Growth Spurt | ADHD Information

Thanks Cali. I couldn't find that article I was looking for but come to think of it, I think I heard it on the radio (re: how growth affects the brain ie: terrible two's; teenagers).

Well, I'm keeping a diary on my son. He's not on an eating binge right now and quite frankly, he's been a real sweetheart. I'm going to keep a mental note on this. I should probably keep a growth chart at home as well. It may be a lost cause but its bound to have an affect on the child when they're going through a growth spurt. If I can understand it, it'll be easier for me to handle the behaviours. It's when I don't know what's happening that I get frustrated over a specific behaviour - which is not helpful.

Thanks for your support.

.IMac38945.4866898148Well for the most part, I have it under control. Information is still always good to have..IMac38945.4821527778Thanks chjones .. I'm going through a bit of spring fever myself. I can't wait until the school year finishes. I'm planning on changing jobs; moving; getting out! I need a change and I went through this last year as well - although, I never did follow through with my urge. LOL

InaBox,

I did not realize your son had received a new dx. How do you feel about this--I mean, do you agree? Many hugs your way!

IMac38945.4825462963.IMac38945.4828356481.IMac38945.4830555556 [QUOTE=IMac]chjones, you have just described what my three cats have been doing lately.

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i oughta have been a witch i'm sure... sync'ed into cat psyche??? we could have had fun racing around on a broom, flying up to the moon at night -

why not?

lucky cats - they don't worry about anything!

Speaking of walking in the woods and such, I remember a research study on the effects of "green space" on ADHD. Symptoms appeared less after spending time in green space as opposed to a concrete playground or some other hard environment. From my own experience, I have seen this time and again demonstrated in my son. Swimming also does it for him. I'll see if I can find the study.

Here is a reference to it:

"Trees, Green Space and Human Well Being"

http://environmentalalmanac.blogspot.com/2005_07_01_environm entalalmanac_archive.html
jfla238843.6468287037[QUOTE=jfla2] Speaking of walking in the woods and such, I remember a research study on the effects of "green space" on ADHD. Symptoms appeared less after spending time in green space
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well there you go! i wasn't being weird i was just self-medicating! in a kinda healthy way....
hey do you suppose that instead of insurance supplying me with Adderall --- they might consider just buying me a house in the mountains with a garden instead?

as my preferred cure option?

probably over the long term --- it's roughly equivalent expenditure-ish, if you push it a bit.... sort of.
Here's the study which I thought interesting.

CAN EXPOSURE TO NATURE REDUCE CHIDLREN'S SYMPTOMS OF ADHD?

http://www.helpforadd.com/2004/september.htm .IMac38945.4833912037

[QUOTE=lillian]InaBox, I did not realize your son had received a new dx. How do you feel about this--I mean, do you agree? Many hugs your way![/QUOTE]

These are all too funny. Thanks for the laughs. I find that nature calms me down too - particularly parks and water (ocean, lakes, rivers..)

Lillian, my son is being tested for Soto Syndrome (genetic brain disorder). It's basically rapid bone growth in conjunction with early childhood developmental delays in various areas. In a nutshell, he's a 5 year old that looks like an 8 year old but acts like a 3 year old. I'll find out the results in a few weeks. So far, everything seems to fit. I've done a little bit of research lately and almost everything applies to him (past and present). Also, there may of been a family member in his father's side of the family that had it as well. Wish us luck. If the shoe doesn't fit, I'm not sure what I'll do.

Imac, thanks for the links. Some of what you've written so far is familiar to me already but I'll check it out anyhow.

Prepare?? With patience and lots of food on hand. After reading your question, yes, I'd say my ADHD'er flares during these times, I can connect that. Usually goes about 2 weeks, then he's taller and things are back to "normal." I think we're coming on another one, come to think of it. He eats everything in sight for 2 weeks, then maybe 2 weeks of an adjustment period.

It makes sense if your kiddo has a genetic growth issue going on too, and that just "life" would be exacerbated during those spurts, it's a lot going on!

science is confusing, the heart says, there's a lot of changes going on in the body with a growth spurt, it's OK for body mind and spirit to react to the chaos of these times~

I've seen it in my kiddo. Summer's coming, so we'd better prepare! He always grows during the summer.

How do you prepare calicorose? Is your son dx with ADHD? I'm guessing his behaviours get worse during his growth spurts?.IMac38945.4836342593 [QUOTE=IMac]chjones, I have a waterfront cottage in Argyll in mind. Do you think they'd go for it? [/QUOTE]

honestly? no.

but if i was your insurer - i would say yes! that may be the reason why i never quite lasted in previous jobs however...

free houses in the mountains for ADDers! hurrah!
[QUOTE=IMac]

chjones, I've discovered a waterfront cottage that my ancestors lived in for many decades. It has been renovated since the 1800s, but the views are still the same.
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sounds so beautiful....

