Anyone have kids with ADHD or ODD?

OnionMomma

I have a child with autism and ADHD. Honestly, for us.. it was as simple as this...

If your child cannot function in school and home without being happy.. if the child is disruptive, if its something that bothered you enough to go to the doctor about it...

and you DONT put them on the medications.. then you arent giving your child the best life they can have.

Would you refuse a diabetic insulin? Its a disease, treat it.

Just my opinion, but my daughter was diagnosed when she was 5.. shes 15 now and there is NO way she could even consider college or hold a job without her medication.

This is fabulous advice. Our Ped was willing to dose him about 18 months ago, but we held off. Her advice was this, Jessica, you have medicated him for all his other multiple medical issues, why would you *not* medicate him for this?

Sound advice right there!!!

We knew our son have ADHD at 2 years old. There is NO way on Earth one child should have that much energy!!!!

We just started a trail of Ritalin and it is helping immensely. He just started Kindergarten and the teacher was able to see him last year in his pre-school class and she really can tell a difference so far.

We are only doing 5mg a day a short acting dose, which so far is all he needs. It last 4 hours but we are seeing it's affects for about 5 hours and a little longer.

I still give him his doses on the weekend as I don't want to have it move out of his system.

I don't think we will move him to an extended 8 hour for a while.

We have been hesitant to put him on an ADHD med because he has a pretty complex medical past that includes tube feedings for about 2.5 years.

We have seen a diminish in 'want to" to eat but because we did feeding therapy with early intervention for 3 years, he is still eating because it's part of his daily routine.

OnionMomma

Don't do it!!! It can have lasting effects. I tried to join the US Marines when i was 19, and because i was on ritalin when i was 14, was one of the reasons they denied me.

I personally think the symptoms ADHD are very similar to the symptoms of kids eating a typical American diet, with a lot of refined sugars. I think MOST of the kids being drugged up are being done so needlessly. Drugs are very, very rarely the answer!

My son eats a very healthy diet with little sugar. I really don't think cutting things out of a diet will make a big enough difference in children who are truly suffering with ADHD. Could it help, yes it probably could. Will it "cure" it, no I don't think it will and that 's not just me who thinks that, our Ped. does as well.

The only "cure" is a medication that will provide the stimulation their bodies crave badly.

That said, I did lots and lots of behavioral modifications with him (to alter his behaviors and help him cope) and some outside stimulation (deep pressure tissues things) when he was having a hard time being still in church with some success.

PhotogNerd

My oldest son has been diagnosed with ADHD but he's in the middle of being tested for other things.

He takes Focalin once a day for school only. He goes medication free during summer vacation.

I think it's always best to question everything before making a decision. I only agreed to meds after he had real issues at school.

DaysFlyBy

My son doesn't have ADD, but he has very high anxiety, OCD, sensory issues, learning disability. We put him on medication a couple years ago and things have been so much better. We got a lot of flack from friends and family about putting him on mediction, but I knew it was the best decision we made for him, he can now function like every other 13 year old.
People will have opinions about putting children on meds, but unless they live through it, they have no clue. I fought for many years to get him help, one night he told me he wanted to kill himself then feel different, I took him to the ER and demanded help and that's where we met with an amazing child psychologist who told me all about the meds and how they help, the side effects and how they are NOT on them forever.

My middle son has a list of diagnoses with ADHD impulsive type being one of his comorbid conditions. I held off on medicating him until he was almost 5 but life was hell until then, believe me. We went through daycares like crazy during that time, it ea exhausting. Even once I finally decided to try meds it was another 2 years before we found a combination that worked without causing a host of other issues. Once we'd thrown the kitchen sink at him I got a second opinion which yielded an entirely new diagnosis, opened the door to a new class of meds and changed the whole game. He's happy now, has friends, his teachers enjoy him, he can focus and follow along and just basically seems like any other kid. People who have only recently met him cannot believe he was ever the way he used to be. Those of us who've known him all along thank God for the meds that have given him the quality of life he now enjoys. Unless someone has lived the exact reality they are in no position to judge and really need to keep their mouths shut. If anyone wants any specific information on the dramatic improvement medication had made in my son's life feel free to message me. It's a tough road but once you find what works you can happily put it behind you and watch your child succeed. It's so worth it.

OnionMomma

Unless someone has lived the exact reality they are in no position to judge and really need to keep their mouths shut.

