New test for ADHD

We could probably go on for a very long time like this... don't you think? lol

I guess humour is a way of "dealing" and tolday I am dealing well.

I should start a thread on this.  Other moms may get a huge laugh out of it.  If I do, I'll let you know.

This is a really nice break!

We could start a whole comedy routine on this based on his redneck skit.  If you've ever had to tell your child to stop barking at the nice man........while in church, your child just might be ADHD.     If you've ever watched your child down a whole can of his father's Redbull......and he fell asleep an hour later......your child just might be ADHD.

OMG that is so funny- we should start a new thread. 

Yes, that's it - that is exactly it. This has been the hardest struggle, the most frustrating thing to try and teach. The part where the kids just don't seem to see that what they are doing is in any way wrong. When you tell them to stop what they are doing in public and they look at you and say "what, what - I wasn't doing anything" when so clearly to you and others their actions/words were totally inapropriate.

I know that this may not all be the adhd as my son was also diagnosed with NVLD (non-verbal learning disorder) which I understand from an earlier post of psm's could soon be equalized as Asperger's. (Although I don't know if I agree with that argument. My son seems to have maany of the NVLD characteristics that fit the diagnosis, but not as many that fit the AS criteria.) (He also has Tourette Syndrome but I know that does not figure into this. As a matter of fact - in my opinion - the TS is the easiest of all his "difficulties" to manage.)

None of you have solved my problem - but none of you can. What you have done is bring me a little closer to sanity for today. I thank you. I would not have beleived that talking to others who can actually understand what you are saying would be such a huge boost. But it is and for that I am grateful that I have found this site and the rest of you also, like I, try to manage from day to day.

My day is a little brighter now - thanks.

Marci -

I have been prescribed meds to deal with stress, but I find that I only need to take it when I go to my daughters IEP meetings.  Thus, it is not to deal with my daughter, it is to deal with the ignorance and carlessness of her educators and the others that frown upon us without wanting to scream at them

One of my ADHD students from this past year had a t-shirt he wore frequently...it said.....

I HAVE ISSUES

That's all it said....a white tee with black, capital letters.

   I LOVED that shirt!!!

LOL Marci!  Your post made me think of Jeff Foxworthy for some reason.  We could start a whole comedy routine on this based on his redneck skit.  If you've ever had to tell your child to stop barking at the nice man........while in church, your child just might be ADHD.     If you've ever watched your child down a whole can of his father's Redbull......and he fell asleep an hour later......your child just might be ADHD.

Thank you all for your insights. It really does help to know that there are others who deal with the same issues. I know it sounds really terrible, but there are times that I feel shame when my son is acting inapropriatly. And the most telling of these always seem to happen when I can't do much about it. I do try and direct my son's behaviour when I can but when he is away from my reach (litterly) I feel paralized and god forgive me... shame. I can give you several examples but I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. It's the times that your kid is on the soccer field or baseball diamond and doing exactly what he should not be, like making inapropriate comments to the other team or arguing with the coach etc.

How do you deal with that - you can't get up in the middle of the game and pull them off by thier ear (not that I would employ this tactic, it is I assure you just a figure of speach) - you have to sit there and watch it and see the looks on others faces as they are sure that you have not taught your child any manners etc. It is like taking little bites out of your soul every time.

The most puzzeling thing to me is how my son reacts or doesn't react. He just does not seem to get it, not even when I try to explain it to him. It has no effect on his sence of rigth from wrong. He either lacks the ability to understand the nuances of human interaction, or he does not care at all. That part eats at my soul as well. Is it possible that my son just has no moral grounding. Could I have done things that wrong?

Does anyone out there know what I am talking about? Am I crazy?

[QUOTE=csullivan] I have found this whole roller coaster ride draining and emotionally I did need some help to get through. I started on antidepressants and it is definitely helping me deal with the situation. I am not suggesting them to anyone but if you are at the end of your rope there is help for us as well.[/QUOTE]

I know what you mean csullivan.  I too have struggled to cope both physically and emotionally.  I too am on AD's, Welbutrin and Effexor.  The effexor helped.  Adding provigil helped some more.  Adding the Welbutrin made me feel like a new person.  I am better able to deal with the non-stop crises' that occur in a family with 4 ADHD kids, three bipolar kids and a husband that deals with his own issues but will not take the AD's because of sexual issues.

Oh, and the t-shirt "I have issues".  I am going to have some of those made!  That is perfect!

