to complete. You have to be proactive in teaching her habits that will help her control the condition as she grows.

Some things will be harder to teach and some easier. But many habits can be learned to help control most of the symptoms.

+1 cm There are other medications besides the "UPPERS". I take Wellbutrin. I think it is an antidepressant, so so it may not be appropiate for children. But it REALLY works for me. It is at least worth asking about. The difference in my motivation to finish projects and focus on them is astounding. No more "SHINY THING IN THE CORNER" syndrome.

I love ADD kids. I look at them like explorers and hunters. Everyone else are farmers who need to do things in order and really do well in school which is based from farmers. ADD kids are the artist, problem solvers and inventors. If I get an ADD child into something they really llike, try and stop them. I use that thing and their particular way of learning to teach all kinds of things. I believe there are some alternatives. I agree with an adjustment in diet. Stay away from foods with artificial colorings and flavors also stay away from all additives. Some kids are also triggered by some fruits like apples, peaches and such. I would suggest you do some research in this vein on line and talk to your doctor about it. I do believe in extreme cases medication is needed. I have what in my family was called " the McKnew gene" which is ADD.

I was diagnosed with both mild to moderate ADD and mild dyslexia a year or two before I started kindergarten. In first grade they wanted to hold me back but my parents said no way! At the end of second grade the school placed me the "Activating Children's Talents" program (Take that Mrs. Taylor - my first grade teacher.). I've NEVER taken meds for my ADD. My mom is an occupational therapist, mainly working with adults who have developmental disabilities. She applied some of the tricks of the trade to me.

One of the big ones was getting me involved with 4-H at age 8. We lived in the middle of a large-ish city (52,000 people). No cows, no farms. It provided an outlet for me to release energy and shift from one thing to another in a structured (that is key) environment. I stayed with it through college. I was able to learn how to focus on one thing at a time. 4-H might not be right for your daughter, but see if there is another organization or outlet that might go about "teaching" the same way. Another thing she did with me was limit TV time. I was allowed to watch TV for no more than 1 hour a day outside of dinner and in the mornings when the local news was always on in the background. Diet also works wonders. Limit processed foods and sugars. Don't heavily restrict what your child eats, just buy healthy things. (Easier said than done...)

To do this day I have minimal signs of ADD and hardly any dyslexic moments. Getting involved in the community is what made the biggest difference for me. These are just my experiences; take from them what you want.

My 14 yr old son was also diagnosed with ADD. With a teacher's prompting. But we had to go to a psychologist as well and do tests. So, it wasn't just a case of the doc out for more insurance money. He was put on Adderall. There are all kinds of side effects. He's skinny as a rail. Taller than me. No appetite. Horrible headaches. Can't sleep. Stomach aches. And top of it all he has horrible guilt. He recognizes that he can't concentrate and needs the medicine, but hates what it does to him. I was also told that the medication could stunt his growth by an inch or two. I have always kept the dosage at the bare minimum. I recognize that there comes a point where my son will have to learn how to deal with this on his own and the medicine is only a band aid. There is incredible pressure to increase the dosage, just so he can "conform". So I try my best to limit artificial additives and colors. And most importantly, I sit there with him and help him with his homework. Just to draw his attention back to it. It takes a lot of time to do it, but it's worth it for his self esteem. Eventually, he will figure it out. My ex likes to over medicate him just so he doesn't have to sit there and be a parent. That's what we signed up for folks. Life isn't perfect. It's gotten to the point that my son takes his medicine with me, because I work with him. But spits it out and flushes it, when he's with my ex. My ex is doubling his dose. I'd like to note here that, my oldest son (16) and oldest daughter (11) also showed signs but I was able to work with them and they've learned how to deal with it/grow out of it. Medicine is a great tool. But I firmly believe it's just a crutch, and my kids can learn how to properly handle it without. Until then, my 14 yr old is on it. Please be aware of your kids self esteem. They feel so much better when they can work through something like this if you can show them how. And, at least for my kids, this is ADD not ADHD. Huge difference. My kids just have problems concentrating, not sitting still or being impulsive. Also, work with your school. There are some programs with some districts. My son gets extra tutoring and/or time on important tests. My oldest son is going into German III and in all the AP classes. My daughters are straight A students. So there is hope. Hope that helps.

