[ARCHIVED THREAD] - MODS PLEASE LOCK (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/10/2008 12:02:11 PM EDT
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Please lock, thanks.
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO.
One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. 
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. ETA2: And I agree that most labeled ADD or ADHD are really not. |
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Wanting some info on ADD in children. Any tips to help with school and life in general? Any other things I should know about? Thanks! Yeah - if you go down the medication route - stimulants are still best treatment. There is a drug called Strattera that is being 'hyped' because it's a non-stimulant...but it's actually derived from an anti-depression medication  and causes some strange side effects. Adderall/Vyvanse and Ritalin/Concerta are still the best meds for children.
Most ADD people have what we call 'hyperfocus' - or what you may call 'zoning out'  . It's both a gift and a curse - it allows us to put ungodly levels of focus on particular tasks...but that means that we neglect everything else. For children you mainly see it in the classroom - they aren't paying attention to the teacher for example or maybe they seem like they're 'daydreaming' - this is when they are in hyperfocus.
Generally the medications help break that hyperfocus down - so we can focus on more tasks and get more things done. The only drawback though is that the best medications are stimulants, and stimulants are VERY strong drugs. |
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If you suspect ADHD, get the child tested with the full battery––privately, not by the school itself. Don't let a physician diagnose it based on a 15 min interview or checklist. Yes, I'm quoting myself. DON'T allow the diagnosis based on a questionnaire. |
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. The medications have the opposite effect on an ADD person that they would on a normal person. Ritalin is a stimulant to a normal person, but it actually works something like a depressant in someone with ADD. IIRC, they said it caused the production of whatever hormone/chemical that the body didn't naturally produce enough of. |
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If you suspect ADHD, get the child tested with the full battery––privately, not by the school itself. Don't let a physician diagnose it based on a 15 min interview or checklist. Yes, I'm quoting myself. DON'T allow the diagnosis based on a questionnaire. How else could they come to a diagnosis? I discussed what is going on with her at home and at school with the pediatrician and she handed me a questionnaire, which almost every question is a yes for the ADD part of it, not hyperactivity. What else should we do to get a proper diagnosis? Thanks for the input! |
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. The medications have the opposite effect on an ADD person that they would on a normal person. Ritalin is a stimulant to a normal person, but it actually works something like a depressant in someone with ADD. IIRC, they said it caused the production of whatever hormone/chemical that the body didn't naturally produce enough of. Yes, but I believe that amphetamine use at this age would cause addictive tendencies as an adult and that is what I am afraid of. Plus I am worried about it either making her too sleepy or causing insomnia and loss of appetite. I don't want bad side effects. I don't want her to be zombified and on meds. I do want her to succeed in life because she has so much potential. She is really struggling with staying focused and it is frustrating her to the point where she is hating school. |
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As far as I'm concern its a scam.
Its fucking the future of kids physically, mentally, and finacialy. In the future it will also effect the chances to own vehicles and guns. Some states like Mass. already outlaw the use of the drugs involved and driving. Being banned on having a drivers license is next. Its already started. |
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Doing tasks that focus on patience helped me a lot.
Model building, target shooting, reloading, wood working, drawing, etc. but I could never sit down and finish anything in one go, or I'd go batshit crazy/bored. If at school they would have given me a stack of books, told me there was a test in a month, and let me have at them, at random on my own time....I could have passed a GED type test at 13ish. The people I know with ADD have problems with retention. Any pill I ever tried to take for it made everything worse, but I guess curbed the ADD. Was not worth the trade off to me. I'd rather channel surf in my head all day. Fun times! ETA: Me and My little bro both have it....our grades sucked.... I had very understanding teachers and ended up doing honors level work in a regular class because the dumb kids were less interesting to me and I didn't get distracted as much. 
