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Post by we3are1 on Apr 7, 2005 17:52:24 GMT -5
 Ok HELP ME!! Our 5 yr old son has just been dx with SEVERE ADHD. We spoke with our ped. 1st, who said he thought Matthew probably had ADHD but didn't dx it and didn't want to put him on medicinie until someone qualified did. We were referred to a behavior specialist in the area that specializes in children. She also has ADHD. After initial evaluation of us, his preschool teachers, and 2 play session, she has dx him with sever ADHD, saying that most of the AD is coming from the H. We have an appt with her monday to sit down and discuss alternatives that we have. Our ped. is very willing to put him on meds, if needed. I am at my wits end and ready for meds, NOW! Do we need more complete testing or has this behavior specialist done enough? Matthew seems to be a smart kid just has that internal motor that never quits. I, on the other hand, have a motor that is hard to start. On top of all that, he is almost 4 feet tall and 80 pounds, a bit hard to handle. So any help would be greatly aprreciated. Thanks for just listening.  
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Post by Linda on Apr 7, 2005 18:43:41 GMT -5
and welcome. I am glad you have found us. We are a great support group so feel free to come back often.  I would think that since your little boy has been dx with ADHD your Pediatrician will be discussing meds with you. Our ADHD kids are indeed smart kids...and you are right...they do seem to have a internal motor that never quits. ...keep us updated.
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Post by Amsmom on Apr 7, 2005 19:19:06 GMT -5
hi we3are1 !! welcome to our forum family!! my ds was dx'd at 4, he is now 9. his psychiatrist used to describe him as being stuck in 3rd gear, so i know exactly what you mean. you may want to check in with the ped and tell him of the dx, maybe he will discuss meds with you now. good luck, keep us posted. we're all here for you! |
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Post by finnmom on Apr 8, 2005 7:52:10 GMT -5
and welcome to our forum family, I think you´ll find this place full of suport and advise´s, we all know what you´re talking about. what I´ve read, the way your son was dx is very common in U.S so it´s enough. About what to do next  it depend´s on what you think about different alternative´s and how badly does adhd effect on yous ds life. You might want to look at our natural alternative´s section, there is lot´s of info of med-free way´s , our med-section is full of different aproaches to treat adhd...so go on and take a look. Ask away, I think we´ve covered almost anything you might come to think about 
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Post by catseye on Apr 8, 2005 8:58:40 GMT -5
My sd was diagnosed from the school in kindergarten, when I took her to the pediatrist he said he figured it years ago!!  ARGH! LOL Anyway the medication trail was trial and error the first 2 years, took forever for us to find the right dose/medication for sd.. Hopefully IF you go medication (there are other alternatives that I dont know alot about, but you can look in the alternatives section here on the board) it wont be as bad for you.... Its kinda up to you, as to how far you want to go with the diagnosis... For us it was ok, trusting the school and the pediatrist... BUT now we are getting a psychologist involved, and I must say it is really really expensive... Oh and of course no one takes our insurance ... My sd is 9 now (almost 10), and has been on medication since she was 5 1/2... The reason we are looking for more indepth testing is the school says she is autistic also... We are worried, that she needs a more specialized school system, then the public schools around here (big school district) can give her... The pretty standard from what I have seen here side effects of medication are : Lack of appetite, trouble sleeping, anger or agression (if it isnt the right medication for your child), so watch for signs as soon as you start medication... I would recommend starting on a weekend, so you can watch your son closely first few days... Good luck!!  cat |
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Post by we3are1 on Apr 8, 2005 13:22:48 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for the big welcome. It is nice to find a place I can ask questions and get answers and whine a bit and everyone understands. We are already having some anger issues with our son -- He just can't control himself. With him being so large, if he pushes another child because of anger -- they are going down. How long does it take the medicines to show some sort of change? Just surviving the day has become a challenge for me. Thanks again for all your advice!
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Post by finnmom on Apr 8, 2005 13:32:47 GMT -5
We3are1
I know pretty little about med´s, but here it goes.
my ds9 is on concerta 36mg, the good thing in it is that you see the reaction almost at once, about 20-60 min´s after taking it, there may be some side effect´s that show´s during the first week´s (weepyness etc.) ritalin is quite the same, I think adderall is the same also. Strattera(non-simulant) take´s time to been built up(around 6 week´s I think) before being fully effective...
When you what med´s if nothing you´ll use, then you´ll get some more accurate info of it...
Do you use any behavioural modification´s or diet´s with him?
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Post by AnneM on Apr 11, 2005 12:52:17 GMT -5
we3are1 ... its good to see you here!! .. Welcome aboard!! finnmom gave you a very good overview of the most usually used medications to treat adhd ... (i.e. the stimulants - Concerta, Ritalin, Adderall) are fast working but go in and out of the system on a daily basis whereas strattera is more of a "build up" ... My own son was on Concerta from age 13 to present (he will be 17 in June)... and it has worked wonderfully for him. You may see quite a bit about it stunting the growth and I am in no way saying that this is false ... BUT I can say it certainly had no affect on my own son despite it being taken during his greatest growing spell (the teenage years). He is now over 6' and IF it has had an effect it makes me wonder how tall he WOULD have been !! HOWEVER, these warnings are REAL and I would urge you to keep a strict eye on making sure he continues to grow at a normal rate ... The other thing to expect with the stims is a reduction in appetite ... so watch out for that ... It actually did my own son a FAVOUR because as a youngster he had a tendancy to over-eat ... Concerta brought that into check and for the first few months I was in fact worried as he did get pretty thin. Thankfully that was only temporary and the suppressed appetite improved as time went on ... Please keep us posted .... GOOD LUCK!! & WELCOME to the family!!
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Post by gabrielsmom on Apr 14, 2005 12:11:08 GMT -5
Welcome We3are1:
I think it is safe to say that we have all been where you are. In my family, my son's nickname was whirlwind and tornado.....He was always going. He is almost 10 now and not quite so hyper. I gues he is a mini tornado now...LOL...
Anyway, Welcome to the family.
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Cheryl
Member
Even the smartest dog was once a goofy pup.
Posts: 35
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Post by Cheryl on Apr 14, 2005 20:48:21 GMT -5
:)Hey We 3are1!! I am pretty new too and I've found this is a great site to get feedback from parents who have been in the same situations. Going with meds is a big decision but there are so many success stories once the right med is found. Good luck and keep us informed on how it is going! |
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Post by momto3wolves on May 22, 2005 18:06:50 GMT -5
Hi there, I'm new too! It is very nice to find a place to vent and have someone understand. Too many people assume ADHD is a 'cover' for bad parenting. I've tried everything with my son, he just doesn't respond to anything I do. (discipline-wise) If he could just control himself sometimes...
Jen
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Post by finnmom on May 24, 2005 13:55:31 GMT -5
Hi there, I'm new too! It is very nice to find a place to vent and have someone understand. Too many people assume ADHD is a 'cover' for bad parenting. I've tried everything with my son, he just doesn't respond to anything I do. (discipline-wise) If he could just control himself sometimes... Jen We will never judge you of bad parenting Jen/anyone else... I think we´ve all been there and had the feeling sometime´s  You´re doing the best you can for him, that´s all. Keep on going mom!!!! |
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