Just returned from Disney | ADHD Information

Cheesehead, when you book your vacation, just mention that you have a special needs child.  They will put you in contact with the area that deals with this.  I believe they give you a special wrist band.  Our situation doesn't require this assistance, so we didn't personally utilize this feature.  You can read up on it if you go to www.tripadvisor.com Go to the ORLANDO forum and you will find out everything you could possibly want to know about Disney.  If you search there for ADHD you find many many posts about it.

 

We just returned from a shorter vacation, but the resort was extremely busy and there were too many choices for my ds to make about what the wanted to do, where he wanted to eat etc.  I found out that when he was really stressed, he would ask can we go back to the room and play legos?  I was peeved we paid all this $ and now you want to go back to the room and play legos   But we gave in and did what made him happy.  I will now rethink expensive vacations as I feel that we did not get our $ worth because it was too stimulating.

We went Camping this past summer which was close to home and you'd think camping is a more laid back relaxed environment well NOT with an ADHD'er LOL my son was SO awful on MANY occassions my husband and I wanted to pack our bags and just go home.  It was just overstimulating being in a different place.  The meltdowns got to be more that I can bear and at one point I took him for a ride threatening I was taking him home and I just broke down in tears crying as I'm drying hysterically and he's just sitting in the back looking at me like I had lost my mind LMAO.  I finally realized he can't help himself it's been a busy few days and vacations are stressful on an adult so I put myself in his shoes and rethought how to handle this. 

I must say when my husband and I relaxed more with him since he sorta fed off my anxiety he calmed himself more.  And I realized going on vacation didn't have to mean doing it all LOL we allowed him to sit in the cabin (yes we wimped out on our camping trip and rented a cabin LOL) and play video games that usuallys calms him and forced him to lay down for at least an hour per day. 

My point is keeping trips low key helps and going to a place that has activities that are soothing works.  Like he loved the pool and beach so camping worked well since they had both LOL so if he was stressed one of us took him to the water.  Like I said the first 3 days were hell the last 3 days where great  I considered disney or a cruise but decided to wait I know it sounds unfair for my 13 year old and 3 year old but it just isn't something I am willing to risk we did decide for my daughter's sweet 16 since our family is spread out allover and I can't do a party for her we will allow her to pick a girlfriend and we will take our family on a trip to disney or a cruise I think by then he'll be 9 and a little more managable (hopefully)

I have never had a problem with dd on vacations. We did Disney last month, took it easy and sort of went by her schedule, didn't even bring her Daytrana patches( they wouldn't let me take them on the plane). The Disney EZ pass ride thingy is a MUST! We did the parks early in the morning, till about 1, then went back to the hotel to nap. In the evenings we let her pick the park and rides, and just went along with it.

Disney cruises are also great, lots of activities to keep her busy while I sit by the pool and read smut.

As far as camping, we have taken both kids since they were literally a week old, and have never had a problem, we hunt, fish, etc and dd thrives on it. DD looks forward to sleeping in the tent( she has her own "section") and did REMARKABLY well when we camped for 22 days during our "hurricane Rita" forced evacuation. I simply explained to dd that we could NOT go home yet, we were having a *hurrication* and she was fine. But then again this child SLEPT through a category 4 hurricane and really doesn't remember any of it.

We too went to Disney for Christmas but I had rearranged my 8 year olds meds before we left. I switched him to Daytrana so that I could have a longer period of time without issues. It worked really well and we had a great time. There were two days that we stayed at the resort and let the boys swim so we did not put the patch on him and you could definately tell the difference between medicated and non-medicated. I would not say that my husband is a "non-believer" but I really do -do most of the doctors appointments etc. He definately noticed a difference between the days we used the patch and the days that we did not. I was very glad that I swtiched to the patch. We had a four hour layover both ways and this was a much better vacation than the last.HI... I use to live very close to Disney in Orlando... watched to fireworks from my front porch every night.   Acouple of tips... 1. bring your own water... 2.  make a plan of where you want to go first and map it... this helps.. I have a daughter who has ADHD.. I gave her tha map and she had to tell us where to go. 3.  Don't stay all day in the park... it is too long of a day.  4. Spring break runs from middle of Feb to the beginning of May... remember the world comes to Disney.  In summer it does get up in the 90's and very very humid. 100%.. it will rain everyday.  Just another tip... I make up a list of things they must find when ever we go some where... a huge I Spy game.  find a stuff goofy doll... how many pirates on the Pirates of the Carib. ride... stuff like that... I works for me... I hope this helps ... anyone. 

