New here and need help with son | ADHD Information

Hello, I am new to this message board and need help on what to do. My son is 3 years old, from the time he was 3 months old he had problems sleeping ( screaming for up to 8 hours at a time), eatting problems and fine and gross motor skill problems. The doctors we took him to told us he was fine. Well last year we took him to a specialist because things have gotten worse with his behavior, sleeping and eatting, the specialist diagnosed him with hypotonia, possible ADHD, and behavioral problems. So he has been going to an OT for his muscle control and the diagnosed him with Sensory processing disorder. Well now his OT says she believes he is not SPD. He is going to a Behavoiralist next week, the 2nd one since the specialist vist. The first one told us to try the 1-2-3 magic and did not work. His is like a machine constantly on the go, he gets so worked up it's as if he is going to explode,screaming, hitting, jumping and so forth. Meal times are choas, and so is bed time. He never goes a night with out screaming and waking up several times and then up at 6:30am. I just at my wits end. What else can I do? Sorry for the rambling but I hope to gain insight and help for me to help my son. Thank you and God Bless.

Jerzee11

I think there's not enough information here for anyone to provide you with a rational response. Hypotonia can be serious. It's decreased muscle tone. A child may have fine & gross motor skills problems, balance problems, trouble feeding, jaw and neck dislocations, and so forth, from this condition. It can be a precursor to muscular dystropy or cerebral palsy. This seems really out of sync with your description that he is on the go, screaming, hitting, jumping. I have to think--is he falling over his own feet when he's doing this? I don't get the behavior description (which seem to be like ADHD, type 3) and the hyptonia diagnosis together. How can he do these things with significant muscle tone issues?

Have you gone to a major children's hospital for a diagnosis? That's what I would do. Spend 00 and get some real answers so you can get some kind of game plan to help this child.

Also, I'm sure that you have not had the time or energy to think of this, but he's nearing preschool age. I suggest that you call your local elementary school and ask for a psychological/educational evaluation, and get him into a preschool for children with special needs. You have a right to an evaluation now. Most counties provide this. Based on your description, you may have a long road ahead of you regarding education, and you might as well start right now.

 

What does the Pediatrician say?  Can you get a referral for screening or write a letter to the CSE for referral.  

what kind of "specialist"? My daughter also has low tone, gross and fine motor issues ADHD and learning disabilities. If he is 3 you can have hime evaluated by the school system. Why was he never referred to Early Intervention?  Where is the OT out of? A private OT practice? Our OT was through early Intervention and she did the referral to early childhood through school system. She received all those services through the school. Still does some of them although she hasnt had OT services for a few years now.

BTW Edbson yes an OT CAN evaluate SPD, that is the person who would make that diagnosis.

My son went to early intervention because he was of the same behaviors, screaming, hyper, aggression, on the go all the time.  They were my saving grace at his early age.  I recomend that you contact your school district about it. Mine managed one year of preschool but with lots of problems, and the second year I just sent him to early intervention and he got more help there with the transition to kindergarten.He was seen by a Peds. Specailist from a childrens hospital. We worked with Child Development Services when he was 6 months old for developmental ( gross and fine motor skills) and they released him when he was 1 1/2 years old saying he no longer qualified for services through them because he wasn't 40-50 percent delayed, even though the delays were still there just no enough for him to qualify for their services. So we tried to get some help with our Ped. and she told us everything was fine til we insisted that something did not seem right. So that is when we were referred to a Ped specailist and that is when she diagnosed him. She had him tested for seizure disorder but the test came out fine. And then she referred him to the OT at the childrens hospital which diagnosed him with SPD. He does trip over everything including his feet, runs into everything, and falls off everything. He gets so overly hyper that he just keeps on going even if he gets hurt he just gets up and continues going. Now the specailist and OT wanted us to see the behaviorlist cause the behavior problems aren't getting any better. So maybe we will get some answers. We tried through help from the Ped specialist to get him in to early preschool that has services that could help and we were put on a waiting list. ( that was almost 1 year ago) We call them to see if any openings and not as of yet, so still waiting. 

call the public school. He should be eligible, at least to be evaluated.

Look up dyspraxia, you can google it, something to just think about.