My son is 13 and takes Focalin XR 15mg. He is not hyperactive, just can't keep his attention focused as the above poster mentioned. He only takes it when needed such as a school day. I was very hesitant to put him on any meds and balked until 2nd grade when he got suspended from school for pushing a teacher. I realized then that his frustration was so high that he could not pay attention and complete simple tasks and it made him angry and frustrated and he began lashing out at everyone around him. This seemed to be somewhat helpful for him. I does not appear to be addictive as he may take it every day for 5 days and then two days off and then not take it all summer and no adverse reactions.....YMMV.

But that's not the end of this story.....when he was 18 months old he had a febrile seizure (fever). And again at age 3 or so. And then another after age 5. Took him to see a Pediatric Neurologist, did EEG and came back that his EEG was abnormal. The doc said was probably fever related and said we could put him on meds for seizures and see what happens and we chose not to. So a few years go by and no seizures, but trouble with ADD. Took him to Behavior specialist and they wanted to repeat the EEG. That EEG also comes back abnormal––docs seem to think that since no seizures that it's just how it is. I accept that and start the Focalin. After a couple of years the Focalin appears to dramatically improve his concentration. Then one day this past May I get a call from his friend's mom that he had been playing basketball with her son and had a full blown gran mal seizure. It had been SIX years....I was devastated but started over with the Pediatric Neurologist. This doc repeated the EEG and again abnormal and started him on seizure meds. I asked numerous questions and inquired of that doc if he's been having small seizures all these years and we just hadn't caught them. This SPECIALIST told me that probably not....but answered none of my questions and acted almost put out that I was trying to find out everything I possibly could about epilepsy.

Well I'd had enough, switched docs, and haven't looked back. The current doc had all of his past records to include every EEG that was done and informed me that based upon all the EEGs that my son has been having absence seizures for the past 6 years and probably been missing up to 10 seconds of every minute!!!!!

As a parent you can't possibly imagine the guilt that has overwhelmed me for the past few weeks. I've been told that ADD can go hand in hand with epilepsy, but damn, he's obviously been missing so much and suffered needlessly..

I've rambled on, but the message I'd like to convey is don't just settle for the ADD or ADHD diagnosis and go with that. Make sure that it's not something medical that needs to be addressed 1st. If the doctor won't answer all your questions and your gut tells you it doesn't seem right, get another opinion. And if that doesn't seem right, get yet another opinion. What I wouldn't give to go back 6 years......

I came across this while surfing the Active topics, not that I surf the Women Shooters


My 10yo daughter has ADD, ADHD whatever you call it. She was diagnosed with it years ago. I was always totally against giving medications like this to my kids.

Bottom line, We tried to do without the medication a couple of years ago and she started doing bad in school, As in not doing her work(daydreaming, drawing, being disruptive some times).

With the Meds, she does excellent in school.

It is hard as a parent to figure out which is better, dealing with the side effects of the meds or letting her fail at school. We chose to deal with the side effects, and we just hope it is the right answer.

The vast majority of 'ADD' diagnosis are, IMHO, bullshit. I didn't pay attention in school, either. Had my parents drugged me, where would I be today? Not where I'm at, that's for damn sure.

This may be a kid you have to do a little more for - or maybe one you just have to challenge a bit. But to me, drugs are an absolute last resort. Not a first resort like teachers and doctors seem to think today.

ADD is a broad term used for an even broader array of specific characteristics.

It's the "you have a cold" diagnosis of psychology.