Neither of us is hyperactive. I'm about as chill as it comes but if attention was a penny I couldn't afford to pay. |
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I don't have kids, but most of what I see called ADD is a combination of too much sugar and not enough discipline. YMMV. Yea, i think most of the add/adhd diagnoses are results of not enough beatings. seriously. Same with most (not all) other "disorders" oppositional defiance disorder = waited too long to discipline your kids. I took one of those questionaires by myself last year, and guess what, I have ADD. not ADHD though. But I'm fine. I was "diagnosed" with a fine motor skills deficiency in highschool, which means...guess what? that my handwriting sucks and i don't care to fix it. I do take longer to learn fine motor skills such as typing, playing guitar and writing, but If i just give it a little time, i can learn. I think that these are just ways of classifying peoples personalities as disorders so they don't have to reap the consequences. |
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ADD is now classified as two separate disorders, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) Boys are more likely than girls to have the former, the latter is typically some type of excessive day dreaming. My father brother and my brothers daughter all have ADHD. My Bro's Daughter is 5 and just entered kindergarten. The first teacher didn't believe them and punished her for her inability to concentrate. They requested she be placed with another teacher who had some great ways to counter act the ADHD. Mostly short focused assignments. When the teacher gives the class 20 minutes to do an exercise they give her 5 and she typically completes it under the time limit. ADHA kids have hyperfocus but it only last so long.
ADHA kids need a teacher who will play to their strengths and put up with the other. Its all about finding out what they are capable of and playing to those strengths. Talk with the teacher and if they are not cooperative go up the chain. As for homelife, its difficult for them. She is everywhere, lots of correction, lots of keeping her on track, lots or routine. Lots of sleep for her, she naps and goes to bed at 7:30. Almost everything they do with her has a time limit of some sort. Anyway..good luck, get the kid tested and get some outside help if you need it. Matt |
| Make DANG sure it's really ADD or ADHD. For boys it's called being a BOY (in my experience anyway). But for both boys and girls it can also be that they're flat BORED in class. They need to be stimulated and unfortunately the classroom doesn't do much these days.... |
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If you suspect ADHD, get the child tested with the full battery––privately, not by the school itself. Don't let a physician diagnose it based on a 15 min interview or checklist. Yes, I'm quoting myself. DON'T allow the diagnosis based on a questionnaire. How else could they come to a diagnosis? I discussed what is going on with her at home and at school with the pediatrician and she handed me a questionnaire, which almost every question is a yes for the ADD part of it, not hyperactivity. What else should we do to get a proper diagnosis? Thanks for the input! Ask the school for a referral to a psychologist (likely a school or clinical one) that will do the testing for you. The full battery takes several hours to administer, will include school and home questionnaires, and rule out other learning disabilities. PM me for me info if you'd like. |
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What grade is she in??
Have her make lists of the teacher's directions in class... on a sheet of paper if older... on a small dry erase board if younger. Typically an ADD child will have a lot of difficulty following more than one or two directions at a time. When they can write them down, they can take it step by step at their pace. It is frustrating to not recall hearing what they were supposed to do. People often assume they are not paying attention, but it typically means that they pay attention to too many things at once... extr noises will usually distract them easily. I had a former student who was bugged by the ticking of the clock (which I couldn't even hear and I was standing next to it). As someone else suggested... get the complete battery of testing done and be in constant communication with the teacher. Your child should know that this doesn't mean she can't learn, it means she will need to take different steps to learn than maybe the kid next to her will. There is nothing wrong with being ADD, but children with it will often build a low self-esteem because of the stigma that follows it... often from parents, other students, and teachers, as well. Jenn |
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. The medications have the opposite effect on an ADD person that they would on a normal person. Ritalin is a stimulant to a normal person, but it actually works something like a depressant in someone with ADD. IIRC, they said it caused the production of whatever hormone/chemical that the body didn't naturally produce enough of. Yes, but I believe that amphetamine use at this age would cause addictive tendencies as an adult and that is what I am afraid of. Plus I am worried about it either making her too sleepy or causing insomnia and loss of appetite. I don't want bad side effects. I don't want her to be zombified and on meds. I do want her to succeed in life because she has so much potential. She is really struggling with staying focused and it is frustrating her to the point where she is hating school. I knew a lot of other ADD folks in school(on meds), and AFAIK, all of them went on to lead happy lives with good jobs and college education. I don't know about other drugs, but as best I can remember, Ritalin never made me sleepy or caused insomnia. Loss of appetite?  I could, would, and did eat a large pizza by myself on a few occasions...sometimes I was still hungry too. Everyone is different, but IMO, accelerating the rate of learning would probably be a large part of any solution. I turned a 180 when I went to self paced learning over the regular "you will only learn at this rate" crap.
