I was told my son had adhd since he was around two but was told he was to young to know for sure. He was given Clonidien which helped huge for awhile. A couple years later we had gone through many different preschools, I kept telling myself if I could just find that one teacher that would understand him. Unfortantally that didnt happen and he was put on rittalin which did NOT go over well and he became totally crazy. I cried myself to sleep that night. Now that he is older we have more issues. He wont potty train and without his medicine he cant stop long enough to communicate with anyone. His therapist says I am looking at strong bipolar which needs to be treated now along with many other behavorial problems. Kidergarden starts in a couple weeks and Im terrified. I want everyone to see my son the way I can. But that is not possible right now. 
Please let your doctor give you a referral to a pediactric neurologist or child psychiatrist to help manage your son's meds.
I know a lot of people say that meds are not a cure all but my son - now 8- went on focalin when he 4 1/2 and all it took was one day to see a huge difference. There are many meds for adhd and different children may need different meds and different dosages. It DOES get better!
Welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of info here as well as a lot of encouragement.
I wish that I could tell every parent who decides to medicate their child that it typically takes four attempts before finding the right drug. And after that you have to determine the correct dosage. Oh yeah, you may also have to up the dosage over time. Not that drugs are the answer for every child. Your frustrations are normal, and your poor kid. Children know when they are not acting the way that their parents want them to. I cannot address the bipolar issue but you may want to work on getting answers. My son saw a bunch of doctors before we medicated, also underwent an EEG and MRI. He sees a behavior doctor (his third, a male, and this one is working out). Also, kids mature alot developmentally around 5 and 6. Are you looking at an all day or half day kindergarten? This whole situation is a journey and it takes alot ot time, energy, and patience to see improvement. Don't give up, your son is counting on you to help him become the person he can be. It may also be worth putting him in an integrated classroom. Where there is a special ed teacher and usually multiple aides. The less pressure he has (and you) getting through Kindergarten and sorting out diagnosis and meds, the better. I think I'd contact the school. Trixila is right 5-6 is a HUGE developmental growth year in maturity.Contact the school. We have always gone to the school before school starts to make sure that Emily gets a teacher that works well with ADHD. So far it has worked like a dream. Every year she has gotten a teacher that has an ADHD child or has a lot of experience in dealing with ADHD. If you go to the school and explain to them what is going on then they should work with you in getting him a teacher that will be best suited for his needs and be able to handle him.
WELCOME!!
Many ADHD kids are difficult to potty train.
Thanks for all the great advice. Yes he has a phychatrist who does his meds also, but I love his therapist alot better. She is a cretited child therapist and goes to all of our app with us. He has also been diag. by his peditrician who used to do his meds. Three more weeks and we meet with a new psyc. I have a referral to another doctor which Im going to ask more about today. Im not sure what is for. Im confused about school though, some people say to tell them everything ang and some tell me not to trust them. My son is allmost six. Hes a late five Im not sur I could hold him back? Could I?
I think it's up to you on whether you want to tell the school or not. Some people have success in telling teachers and getting support, etc. and appreciate the open communication. Others (like myself) have had experiences where their child is judged harsher because of the ADHD and every little "normal" child behavior is cause for a note home, etc. Once we started meds, the teacher, who didn't know it, said he was doing so great, they were so proud of him, etc. I asked our doctor about his point of view, and he said you would like to think that schools/teachers don't judge or hold ADHD kids to a different standard, but it does happen. Others don't respect confidentiality, etc. It's just a personal choice in terms of what you think would be best for your sitaution in your environment.
In terms of holding back, I'm not because my son is also almost six and a smarty pants. He'd be bored with another year of preschool. But in our school district, I certainly could do so if I wanted. Call your school district (without naming yourself) to inquire about your local rules.
Good luck!
It's definitely your call on whether or not to tell them, but IMO, he's already having issues at school. You're not going to be able to just send him and hope it's fine. You'll be using meds and changing meds especially with co-exisitng conditions. If they do not know he has a diagnosis and it's being treated they wont have any reason to give him accomodations. I agree if some one felt their child could go to school and get by without anyone knowiing they had ADHD, terrific, BUT you cant have it both ways, expect them to accomodate him and help with his behaviors and learning struggles if they don't know why he is having them. I would not hold him back in preschool if it were me, I'd move him and work with the school and his docs and give it the year, if he's not ready for first grade, THEN I'd think about retaining.Seems like you've got a lot of good but opposing advise here! Good luck! Follow your instincts....
im sorry to hear about the difficult time you are having and my heart breacks for u and ur son but i too am going thriugh a similar situation and you must know that if u dont already that if your child is adhd and bipolor or just one or the other that adhd meds can be touble for people with bipolar they can respond to meds very differently and not for the better because bipolor requires mood stabalizers and that it some stong stuff iwas surprised to hear that at 5 they were suggesting bipolar because i was informed by a specialist that it is difficult to get an accurate diagnosis before 8 usually but like i said i too am going through a very similar situtation so please ill pray for y and your child i know the pain u feel for him my daughter is the light of my life and though she can be challanging she is a riot she has me laughing all the time and she so smart i wish people could see her the same but i look at it like this god had given me this wonderful gift and im greatful to have her no it is not always easy but i try to rely on my faith and god dosent give u anything u cant handle stay sronjg ur a good parent and you love ur son everything will work out for all of us I talked with someone at the school where my son will be attending kindergarten at today on the phone and they told me if my son had "special concerns" that I would have to wait for them to observe him befor they will consider doing an iep which I have no idia wether that is a good thing or not. He wants to go to the big school where the neighbors kids go, the kids that wont usually play with him. but all the same, I cant tell him he wont go there now .It is true that the older I get the less I seem to know for sure. I pray for all of us and our children to make it through and the people who dont understand our kids!
Potty training was a nightmare. I think my son was 4 before we got him trained. There were many times that I would catch him with his pants down or coming from behind the garage with his pants down. Even at 12, there are times that he waits until he has to really go, so I have a, I think the need to go doesn't register with him until it become urgent.
My son has a late birthday (November) so he was almost 6 when he started Kindergarten. I think those extra months helped him mature. Kindergarten was hard because he was undiagnosed at the time, he could not sit still but he was also bored. He picked it up the first time he heard it and didn't need the repetion.
I think my biggest concern is that my son can be the most lovable fun adoring child but will not look me in the eyes. I can hold his head at mine and he struggels to make eye contact if any no longer then a few seconds. none of my other children are like that. His attention span or somthing isnt there, somtimes its like he isnt there. But maybe its just his age I suppose. Thank you all for sharing your experiences with memy son had lousy eye contact when he was younger, he actually struggled to take his eyes off of what ever distracted him away and would look, barely. i think age and meds have really helped with it. It no longer is a problem. my son is 11.|
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