Take heart in this, though: ADD rarely affects people of merely normal (or less) intelligence. People with ADD are almost univerally very bright.




CJ

+1, coffee

[size=3]
I almost didn't bite on this one, but I just can't help it -

This post is about how to help a child who exhibits signs of ADD. It isn't an political attack on "bad" teachers who are "stealing the money right out of your pocket". Focus...focus...focus... (have you talked to a physician lately, btw? ).

There IS a difference between "focus" issues and "behavior" issues. Since teachers aren't physicians, all they can do is point out a possible problem. So, blaming the teacher is counter-productive.
And, FYI, it isn't hard to keep your kids out of public school. There are private schools. But, then, they have those "greedy incompetent teachers", too - and you'll still be paying. Home school is certainly an option, but it doesn't address the the possible medical issue.

I think it's a bit judgmental to assume that a professional who works with children on a daily basis wouldn't have some clue as to what focused, unfocused, and "possible problem" might look like. If a teacher who works with a child for months says a child seems to have problems focusing and suggests checking with a physician to rule out ADD/ADHD so parents can move on to other possibilities, he or she is doing the responsible thing of notifying a parent of a potential problem. It would be a shame if teacher after teacher never let the parents know and simply moved the child through the system, letting them fail (besides, the teachers would be blamed for that, too...so we're screwed coming and going). It's up to the parents to respond to the suggestion. Parents can opt to ignore it.

I, for one, CAN teach my way out of paper bag, and I AM a taxpayer, so I will assume you aren't talking about me (just my "money-grubbing, lazy colleagues") and respond to the original post:

For some kids it takes trying a lot of different things. I agree that nutrition and creating a routine should be the first line of defense. See if the school can switch the child's schedule around so they have P.E. and hands-on classes at the time of day when they seem to have the most trouble "focusing". Make sure their diet (especially breakfast and lunch) support their ability to think. A nutritionist or homeopathic physician might be able to help with this. Also, routine can be very helpful. Does your child have an expected routine at home and at school? All kids benefit from routine, regardless of ADD/ADHD issues. some of our students have morning classes only so they only medicate in the morning.

Use the teacher (and school) as an ally. Stay in close contact as you try new things with your child. The teacher sees your child in a different situation and can let you know if whatever you are doing is working/helping in a school environment (very different from home).

If your child's teacher is more "abstract" and less "structured", maybe a class-change might be beneficial. I know that I tend to be assigned a lot of kids with "focus" and "behavior" problems because I have a very set routine. It calms them down a bit and makes them feel more in control.

Have you gone to your child's classroom for a day or two to see what's happening (with her, the teacher, and the other kids)? There might be other factors at work. Just a suggestion.

I never used to be in favor of medication (and I'm still reticent) but after having a few students' lives so completely changed by it, I wouldn't leave it out of the conversation. I had an undiagnosed student who was a complete zombie for months. Never said a word and didn't do any work. He finally found a good medication and started smiling and talking. It was really amazing. But, the side-effects can't outweigh the benefits. That's not fair to the child. And not to make it harder, but as she grows, things will change. What works for her now might not work for her at 12, or 15, or 20.

And sorry for the rant...but grrrrr.... it just chaps my ass when people blame my profession for things we have no control over - it's hard not to take it personally.[/size=4]

GAH! I wish I had checked this thread sooner...

Here's my personal story: My (now) 12 year old daughter was diagnosed with bipolar and eventually with ADHD when she was 2 years old. It's a severe case, needless to say. Once she started school, the ADHD became much more apparent after we finally had the bipolar under pretty good control.

My advice - please heed it: GO SEE A CHILD PSYCHIATRIST. Do not let your regular pediatrician make that kind of diagnosis.

The problem is that your pediatrician isn't fully qualified to make a serious decision about your daughter. A child psychiatrist is much better at figuring out if your daughter has ADD/ADHD in the first place, and can manage medications much better if she does. There's no way that your pediatrician can figure out in one office visit that your daughter has a problem, and then start throwing medication at it all willy nilly (which is definitely what it sounded like yours did).

