First off..Im sorry you have to go thru all this. It does suck sometimes..that is for sure..Its no easy road but its no easy road for our children either. When my son gets *that* way and I just want to scream, I try to remember that isnt really *him*. I try to realize he cant HELP alot of his behaviours and he wants to be good, have friends, do well in school. Sometimes giving ourselves a time out helps!
Is your dd in any kind of therapy? My son had play therapy when he was younger and it helped alot with his meltdowns and tantrums. Right now he has OT and PT in school but no behavioural therapy. He does pretty well with routine and schedule and is also on Vyvanse. Maybe look into some behavioural therapy for your DD and your family in general. Maybe a lower dosage of Vyvanse might be the answer too. Ryan didnt eat well the first two weeks but it has leveled off. I dont think he has lost any weight either. Usually they dont start at the higher dose. The irritablity and rebound went away within a few weeks also. Or maybe this isnt the right med for her? I K now its hard when you have to keep trying new things but even a diabetic has to have his insulin adjusted many times before they get the right dose. Sometimes over and over again during his life.
Stay strong and hang in there..Come here and vent when you need to. This place is a great place for support. Sometimes just reading what others go thru makes you feel better. Not so alone.
As for the wt. loss, when an ADD person can concentrate we tend to do more, instead of looking in the fridge to shortly entertain ourselves with a popsicle or other food. That can lead to the wt. loss. A 10 lb loss over a few months isnt too bad. I guess it would depend on how old your daughter is. As for her behavior being bad on the meds maybe changing doctors will help. Medicine is a practice and some are better at it than others. Adhd may not be the only thing going on with her either. Good Luck
How old is your daughter? Is she both inattentive and hyper/impulsive? Who diagnosed her ADHD? Maybe something else is going on as well.I have the same questions as the others, age? meds tried? doctor? It still amazing to me how meds can cause such different reactions. It really is worth giving different meds a shot. The meds alone aren't going to cut it though. You need a good behavior plan. The idea of therapy is great. She is struggling and doesnt know how to deal with it. There are a lot of good books out there on behavior techniques also. Some of the bigger clinics and hospital offer parenting classes also.
I think we've all been there, hang in, it WILL get better.
Everyone wants a quiet stress free home. It has taken years for ours to become better.....still working on it.....
From the time my granddaughter was old enough to talk I put up with the weird
noise sounds growling or using a loud scream....as soon as she was able to understand I would polietly tell her its not nice to make noises....Everytime she would make one I would tell her to stop....also with rages and talking back I wouldn't get in to a verbal battle with her. Just walk away until she was calmer and after explain You can't behave this
way....you must work each and everyday with her....I know it is a battle of wills...but you must be strong....I have been there.....but the constant reminders
do pay off...So that she knows her behavior is not allowed....Working at home
will make it easier for her in school, also...Constant reminders is good pratice.
What is acceptable.....what is not....
Does she have a quiet place to go when she is in one of her moods???? To calm her self???? Afterwards you can talk when calmed down....
Also do you have a behavorial clinic in your area....Ours has trained Psychiatrist
that prescribes medication....that is good place to start...They have all kinds of
helpful tips on behavior....
Sounds like you need someone who specializes in medication management for children. That would be a child psychiatrist. There is a another path that you can take. There is one non-stimulant mentioned above, Strattera. There is blood pressure meds to reduce hyperactivity and impulse. And there are meds like Wellbutrin. You should talk to a child psychiatrist for a better idea regarding your options.
For behavior modifications, you should check the Marbles thread and read 1-2-3 Magic.
Hello,
I, too, am sorry that you are having to go through tough times like these. We are all here for you.
I agree that you do need to someone other than your pediatrician for an accurate diagnosis. There are other conditions that exist with ADHD, and the psych. would be able to offer you better insight. Also look up Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
My five year has both ADHD,ODD and he is OCD as well, and it is certainly not easy. Please, do not give up the medication route. As frustrsating as it is for you, remember you are doing all of this for your child.
good luck.
