ADHD/Giftedness/What gives? | ADHD Information

Our DS was diagnosed ADHD just as he turned 5. He now 7 (medicated) and has been recently re-evaluated (at our request) and has also been diagnosed with SPD and some anxiety, which I am in the beginning stages of learning about. He is also very advanced academically, which leaves him bored in school. The problem we have is that he is very advanced academically but behind socially. We've just begun OT for his sensory issues and are hoping that this will help with his frustration levels & social skills. I think young kids that are advanced academically are easily frustrated because their brains are ahead of themselves socially & mentally. I can see where this would be frustrating for a child. I see having ADHD & a high IQ level as being a push-pull situation for kids.

Hi epokey,

Just curious..what form of SPD? Our son, diagnosed by OT as SPD stimulis seeking --tried a bunch of things to try and get his "motor" to cool down without much luck. Might I ask what meds he is on. We are trying to get ourselves ready to try meds again. Also, how does your son manage at school? We are a homeschool family..and DS is doing great academically, but what a challenge!

Well for us, i know we are going to try the increase, but if we see no benifits from it, it may time to try a new medicine all together. Our journey is never ending, and we are always on the lookout for a new and better "tested" way to deal with his disorder. I also know that as part of just being a bright hcild their are seperate issues which are compounded due to his disorder. Most gifted children are loners and do feel as if they dont fit in. Put that w/ adhd and i can imagine the frustrations these little people feel. Worse than that is that my son as well as i'm sure your's can not verbalize his feelings b/c he has no clue what normal feels like. IT would be soo much easier to deal w/ ADHD if their were clear pysical signs, as w/ a diabetic and blood sugars. Until science is able to physcially pinpoint features through testing I suppose our battles will continue. You are not alone, i only wish there was a local or school based support groups so that parents dont lay soo much guilt upon themselves. iluvtwobabes, when my son first started medicine he started with Adderall. He didn't stay on it because it made him angry, aggitated, and anxious. Maybe this is what's happening to your son??? We made adjustments in timing and dose and it got better but never totally went away. When we switched to Ritalin a lot of the aggitation when away. Maybe you should switch medication "families" to another type... Just a thought???My son also has SPD. He's mainly stimulis seeking but he's very sound sensitive though. My son is very ADHHHHHHHHHHHD and stimulants work very well for that part but make his sensory issues worse. So he takes Tenex along with the Ritalin and it helps calm the side effects of the Ritalin.

Your responsive have all been so informative and guinuinly kind. I have noticed that he has more tantrums/outbursts of anger directly following visits from extended family or longer family activities. (such as an overnight trip to a fun part, etc.) I find myself wandering if the behavior is an outcome of fatigue or a sensory issue. The phychologist that comleted his assesment and I never covered this issue but I have scheduled an appointment for therapy with a new doctor is January. I will definately be bringing this question to his attention.

Again, thanks to everyone for their input and keep it coming! This support is the reason I love this message board.

My son also has meltdowns more often if he's overstimulated or if he's had to hold it together for a long period of time. Sounds like that's what you're describing with your son and the long family visits etc...

We recently tried to up my son's medicine. (per advice from psychologist thinking that it may help him cope) We went from adderall XR 10mg to 15 mg. He seemed more agitated and his "meltdowns" increased (daily). We quickly took him back down to 10 and he is back to his usual self (1-2 per week).

I am quickly realizing that I need to be reading more and am analyzing everything about how we respond and having him articulate more of his feelings.

Any other advice?

hI, I havent posted in awhile but i just wanted to share my story. My son Gavin is 7 he is "now" on adderall xr 10 mg. (but i think we are about to up it to 15). He started showing signs of ADHD once he entered the public school system at the age of 4. Public school became a nightmare of sorts. He was always in trouble. He was givin in school suspension in kindergarten as well as actually suspended from school due to "too many trips to the office for behavior issues'.. I finally agreed to meet w/ a psychiatrist in the fall of his first grade year to have him evaluated b/c I struggled w/ the whole medication issue. My son also was blessed his 1st grade year to have an incredible teacher who was amazed at how brilliant he was (we all knew he was smart he'd been reading since he was 3). She insisted he be tested for the states gifted program and after numerous tests and evaluations he was accepted into the States gifted program. The double edge sword is that my son is extreme impulse control issues. HE also is very prone to meltdowns. Over the last 2 weeks his behavior has mirrored the days when he was on no medications at all. So i fear it may be time agian to adjust his dosage. To be a parent of a child w/ ADHD is to become completely flexible in your thought process.. to become a warrior for your childs rights and to become a scholar on the disorder. Some days when you are going through shifts in medicines it can be exhausting but i KNOW the potential "my little genius" holds (that's what i call him). Postive imput and encouragement is a must b/c they already get enough of the negative things thrown at them. Good luck and i hope my story has helped a little!

