When Does It Get Better??? | ADHD Information

Hi there
I get jealous too - 'normal' is so appealing sometimes, and as a 'sociable' mum I feel left out.
BUT hang on in there. My son (IQ gifted and with GAD) has come a long way and is now able to join in with things within his comfort zone. When he was too young to have any 'say', he's just not join in if I booked him into day camps etc that 'kids' were supposed to enjoy. As he got older he'd just say "No thanks" outright to anything I offered him like that.
Now I plan ahead and find out if one of his friends will do it too and that is the selling point. He still won't do just anything, where some of his friends will, but this year he's taken up tennis (once a week, after school, with a friend who he did a vacation day camp with for a few holidays), cartooning club (morning before school, with a known teacher), soccer and rugby at lunchtimes through the school with friends.
I hope for you, if will get better. Hang in there and take heart. It can be lonely but I have to stop and remind myself how far my son has come (good days and bad days though.)
Good luck!!!!
I'm just really sad today. Signed my 6yo son up for a football camp that runs 8-10 a.m. this week. He loves football and I was hoping the physicalness would be a great fit for him. Well, I got a call from the coach today to come pick him up because he wouldn't do anything and kept trying to leave the field. When we picked him up,  he knew we were upset with him and he got upset with himself. But he can't explain why today he didn't want to do anything. Last week he was supposed to read a book at the library to a rescue dog. He had been so excited about that, too, but refused to read anything once we got there. It's like the only place my son is normal is when he is home with the family. Otherwise, somethign always seems to upset him -- school, sports camps, etc. He's been evaluated as gifted, so that adds another dimension to the whole ADHD thing. I just wish I could have one day where he acted like a normal kid and enjoyed life. I'm so jealous of everyone else that doesn't have to deal with this. I get so upset and sad that my son can't just have fun and enjoy life. Then I get upset with him hoping he'll change. Then I get upset with myself for taking it out on him when he obviously can't help it. I just want life to be normal. 

I feel for you.  I think you need to find your own version of "normal".  Is it possible that there is something else going on with your son -- like social anxieties ?  The problem may not be ADD-related.  Perhaps that is why he does well at home and not at other places - no anxieties at home.  I would speak to the doctor about this and let him know what is happening.  He may have some recommendations.  My son is ADHD combined types, Gifted and has Tourette's.  It's interesting, and he drives me crazy most days, but he is a great kid and I love him to death.  I only want the best for him, as you only want the best for your son.  Don't just accept that this is the rest of your life.  Get help from your physician, a psychologist, etc.  How does he do in school ?

Good luck, and keep us posted.

My son hated to be around anyone else. I thought he was overly anxious.
But he's come around, and is now one of the top participants in his class.

He really got a lot from knowing he has ADHD. He knew he was "different,"
and having a name for it and knowing that it wasn't his fault made him
much more comfortable being himself.

Have you tried practicing how he should act in social situations? You think
kids just pick up on social skills, but sometimes they don't. And hearing
about it doesn't help that much either - they need role playing games.

Hang in there! It will get better!My son has started with a new therapist who 1) said Aspergers (he's tested
negative twice) and 2) anxiety aside from ADHD at first glance. Who knows.
Give it a shot - if therapy for anxiety will help him out, I say go for it! I'll let
you know how it turns out.My son is ADHD hyper/impulsive type and gifted, which makes him overthink everything. He's on 27 mg Concerta, which really helps him with the hyperactivity and impulsiveness. He also does well in most social settings ... when he knows the other kids, etc., such as playing with kids in the neighborhood, going to the pool, baseball team picnic, outings with friends, etc. It's more the situations where it's the unexpected and/or he doesn't know anyone. He only knew one other boy at the football camp of about 150 kids, which makes me think the anxiety piece me be just one more thing we have to look at ... Anyone have experience with ADHD and anxiety? I hate to put him on another med as I already hate it but know he needs it. :(My son's therapist is going to teach him relaxation techniques. It's just
starting, so I can't really give you any input about where it will end up. Is
your son in therapy?My son has ADHD VERY hyper/impulsive type and anxiety.  He take Ritalin and that does wonders for the hyper/impulsivness but he was still having problems with anxiety.  The Dr. thinks that the Ritalin was actually aggravating the axiety but he needs it very much...so...we started him on Tenex (along with the Ritalin)  and it's done wonders for the anxiety.  He's no longer overly emotional and whiny and he seems to not get as anxious in new situations.  You might mention it to your Doc. Good luck!

I would also look into the anxiety.  My son who is also 6 can be very anxious at times, especially when he doesn't know what will come next or what is expected of him.

Does someone explain things in great detail to him?  Maybe with the library, someone should show him how to read to the dog first and then have him try.

My son does well with clear expectations and also letting him know what will come next.

Also, he is only six and things will truly get better.