Hi,
A large percentage of children with ADHD also have co-exsisting conditions. Just a word of caution on talking to family members about his condition. I consider my children's struggle with ADHD to be part of their personal, private medical history. I wouldn't open up my medical history to just anyone and I feel my children deserve the same respect. So, I am very careful who I tell about their medication or diagnosis. I know some people may feel we need to educate the public about ADHD but my children struggle enough and if they want to be open about ADHD when they are older I will support such efforts. But, it will be their decision not mine.
Just keep searching for the answer. We have seen many "experts" and probably still do not have an answer on my son. It's a long process. Good luck.
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Thanks. When I say family members I am talking about immediate family, ie: my mom and dad. We are a very close nit family and tend to know everything about each others lives. My parents are usually supportive about everything I have ever done on my own and with my children but they are very 'old school' also. So, it's just hard at times when they are the main ones I run to when I'm having problems.
[QUOTE=hd0418]We are in a similar situation. Our son is also 6, very bright, but struggles in the day to day. The emotional outbursts have turned to oassional physical outbursts. We are on the third medication with no signs of improvement. It took us over 1 1/2 year to attempt meds and now that none of them seem to be working we are wondering what next? As most parents judge, rather than support it makes it harder still. So I guess posting a message is a good way to vent and know that you are not alone. How are your child's peers? My son tries so hard, yet making and keeping friends is tough.
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He has friends but they are either family (he is very close with my sisters 5 kids), or my friends children. He aggrivates them, a lot. To the point where they scream at him "Garrett what are you thinking?!". He doesn't have many real friends at school. :(
Same here. Some of the kids even get my son riled up just beause they know they can. My husband don't really agree on how this should be handled. He thinks our son should pound them, so they don't think they can get away with it. I think my son has to walk away and be a better person for doing so. It is so hard. Sometimes he's got it coming, but sometimes I want to go let into the parents of those other children. How can I teah my struggling child right from wrong when he is being mistreated by children that are supposedly good. Yesterday a little girl hit him with a stck, she was taken home by her mother, but later on a few other kids that had seen the incident started teasing him and eventually went to their parents telling on him (naturally they left out what they had been doing to him). My own Mother came over to start reading him the riot act, until I told her what I had seen from across the playground. Everyone is so used to him making poor choices, he often gets in trouble without even doing anything...that helps him learn right from wrong doesn't it?!Sounds like my kid. Last year some girl stabbed him with a pencil and he was in trouble for yelling out - got sent out the class. I had something to say about that I tell you.[QUOTE=Mom2ADHDboy]I'm sorry he's having so many side effects. Focalin and Metadate are both made from methylphenidate. I'd mention he seems to be getting the same side effects on Metadate. If the dr. decides this side effect seems to be lasting (vs. just the body adjusting to a new med.), he might need another type of med. besides methylphenidate. There are other options. Adderall XR and Vyvynase (that's the new one) both are amphetamines. There also are non-stimulants like Straterra (helps with focus, but I don't think it helps for impulsivity and hyperactivity) and other things that can help. Please don't accept the side effects. Talk to the dr. and see if you can find a better fit.[/QUOTE]
Thank you. I guess I should mention that he is combined type adhd. I am also beginning to wonder if he has been misdiagnosed. Bipolar runs strongly in my family, as well as my husbands. My mother is the closest relative on my side to have dx'd. I believe I will schedule another full evaluation. There are things that don't add up with adhd. He can stay focused on many things like T.V., video games, searching outside for different things, ect. He can stay at it for hours if I let him. He is so sluggish in the morning and it takes me nearly 45 minutes to wake him up. I really feel in my heart that he hasn't been rightfully diagnosed. I learned a long time ago that mothers instinct is usually right. I just hate all the looks I get from family and friends when I mention adhd or bipolar. They don't believe anything like that can affect a 6 yr old boy. Most of my family, including my husband, have failed to educate theirselves on the matter, and I get critisized because I try to educate myself as much as possible so I can help him to the best of my ability. I am his voice.
Thank you so much for replying.
Hi,
A large percentage of children with ADHD also have co-exsisting conditions. Just a word of caution on talking to family members about his condition. I consider my children's struggle with ADHD to be part of their personal, private medical history. I wouldn't open up my medical history to just anyone and I feel my children deserve the same respect. So, I am very careful who I tell about their medication or diagnosis. I know some people may feel we need to educate the public about ADHD but my children struggle enough and if they want to be open about ADHD when they are older I will support such efforts. But, it will be their decision not mine.
Just keep searching for the answer. We have seen many "experts" and probably still do not have an answer on my son. It's a long process. Good luck.
We are in a similar situation. Our son is also 6, very bright, but struggles in the day to day. The emotional outbursts have turned to oassional physical outbursts. We are on the third medication with no signs of improvement. It took us over 1 1/2 year to attempt meds and now that none of them seem to be working we are wondering what next? As most parents judge, rather than support it makes it harder still. So I guess posting a message is a good way to vent and know that you are not alone. How are your child's peers? My son tries so hard, yet making and keeping friends is tough.
I'm sorry he's having so many side effects. Focalin and Metadate are both made from methylphenidate. I'd mention he seems to be getting the same side effects on Metadate. If the dr. decides this side effect seems to be lasting (vs. just the body adjusting to a new med.), he might need another type of med. besides methylphenidate. There are other options. Adderall XR and Vyvynase (that's the new one) both are amphetamines. There also are non-stimulants like Straterra (helps with focus, but I don't think it helps for impulsivity and hyperactivity) and other things that can help. Please don't accept the side effects. Talk to the dr. and see if you can find a better fit.Hello. My name is Peyton and I am a mother of a 6 yr old diagnosed with add/adhd nearly a year ago. He has been on focalin xr 5mg and was recently switched to metadate 10mg due to severe emotional outbusrst and depression. He has been on the metadate for 15 days and seems to be having the same side effects. He is a very gifted child and it's been a tough road for all of us. I am looking for support through our daily struggles. Some days are better than some, but I have no one to talk to about this disease that understands it and knows that he can not control some of the things he does. My son understands he has adhd and understands what it means and knows why he has to take the medication. He doesn't like taking them because he says it makes him 'feel weird'. I get no other explination. We do not use his disease as a crutch and never will. It's just very hard to see him struggle in every day life things and then look to his closest friends and see them breezing by. Garrett is a great kid with a good head on his shoulders. He loves the outdoors and looking for different types of reptiles and spiders. He does much better visually and hands on then sitting in a classroom for 7 1/2 hours. He is a healthy eater and I limit his carbs and sugars, but it seems to have no effect on him. I am up for any advice or just someone that will listen to me rant. TIA.