I am trying to get my child tested for ADHD and do not even know where to begin. Do you go with the school system? Just trying to see if parents with ADHD children have suggestions on how to get started, what doctors they use, etc. Thanks in advance for your help.
I have 3 with that diagnosis. You can do psychological testing at a psychological center but don't recommend it. We went to a developmental pediatrician. Have gone for the last 10 years. Typically w/ ADHD, you will inquire w/ your pediatrician and they'll recommend someone. Usually in the neurological field. We go to Raleigh Neurology for all our kids. they are well versed in ADHD. NOT all my kids take meds. They are open to cooperating w/ your wishes. In addition, if they do not think it's ADHD, they're going to tell you. Raleigh Neuro makes sure the dx is correct when they give one. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me via pm or at boydbunch@gmail.com. I was lost when my kids were first dx'd years and years ago. It's been almost 11 years since our first son was dx'd. Didn't know the questions to ask or where to go. That's why I don't mind answering questions for other parents. I am NOT an expert by any means, nor a doctor, nor a professional, nor do I claim to be. I'm just a parent w/ much experience in this area and would be glad to disspell the thousands of "myths" you've probably heard by now. Good luck to you. Once dx'd, you will have a better understanding of certain behavior and the why of it all. That's what helped me the most..the why. Take care, Stephanie--mom to 7
My son was diagnosed about 4 years ago, but we chose not to do any type of medication until 2 years ago, when nothing else helped. We took him to his physician who gave us a questionaire. There was a section for us to fill out, a section for the teacher to fill out and a section for the dr (so there are 3 different opinions). I remember laughing to myself, because it's they type of questionaire that is: "How often does your child do this/how likely is your child to do this", and it was all him, all the time. I had no idea it would be that clear! The teacher's part was the same way, there was no question. So after the teacher and I did our part I took it to the dr and then he told us the options we had. We started him on the lowest dosage humanly possible of a mild drug (the Dr's son takes the same one, so I felt good about it). We weren't excited about putting him on anything, which was why we waited so long, but his grades were dropping drastically, and I knew with EOGs there was no way he could pass 3rd grade. And he's a very bright child, just can't concentrate...If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I know this is a very touchy subject with a lot of people. :cry: Good luck with your child.
I agree with all the above. My son is 28 and has been on various ADHD meds since he was 12. Very long story - he should have been on meds much earlier. His quality of life improved immediately and he takes Concerta now but did the Ritalin/Adderall route as well. In college he took it when he had exams or a big project. He's now a very successful IT network security analyst and still takes his med when he feels he needs it, but not daily. Don't let people's opinions discourage you either, your child's quality of life and sociability area what's important.
I don't see it any differently than a child with asthma needing an inhaler or a near-sighted child needing a prescription for glasses to see the board at school. Give them what they need if it means improving their quality of life and increasing their productivity with their education.
My question is this...I know ADHD is real BUT why did we not have anything like it a generation or so ago? Parents were stricter and rules were reinforced? Not saying anyone is lax .. is it from preservatives, pesticides what? I have a granddaughter with it. She has is bad...and takes med several times a day. Sometimes when i am around her i just feel like she need to get in trouble for how she behaves and punished. Does that help?
I have a grandson(13)that takes Concerta twice daily. You can definitely tell when he has not taken his meds. Love him dearly but he even gets on my nerves. Sometimes I think I had ADHD.
Peppercorn, I firmly believe it has to do with the preservatives in our foods. I also think it can be paired with the fact that children did much more manual labor "back in the day" than they do now which produced tired kids! They had an outlet for all of that energy besides video/computer games. Just my opinion! I have to add that I do absolutely know ADD exists BUT I also believe its over diagnosed. If you've ever paid attention to the "new thing" in the medical field every few years...it was ADD, then Bipolar, now its Autism. Again, I DO KNOW that each of these disorders exists just not as prevalent as they are being diagnosed.
My child was diagnosed with ADHD-inattentive (they do not use ADD as a diagnosis now, instead it's ADHD inattentive). Anyway, we tried EVERYTHING before we put him on meds (including spending about 1800 on nonconventional therapies). I did see some improvement but not enough so eventually we made the painful decision to put him on meds. He is on a very low dose and is doing fabulous at school. We see Dr. Randy Hedgepeth at Raleigh Pediatrics over at White Oak (they just moved to the new location). He has been wonderful and support of all my decisions. I finally told him over the summer that I thought we should try medication so that's when he put my son on Focalin. I really haven't seen any negative side effects (no appetite change or moodiness). What I have seen is my son go from struggling and getting bad grades to a straight A student who loves to read now. I have to say that it's been the best decision for us but it took me 3 years of trying EVERYTHING else before I came to this conclusion. It's a personal journey that only you can decide for your child. Good luck and ping me if you want to ask me questions, etc.
I think the meds make life worse. They may work during the day, but in the evening when they wear off it's a hormonal nightmare.
Depends on the meds. There are a ton of different ones out there now and if one works for one person, it may not be the right one for another.
Meds are complicated as each child has a different brain chemistry. It's hard to watch some times. I had one child have a SEVERE reaction to one of the drugs. Severe. It's hard to know some times if that is the right choice. However, when I see the positive change in my kids, that's when I know it is the right choice. BTW, when we first start our kids on meds, we tell them it's vitamins, not meds. We want an honest perspective from them. ONe said, "mom, I feel different." I said what do you mean? "Mom, I feel like my head is finally clear. I can actually think mom! I can think!" Now, tell me that was not the right choice? Clearly, meds are not the answer for everyone and not all mine are on meds. It is NOT bad parenting. I get so, so aggravated when people say that. Yes, it is totally overdiagnosed but so are many other disorders. However, you have ADHD, you need help. BTW, most parents w/ ADHD kiddos have very strict and regimented rules. They have to. They have to have behavior modification in place to help w/ the meds. Our kids have a routine. Bed time is the same even on the weekends. It's true. I teach them right from wrong. So to say that ADHD kids misbehave and it is a parenting issue, I totally disagree. Not all parents are perfect. Parenting an ADHD child is extremely tough work. They do have lots & lots of energy to burn. Reason they can't sit still is their brain is not wired that way. Their concept of time is wrong. When htey have to wait 1 minute, it is as though they are waiting 10 minutes. My kids are very physically active. They do not slow down and do have tons of energy to burn. Maybe if they put PE back in schools when we were younger...everyday, there wouldn't be less fidgeting in the classes. Kids "back then" were not dx'd as they didn't know what it was back then. Those kids couldn't help it but were mostly deemed "the bad kids" b/c they couldn't concentrate or sit still. NO focus. Research has shown that majority of ADHD kids tend to be highly intelligent and gifted in an area. I have one very gifted in art, one very gifted in sports, etc. I know this post is all over the place. Just know living w/ kids w/ this disorder is not easy. Parents tend to do whatever they can to help their ADHD kids. Many try tons of different things before they use meds. I can tell you from personal experience, it is not an easy decision. ADHD kids are not simply hyper kids. It's way more complicated then that. Okay, that's my 2 cents. stephanie--mom to 7
