In Desperate Need Of Help! | ADHD Information

 

 

My son has alot of the symptoms you have described.  He was dx'd with Sensory Intergration Disorder prior to being dx'd with ADHD.  The Occupational Therapist in the Early Childhood Program helped tremendously!!!  With a brushing program started we can finally get him to wear and keep on his clothes.  His sense of smell was understated but the rest of his senses were overstated.  Vacuuming, using a hairdryer at home was impossible with him. Flushing a toilet in public was way beyond his abilities.  Sometimes when the OT would talk to me about his day she would mention that what he was doing that day was very similiar to what the autistic kids were doing.  I had that several times through out the year.

My heart goes out to you and you must just be physically exhusted at the end of the night, and if yours is anything like my ds he doesn't sleep through the night so my midnight were up again.

Welcome to the board and keep posting there are so many here that are willing to share their knowledge.

My friend has a son w/ many of the symptoms you describe.  No joke, she had him tested for food sensitivities and just eliminating a lot of "triggers" she saw a major decrease in his "autistic tendencies" (which is what the doctors called it).  Specifically, she had a blood test performed and elimiated the foods that came back as problematic.  She got him on supplements and he really has done a complete turn around!  There's more info on supplements on the Alternative section of this board, but my friend worked with a "DAN" doctor (do a websearch) and it honestly changed their lives!

You said he was OCD.  It also sounds like he's got sensory issues which means heightend sensitivities, smell, taste, touch etc.  Go to a neuropsychologist.  They will do a wide spectrum of tests and be able to give you the whole picture.  Often, insurance won't pay for this, but if you possibly can, get it done anyway. 

i  would go for a neuropsy eval as well.  good luck!  and keep us posted, this is a very supportive group here-we're hear to help:)   even if all we can do is listen! 

shelley

Read about Asperger Syndrome. I have a brother with it.

 I also have a 7 yr old son named Ethan.  He's dx adhd with auditory processing disorder.  The adhd was pretty apparent but it took awhile to figure out what else what wrong.  I just joined this group yesterday and it has already made me feel 100% better about my situation.   I am fortunate to have my son in a private school that really wanted to find out how to help him so I had a lot of support while trying to figure out what was going on with him.  Having said that, I know just how crazy my son can make me and everyone else in our household and once his meds kick in he's actually pretty managable.   And, yes it really is ok to cry and to be angry and frustrated and all the other emotions that dealing with kids like ours brings out in us.   Someone out there identifies with what you're going through and hopefully they'll have some helpful suggestions.  Just wanted to offer my support.

what you are describing on what he does sounds alot like aspergers or autism but i'm no doctor. here is another message board who are very knowledgeable on autism and alot of what you are describing . try pming a person that goes by tzoya who has alot of knowledge and information in this area. www.autism-pdd.net/forum/default.asp

lesnathan39092.9086111111

I agree a Neuro-Psych eval. would probably be your best bet.  It does sound as though he has many characteristics from the Autism Spectrum Scale.

Also, his OCD sounds pretty severe.  Have you read the Tamar Chansky book "Freeing Your Child From OCD"?  I'll be honest, I haven't had the need too, but I have heard at least 20 people from another board I frequent talk about what an excellent book it is!

He also has some sensory issues going on....That's where the OT comes in as a previous post mentioned.  We are headed for an OT eval. for my DD soon, at the advice of a psychologist.  Occupational therapy can do wonders for a child with SID (now known as SPD).  It's a lot of play therapy & beyond.  Most kids enjoy it very much!  Sensory issues are what's causing him to talk about the seams in his clothes, etc.  My DD can't stand to wear jeans, wears her sock inside out (so she can't feel the seams) or skips them altogether, will not be in the same room if we are reading a newspaper or magazine (she can't stand the smell), used to really opposed to loud places, etc.  This is all sensory related.

Wishing you better days soon!

Oh, I am sorry you are having to deal with all of this.  To me, it sounds like he could be on the autism spectrum.  Also get a full eval from a neuropsychologist like the others have mentioned to find out what all is going on with him.  And visit the autism board, you'll get tons of info there about interventions and school issues.  Good luck.

ok I've been on here before but I've never really told my full story.

And I feel like I am about to have a nervous breakdown and need someone to talk to and some advise from anyone who has ever been through any of this.

Ethan My son is 7yrs old. He has been diagnosed with ADHD, Bipolar w/Depression, (IED) Intermitten Explosive Disorder, OCD, (PANDAS) Para Auto Immune Neurological Disorder Associated w/ Streptocaucos.

He also scored 144 as moderatly autistic on the childbrain test.

He is taking Strattera, Risperdahl, Prozac, and (Ammoxicilian for 6 mons for PANDAS)

I just went to the school yesterday and got the process started for him to be tested for a learning disability. He is 7 and is in transition. Which is a grade between k and 1st. This is his 4th yr of school because he also went to 2 yrs of headstart before he went to kindergarden. And there are letters of the alphabet that he still cannot look at and tell you what they are. He is very behind in school.

His psychiatrist and psychologist do not know where to direct me to have him tested to see if he is autistic. The school says that after they test for a learning disability if they feel he needs more testing they will call someone in for more testing including for autism.

Here are some of the things that he does.

He chews on things all the time

Inappropriate crying/laughing (mostly laughing) he always laughs when it really is not funny. Often times when someone gets hurt or is getting in trouble.

overreacting when he does not get his way. It is a huge ordeal. He often goes into an episode.

he acts as though he gets scared, anxious, nervous, often. If I leave him in a room alone and he hears my footsteps of me or anyone else coming back in the room he hides. ALWAYS. If you leave him you pretty much know that when you come back in the room he WILL be hiding somewhere.

