Hello!...new here and looking for help! | ADHD Information

Hello.

My name is Becca and I am the parent of three wonderful boys ages 9, 7, and 4.  My nine year old has a seizure disorder which is actually somewhat well controlled.  However, the extraneous electrical activity that shows up on his EEGs is causing near intractable ADHD symptoms, fatigue and motor delays.  My 7-year old has autism, and is doing remarkably well in his current school setting and medical treatment plan.  My 4-year old is - so far - doing extremely well with nothing exceptional happening at this time! (knock on wood!).

That said, I am at my wits end with my oldest.  I want so much to help him cope in school and out, but he is just literally falling apart.  We have gone through all the medicine trials - Ritalin, Adderall (and XR), Concerta, Strattera, Tenex, Provigil, Daytrana, Vyvanse, Focalin...and failed them all.  Nothing works for more than a few weeks and usually gives him very violent mood swings.  In addition to the med trials, I have tried to implement behavior modification plans at home and at school - but because of the seizure activity causing his behavior and activity, I really think that what is happening is beyond his control.  His teachers - much to my dismay - are becoming very dismissive with him and much more impatient.  I know it's frustrating, but he can't help it!  I'm just so frustrated for him and feel simply lost.  2nd grade shouldn't be this hard, right?

Our local psychiatrist has tried very hard to work with us and in concert with our neurologist, but we are not getting anywhere in three years of trying.  We are in southcentral PA - but I would be willing to travel any distance to see a physician that might be able to break through for him.

If anyone can provide me with any ideas, I would greatly appreciate it.

My best to you and your children,

Becca. Temporal lobe seisures or limbic seisures? Both can cause  eratic behaviors.  I know what you are going through.  Sometimes the antiseisure med can be a contributing factor in the adhd symptoms.  What is he taking? His seizures are complex partials that secondarily generalize in the right parietal lobe and central temporal lobe.  He is currently taking Trileptal for the seizures and also a small dose of Zoloft to combat some of the mood swings.  I don't see much effect from the Zoloft.  He is remarkably defiant (nearly ODD) and frustrated.

We were being seen at Hopkins for about 2.5 years and the doctors there had him on Depakote and Keppra - which did nothing but cause regression.  I protested that med combo for months, but they assured me that it was just normal response.  It was a nightmare.  A referral to another neurologist came, and he quickly took him off those meds and started him on the Trileptal.  His seizure activity has been better, and the motor skills are slowly returning, but the ADHD has been awful ever since.

I'm just so frustrated - and I can't find any doctors that can give me any answers.  They just shrug...such a disappointment!

Thanks for responding,

Becca.
I am nearby to where you live and have a great place that I take my 5 year old (PDD-nos, OCD, adhd).  It is in Northern Baltimore City- Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital- Have you heard of it?  They have an excellent nuero-psych program. If you want more info let me knowI do not know anything about your complex situation and won't pretend to.  I will say that I love my son's psychiatrist and would follow him to the moon.  He is in Scottsdale, AZ.  His name is Dr. Richard Schaeffer.
His number is 480-368-1234.
If he doesn't know the answer-he will know who will or how to find the answer.  He is a very wise man who was able to talk my son's belligerent father into trying medication after he said no to every other dr., most of whom threw us literally out of their offices due to us disagreeing with each other.  He is an older man, just fyi.  I wish you and your family only health and happiness.