InaBox,

I wonder if knowing when one is coming is helpful, or if he's a little off kilter, is it due to a spurt? He's got a lot of other things going on, I just want to be supportive of you, even though part of what he is going through are normal kid things. Like I said, I can see one coming when he eats alot for about 2 weeks. Then all I can do is gear myself up for some extra chaos. It's hard. I've started taking the Omega's, and they have helped ME tremendously. (As they say, when MOM is happy, everybody is happy.) They aer also for my son, and I assume they would be just as helpful during times of extra stress, such as during a spurt. At work right now, there is much turmoil, and I just cannot seem to muster up any kind of negativity to join in with the contention. I just keep doing my job. I think MY CHANGE in attidude and reslilience has been from the Omegas. That's what they are known to do. That's one thing that's helped.

(((HUGS)))

.IMac38945.4839814815

My son has been experiencing a growth spurt since he moved in with us four years ago. He was 4'6", and he is now 5'8"; he used to wear a size 7, and he now wears a 16. This growing has been pretty much continual, not in spurts

.Do you find that your child's ADHD worsens during a growth spurt? Are they more irritable; more defiant; and less empathetic?So it has nothing to do with growth than, Lillian.

With having oppositional defiency it is hard to tell for she goes through stages of sweetness then the gremilin. The gremilin stages however are shorter thank goodness and she is more sweet than anything. The afterschool program childcare told me to not let her have days off for they adore her and she makes the person in charges day. As a mom that is nice to hear.

[QUOTE=INaBOX]

[QUOTE=jfla2]I used to notice an increase in symptoms every spring, but not since he started high school. The pharmacist said they notice dosage increases in stimulant meds in the spring too.
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Interesting comment about spring. I have a student in mind that could potentiall fit into this category.

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It's called Spring Fever. All kids get it, but ADHD kids get in much worse because it takes all their energy to hold it together for the school year. By the time spring rolls around, they know school is almost over, and they start bouncing.

Not at all Imac. I'm talking about how much a growth spurt can affect certain children. As I've mentioned before, my son may have Soto Syndrome. One of the characteristics is aggression and irritability due to the rapid bone growth (in some children). I'm curious if this could apply with all children, particularly those with ADHD.

I heard a while back that children are affected when going through a large growth spurt: "terrible two's" and teenage years .. it's a physiological issue affecting the brain somehow. I don't remember the details so if anyone else has heard this .. add to it please.

INaBOX38843.4763888889

My brother, who is undxed ADHD (though he realizes he is), grew seven inches in one year, when he was a teenager. He went from being short for his age (5'3") to being tall (5'10"). My father has always attributed the oogles of trouble he got into that year and the one following on his growth spurt. Whether or not this had anything to do with it, I don't know, but my dad has been saying it for years. I have always been tall (I'm 5'11"), but I grew a lot between twelve and fourteen. I don't remember it affecting me behaviorally. I just didn't like being heads taller than the rest of the kids in class, and I was a major klutz during that period of time.

lillian38843.5112847222Thanks Lillian .. I also think the growth spurts affect girls differently than boys. There may be no connection between the two (which is why I asked) but it would make sense if it did - particulary if you have a growth disorder. I'll see if I can find that article I was talking about.i have spring fever ----

if i look back through my life - always the point when i have thrown in a job, hit the road, taken off, made a change. always around april...

i feel such a new lease of life, a new positivity with the spring, i can't sit still, i can't stay in the same place - i have to up and move. at university it would get so bad that i would literally have to walk. get up at four in the morning and spend six hours trapsing out into the countryside, watch the sunrise and traipse back (then to be stuck in a lecture).

sometimes i couldn't even sleep --- i felt SO strongly i had to be OUT, had to watch the moon, get to some place/any place - and i would let myself be pulled in any direction just walk and when i came to a crossroads just wait until i felt pulled to the left or the right. but just walk and walk and walk.

in the air, with the earth. and honestly i would get to a meadow or similar and dig my hands right into the earth so i could feel and have the smell of the soil, the wet of the dew. and just lie down and stare at the sky and the stars - the dawn breaking.

i particularly loved it if i could get to a mountain or the sea. and just swim, no matter how freezing --- i love that hour just before dawn. before the sunrise but there is light.

i totally suffer from spring fever.

i think it could be an ADD thing - who knows?

Wow that's a good amount each year! Maybe it is that positive nourishing environment of your home.

I used to notice an increase in symptoms every spring, but not since he started high school. The pharmacist said they notice dosage increases in stimulant meds in the spring too.

Interesting comment about spring. I have a student in mind that could potentiall fit into this category.