Help - I am confused! | ADHD Information
[QUOTE=shaznmark]Wyatts Mom - thanks for the email and notes. I think he is very confused as we have not been allowed to be a part of this diagnosis. Consequently when we are told that he is on medication we dont even know what it is and the effect that it has on him therefore we dont then know how he feels... its so difficult. I feel that as a family unit we should all be working together on this issue, but alas we are neglected. I have contacted the doctor and she is also slow to repsond -ultimatley I am very confused and no one can clarify me either way...
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Why not ask him what med he is on, chances are at 14 he knows. He also knows how it makes him feel , side effects etc.
It's also possible that your stepson could have inattentive type ADHD. Most people, when they think of ADHD, automatically think of hyperactive kids who are running around bouncing off the walls, but some people have inattentive type which means that their primarily difficulty is with attention and being able to stay focused on what they need to. These kids with inattentive type ADHD are usually much less obvious and tend to be diagnosed later. In a home environment you might notice that the child is "day-dreamy," and forgetful. You might have to repeat yourself when you're trying to tell him something. However none of these things, on their own, would probably lead you to think that he has ADHD. In a school setting, though, he could be having serious difficulties with being able to learn and complete work due to inattention and distractibility. Of course I don't know if this is the case with your stepson, but it is another possibility.Hi again, I did not mention in my post that my son is add inattentive so as inspiredbymusic says...that could be the case with your step son. At 14 I am sure he is quite knowledgable. Why don't you just ask him what the meds do for him and how he feels? We tried a weekend free of meds becasue dear old dad didn't feel he needed them and my son didn't like how "lost" he felt. Also, keep in mind that if meds are being given to him and he is not actually add then the meds would be making him nuts or sick. Seems someone at the school or in his daily life would notice something like that. Thank you for all your help and comments. Whilst looking at the website for advice can you also if food (or incorrect foods) would effect this situation..
Wyatts Mom - thanks for the email and notes. I think he is very confused as we have not been allowed to be a part of this diagnosis. Consequently when we are told that he is on medication we dont even know what it is and the effect that it has on him therefore we dont then know how he feels... its so difficult. I feel that as a family unit we should all be working together on this issue, but alas we are neglected. I have contacted the doctor and she is also slow to repsond -ultimatley I am very confused and no one can clarify me either way...
My son's behaviour with his grandparents is much better than with me.
He probably feels comfortable with you. The symptoms are always there but depending on the situation or environment, not as noticeable.
People with adhd have no trouble focusing on things they enjoy, so if your weekends and holidays with him don't include a lot of homework then it is entirely possible that you just haven't noticed because it isn't causing a problem.
The criteria for diagnosis is that the symptoms must be present in more than one environment, but that does not mean that the child must have be having problems in more than one environment in order to need treatment. Many children only take their medication on school days because that is where they struggle.
If his father is concerned about the accuracy of the diagnosis then he could have him re- evaluated by a neuropsychologist so that he can feel confident that the boy is receiving the best possible treatment.
My son works very hard to "keep it together" at his dad's. Whether he is close to both of you or not, whether it's his dad or not, the sad fact is that he is still just visiting when he is at your house and he will be on his best behavior. We sometimes have MAJOR meltdowns when he comes home from dad's. The point Jaderock54 makes (about having no trouble focusing on what he enjoys and you having him weekends and Holidays) is exactly right. you would have to observe him for several hours unmedicated, in classroom to make that kind of determination. observing him in an unstructured setting with minimal demands, a loose schedule, etc, is meaningless.I am hoping I will be able to have some help on this site!
I have a stepson who is 14 and we have him very regular for weekends and holidays sometimes two weeks at a time. An active child, he enjoys sports and eats (when with us) very well (3 meals per day - including vegetables)
I am a little alarmed to hear that from the age of 6 he was "suspposed" to have ADHD mainly due to the fact that he is unable to settle at school. I was even more shocked to recently find that he is under medication (which he does not take with us EVER)
I feel that there are no symptoms of ADHD within him as I do not believe after reading on this website that you can "switch it on and off" Surely this is something that you either have or dont have...?
Can you please help me...