Needing advice | ADHD Information

I know exactly how you feel! I have the same feelings you do. I agree with the advice that you have gotten from the others. I told my son's teacher about his adhd so that we can work as a team to get him the support and guidence that he need at school to achieve the best that he can. So far the teachers that my son has had have been understand and a little more patient with him knowing that he has an illness and just isn't a "trouble maker". Good luck.

Ok, I'm probably going to sound like I'm rambling...I have 500 questions and am not sure who to ask...so who better to ask than those of you with personal experience.

If you recall, I posted a couple of weeks ago...and at that time my 5 year old son had not been "officially" diagnosed. Yesterday we saw the psychiatrist who said Jamie does in fact have ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivity-that's how he put it anyway. We were with him for 90 minutes and I don't disagree with the diagnosis...I'd rather I'd been wrong but I guess it's not a bad thing to know your child.

He wrote a prescription for Adderall XR 5mg...he takes it once a day..and just took it with his breakfast. I will be watching closely. I wasn't sure I wanted to do meds but by the same token I think that we have to do SOMETHING or kindergarten is not going to go well. Maybe with the medication, the behavior charts etc will work. I feel rather stuck...didn't want to do meds, can't continue to go on like this...All day every day from wake to sleep all I do is redirect, intervene, try to calm things, refocus...the psychiatrist asked Jamie if he had three wishes what woudl they be...1-that his sister (who is 11) stop bugging him all the time. 2. That his dad be super cool (he's already cool I guess..lol) and 3. That mom not be so mean. It broke my heart. I know it's because I'm home all the time and the discipline falls to me. I don't want to have to be mean all the time..but the truth is it's hard to relax and even try to have fun when I have to sit and watch and be ready to intervene when he gets ready to hit someone or listen for a melt down to start so I can try to circumvent it or try to reason with him to help him understand..and ...I don't know...I don't know how to explain it and the odds are someone knows what all I mean. He's really such a sweet and loving kid I just want everyone else to see it too.

So...here's what I need to know. What do I do NOW? Do I call his school (where he will start kindergarten in the fall) and tell them he's been diagnosed as having ADHD? Do I ask for an IEP, an evaluation or just wait until school starts and we have the med thing (hopefully) figured out? DO I need to call his pediatrician-since she's probably unaware at this point that all this has taken place--she's seen him in her office zipping around the room but she didn't refer him to the psych-she is aware he was being seen by the therapist...but that's different.

I don't know what resources there are in the community for him or how to find out. I know there is only one CHADD group in Indiana...and it's many miles away...I can contact them for info but that's about it. I'm just not sure what comes next as far as getting him what he needs.

I'm sad. I know this isn't the end of the world but a series of challenges and obstacles we must face...but we've done so darn much battle prior to this becasue he was always sick with a sinus infection until a few months ago...I just want to give him his childhood.

I know..I'm being melo dramatic right now...my kids won't see it though and that's the point isnt' it?

thanks for listening

Vicky

You are exactly where I was last year. My now 6 yr old dd was diagnosed
last year with ADHD. It does get better, and you did the right thing in
being proactive. (My dd was also diagnosed before kindergarten started.)

She is on Metadate CD, and used a behavior chart at school. It had two
goals: keeping hands to self and following directions.   It helped
tremendously in teaching her self-control. We never did an IEP (her
ADHD does not impair her learning at this point.) or 504. The chart was
something her teacher and I started the first week of school.   ADHD kids
can have a hard time making and keeping friends, so I kept up with this,
too, through her teacher. (DD just got her first birthday invitation the
other day. I was thrilled, but dd wasn't fazed at all.)

I told her teacher at the beginning of the year that Jillian has ADHD and is
on meds. Some parents don't want the school to know, but for me, it
worked. If a child is on medication, I think the school should know, just
in case they notice side effects.   Also tell his ped. Knowledge is power.
My ped does the med checks and renews dd's rx since the neuropsych is
almost 50 miles away. Dd saw a psychologist for a short while. She was
released after her IQ test showed no LD's at this point and or exhibited
any other comorbidities. (Dr saw a "happy, bright, busy little girl.")

You are going through the emotions we all here have gone through. It is
entirely normal. DD and I have our rough days (I love 1-2-3 Magic.
Works beautifully if everyone is on board.), but they have become fewer
and farther between. Maturity has helped. You will get through this and
your son will be fine. All you can do is love him, advocate for him and
with the right meds, you will see a big difference.

I would not call the school now, there's no point. I would spend the summer figuring out the meds like you said. I would let his physician know as they should know he is on meds.

Once school starts you will have a better feel for where you're at. I am for telling the cshool about the ADHD and the meds, but others are going to tell you not to. That is very much your call. Keep doing what you're doing, you're getting it right.

My sons school knows and we have a 504. My only regret is this...i wish i had let his 2nd grade teacher work with him a few weeks at the beginning of the year. We carried over accomodations from the prior year and i gave the teacher "advice" based on the prior year. The teacher in first grade pushed a little too hard and the teacher this year didn't push enough. Every teacher is different and my advice would be to let your sons teacher have a crack at it before you step in for a 504 or IEP. (Unless they take really long to schedule) The first grade teacher may be able to do things with him that the kindergarten teacher can't. But... as DianeV says everyone's opinions and experiences are different.