^^^^^ Winner winner, chicken dinner!!! +1

opuntia

I have a friend who was diagnosed as an adult with ADHD. It is not the result of an 'American diet' - she is British and eats very healthily. Grows her own veg, etc. Obviously, as with any neurological disorder, or any illness, an unhealthy diet will make it worse, but a healthy diet doesn't cure it.

My friend found the ADHD made it hard for her to focus on getting things done, and hard to organise her life (I can identify with the organisational difficulties, as I have Aspergers - in both ADHD and Aspergers, it's due to the brain not being able to filter out the irrelevant, which a neurotypical brain does automatically, so the brain doesn't automatically prioritise).

Anyway, she started taking Ritalin recently and says it clears her 'brain fuzziness' and helps her really focus on her work. She doesn't take it all the time though - sometimes she likes having brain fuzziness, as she is also an artist, and she enjoys the chaos and creativity that the fuzziness results in. She takes it specifically when she has to spend a few hours on very focused work, and it really helps her productivity, and she gets a lot more done than she would usually get done. She also had some therapy to help her form strategies for dealing with the different way her brain works - Ritalin doesn't solve all the problems. But it has helped her with focusing on her work and getting things done.

DaysFlyBy

For me personally I wanted to exhaust all other venues before I was willing to turn to medication. We did dairy free/gluten free for a few months, tried homeopathics, a chiropractor, play therapy, occupational therapy, behavior modification, vitamin supplements, omegas, etc. NOTHING made a hint of difference. I hate that people immediately assume that medicating = lazy parenting. I have 4 children, he's the only one with issues that fall well outside the range of normal quirky kid stuff and is the only one we've been through hell and back trying to help and the only one that takes medication. It was not a decision made lightly and has not ONCE been a decision I've regretted since.

Elbee1

oops!

krim12

Concerta has been a miracle drug for my almost 8 yr old. He can not go to school without it.

saustin201

My son was just diagnosed with ADHD and ODD and they are wanting me to put him on Ritalin and Concerta. I am nervous and have my reservation about putting my son on drugs such as those. Anyone here have similar childrens issues?

What is ODD? Do you mean OCD? I'm not trying to be cheeky by asking. I think medication for OCD is a good idea. I've been taking it for two years and no longer have any symptoms.

ODD - Oppositional defiant disorder

OCD - Obsessive compulsive disorder.

ODD is a little more controversial - some mental health practitioners believe it's just a label to put on someone who stands up for what they believe in.

I have a kid that stands up for what he believes in. I would never medicate him for it - I would rather focus on him learning acceptable social rules but always standing up for what he believes is right. The trick is to make sure that he's good at heart and believes in the right things.

There is a difference in standing up for what you believe in and beating the s**t out of me because I said something as simple as get ready for bed.

I've been beaten by a 7 year old. It's sad that I am sometimes afraid of my own child. This isn't "standing up for what you believe in". Being hit in the face by a ruler is painful and it happened to me a few days ago.

sarahrbraun

Unless someone has lived the exact reality they are in no position to judge and really need to keep their mouths shut.

^^^^^ Winner winner, chicken dinner!!! +1

AMEN!! I tend to have a whole circle of friends with SN kids because I am comfortable around them. If I am having a particularly bad time, I know I can talk to them, and they won't be shocked by the things that I have to do/go through. Having to censor yourself to make sure you don't shock your friends gets tiresome...

b00b0084

My son was just diagnosed with ADHD and ODD and they are wanting me to put him on Ritalin and Concerta. I am nervous and have my reservation about putting my son on drugs such as those. Anyone here have similar childrens issues?

What is ODD? Do you mean OCD? I'm not trying to be cheeky by asking. I think medication for OCD is a good idea. I've been taking it for two years and no longer have any symptoms.

ODD - Oppositional defiant disorder

OCD - Obsessive compulsive disorder.

ODD is a little more controversial - some mental health practitioners believe it's just a label to put on someone who stands up for what they believe in.

I have a kid that stands up for what he believes in. I would never medicate him for it - I would rather focus on him learning acceptable social rules but always standing up for what he believes is right. The trick is to make sure that he's good at heart and believes in the right things.

There is a difference in standing up for what you believe in and beating the s**t out of me because I said something as simple as get ready for bed.

I've been beaten by a 7 year old. It's sad that I am sometimes afraid of my own child. This isn't "standing up for what you believe in". Being hit in the face by a ruler is painful and it happened to me a few days ago.