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I found it out as an adult. I somehow managed it as a child, but when stress levels go up, I have trouble forcing myself to focus.
Learn lots about diet. I take my meds may once a month if that. I don't eat any crap, and I run/bike or otherwise am active. With me if I avoid corn syrup, food dyes, nitrates like beef jerky, and exercise I don't need any meds. Your mileage will vary based on how bad of a case you might have. I am convinced that you don't need the meds and they are more trouble then they are worth, but if you can't exercise and keep to the diet then taking them is an option. I'm convinced that diet has the more to do with it. Processed foods are bad. Fish oil might help, I can't tell. Lots of protein does for sure. In college I always had cheese sticks and they helped. The other thing to watch for is sensitivity to lots of other stuff. Allergies etc. More stuff: think of it as an advantage, with you have add you can keep track of lots of information, do creative work and other things. The biggest one thing you can do to help someone with add is make them schedule themselves in some manner. I put anything and everything in my phone, otherwise it's out of sight out of mind. I've know more then one person with add that has missed a court date, or otherwise screwed up by not remembering a date. If you can help your child/self learn ways to remind them of stuff that will help greatly. Post-it notes/bills on the fridge in plane sight sorts of stuff. |
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. ETA2: And I agree that most labeled ADD or ADHD are really not. I would caution you that before I actually met a kid with ADHD, I said the same things you are saying. And I was 100% wrong. "Stimulant medications" have exactly the opposite affect on a kid with ADHD. They calm down and are able to concentrate. They are not "zoned out". They are not "drugged up". They are finally "normal, and able to do normal things like other kids. Get a good Doctor and learn about this issue. And pay no attention to the "experts" on AR15.com General Discussion, most of which have no clue about this problem. BTW, the kid I know went from making Ds and Fs and terrible "Conduct", to straight As and perfect conduct. He says it is wonderful to be able to concentrate and do well in school. And if he had a choice, he would want to take the medication. |
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As far as I'm concern its a scam. Its fucking the future of kids physically, mentally, and finacialy. In the future it will also effect the chances to own vehicles and guns. Some states like Mass. already outlaw the use of the drugs involved and driving. Being banned on having a drivers license is next. Its already started. And you're clueless. 
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. ETA2: And I agree that most labeled ADD or ADHD are really not. I would caution you that before I actually met a kid with ADHD, I said the same things you are saying. And I was 100% wrong. "Stimulant medications" have exactly the opposite affect on a kid with ADHD. They calm down and are able to concentrate. They are not "zoned out". They are not "drugged up". They are finally "normal, and able to do normal things like other kids. Get a good Doctor and learn about this issue. And pay no attention to the "experts" on AR15.com General Discussion, most of which have no clue about this problem. BTW, the kid I know went from making Ds and Fs and terrible "Conduct", to straight As and perfect conduct. He says it is wonderful to be able to concentrate and do well in school. And if he had a choice, he would want to take the medication. Another great post from O_P. 
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What grade is she in?? Have her make lists of the teacher's directions in class... on a sheet of paper if older... on a small dry erase board if younger. Typically an ADD child will have a lot of difficulty following more than one or two directions at a time. When they can write them down, they can take it step by step at their pace. It is frustrating to not recall hearing what they were supposed to do. People often assume they are not paying attention, but it typically means that they pay attention to too many things at once... extr noises will usually distract them easily. I had a former student who was bugged by the ticking of the clock (which I couldn't even hear and I was standing next to it). As someone else suggested... get the complete battery of testing done and be in constant communication with the teacher. Your child should know that this doesn't mean she can't learn, it means she will need to take different steps to learn than maybe the kid next to her will. There is nothing wrong with being ADD, but children with it will often build a low self-esteem because of the stigma that follows it... often from parents, other students, and teachers, as well. Jenn It is things like the teacher will directly give her directions and my daughter will just look at her blankly. She does this at home too, kinda tunes you out. The teacher writes assignments on the board for homework and she will either not write them down or will write them down and not bring the books home. She has problems staying organized. Any little noise in class makes it very hard for her to concentrate and she is not completing her class work. Once she gets distracted it takes her forever to get back on task. She is getting really frustrated with school work. She zones out. She is well behaved in school and does not talk a lot. She just cannot stay on task and focused. She has had her Play Station privileges taken away and the situation still has not changed with school. The teacher does not believe that there is a learning disability, but thinks that she may have attention deficit. She is 8 years old. She is probably going to be held back this year. She has so much potential and if there is something wrong I would like to do what I can to help. This is not a discipline issue, there is something else going on. I just want some info and resources for stuff other than medication and just different things that we can do to try to help her out. |
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another vote for ADD is bullshit.
