Teenage girl with ADHD..help.... | ADHD Information

First of all thanks for all the input. It is helping me alot!!!! She is going to see her pediatrician (he is the one who prescribes her meds). But I am going to tell him to refer me to a child psychiatrist to help her. As for her natural father - yes he has alot of problems. Alcoholic and very moody. His mother thought he was bipolar but he is 40 now and back then it was not researched as much or dealt with. He is violent and that is why he is not around us. She was under 1 years old when he was gone. Her behavior started very young. I would say 2 years old. It was out of control by kindergarten. I have taking her to so many different doctors.The main doctor was out of town and he wrote many books on the ADHD topic so I trusted him and his diagnosis, but not any more. The ritalin did make her very thin, she lost alot of weight and would just sit on the couch. This was about 8 years ago and there has been alot of improvements in the meds since then. I do see a counselor and she tells me not to take it personally and stick with Paige. But how can you not take it personally? And your right about the teens years, it did not start then but the issues have gotten alot bigger.  If she has bipolar (I do) it tends to morph and get worse in the teen years. I am personally suspicious of any doctor who claims to "specialize" in one disorder as they tend to see the disorder in every child and diagnose it in every patient rather than looking equally at all possibilities. You don't need to take her hurtful words personally. Her illness is talking, not her. Wait until she's stable. I said similiar things to my parents, but I really meant "I hate me" not "I hate you." She is probably miserable that she can't control herself. She needs help. I'd dump the ADHD specialist and see a Psychiatrist who has no affiliation with any particular disorder. Is your ex kind of a man who may have mood troubles? Does he drink too much or take drugs? The problem with our kids is usually as close as the family tree. Good luck! OlderMom38859.6640046296

I would strongly urge you to find a board-certified child psychiatrist who who has experience treating kids with mood disorders.  You need to get an accurate diagnosis first and foremost before you can put the proper interventions into place.  What kind of doctor is seeing her on Tuesday?

 

.IMac38945.3342361111Was her last evaluated in kindergarden? Do you feel that perhaps more than ADHD is going on? Has she seen a Child Psychiatrist lately? NeuroPsych? Is she on meds? Any mood disorers on the family tree? Depression? Bipolar? Substance abuse? This goes way beyond typical ADHD behavior. I'd forget the counselors and Psycologists and see a Psychiatrist with the MD for *his* diagnosis and don't spare the details or family history. Stims make some disorders worse. Personally, I feel this child was misdiagnosed. As for hub, no matter how much I love my husband (and I do), if he made me choose, I'd never choose him over any of my kids, no matter what. I feel it's childish of him to fight with your troubled daughter--he needs to be the adult. Obviously butting heads with her won't help right now so maybe you need family therapy while she is being re-evaluated and hopefully further helped. I can't diagnose here--nobody can---but I'm betting she needs a mood stabilizer, not Adderrall. At any rate, good luck!OlderMom38859.6595023148She was last evaluated in December. She has an appointment next Tuesday. I am starting to think bipolar because she mood swings so fast. Example: when she got home today she was okay. grumpy but not all that bad. She kept cracking her knuckles over and over again and I asked her to please stop and she lost it and then suddenly was pissed off. And now is stomping around the house.  The doctors seem to think she is just really defiant but this is just not normal in any sense of the word. ugh!Good for you. A pediatrician can't accurately diagnose things like bipolar.Sounds like ex probably has it. ADHD makes bipolars even worse. I wish pediatricians wouldn't try diagnosing. Mine won't. He always refers out. Take care :)I don't really have any advice for you...only wanted to let you know that I have an ADHD teenager too although mine is a boy.  His dx's are currently under question, and bipolar is one of those. And although he may be bipolar we have never dealt with behavior from him even remotely close to what you are describing with your daughter.  So, either the bipolar is way of the mark for my child, or your daughter may have other issues than that.  I am in a blended family too, and it is painful for me to have to be the referee between my son and my husband (his step dad).  Sometimes I feel like I'm walking a tight rope.  My husband takes everything my son does so personally.  It's just ridiculous.  Sometimes I want to just scream at him "Who's the adult here?"  We definitely need some counseling and therapy..right now my son and I are working with a therapist together but due to my hubby's work hours he can't attend so it's not doing much good in that department.  Anyway, just wanted to let you know I definitely understand what you are going through, and I hope things get better for you soon.  I thought it was bad with my teenage son.....I could not even imagine doing this with a girl!

I am brand new to forums but I am at my wits end. Short history....I have 2 daughters. My oldest Paige just turned 14 and is graduating from 8th grade next week. I have lost all control with Paige.