Support | ADHD Information

I am really hoping too get the much needed support here that I don't have in real life..

 

I have an 11 year old son with ADHD, Anxiety, OCD, and LD.

 

I will do a better intro tomorrow. right now I need too get him in bed! but I found this while searching for support for parents reguarding children with ADHD.

I am right there with you on this.  I have four children, 1,4,7, and 11 years old.  My girls 1 and 7 do not have adhd.  My 4 and 7 year old boys do... and the 7 year old has been diagnosed with Asbergers (mild form of autism), as well.  I don't know anyone else in my situation with their children being ADHD.  I have tried to talk to my girlfriends about it, but I feel that they just don't get it.  It's not their fault.  I think it's hard to relate to people on things you've never experienced. That's why I joined here as well.  I look forward to talking with people who are in my situation.  I'm glad you're here.  I'll lend support to anyone I can Thank you , I know exactly what you mean, I can't talk too my friends/family because they aren't "in  my shoes" they dont have kids with the same issues mine have, I invited one friend here that has a son with disabilities as well and she has joined so I hope she gets the support she needs as well.ok sorry about that.... too properly introduce myself, My name is Deana, I am soon to be 32 year's old, My Son just turned 11 in October and has been diagnoised with ADHD since age 5. More recently at age 10 he was diagnoised with OCD and Anxiety as well, which we are finally getting under control for now! I am glad too see this support group because I do feel so much better when I can talk too someone who know's what I am going through! I look forward too gettting too know you all!I feel you on this. My daughter has not been diagnosed yet but myself, husband and her teacher feel strongly about something going on with her. I don't so much care to diagnose her but I just want to help her through her day. She has mild OCD and that just complicates things that much more. I just want to find a release for her to help her calm down and focus. She plays in water that is one of her outlets but I also heard of rice, beans & sand. I also heard weights help has anyone tried this? What types of things do your kids like to do that help them? ThanksMy son has ADHD and Asperger's - quite the combination. When he has a
meltdown, he has a meltdown!

I hope you keep coming back here. People can definitely relate to what
you're going through, and you'll pick up lots of tips about how to help your
son.

Good luck!

Concerning weights - my son had a weighted vest and blanket, but it didn't
work for him. What did work was a wiggle cushion, which drains some of his
energy so he can focus better.

You know I totally get what you moms are saying.  As far as OCD goes, my 7 yr old does struggle with that.  I, as well, thinks that it complicates thing.  My son thinks that his hands need to be wet all the time, or they feel "sticky".  He washes them all the time (just wets them down, every 5 minutes to 30 minutes or so).  He says he doesn't want to be a "washer", but instead wants to be like everyone else and not have to wash his hands.  It breaks my heart for him, because the medicine that the doctor gave him is not really helping him.  Bless his heart.  I've just told him that God has made him very special, and there's nothing wrong with washing his hands all the time. 

Corrina, my four year old has major melt downs too.  The psychiatrist put him on respiridone .25 mgs, and at first he was like a completely different boy.  He calmed down so much and was so manageable.  I think we need to have the medicine raised again though, because the last week has been getting worse.  His rages are coming back, and when he's in the middle of those, he's virtually uncontrollable.  Last night, I asked him to pick up his blocks, and he started on another one of his rages.  He started yelling, screaming, kicking throwing things... ect. Anyway, I left the room so that I wasn't in harms way.  He ran out into the living room and threw a hot wheels car at my 47 inch television LCD flat screen and busted it.  It was embeded in the tv he threw it so hard.  Augh.  I had to take some deep breathes over that one.  Needless to say, it's completely out of commission. 

I'm at a loss for what would help my boys to calm down without medication.  We have a trampoline, and we've tried letting them play on that or work off some energy before bed, or before we need them to concentrate on something. They still keep running when they get in the house.

I do understand the OCD and the meltdowns.  We're just staring out on this journey, so we're still in the process of trying to find the right doctors and get thier meds regulated. I pray that happens soon though because I'm so tired of crying over all of this.  I hear it gets easier, and we are anxiously awaiting that.

My son was medicated for about a year and a half on Vyvanse. When he
was originally diagnosed his neuropsychologist said his ADHD was due to
different parts of his brain growing at different rates. As he's gotten older
his brain has synced back up and he stopped needing medication. We
discovered it was time to stop it when when it stopped working, when he
started getting killer headaches daily (to the point I feared he had a brain
tumor), and a racing heartbeat.

The entire time he was medicated - actually starting before he went on it
and still to this day - he's been in therapy to learn how to gain self-
control. He really has made tremendous progress, although he's not
perfect, as no child is.

My advice is this - if the doctor says your child needs medication, there's
a reason for it. It's the same as if they had asthma - you'd give them
medication then, even though there are some very scary side effects. But
the medication isn't a magic pill. Kids still have to be taught how interact
in the world in an appropriate manner. When ADHD kids were really
young, when other kids were learning standard social behaviors, ADHDers
were spending all their energy trying to get a handle on their buzzing
minds.

So give your kids a break, but give them instruction. Then along with
medication (if needed) and environmental changes (where needed) you
will find the combination that works for your child.

Concrete advice:
We follow the steps from the book The Explosive Child - it's the closest
thing to magic I've ever seen, we use it for everything, not just temper
tantrums.
My son responds amazingly to goals and rewards - see the post about the
marble technique and tweak it to what works best for your child, but keep
your kid involved, especially in coming up with the rewards, if they're
invested it will work - and traditional discipline doesn't phase my son one
bit.

I can calm my son down within 10 seconds now, and he has maybe one
fiftieth the blowups he had before we both learned about what was going
on and how to handle it. It's a hard struggle in the beginning, but it gets
easier, and it's so worth it. Hang in there!

Hi, I feel exactly the same way about being alone in dealing with the ADHD.  Most of the family do not understand why he is sometimes so resistant and explosive.  I am also happy I found this group!   It has already helped.  Hang in there!

We started the marble technique about 9 months ago and it has been great!  We only use it for pos reinforcement and take away the Wii or other toy that he plays with often for consequences.  On the difficult days this does not work.  He's sensitive to household changes, sugar, tiredness so we have to resort to other things to help control the outbursts.  He's even very sensitive to my moods which it difficult as well when I'm having a bad day.  Trying to stay consistant and remaining calm is the best thing (not my best quality but I'm learning).

This is a great forum and I hope you get the support your looking for!  Welcome!