just another way to sell drugs to people looking for quick fix. turns my fucking stomach. heaven forbid we realize boys learn differntly then girls. we make them into eunuchs, and tell them it's their fault for being 'hyper'. Let's not forget pumping them full of crappy foods and parking them in front of the TV god. 
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Well my brother has ADD and is 21 still "suffering" from it. It is just extremely difficult for him to focus on one single task. He more sees the end result of something but doesn't imagine the process of getting there. He is big on starting things and never completing them. He also doesn't see the consequences of his actions.
He was always one of those kids in class that was obnoxious and distracting other students. After many meetings with his teachers, my parents (both are teachers as well) decided to put him on Concerta (this wasn't until about 8th or 9th grade). Once on the medication, his grades drastically improved (from C/D/F to A/B). He was no longer getting in trouble in class, causing distractions, ditching, etc. He was on the medication for about 3 years then for some reason decided that he no longer liked being dependent on a drug. Maybe he just thought that he could do fine without it? Well he is now 21 and just recently moved out of my parent's place. He has had many encounters with the police and spent many nights in jail. My brother is unable to hold a job for very long. He is a great worker, extremely smart, and such a "people person". It just gets to the point that if he wants a day off work, for whatever reason, and cannot get it off, he will just not show up. He doesn't really see the consequences of his actions until it is too late. He lives in a fairly small town (about 8000 people) and has been employed almost everywhere you can think of. If there is a place that he has not worked, that is likely because they know of him and will not give him a job. It was not until just recently that he had a serious encounter with the police and a definite scare of spending many years in prison that he had begun to get his life back on track. He moved into a rental house with a few buddies (not the greatest influence on him) and has had the same job for almost 6 months. He is starting to see that his life was going nowhere and he needs to change. He is working right now and paying off his many fines: about $1000 to go to the court (was $2500), $1500 to my parents (was $3000), and $500 to me (his little sis). I can honestly say that I am proud of him for the progress he has made. However, there have been other times where we though he had turned around and was doing so well and then something happened and he was back at square one. I just hope that this time he has changed for good. So my honest opinion is if you are sure that it really is ADD and not just an energetic child, get the kid on medication. There are plenty of brands out there that can be specific to your child's needs. I hope whoever you know that has ADD does not have the problems that my brother did (also if the child is hanging around kids that aren't a very good influence, that can play a large roll in ADD children––their friends are often more important than family). All I can say though is make sure you love and support him/her in every way possible. Don't tell the child that they have a disease or personality disorder because I think that is what got to my brother. I think classmates found out about him taking medication and tormented him about it. I wish you the best of luck in whatever situation you are encountering. |
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If you suspect ADHD, get the child tested with the full battery––privately, not by the school itself. Don't let a physician diagnose it based on a 15 min interview or checklist. 80%+ of kids that are 'reviewed' for ADD end up with a prescription for drugs.