Some of it sounds like my son, who was diagnosed ADHD at age 3. But he really has NO gross motor issues - he was instead climbing and escaping from EVERYTHING fairly young, running all over, bouncing off the walls.

I know some people say that three is too early to diagnose, but my son is a pretty severe case (according to our pediatric behavioral psychiatrist) and we didn't have any symptoms or history that would suggest anything else. We didn't have any symptoms of SPD either. And I really had to push to get help...

I kept a behavioral journal for several months, keeping track of every explosive tantrum, how long it lasted, what it was about (usually something tiny and insignificant would send him into hysterics for an hour of flailing arms, scratching, hitting, screaming...) I was like you, at my wit's end. We also had sleep issues (and still do!) so I would keep track of bedtimes, how long it took to wrestle him to sleep (sometimes 2 hours, since he was so hyper) and how many night wakings we had. I kept track of his meals, what he ate, what times he ate, etc. It was really helpful to start to establish patterns, and also to get our pediatrician to start taking me seriously. I was NOT dealing with a "normal" toddler and I wanted her to see that so we could get the referral we needed for some REAL help.

When we did finally get diagnosis about a month ago, we started him on medication and it has been a GODSEND! Our lives have gotten SOOOOO much better! The tantrums have lessened significantly and most of the hyperactivity is gone - he's still "high energy", but now can actually focus on things and is no longer zooming all over the place and bouncing off the walls. We also started therapy for him and a regular exercise regimen.

If your situation is ANYTHING like mine, do not give up. Keep pushing for help and things CAN get better! There was no way in H*LL I would have been able to wait three more years for dianosis and I'm THRILLED with the results we've had so far! I was afraid if we had waited longer, we would have killed his self-esteem and we all would have gone crazy. Not to mention, the only thing working for mom was wine, and I didn't want to become an alcoholic...

Don't give up! Be an advocate for your child (and for yourself) and you'll find the help you need! GOOD LUCK!

Yes, call your local elementary school and see what can be done now.

When he wakes at night is he screaming and crying?  If so, is he making sense?  My DD has had sleep problems since the day she was born.  So much so that the nursery at the hospital wouldn't even keep her in there more than an hour and a half for me to get some sleep the 2 days we were in the hospital.  When she was about 19 months she started getting night terrors.  She would scream and cry and sometimes walk around, but I eventually realized that she really wasn't awake.  If I asked a question, her answer usually didn't relate to the question asked.  The night terrors tapered off shortly after her 4th birthday with only one in the last year.  Is it possible your son's night wakings are night terrors? 

Are you giving him anything to help him fall asleep?  My ped recommended melatonin when DD was about 2.  It has helped her fall asleep ever since, but she just started sleeping through the night and in her own bed when I started her on Omega supplements.

Unfortunately, I don't have any advice on the rest of your problems, but sleep disorders are certainly something I've struggled with and feel like we've finally had a breakthrough!  I know how exhausting it is!

3 is too young for an ADHD diagnosis, I would look at other things for his problems. An OT cannot diagnose anything...can they? I would sugest a neuroped.  You can ususally find them at major university hospitals.  There is more going on here than just adhd.I want to thank everyone for their input... It gives me and my husband things to think about...  Tomorrow is the big day first visit with the behavioralist, hopefully some light will be shown on what is going on. I feel something has to give sooner or later... and at this point it might be my sanity 

 Hi , my son is 41/2 years only about to start school next week.

we were told 6months ago that Blake had ADHA and the more i understand it i know he dose . He is on meds now and is getting there.

Go with what you feel in your heart.... Christy

Well today at his appointment he was offically diagnosed with ADHD. The Ped. specialist and the behavioralist got together and they prescribed him some meds, for sleep and for the hyperactivity. Hopefully it will help him. We start the meds. tomorrow so we will see. Thank you again for the input.

 

twinkletoes-  At night he screams, crys, and talks and he makes sense ( understandable words) but it's : for example, no, leave me alone,( things on that level). His reg. peds. thought he was having night terrors but the meds she put him on didn't work. I was believing that is what his sleeping problems were but the ped. didn't want to try anything new. The ped. specialist has put him on melatonin so hopefully that works.