WELL
ID LIKE TO SAY WELCOME TO THIS BOARD.
i would of responded sooner but my posts have been like
a really long long long run on sentence , and i try not to jump on every topic .
but i want you to know that this is a positve site . with a lot peers goig through much of what you have described. see keep checking back.
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adhd is usually a co morbid with another disorder.
sometime the adhd is more prevailent but usually is less prevaient.
it makes sense to re evaluate from time to time.
especially in your sons case.
keep a med journal is my advice .
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a complete and accurate diagnosis is step 1
no failure thier mom - the first step is getting the correct attenion.
2. the right meds looks like youre on te right track there too.
3. therapy i dont know of anyone with bi-polar that doesnt have a therapist.
i apollogze for not going into more detail .
therapy helps identify the more clinical aspects of bi-polar. wheras a parents support guides the day to day issues. so a med journal helps at home because there is more 1:1 attention.
4.parenting skills. im glad you posted giving yourself a place to vent to peers is a great way to get support for you. adhd parenting can be tedious and emotionally draining - i put my mother through HELL. so i knw first hand that when mom came back from her ladies nights out . she was less tense and i could sense it . it was refreshing fo me see her relaxed to me it seemed to eas tensions .
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back to skills - parenting skills - im not going to lecture you at all.
what ive learned is approach is a key .
almost all parents have many appraoches alot of trial and error and thigs we see and hear others do.
but there are therapuic appraoches to parenting most are what were doing already but the methods are more defined
environment, structure, routine, discipline, expectation, distraction, emotional processing, positive independace, hurdle help. planned ignorewith positive attention. consistency and forgivess.
if the meds arent being effective then may be a more prevailant disorder being untreated.
opps im making those errors agian. and im got that run on sentence going .
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a book called "better boundaries" applyies to the scoop of youre post.
this is just an assuming guess on my part.
"eveyday needs to be consistently the same right after school." no exceptions.
i cant say what your live are like so i cant advice specifics nor should I.
just that exact timng with consistency at dismissal can curb anxiety. its a trust issue. at somepoint a system like the marble system can be introduced.
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Marble system for discipline
http://www.adhdnews.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=19898& KW=ommas
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for some reason i keep getting into arguements with bi-polar people i cant seem to avoid it even when i really really try with all my heart.
so like a light bulb over my head . one day i realized the difference
of punishment vs disciplne.
yelling is punishment. its a control thing
discipline involves teaching, prevention and instruction which leads to self discipline - which is hard for adhd
we have to have it taught to us and without regularity self discipline may not stick -------
if you read all that and youre still with me i invite you to read another post on this site.
ommas40121.8089236111
I am not sure if she means it came from the brain test or other observations and evaluation questions processed.
Most adhd'ers do have co-morbid conditions in addition to adhd. My son is adHHHHHd and speech delayed, sensory integration and anxiety.
Treat his bipolar first with meds and then go back and treat his bipolar - he can be successful!!
The absolute first thing you need is an accurate diagnosis that you are comfortable with! It is essential! You can't treat something properly if you don't know what it is. To my knowledge, there is no brain scan to detect ADHD or Bi polar so the doc was probably just ruling out other disorders by doing a brain scan. Since there is no "medical" test, sometimes the diagnosing part of this is a crap shoot. Much of it is trial and error (unfortunately!) but an experienced doctor should be able to distinguish between Bi Polar and ADHD or see that the are occurring together. If you're not completely comfortable with the doc then switch. That's step number one... good luck and hang in there!