I am in need of some advice. I have consulted my childs doctor about this, but I cant do anything until Friday, when he can be seen. And I am hoping for some kind of answer. My sons teacher called me at school today and told me that my son was in the lunch room today, wrapped his jacket around his neck, and tried to choke himself. When she asked him why he was doing this, he said he was trying to hurt himself. When I picked him up from school shortly thereafter, he was fine, acted like nothing had happened. A friend I spoke with said that sometimes kids with ADHD on Adderall can exhibit signs of manic depression, and suicidal thoughts, from taking that stuff. I have talked to his teacher, his doctor,(who wont see him till friday) and I still am terrified about this. Anyone have any experiance with this? Or anything similar? Please tell me what you think, I am not sure where to go next, short of Dix. (not happening) Thanks ya'll.
OMG Framemama!! I am sorry I don't have any advice but I just wanted to offer support, you have to be scared to death from hearing this.
Thanks for the support sweetie, I am absolutly TERRIFIED My husband and I are scratching our heads, he has a great home life, had lots of friends to play with at home, I think he gets picked on a little bit at school, he is kind of a strange kid, but so was I. But everyone thinks ADHD kids are weird. IMHO
I feel horrible for you, you must be terrified! A couple things I'm wondering...how old is your son, and is he on the medicine you mentioned? I ask because my 8 yo has been diagnosed with ADHD, but we've never put him on medication because of things like this that we've heard about over the years. But he's also never tried anything like this either, has never tried hurting himself or others (except for the normal brother/sibling stuff!) So I was just curious. I hate you have to wait until Friday, that has to be driving you crazy! Also, if he's on the meds, how long has he been on it, is it a new thing or has it been a while?
I am so sorry to hear about this. I cannot believe your doctor cannot see you sooner. Try to stay calm but I know I'd feel the same way you do at this time. Prayers go with you.
Well...how old is your son? Personally about all i would do is have a sit down and ask the boy why he did it and what he was thinking about or what made him do it and tell him that if he has those kinds of thoughts again to please let you or your husband know first. I would not think it was a case for ADD or whatever at all. Oh....i went back and read it again...so you are saying that people say he has it already. Well then...first time he has ever done that? I would still talk to him and not sweat it until he might do it again.
He is 10 years old. He is on adderall 30mg and 5mg once in the morning. He has been on it since he was 5 years old. He was diagnosed at a very young age. I cannot just ignore this and wait for it to happen again. The next time it may be too late. The more I talk to people and the more research I do, this is not uncommon for a side effect of Adderall, it has been known to cause manic depression and even psychosis. I am not taking those chances with my child. I have already lost one son, I am not about to risk losing another, because of some stupid drug. I looked at the ingredients of this drug. It is completely Amphetamines!!! Screw this. There has got to be another answer than drugging him up.
Thanks for your prayers, Yes, this is the first time he has ever done anything like this. But I assure you, I am going to do everything in my power to make sure this is the ONLY time.
Alternatives to Medicine for ADD/ADHD http://www.oohoi.com/disease/medicine-for-adhd.htm http://www.nativeremedies.com/ http://health.yahoo.com/add-resourc...ctivity-disorder-adhd/healthwise--ue4897.html http://www.adhd-information.org/bri...L&ysmtac=PPC&gclid=COXkycze4JICFQGCxwodXgaO-w
On meds since he was 5? So he really has no memory or concept of what life is not doped up. What Tangerine said.
ADHD I have a son that has been on medication for ADHD since he was 5 and is now 13. I have heard of situations similar to your child due to doctor's prescribing too much medication. It puts the kids into a depression state of mind and they tend to do and say things that they shouldn't. I have tried just about every medication on the market. My son is now on a daily patch called Daytrana. Most doctors don't mention this medication, but it has worked wonderfully for my son. His patch is only 20 mg and he puts it on in the morning before breakfast and takes it off after school. Every ADHD child is different and the doctors and parents should diligently find the right medication for each child. After trying about 6 different types of meds, I think we have found the right one for my son. He has been on the patches for almost 2 years. I hope that your doctor will really work with you in finding a good medication that is just perfect for your child. I takes patience and trial and error to get it right. As parents, we all want the best for our kids even in their health.
ADHD My grandson was put on adderall when he was in thired grade. He did ok and was able to concentrate well thur 4th grade. THEN when in fifth grade he became very depressed and sad looking when i would pick him up from school. After the family meeting he was taken off the med and started to get better. He is now 13 and is on ab honor roll all year and is a happy young man. Also, some reasearch has been done on the effects of these drugs on the heart. Sometimes i think schools don't want to deal with kids who are hyper..they just want them to take a pill and be quite. GOODLUCK in what ever you do. THanks, MAcy
I am so sorry to hear about your son's current situation. I have heard that the Feingold program (feingold.org) has had excellent results for children with ADD and ADHD. They are a non-profit organization that has been around for some time. But unfortunately diet related options are not a quick fix for the current side effects that he is experiencing. Does he also see a counselor? I will be thinking of you, I know it is going to seem like forever before Friday gets here. Maybe you could call the doctor in the morning and ask them to call you if they get any cancellations. Please keep us posted.
Has he had counseling, or have you had family counseling, since the baby passed away? I wonder if he is having a hard time dealing with that and doesn't want to let you know? That's just a wild guess, I hope the doctor will be able to help when you finally get to see him. I don't understand why the doctor is making you wait until Friday. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
FrameMaMa, If a child is depressed to the point of wanting to hurt himself, typically they wouldn't do such a thing in the lunchroom in front of a crowd. And a young child like that, would show more outward signs of true depression...isolating himself from the rest of the family and friends, not wanting to participate in any of his favorite activities, being unusually quiet, etc. I would surely talk to him calmly and ask him what he was doing and why. It sounds like more of an attention-getting move than a "want to hurt myself" move. As an ADD child, other children may be sensitized to his amplified personality, and thus not pay as much attention to him as he would like, or as he feels his actions should generate. ADD children sometimes have a hard time understanding why everyone else isn't as enthusiastic about the world around them as they are. And when you see a world worth being that enthusiastic about, no one wants to experience it alone. If he was simply trying to get attention, he may be either embarassed to admit it or afraid he will get in trouble. To be frank, school personnel sometimes read something into an act that isn't really there. Perhaps to avoid liability, perhaps because they can think of no other explanation. Also...there is the "choking" game that has become a dangerous trend in kids. He may have heard about it, and thought it would be something funny or cool to immitate. Just some thoughts.
I have no idea if it's true or not, and neither do you. Sometimes people forget there are REAL people on the other side of the keyboard. Frame has been through a lot, and I don't think your comment was remotely helpful.
That's exactly what I was going to mention. Frame, Your family is in our thoughts during this time. If you are looking for a counselor call Clayton Counseling Services on 42 / 70 split. They are wonderful people and have a very caring staff. I highly recommend them.
