Post by H17537 on Feb 25, 2005 12:03:37 GMT -5
Hi. Wow. I am so confused with all the stuff I read about ADD/ADHD.
My son is 10 and in the 5th grade. Since preschool he has had the reputation of needing: re-direction, a lot of teacher attention, often needs re-enforcement. In Kindergarten he would cry a lot when he got his feelings hurt or got into trouble for talking.
When he was 6 we had him tested by a school psychologist and the result came back as anxiety/depression. Anxiety, we could see but depression? No way. .at least we did not think so. He sings all the time, laughs, is goofy, likes to joke and make people laugh. The doctor put him on Paxil. Well this made him so hyper and that was about it. We took him off of that and tried behavior management and diet modifications. I have used the Omegas, I use the NOW products, magnesium, and I have even used stress supplements. He does better when he is off of sugar completely. He has done great with anger and controlling his temper. He does not fight or hit, or start fights with other kids. He is sensitive and loves to help with small children and will help you do anything if you need it. He is organized at home, his room is clean, and he does what he is supposed to at home and gets along great with his brothers. He is very responsible, more so than my 13 year old. I think because things are the same at home and structered, he knows what he can get away with and that there is a result if he doesnt. But then it comes to school. We continually hear he has difficulty following directions even when the teacher has close proximity, and pairs a visual aid, with her verbal direction. He shows disrespect by being argumentative with teachers because he does not think he is wrong, and also makes inappropriate comments or noises during class discussion times. (These are generally goofy comments to make people laugh) he frequently leaves his seat to get tissues, throw trash away or get a drink. He has to be re cued frequently, His attitude is argumentative, emotional, frustrated, angry (when he has to check mark for behavior or because we forgot to sign his assignment notebook) he is silly and outspoken. He gets upset in gym if they play games and he does not think the teacher made the right call in a game. (This is the same with friends if they play a competitve sport and he thinks his friends made a bad call. He wants to always be right and always be first) He does like to be center of attention. The result is he shuts down and quits playing or if he gets mad at the table, he does not want to eat, or at school, he wont answer questions and crosses his arms and looks down, and has a mean look on his face. But he would never be violent.
We now have an appointment with our doctor on Monday. The teachers have all filled out questionnaire form as did I and my husband. We have given the doctor a lot of information. I talked to the doctor yesterday and he said that the only problem with this is that dosages are different for each child and he wished their was a machine that a child could get up every morning and stick his finger into and it would tell you the dosage each day. I am scared to death of the medications and their effects. But we have tried various things for 6 years now and this is what is recommended to us so that he can have success in school.
Is this common for a child to be such a good kid at home and responsible and neat/organized etc and then at school be a completely different child?
What do I need to ask or be aware of with different medications once we go to the doctors?
Thanks for any help/advice you can give.
My son is 10 and in the 5th grade. Since preschool he has had the reputation of needing: re-direction, a lot of teacher attention, often needs re-enforcement. In Kindergarten he would cry a lot when he got his feelings hurt or got into trouble for talking.
When he was 6 we had him tested by a school psychologist and the result came back as anxiety/depression. Anxiety, we could see but depression? No way. .at least we did not think so. He sings all the time, laughs, is goofy, likes to joke and make people laugh. The doctor put him on Paxil. Well this made him so hyper and that was about it. We took him off of that and tried behavior management and diet modifications. I have used the Omegas, I use the NOW products, magnesium, and I have even used stress supplements. He does better when he is off of sugar completely. He has done great with anger and controlling his temper. He does not fight or hit, or start fights with other kids. He is sensitive and loves to help with small children and will help you do anything if you need it. He is organized at home, his room is clean, and he does what he is supposed to at home and gets along great with his brothers. He is very responsible, more so than my 13 year old. I think because things are the same at home and structered, he knows what he can get away with and that there is a result if he doesnt. But then it comes to school. We continually hear he has difficulty following directions even when the teacher has close proximity, and pairs a visual aid, with her verbal direction. He shows disrespect by being argumentative with teachers because he does not think he is wrong, and also makes inappropriate comments or noises during class discussion times. (These are generally goofy comments to make people laugh) he frequently leaves his seat to get tissues, throw trash away or get a drink. He has to be re cued frequently, His attitude is argumentative, emotional, frustrated, angry (when he has to check mark for behavior or because we forgot to sign his assignment notebook) he is silly and outspoken. He gets upset in gym if they play games and he does not think the teacher made the right call in a game. (This is the same with friends if they play a competitve sport and he thinks his friends made a bad call. He wants to always be right and always be first) He does like to be center of attention. The result is he shuts down and quits playing or if he gets mad at the table, he does not want to eat, or at school, he wont answer questions and crosses his arms and looks down, and has a mean look on his face. But he would never be violent.
We now have an appointment with our doctor on Monday. The teachers have all filled out questionnaire form as did I and my husband. We have given the doctor a lot of information. I talked to the doctor yesterday and he said that the only problem with this is that dosages are different for each child and he wished their was a machine that a child could get up every morning and stick his finger into and it would tell you the dosage each day. I am scared to death of the medications and their effects. But we have tried various things for 6 years now and this is what is recommended to us so that he can have success in school.
Is this common for a child to be such a good kid at home and responsible and neat/organized etc and then at school be a completely different child?
What do I need to ask or be aware of with different medications once we go to the doctors?
Thanks for any help/advice you can give.
and welcome...Oh yeah it is very common to be "good" at home and a different story at school. He doesn't have to compete at home....In the classroom there is a lot of distractions and this is what I am hearing from you.