She is 8 years old and her regular ped diagnosed her. She was on Adderall to begin with, and he increased her once on it and put her on something else, I can't remember the name of it. Then they increased it once and now we are with Vyvanse. This was the second increase for it as well. I figured with the history that he would just switch her meds again. She has only been on stimulants because he said something about the time it takes for the nons to start working. I have been trying to find out all afternoon about what our insurance will cover. Should I take her to a psychologist or a psych? I know that one can write rx's and the other can't. Right? She may have other problems. She is hyper, or at least we think so. She is literally bouncing off of the wall all the time. She never wants to sit still for a minute or two. Always has troubles with waiting on something or in a quiet area. She can't keep quiet either. Her mouth is always going. Talking, making noises or breathing loudly. If she isn't walking to do something it's bouncing or skipping about. The teacher is always telling me (on days she hasn't had her meds or after a month of taking them) that she was distracting the class, being stubborn and talking non stop. She happens to be a smart little girl but her ways are getting her in trouble. I thought about taking her out of school and homeschooling, but she makes good grades. She doesn't have the typical school problems that a lot of ADHD kids experience to need that one on one time. It's just her hyper activity that gets her in trouble.
I would take her to a Neuropsychologist, for another evaluation. Peds should not be diagnosing ADHD, and you may be dealing with alot more, or not ADHD at all. You should definitely take her to a psychiatrist. They can diagnose and prescribe meds. They will also be more experienced with meds and med options. Adderall and Vyvanse are basically the same medication in a different form. It is true that stimulants take effect right away. The only non stimulant medication approved for ADHD is Strattera and it takes several weeks to get full benefit. If her issues are mainly hyperactivity, Strattera is probably not the best choice anyway. It is better for inattention. It is probably worth trying something in the methylphedinate family (like Ritalin).Hello,
I am also a parent with an adhd child. I truely know how you feel!!! Somedays I just don't know how I make it to bed time. I have a 5 yr old daughter with innattentive, hyperactive/impulsive disorder. She is currently taking Methlyphenidate & Clonidine. She was diagnosed hyperactive impulsive at the age of two. I find that there really is no easy way to cope. She has destroyed everything in her path. Our first clue something was wrong was at 14 months, she climbed out of the crib went into the kitchen and opened the stove used the door for a ladder to get onto the stove and into the cabinets above. She rolled the kitchen in aluminum foil before we realized she was up at 3am. Since that night my husband and I have had very few restful nights. She is now on Clonidine to assist in sleeping(which only lasts till 4am). I found this site this morning in hopes of finding someone to relate to. THANK GOD!!! Finally I have found others who share in my frustration. Here I was feeling all alone in the world. I stay home most all of the time due to the absolutely rediculous behavior she shows in public. I have been fighting with peds for four years now and finally found one who cares more for my child than her prescription pad. I still feel crazy daily though. Just a few days ago I was awakened with the sound of a dresser falling in the bedroom. Upon entering and asking just what she thought she was doing she responds " I was hungry and looking for something to eat". On top of her sisters dresser? Thank God noone was injured in that little incident. Needless to say they now have plastic drawer containers for dressers. I have awakened to my front door open. To make things a little worse she is the fourth child of 5. Yes you read that correctly 5. I am on edge every moment of my life. I have bought everything they have invented for home safety and still she finds a way to invent new ways of being dangerous. Doctors nurses psyciatrists etc only see the children for 20 to 30 minutes at a time and don't really understand the extent of frustration parents face. I manage by my faith. I too sometimes feel like if I gave her away things would be easier but couldn't bare to be without her. I know I have rambled on and on. Thank you for listening. When you feel like you are all alone just know I am here at home going through the same thing. I will from here on out find comfort knowing there are others and I'm not alone or horrible for my feelings of despair.
Hugs all around today.