Hi,

Sounds a bit like my six year old son. Diagnosed at 5 as both ADHD (super impulsive) and also IQ result in the Very Superior range. He also has a "very low frustration level and is inflexible"...short temper. Dr. recommended reading "The Explosive Child" and it describes him to a "T". Loving little guy, reacts with high emotion to every challenge. We tried meds last fall and the side effects were too intense (aggressive behavior ramped up). But, with a new Dr/Clinic we are reassessing meds and treatments. Hang in there!

adhd isnt bound to an IQ number.

from genious to moron .

its believed that most of the major innovations of the 1900s were initiated by people of adhd with high IQ.

the adhd lable is meant to enlighten the disorder so that one can learn to cope with it rather than to continue repeating dilemmas.

psychopharmacologist

see one of these and you may get on a good track .

adhd is life long at least so far.

learning coping skills early goes on into adulthood.

also my personal chant lately has been

parental involement with emotional developement!

i mean sure meds are a big help. for symptoms

but adult guidiance is equally important long haul and long term.

med changes twist emotional cues and responses.

so being able to go to parent and with thier feelings -a little person may only know/speak mad, angry, sad,love.

its the adult point of view that can dig deeper i a conversation to underlying feelings . emotions grow to mad, angry, sad,love.

positive attention

finding out what started it

how to recognize feeling about it

alternative action next time they recognize those underlying feelings.

practicing a postive outcomes as alternatives to outbursts or escalating feelings.

this you aleady do

we all do. all parents say" what are you gonna do next time differently"

but when it come to ADHD, ODD,ECT...

there are methods , seek them out

-------

let the

psychopharmacologists do their part the parents and therapists do their part the educaters do their part the ADDer learn coping mechanisms support do their part

a book titled

driven to distration is a good read

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i should stop there

for me an ADDer.

my feeling go in cycles

as typically adhd accompanies another disorder called (comorbid)

my feeling lend to behaviors

one month im irritated but feel strong

the i return too my base line feelings

i know this cause i journal my feelings!

a few months may go by then i feel down and out

then baseline

then obsessed or hyperfocussed on new things to learn or do.

more intense than a hobby nearly infatuated.

then i loose intrest

then i go base line again

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thing is adhd has a cognitive element to it.

or should i say poor cognition skills

so when the time comes that i get engrossed in learning and obtaining something

i now see it as remarkable and enabling positive

i sometimes feel eager to learn a whole new to me genre and cold be anything ----

for example right now im totally focussed on microwaves.

all sorts - i theorize well ---- thats for another post.

so tempting to just blurt it all out!

sometimes i do and i stick out like a sorethumb

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so in a Normal Thinking world a med dosage that works for ten months then doent have the same effect + or -

my feeling fluctuate make sense to me.

the meds for some folks fluctuate

going up

baseing

go down

-------

with each change our social cues are tweaked ToO

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so the role of the

psychopharmacologist can cange these dosages

but based on what?

typically by school staff that write reports on behaviors.

but dont let them be the only driver in the seat, afterall a child is only there for an education

dont dismiss them either there opions are very important @THE SCHOOL

so also a therapist seeing a child can help guide emotional development they keep notes and send them on to the psychopharmacologist

-----

its tempting to change a med to another med based on the fluctuations

the parents have the final say .

IMHO the parents need to keep a med journal and practice emotional development both.

three reports for the psychopharmacologist to base his recommendations from

instead of only from a school system.

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http://www.adhdnews.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=19898& KW=marble

ommas40107.8737152778

My son was diagnosed with ADHD at age six. Currently takes Adderall XR 10 mg. once a day. Now he is 7 yrs. old. and was recently evalutated with a child/adolescent psychologist. Psychologist confirmed diagnosis of ADHD and added that he has an IQ score in the Very superior range.

My son struggles greatly with extreme frustration, anger, and anxiety. What can we do to address these? Do these characteristics stem from being ADHD, the medication, or having a high IQ along with ADHD?

I am wondering if anyone else has a child with similar qualities and how it is being managed.

I am at a loss and very worried that my sweet little boy will not enjoy the blessing of his childhood.

Please help.