Next piece of advice: If you don't feel comfortable with the child psychiatrist you've picked, go to another one. Ask friends. Look for referrals. Do whatever you have to do to get your daughter seen by someone you feel comfortable with and who looks to have her best interest at heart.

IF your daughter ends up on medication, then be prepared for some amount of experimentation. Unlike diseases like strep for which definite guidelines exist (X mg for Y days), psychiatric medication isn't an exact science and everyone responds differently. What works for one person may not work for the other. One common side effect of ADD/ADHD meds (as you have noticed) is that they can suppress appetite quite a bit. Your daughter should NOT have a marked decrease in her activity levels and turn into a zombie like you described - especially since she sounded like she wasn't that bad off to begin with.

Let me know if you have any other questions or if you want to talk about specific drugs we've had experience with.

Throughout my childhood, i suffered with undiagnosed ADD; my parents avoided it like it was the plague. After several tutors & numerous hours after school they finally had me tested & they confirmed i was ADD.
That was 4 years ago and several different medications (adderall, concerta, stratera, ritalin, daytrana & Vyvanse.) Most of the medicines turned me into a zombie i would talk to her pediatrician about Vyvanse it seemed to be the only medication that worked!


Hope this helps!:)

Thank you all for all the good advise, and suggestions. I am happy to report that since we have started a new school year and have a new teacher she has not shown any of the signs she showed last year, she is reading again, not throwing temper tantrums, getting up in the morning and not screaming about going to school. Everything is completly different. We are keeping our fingers crossed and still continuing her private therapy sessions but we are very hopeful that this will continue on. Thanks again for everything from everyone.

http://totallyadd.com/

I recommend this site as well for help in how to cope - and for ideas to use for your child.


The site is tailored to people with ADD ... because seriously, if you have ADD you may find going through wall-to-wall text with thousands of links to be either boring or daunting.

And one of the guys hired to be the "face" of the site is himself ADD, very hyper too.


They also bring out good points - that not every aspect of ADD is bad. For example. sure you forget to do you homework, BUT you also forget why you got into a fight with your best friend (unless it's something really horrible)... so you can be very forgiving. You may also be really fun to be around.



http://www.additudemag.com/
This one is OK too. Although it's better for say, parents who don't have ADD etc.



Oh that's another thing to mention... It can be genetic. Don't let that panic you, think of it like some kind of cosmic joke. You can survive this if it is. (I have it, and in my sister's family, her husband has it, her son, at least one of their nieces... etc)

What it MAY mean however is that... while getting your child treated, one or both of you may find that some of the things she's going through seem ... awfully familiar, or strike home hard as something you've been through yourself. So one of you may end up getting treated too.



And of course some parts will be hard. Especially if your school system has its head up its ass like mine did. They couldn't tell the difference between "learning disabled" and "bright / gifted" because back then ADD wasn't understood. And they got more money for the LD students, so there was a financial incentive to push for that label.

Oh... and one of their BRIGHT ideas was to put a camera in the classroom to video tape me to see how I was during class. Seriously. I'm not talking hidden camera. I'm talking an OBVIOUS fixed camera. And a grade school kid. What do you THINK happened? I acted silly cos it was funny. Hell my classmates did too. And they tried to use that as evidence about me being bad or whatever.


So yeah schools might be a problem. You'll need your support system.

And I think I'm going to cut this off for now... Cos I think I just proved my own ADD condition with that ramble.

Good deal, Kat.

Make sure to keep an eye on it though - psychiatric disorders ebb and flow. She may be just fine and was wrongly diagnosed, or it may be simmering below the surface. If she starts exhibiting signs again, please please PLEASE make sure to take her to a pediatric psychiatrist and not your family physicians. Keeping up the therapy - at least for now - also sounds like a good idea.

Good luck!

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