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. ETA2: And I agree that most labeled ADD or ADHD are really not. I would caution you that before I actually met a kid with ADHD, I said the same things you are saying. And I was 100% wrong. "Stimulant medications" have exactly the opposite affect on a kid with ADHD. They calm down and are able to concentrate. They are not "zoned out". They are not "drugged up". They are finally "normal, and able to do normal things like other kids. Get a good Doctor and learn about this issue. And pay no attention to the "experts" on AR15.com General Discussion, most of which have no clue about this problem. BTW, the kid I know went from making Ds and Fs and terrible "Conduct", to straight As and perfect conduct. He says it is wonderful to be able to concentrate and do well in school. And if he had a choice, he would want to take the medication. This is my personal experience. I know it's a tough decision when it comes to starting children on meds, but it's worth seeing a GOOD doctor with lots of experience in this area. |
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No real advice other than to say that you should really be sure they have ADD. A lot of kids that get labeled ADD aren't IMO. One lady I knew, had a kid labeled ADD. This kid had a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Honey Bun for breakfast every day. I think that was the kids real problem. Well my child has no hyperactivity, but she is showing all of the symptoms for attention deficit and has for a while now. I have been in contact with the teacher and spoke to her pediatrician yesterday. I really do not want to go the medication route, but would like to find some alternatives to help her with focus and keeping on task. She is becoming very frustrated with school and her grades are suffering. She is very intelligent, but just cannot stay on task and is easily distracted by any little thing in the classroom. You can talk directly to her, but it is like she tunes you out. Hearing is just fine, so that is not the issue. I do NOT want to do stimulant medications or amphetamines. This is a big NO as far as I am concerned, but the pediatrician gave me a questionnaire yesterday and almost every question is a yes. The teacher and us have to fill out the form. ETA: Sugar and discipline are not the issue either...She is not hyper at all. ETA2: And I agree that most labeled ADD or ADHD are really not. I would caution you that before I actually met a kid with ADHD, I said the same things you are saying. And I was 100% wrong. "Stimulant medications" have exactly the opposite affect on a kid with ADHD. They calm down and are able to concentrate. They are not "zoned out". They are not "drugged up". They are finally "normal, and able to do normal things like other kids. Get a good Doctor and learn about this issue. And pay no attention to the "experts" on AR15.com General Discussion, most of which have no clue about this problem. BTW, the kid I know went from making Ds and Fs and terrible "Conduct", to straight As and perfect conduct. He says it is wonderful to be able to concentrate and do well in school. And if he had a choice, he would want to take the medication. Thanks O_P. I will be having another meeting with her teacher and a doctor's appointment coming up for her to discuss this further. Medication might be the only option to take, but it just really worries me. |
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Haven't read all the responses but...
Some concentration techniques I used to work for a neuropsychologist as her office manager so this is kind of a few observers notes. What you do varies depending on how severe the child's symptoms are. Was the child diagnosed through the school or by their doc? Have they qualified for classroom modifications? Extra time on tests or being able to go to a quieter environment can help improve performance immensely. Like any child you need to find their strengths and build on them. Patience by the bucketload is required, especially at first when they are coming to terms with trying to tackle the problem. If you don't smoke, consider starting j/k
As for the school, it also varies by state as to how they handle things. Just a word of caution, the administrator of whatever program your child's school has makes a world of difference as to whether the experience is a positive one or not. My district's administrator is wonderful and I've dealt with him involving both my children. The next district over is notorious for making people jump through hoops so their kids can have a chance at equal education. Educate yourself on whatever rules pertain to your area and speak up if you have a question.
Let your sig-line be your guide!
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Our son has been diagnosed with autism. He is now five and only talks one or two words at a time. No complete sentences. We are seeing a doctor that specializes in the treatment of autism. We are giving him a specialized diet and are giving him nutritional supplements along with intensive speech and physical therapy.
