My Son
Please help Me
My son has just ben diagnosed with ADHD he is 6 yrs old nearly 7 although he has only recrntly been diagnosed I have been using the behaviour managment techniques sinece he was 4 and even though he requires alot of attention he is a fanstastic child I woulnt change him for the world.
He struggles at school with his social skills and is impulsive and easly distracted for these reasons his "Experts" and asked me to consider medication I am absoulty devastatated as I didnt realise that he wa in that criteria and I certainly dont feel the need for this at home .Please some one help me as I feel completley useless and dont know what to do next. I dont want to deprive mt son of help but at the same time I dont want to give him stimulants just because his school feel they cant cope.I know this seems like I am blaming his school but really I dont know whta to think or do
From the luckiiest mum in the world
He probably behaves so well for you because you work very hard with him. His teachers may not understand how to get the same behavior out of him. Have you shared with them the techniques that work well for you? If you are going to go non-med route, you need to work very closely with his school. Constant communication is a must. A dedicated teacher is also helpful. Also, what is his diet like? Does he eat the school lunches? They are very over-processed. You may want to consider packing a healthy meal. You can do it, and you sound like a wonderfully tuned in mother. I wish you the best of luck.
Thank You for your Kind words
I live in glasgow Scotland and ADHD is not really acepted here yet and I am struggling to get any support groups to help me this seems like a great site and will use it often I'm sure
Once again thanks
Maureen,
Please look at this as a positive....my daughter is now 8 and was diagnosed at the age of 4 with ADHD. She started out on adderal and I was very concerned that it was a stimulant and addictive medicine, so I choose to talk with our Dr. about different medicines. He suggested to try Strattera, which is a non-stimulant, non addictive medicine for ADHD. I am so happy that I was able to help my daughter, as she was struggling in school just as your son.
Imagine what they must feel like, not being able to concentrate and feeling out of control..?????? I think as a parent I did the absolutely best thing for my daughter as the medicine has helped her tremendously. She would not have been able to concentrate in class and like your son...........her social skills were so impulsive and not easily understood by the other children. And if they are unable to pay attention in class, how would they learn what is expected of them?? Trust me as you enter each grade the demand on them is more and more. If it weren't for her medicine, she might not have even passed 1st or 2nd grade, and I sure didn't want that for her.
With the behavior management, he may not require much medication to help him. But I would definately look at it as you are doing what will help your son. Realize too, that the medicine alone does not "cure" all.....the behavior management is still required along with the medicine. And if you have no problem with him at home..........maybe you can "take the summer off" of the medicine and only use it when he is in school. Just a suggestion.
I hope this has helped you because I know the feelings as a parent that you must be experiencing. Please keep in touch and let me know how things are going.
If you dont' want to medicate him, don't. My son was on stimulants for years and they didn't help him. Turned out he was misdiagnosed and doesn't even have ADHD, often an early first diagnosis. If it's not ADHD and the child is put on stims, it can make them worse. I'd get an opinion from a Child Psychiatrist and maybe, if he has REAL social problems, along with sensory issues, look into ruling out high functioning autism, which also mimics ADHD and often OCD. Don't let anyone talk you into doing it if it doesn't seem right. Stims don't help all kids. And there are the side effects of "crashing" when the drugs wear off. Also, one of my grown kids abused drugs for a while. Adderrall is a hot drug for drug abuse---it is crushed with a pillcrusher and snorted either alone or with other drugs, like cocaine. All the ADHD drugs are controlled substances because kids use them to get high. It is speed. Strattera, an antidepressant, is not abused, but often makes kids worse, especially if prone to mood disorders. You may want to try natural treatments or special accomodations in school. In the long run, it may not turn out to be ADHD at all. Like I said, it is usually the first diagnosis and usually not the last. Because my own son was misdiagnosed twice and put on a bunch of meds that could have harmed him, I urge caution with everyone. Few parents of young kids know how often ADHD meds are abused in teens. And who do they get them from? Kids who fake ADHD or steal them from siblings. Make sure it's really ADHD. Could be many things. Good luck :)Enter Your Email below to claim your Free Book