Abnormal joy when seeing me. He goes crazy. He is all over me. All over the room.

Repetitive language. He will studder of the first word of a sentence sometimes for what seems like forever before he actually gets out what he's trying to say.

He arranges any toys he's playing with all in a row. All the time.

He smells everything. If your talking to him he will come up to your face and smell you breath, your pits, clothes, furniture, anything and he doesn't care who you are or who your around or where you are he will tell you out loud if he thinks something stinks.

He is obsessed with trains, dinosaurs, and animals. VERY OBSESSED

He has attachments to objects like sticks, rocks, acorns, paper. No matter what he refusses to get rid of these things. He has things taped to his wall, he has all the papers he has ever written, drawn, or colored on. all papers from school. And if you do throw them away he will know and he will go into one of his episodes.

He does this flapping with his hands when he is excited sometimes he does it in his face.

He HATES for other kids to touch him.HATES IT!!!!!

He is sensitive to loud noises or if our baby cries for any length of time at all. If I don't pick the baby up as soon as he starts crying Ethan starts getting very upset and starts yelling for him to stop. (Which makes for a spoiled baby)  

And here lately. He does not like to wear clothes because he says he can feel the seems in them. And it bothers him. So it is a fight to find him something he can wear to school that he can't feel the seem in and as soon as he gets home it all comes off. Except his underwear that I have to cut the tags out of so that he can't feel them.

He refuses to eat or drink anything if it even so much as looks like anyone else has touched it.

He has to have more than one silverware when he eats because he will not put one silverware in a food that has been in another food on his plate.

He also has a routine that he has to follow. and if anything gets off routine he is out of wak for the rest of the day.

He hates for things to change. HATES

When he plays outside he will periotically come back inside and wash his hands and then go back outside.

He has to have a bath several times a day.

There are so many little things that he does that I can't even begin to name them all. As anyone ever seen the tv show MUNK. My family calls Ethan my little MUNK.

He can get something and instantly memorize everything about it. Example. He was playing in the gym with other kids and they were throwing around tennis balls. Well he gets is tennis ball and being who he is instantly memorizes it and throws it, when he gets another tennis ball back he automatically knows that that is not the same tennis ball that he threw and goes into a fit.

When I read him a dinosaur book. If I pronounce a dino name wrong or don't know it he will tell me what the name is. He can tell you how big they are, how tall and long they are, what they eat. EVERYTHING

But yet he doesn't even know all of his alphabet.  I don't get that. I don't understand some of these things.

He also can't tie his shoes, and it takes him forever to dress himself. I still have to wash his hair in the bath. It seems like sometimes he can't do anything for himself at all. I feel like I have 2 babies.

His meds to help some of these things not be so intense but they are still there. I'm pretty patient but sometimes all these things get to you. Expecially when I also have a 5mon old to take care of.

Some have mentioned a occupational therapist but I don't even know what that is or what they do.

Sorry this was so long but please help I'm going crazy. I am so stressed I just want to cry.

 

Cry if you need to - it is OK. 

I am sorry that I don't have any good info for you, but wanted to send you some support.  You are doing a great thing by posting here, I am sure that someone else will have ideas for you.

Hang in there.

I take care of two boys (twins aged 5) that were recently dx as autistic.  Many of the behaviors that you mention these boys also do....the repetitive speech, though they mostly echo things that they have heard over and over with no thought to what the current conversation is....like if I am saying "Lets go to the bathroom, Anthony"  he will say "Grandpa drinks hot coffee!"  Or if I call them to lunch, they will say "Mommy is at work".   If you say, 'What is your name?"  if they answer, it will be, "What is your name?" They also laugh at inappropriate times for no apparent reason....

they are always chewing/sucking on their clothing, toys shoes, anything that they can.  I have worked long and hard to get them to use silverware at the table, but if i am not right there supervising, they will eat everything with their fingers.  They do not take appropriate sized bites, or chew thoroughly, so everything must be in bite sized pieces, or they will gag/choke.  They thrive on routine, and they know exactly what is supposed to happen next. 

That being said, I would never presume to dx your son.  I believe that this mom took them to a neuropsychologist, or neurologist for extensive testing before getting this dx.

Good luck, maybe someone else more knowledgeable than me can shed some more light on this subject for you. Just know that we are all here for you.
chasesmom7939092.6439467593

Yes my baby does bring joy to my day. Sometimes when I feel very down I pick him up and he tries to talk to me and smiles at me and it seems to make everything a little better even if its just for that moment.

The school counselor says that she doesn't want to classify Ethan has ED just yet because for the most part he does rather well in school.

Aside from the fact that he is VERY behind. His behavior at school 95% of the time is pretty good.

And am also to the point that I will except help from anyone who offers it. I have just started taking help from the school about all this.  Before I just did it between me and the DR's and finally I turned to the school.

My heart goes out to you.  We are struggling with our own son so much lately that I sneak a crying spell in every few hours where my three year old can't see me.  I know the feeling and now am relying on help from anyone who offers.  I used to not accept help but I need it, and if someone offers, I take it because any break is a help.  You mentioned you don't know what an OT is.  Most schools have an Occupational Therapist who works with special ed kids once a week or so.  Just ask the school Psychologist to have an OT from the school district come in and do a screening of your son, as a start. They will decide what to do next.  It will tie into the whole assessment process.  Take care of yourself.  You have a lot to deal with, with a baby too.  It makes the days harder, and also brings more joy to your day. I find that my little one is my hug therapy.