LOL Marci!  Your post made me think of Jeff Foxworthy for some reason.  We could start a whole comedy routine on this based on his redneck skit.  If you've ever had to tell your child to stop barking at the nice man........while in church, your child just might be ADHD.     If you've ever watched your child down a whole can of his father's Redbull......and he fell asleep an hour later......your child just might be ADHD.

Marci~

Whether dx'd as such or not....ADHDers have executive function problems....

check out this list....you will see some of your concerns are related to this....not bad parenting skills

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kskkight/EFD.htm

These 3 in general

	regulating attention and emotional responses to challenges that arise,
	making flexible changes in the plan as needed, and
	evaluating the outcome for use of the plan in a subsequent similar activity.

I am new here also and found the tshirt thing interesting.  I haven't seen one of those but I did find one that said:  Aren't you glad you're not my parent.  I really thought about buying it.  My son was just diagnosed this Thursday.  I thought that he was having a really good day when we went in to see the dr.  but when I asked him what his "rating" would be, he said 3+ on a 4+ scale.  "Which means out of 4 Adhd children there would only be one worse than him".  I couldn't believe he said that to me.  I would have loved to know what he would have thought the day before when my son was running laps around the waiting room of the counselor's office.

Everyone knows my son has ADHD.  It may as well be tattooed on his forehead the way he jumps around.  I am very open with everyone about it, especially people who have him over for playdates and his coaches.  I know some people think he is bad- one woman stopped inviting him for playdates because he got really hyper at her kid's birthday party.  As far as the people in our community most people are really great to my kid despite his differences.  As for the ones who are not so accepting (like the woman who doesn't invite him over anymore) that doesn't really bother me at all.  It only bugs me when people like my mom and sister make non-constructive comments about his behavior or my parenting.  They should be loving and supporting us- not tearing us down with criticism.  That hurts. 

By the way- my son is on meds weekdays and off Sat. and Sun.- His soccer coach said - "He sure plays better on Saturday games than on Tuesday scrimmages.  On Saturdays it is like he is possesed by a Brazillian pro-soccer player!" I told him he is medicated on Tuesdays but not Saturday.  We both thought that was pretty funny.

I know my first post was rather facisious, but I'm serious.

I know what I am "supposed" to do with family and friends. I try and explain etc. but what about those you don't know - do you just let them go on thinking that your child is rotten?

I live in a small town and everyone knows everyone - they say that here is the best place to have alzheimers cuz if you forget what you were doing, everyone else in town can remind you!

I just feel like at this rate (my son is 9 now) my son will be labeled as a "bad kid" and not be given a fair shake. Should I be buying t-shirts that say IHAVEADHD (and if you can read this - so do you)

As you can probably tell I deal with stress etc. with humour (or at least I try to) but when things get really bad there is no humour. Today and actually all week this week has been a good week for us, but tomorrow is always a question. Like living on an emotional tight rope.

I have a friend who has two boys with "problems" and she is medicated herself up the ying-yang because she just can't cope.

How may parents out there take meds to help them through this process - is that a common thing?

If that is too personal of a question I am sorry, but some days I feel like I could use a "moral boost" even if it comes in the form of a pill.

I totally think that could be true. LOL

Ok, I have to know, does anyone else feel this way.

I figured out that the way to tell if your child is adhd is by walking into a room of people, and if within 5 minutes every person in that room thinks your child is a brat and that you and your parenting style is to blame... then your child is probably ADHD.

Help me out here - is this the same for the rest of you - how do you deal with it?

You are so much fun!!!  How about this...

If, within 5 minutes of walking into a department store, everyone in the store knows your child's name because you've screamed "STOP THAT <insert name>" so many times... your child may be ADHD.

If you feel that 60 minutes on the treadmill is a refreshing phyisical break from your mothering duties... your child just might have ADHD

If Speedy Gonzoles appears leisurley in comparison to your kid... Your child just may have ADHD

If you have ever been in a parent teacher conference and you were in seriousness asked the question: "Does your 5 year old drink coffee or coke with his breakfast?"... Your child might have ADHD.

(This actually happened to me)

If your child's mantra is "....Um....I forgot"  - YCJMHADHD

I agree - this is some funny sh*t! lol lol

If your your close family members agree to a sleep over for your child and put the ambulance on alert...your child may have adhd.

If your kid can't hold a phone conversation while the tv is on...your child may have adhd.

If the Wal-Mart greater puts the store on alert when you arive...your child may have adhd.