Patience is probably the most important thing in dealing with a child with any type of learning disorder. The wife and I have been dealing with our son's condition for the last 2 1/2 years. It has been trying at times, but I think our son will recover in the long run. I would concur with the others who advised that medicating a child is probably not the best treatment in a lot of cases. |
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another vote for ADD is bullshit. just another way to sell drugs to people looking for quick fix. turns my fucking stomach. heaven forbid we realize boys learn differntly then girls. we make them into eunuchs, and tell them it's their fault for being 'hyper'. Let's not forget pumping them full of crappy foods and parking them in front of the TV god. You are 100% wrong. And it is shameful for you to say such things to parents that have a child with this terrible disease. It is ignorant people like yourself that keep good people from seeking the medical attention that these kids so desperately need. There is nothing wrong with being ignorant. Ignorant means "not yet educated". But there is shame in not getting educated, yet spouting off BS like you actually know something about the subject. |
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another vote for ADD is bullshit. just another way to sell drugs to people looking for quick fix. turns my fucking stomach. heaven forbid we realize boys learn differntly then girls. we make them into eunuchs, and tell them it's their fault for being 'hyper'. Let's not forget pumping them full of crappy foods and parking them in front of the TV god. ADD and hyperactivity are 2 different things. My child has no hyperactivity problems, is not wound up, etc. She just is having problems staying focused on things and on task. Sugar and TV in our case is not the issue. Hyperactivity is not the issue. Hyperactivity is ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), which is not what is going on. |
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if attention was a penny I couldn't afford to pay. Quality! I'm writing that one down. I was diagnosed ADD. Took meds for a while, then quit. Is private school an option? The "gifted" and "honors" programs in public schools don't mean much. Just more busy work and homework. |
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nanachkh
It is common for people with add/adhd to have problems with the courts/law. Forgetful nature- I've known two that went to jail for failure to appears. There is a P.O. in my area that takes these folks, because he is one himself, and teaches them how to schedule their time, and other stuff, and they generally aren't seen in the system again. |
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Thanks O_P. I will be having another meeting with her teacher and a doctor's appointment coming up for her to discuss this further. Medication might be the only option to take, but it just really worries me. Don't let it worry you. The fear is based on silly nonsense like that posted by some in this thread that don't know what they are talking about. The drugs will not make them "drugged up". Instead, they will calm down and be "normal". It is such a wonderful transformation that it will literally bring tears to your eyes. I've seen it and it made a believer out of me the first day he took it. I will be praying for you. |
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I don't have kids, but most of what I see called ADD is a combination of too much sugar and not enough discipline. YMMV. Okay I can't just let that go. There are plenty of misdiagnosed kids whose problem is the parent units. However a child who actually has ADD acts in many ways just like those kids. They need help with concentration techniques and patience and they can turn out just fine if not better than the "normal" kids. If it goes undiagnosed and helped it can cause huge problems for them as adults. Everyone is different and people like you who make these snap judgements based on nothing other than the three minutes you observe a kids behaviour suck. Don't have kids. You aren't prepared for one that may not be "perfect". |
| As far as the FAA is concerned, if you were EVER diagnosed with ADD, you will NEVER get even the lowest pilots license. Its an automatic disqualifier. There are life long lasting effects for being diagnosed as a person with ADD when it is indeed false. Alot of kids will be upset when they see that careers are now out of reach cause mommy wanted to drug up their problems. |
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nanachkh It is common for people with add/adhd to have problems with the courts/law. Forgetful nature- I've known two that went to jail for failure to appears. There is a P.O. in my area that takes these folks, because he is one himself, and teaches them how to schedule their time, and other stuff, and they generally aren't seen in the system again. It is just a bummer that he lives in such a small town and cannot get adequate medical/psychological help. The court has forbidden him to leave town without prior permission. And yes he has forgotten many court dates and has been pinned with fines for that. I'm just glad he's doing better... hopefully it's for good this time. |
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ADD and hyperactivity are 2 different things. My child has no hyperactivity problems, is not wound up, etc. She just is having problems staying focused on things and on task. Sugar and TV in our case is not the issue. Hyperactivity is not the issue. Hyperactivity is ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), which is not what is going on. I have the same problem. For me its a personality issue. I score very high on tests, but get very bored easily. I need information to come at me with a fast pace, or my mind wanders. I did poorly in school, but graduated from a very good aeronautical school with honors. Never took any drugs, just learned study habits that suited me. |