Edbson- I was worried about the patch and the plane so I went and got a written note from the doctor that stated what he was on and what for. Then I had the pharmacy print me out 10 individual stickers that they usually put on the box of patches so I could have them individually scripted. I put them in my carry on with note and all and when we went through security I showed them the note and meds etc and he said that that was fine and there was no need to show him.

We took Northwest Airlines and this did not seem to be a problem. But, I did call ahead and get the note idea from them.

 

 

Oh boy am I glad I waited until dd was 10 before even planning such a trip.  We are planning to go this year but dd will be almost 11 by then.  Actually I have taken dd to six flags almost every summer since she was 3 and it wasn't that bad except for the kicking a boy in line but my sister was in line with her then and not me.  I don't remember where I was but do remember my sister telling me about it.  She was 8 at the time and I think she thought he was cute.  She thinks hitting boys makes them like you.  I will be glad when she grows out of that.  Of course I usually cheat and just ride on things she likes.  the wait is not so bad because she usually starts chatting up everyone that is around us. 

Edbson I live up north of Houston and when Rita was blowing up here my dd was walking out in it with an umbrella.  She kept saying the rain was not that bad and I kept telling her it is the trees I am worried about not the rain.  I would chase her and an she would go out the back door.  chase her in the back and out the front she would go.  We had a three trees down after it had all blown over. 

MonkeyButt

How do you have them let you wait somewhere else for the ADHD accomodations.  Do you just tell the person running the ride or do you have to do something special.  That is one thing my son doesn't like is waiting in line, but if there are special accomodations we can make to make it an easier wait for him, we'd love to do that.  Just curious how it works.

     We decided that we would not go back to Disney for atleast 2 years.  I think it would have been better if my DS had slept past 7am  and let others sleep. We would not leave the parks until the end of the day because we only had 3 days in the park and I wanted the kids to hit as many rides as possible.

     My mother offered us a Disney cruise for March this year.  I said no way.  1st of all, my youngest is not potty trained yet and he would not beable to go to the kids club.  2nd of all, I am afraid of how my DS will react put in a play area for extended periods of time with other children. I am torn. 

     I also feel that some of the behavior, looking back, was my fault.  I did push and maybe we should have only spent 1/2 days in theparks and then went swimming etc. It was just that the tickets were more than the flipping hotel and I wanted to get our moneys worth.

Wow,  We are scheduled to go to Disney for 8 days in July and now that I read this I'm kind of scared for my ADHD son (he will be 9 by then) and how he'll handle it.It helps if you cut the days short at Disney - we all (mom, dad, 6 yr old adhd and 3 year old non-adhd) were up and out when the parks opened (my daughter is also an early riser) then we all came back to the hotel around 3 or 4 and ate dinner (something easy like pizza or cheeseburgers) and swam in the pool or went to the playground.  If we wanted to catch the fireworks, etc. we didn't go to the park until 4 or 5.  I know you miss alot but at least it helps keep your sanity (a little any way)  < ="text/"> // Begin Ad Muncher helper script wYZXso(1,"wYZTimeout('enableDesignMode()', 20);"); // End Ad Muncher helper script I agree that you have to readjust expectations.  A highly stimulating environment like Disney can put even a mellow kid over the edge!
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Don't be upset.  You did the best you could, thats all any of us can expect.

As it was said, high intensity environments make it so much worse.  Next time maybe limiting the days activities will help.  You can get a park hopper pass and it allows you to come and go as much as you want.

