just venting here... | ADHD Information

aimecifer - I am going to try to help you look at this in a positive manner.

You have an apt. with a psychiatrist in a month - that is only 4 weeks - it took me 4 years to find one.  Your son is only in Kindergarten and you are starting the medication and he seems willing to take it.  He has admitted to you at a young age how he feels.

Since you are starting with his treatment so early in his school year, even though it will be rough, you have a very good chance of figuring out the right meds, treatment, etc. and by the time he gets into the higher grades, his symptoms should be under control.

In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns, until you meet with the psychiatrist call the social worker they assigned you to.  Take advantage of every resource you have right now.

Does the school know about the ADD?  Have they made accomodations for him?

I am not trying to minimize your problems - my heart broke when I read your post.  I know what it's like to be frustrated and depressed.  I live it everyday but you are getting treatment early - this should make life down the road easier as he gets older.

Hang in there.

I can relate to your situation.
When my daughter was in kindergarten, one day we were looking at her baby pictures and she said, "I wish I were a baby again so I didn't have to go to school." I know all kids wish they didn't have to go to school at times, but this was one of those "Aha!" moments when it hit me how unhappy she was at her school and that things were really not as they should be and that something needed to change.

To make a long story short, she was diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD and we were told we could try medication if we wanted to, but we didn't. (In addition to the usual concerns that parents have, our daughter was and is on a number of medications for allergies and asthma. She also has no out-of-the-ordinary behavior issues, just difficulty focusing and staying on task to get work completed.)
We ended up deciding to transfer her from her highly-academic charter school to our local public school, which had a much more traditional, more laid back kindergarten. I have always been glad that we made that decision.
Anyway, I think that, as parents, we are always trying to do what we can to get our children in a position where they are happy and learning. That may mean finding the right medication, the right school, the right teacher, the right special ed services or accommodations, better nutrition, etc. It sounds like that is exactly what you are trying to do. So make sure your son knows that you are working to help him be happy and learning at school.
I can't offer any advice on medication, but as far as time outs are concerned, I would try to make sure that you both view it as an opportunity for him to regain control and give his brain a chance to "quiet down," rather than as a punishment. By the way, I think it's great that he's able to communicate so well about what he's feeling. My daughter STILL isn't very good at that.
Also, like Bebop said, his school can give him accommodations, perhaps as part of a 504 plan. Since it's sitting down that causes him problems, the school could allow him to stand up some of the time, or allow him frequent breaks to move around or run an errand for the teacher, or some people have posted here about "wiggle chairs," so maybe that might be an option for him.
It may take some time, but I'm sure you will figure out what works for your son. Good luck!
Yesterday my son (age 6) had the day off from school.  In the afternoon he did something wrong and I was walking him to time-out and he started crying, saying he couldn't help it, his brain was being too loud, etc (this is how he verbalizes his ADHD).  It evolved into him crying that he doesn't like school, it's too hard, and he wants to stay home with me.  I talked about how he'd miss his friends if he was home and he said he plays alone and wouldn't miss anyone.  I know he is very intelligent and has no problem with the work itself-- it's the sitting down to do things he doesn't want to.  And I know he does have some friends, but it seems he is choosing to play alone.  It was heartbreaking to hear him cry and telling me about how hard kindergarten is, and how he just wants to learn at home.  I don't know what to do to make it easier on him.  We are trying to find the right med for him.  We went to a pediatric pyschiatry place yesterday and I thought we'd get some answers, but it was just the initial meeting with a social worker-- we won't actually get in to see the psychiatrist for another month.  Meanwhile he is on Strattera and from what I've read the doctor didn't prescribe it correctly-- no ramping up, just "here's 18 mg, see you in a month and a half."  It's like he's not on meds (as Strattera takes weeks to notice a difference) and meanwhile he's back to his impulsive non-focused noise-making frustrated self.  I hate not knowing anything to do to help him at this point.  the waiting is the HARDEST part. What does he weigh? How long has he been on the 18?Tomorrow will have been a week.  He weighs 52 lbs.  I can't remember if you had helped me figure out his target dose or if it was someone else, but I believe his target should be around 25 mg or so?  He was having side effects the first couple of days, so he's been taking it in the evenings.  Dear aimcifer- It is totally heartbreaking to both of you. My 8 y/o son told the psychiatrist and me he doesn't like school because they terrorize him. I know that can mean a lot of things but the one thing the doctor and I are both sure of is that school is causing tremendous stress and anxiety for him. His psychiatrist had me pull him out of school immediately. I will be homeschooling him. There are many homeschooling groups in communities where the children go one day a week for special subjects and the moms get a break. Also, someone in this forum told me about hospital-homebound where the school system sends a teacher home several times a week. Leaver a message for your doctor. Usually, all you need is a note from him to get this started if this is an option for you. Good luck.