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I don't have kids, but most of what I see called ADD is a combination of too much sugar and not enough discipline. YMMV. Okay I can't just let that go. There are plenty of misdiagnosed kids whose problem is the parent units. However a child who actually has ADD acts in many ways just like those kids. They need help with concentration techniques and patience and they can turn out just fine if not better than the "normal" kids. If it goes undiagnosed and helped it can cause huge problems for them as adults. Everyone is different and people like you who make these snap judgements based on nothing other than the three minutes you observe a kids behaviour suck. Don't have kids. You aren't prepared for one that may not be "perfect". Apparently I've offended some people with that post - and I really don't understand that. I didn't say 'all kids diagnosed with ADD are just discipline cases'. I said 'most'. I really did mean 'most' - not 'all'. Sorry for being unclear. |
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As far as the FAA is concerned, if you were EVER diagnosed with ADD, you will NEVER get even the lowest pilots license. Its an automatic disqualifier. There are life long lasting effects for being diagnosed as a person with ADD when it is indeed false. Alot of kids will be upset when they see that careers are now out of reach cause mommy wanted to drug up their problems. I'm sorry, but I hope you are not saying that I just want to drug up my child, because that is the last thing that I want to do. I would like to find ways to help her out without medication if possible. I don't know what else to do at this point. Especially considering it is not a behavior problem and is effecting her school, what benefit would it have for me if she ended up being put on medication if nothing else worked? |
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If you suspect ADHD, get the child tested with the full battery––privately, not by the school itself. Don't let a physician diagnose it based on a 15 min interview or checklist. 80%+ of kids that are 'reviewed' for ADD end up with a prescription for drugs. It is sad. OP - after more reading it sounds like a neuropsychologist may not be a bad idea, if your insurance will pay for it. They'll do a full battery of test that may even pick up an answer you know nothing about. I know of at least one child who was diagnosed as ADD that actually had auditory processing problems. With the right steps taken he went from failing to straight B's in weeks.
A proper diagnosis is crucial. And I'm glad to read that you don't want to go the medication route. I think doctors have a lot to answer for in this respect. It's usually just not required for something less than a true mental illness. Contact your insurance, if you don't have any testing is expensive, and find out if this would be covered. You normally need a reaferal and I'd make 100% sure that everything is in place before going to an appointment but it's worth the work. Without a proper diagnosis it's difficult to determine what you should do. Wow I'm long winded tonight. 
ETA-arowneragain, I was not offended but those of us with kids who have challenges get a little tired of hearing such statements. If you have to start a post about kids with "I don't have any kids" you may just want to step away from teh keyboard and rethink even posting. You are likely to piss someone off with whatever you have to say after that.
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I don't have kids, but most of what I see called ADD is a combination of too much sugar and not enough discipline. YMMV. Okay I can't just let that go. There are plenty of misdiagnosed kids whose problem is the parent units. However a child who actually has ADD acts in many ways just like those kids. They need help with concentration techniques and patience and they can turn out just fine if not better than the "normal" kids. If it goes undiagnosed and helped it can cause huge problems for them as adults. Everyone is different and people like you who make these snap judgements based on nothing other than the three minutes you observe a kids behaviour suck. Don't have kids. You aren't prepared for one that may not be "perfect". Apparently I've offended some people with that post - and I really don't understand that. I didn't say 'all kids diagnosed with ADD are just discipline cases'. I said 'most'. I really did mean 'most' - not 'all'. Sorry for being unclear. And you are still wrong. It is not only not "most", it is not even "a lot". If they are diagnosed by a good Doctor, they actually have it. Bad behavior is not ADHD or ADD. They both have very particular symptoms. Perhaps you should have stopped after you said, "I don't have kids..."
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Thanks O_P. I will be having another meeting with her teacher and a doctor's appointment coming up for her to discuss this further. Medication might be the only option to take, but it just really worries me. Don't let it worry you. The fear is based on silly nonsense like that posted by some in this thread that don't know what they are talking about. The drugs will not make them "drugged up". Instead, they will calm down and be "normal". It is such a wonderful transformation that it will literally bring tears to your eyes. I've seen it and it made a believer out of me the first day he took it. I will be praying for you. +1 If she is truly ADD you will see a difference with the meds .
Yes they are stimulants, and yes amphetamine has a scary stigma due to all the methheads and whatnot. But it is prescribed for very few reasons - those being ADD and narcolepsy ...and there is a reason for it - because it works. The ADD drugs of today (i.e. Vyvanse, Adderall, etc.) are not the same as the Ritalin of 30 years ago.
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