Also, at Disney, they have special accomodations for kids with ADHD.  If line waiting is a problem, they let you wait elsewhere until your turn is up.  It is a quieter less stimulating area with more freedom.

You mentioned meds arent working.  Could he have been misdiagnosed ADHD?  The symptoms you mention (esp. the physical witholding) tend to be associated with Autism or Aspergers.

I just had yet another conversation with my son's grandarents yesterday...
they want to take him to Disneyland SO BADLY. I finally told them that I
would not deny every grandparent's right to take their only grandchild to
Disneyland, but I would not go. They started thinking about handling
their "perfect angel" on their own and did some very quick backpedaling...
pretty funny.

He and I went to Santa Cruz for three days last summer, and he was so
stressed out at the Boardwalk. The only thing he enjoyed was playing in
the ocean, and the biggest smile of the trip was when we stopped for
lunch at Dennys in Tracy and he realized we were an hour away from
home. All of a sudden my happy boy was back! He lit up like the sun and
couldn't stop chattering and laughing.

I think that traveling a long distance and spending a lot of money would
just set up expectations that probably won't be met... so next summer we
will camp by the beach again, so he can run in the breakers screaming for
hours. Good stuff, that.don't feel guilty its hard out in public, i have the same problem i just stick to my words and back them up. just remember he can't help it and just keep giving them hugs and kisses its like my son gets so excited at places he hasn't been and seems not to have control. i try to find any kind of positive praises which helps but its tough hopefully someone here with more experience has more ideas

What a vacation.

Day one: Ds was all over the place, unable to follow directions, nothing worked, started removing rides from the next days park as punishment.  Always had to be first on the elevator, first in line, pushed his way past me in the lobby knocking a soda bottle out of my hand which ended up ALL OVER the floor, I cleaned it up myself.  Went to bed late, got up at 6am EVERY morning.

Day two: Son wanted to earn back rides and was on his best behavior.  I was shocked at how well he was behaving.  Then, meds ran out.  We went onto the boardwalk to see what was up and he was into everything, pushing again, I was VERY frustrated. Told my husband that here we see so many families out late, walking, enjoying the weather, having family time out of the parks and we could not do it as son could or would not cooperate.  Mouth ran for hours straight!!!!!!!

Day three, I gave up.  My DS was just not listening unless we were going to do something he wanted to do.  He would repeat the same question to me over and over again, I would answer him and then he would ask again.  I finally just stopped answering him because I thought I would go insane.

so now I feel really guilty.  I have a 3 year old that will tell me that he wants to go to bed when he is tired. He lies down without trouble, ALWAYS follows directions the first time asked, so sweet, gives hugs and kisses all the time, very snuggly, social butterfly.  I keep wondering what I did wrong with son #1. How could I have produced a son that is so "hyper" that he does not play well with others, that gets on everyones nerves, that has to be " in control" all the time, it is his way or the highway, that does not listen at all, that gives me a fight over even the slightest things and causes so much stress? Even with meds, he is hard to take.  I don't know what to do.

Three days 24/7 in a highly stimulating environment with an ADHD child is more than most people can take! Some would have just gone home after day 1. Ignoring him is pretty mild considering that you were pushed to your limits. Heck, I brought a child harness for my 6 yo, and told him that he was going to wear it if he did not follow ALL of my instructions EVERY day at Disney. And I was not kidding. For what it's worth, I also have a younger obedient, cooperative, social adept child, and have wondered too myself---why couldn't I have just another one of those instead?

I understand that often the hyperactivity symptom decreases with age...

I am so sorry that you had such a rough vacation.  I know it is hard not to feel guilty, as I do so myself when I have lost my temper with my son ~ but we are all human too, and all we can do is our best to deal with each day as positively as we can.

Big events like holidays and vacations are very overstimulating to all of us - plus we have such high expectations that we almost never meet when we actually get there.

Love your son as best as you can....give him hugs and kisses, even if he doesn't want them.  He needs to know how much you love him and that you will always be there for him.  Try to find special time that isn't too stimulating to him, so that you have positive experiences together, and do your best with the other times.