When my son gets violent I am scared for my safety. He may only be 8 but he is strong. I call him a mini Hulk. There doesn't look like there is that much strength there, but there really is. He hit his head on the wall (on purpose) one day out of anger and put a dent in the wall. He chipped the paint and there is concrete behind the drywall.

For to commenter that said as long as their child is good at heart and believes in the right thing, they will let their child continue to stand up for their self... My son is very good at heart and believe in making God happy, but he cannot control his outbursts. When he is done there is so much remorse and he is sad that he made God sad. The first time your child comes at you with rage in their eyes and do their best to hurt you as bad as they can you will change your mind.

michellelhartwig

Bump

morgaine108

Have not read all the replies but wanted to add, I have an 8 yo son with ADHD and high functioning Autism. We decided to try medication with him after his Kindergarten year was a complete mess. We suspected something wasn't quite right with him when he was about 2 and had all this crazy energy and was crazy smart but developmentally was very physically behind, also did not interact or play like kids his age. We had him evaluated without much success because he was too young at that point for them to make a definitive diagnosis, some kids grow out of some of that stuff they just mature at a different rate. The ADHD was very clear though to several Drs at age 5 and just last year at 7 the Autism was diagnosed because he is very high functioning and kind of borderline....

But, the first day we tried medication (Focalin) he was like a new child. Still himself, but able to complete things he never had the patience or focus for before. I gave him a puzzle that he asked to play with, expecting him to put 2 pieces together and then run on to the next thing, like normal. I was bowled over when 10 min later I came into the room to see the entire puzzle put together successfully and burst into tears. It's not right for everyone, and some ADHD is overdiagnosed, but if your child for sure has it and and you find the right medication, it can truly change their life. I totally agree with the poster who said that it is a condition and you should treat it just like any other. It is also true that some food issues can mimic ADHD like symptoms so giving diet a try is never a bad idea, but if the child truly has ADHD, don't be so afraid of trying the medication that you keep just trying different food thing after different food thing. Most have been used for many years and shown to be very safe.

CHADD (children and adults with attention deficit disorder) is a FANTASTIC place to go for support and to learn more. There is so much information there and so many other people who have been in your shoes and truly know what it is like to be the parent of a child like this or to be a person who has this. It really helps you cope when you feel like you are not the only one who fights this every day.

jimmacdonald

I have ADHD, my 3 sons have ADHD.

You don't grow out of it; you learn how to live to the best of your abilities to live with it.

The following is a great read for everyone affected by ADHD

http://www.bicycling.com/news/featured-stories/riding-my-ritalin

We put the kids in sports from first grade through highschool, running, swimming, biking these help them alot. It may have the multiple activities being so busy your adhd brain switches easy from one activity to another. Yes we tried drugs did not like the way it affected the kids.

Every season we participated in n at least 2 constant physical exertion with technical movements that engaged brain functions dealing with balance, timing, error correction, decision-making and focus, Karate, swimming, cycling, soccer. One son did show choir dancing and singing on stage, he is still blessed with the talent. Multiple activities at a time beyond normal school days.

Exercise and controlling what you eat really works. For me eating was a comfort habit, the old see food and eat diet.
I am biking 120 miles plus a week, training to do a century in Oct. Riding is my confort, pushing to get my time in line to complete the 100 miles in less than 10 hours.

Three years ago at 265 I was not biking. My wife pushes me to reach my goals, she does have to control the bike spending though.

Our kids are young adults and yes we still have issues with attention control during boring or mundane tasks. There is a wonderful life in working on hard out of ordinary problems that challenge the best of us and needs out of the box thinking.

I will continue to self-medicate with good food and exercise, biking is my drug of choice. I wish everybody success in finding your drummer to follow in living with ADHD.

Cheers
Jim

kimlight2

My son was diagnosed at age 4 with ADHD. We tried behavior modificaton before we went to medication when he was 5 and tried several before we found Vyvanse. He is on 40mg now and is doing fantastic. He is in the top of his class and a does very well in baseball and hockey (playing up a year in skill level). We keep him very busy playing sports or just playing outside to help with his excess energy.
It makes a huge difference in the doctor you choose. I wasn't comfortable with the first one we saw and did a lot of research to find the one we have now. He specializes in autism and ADD/ADHD and works with Rainbow babies and children's hospital in Cleveland. He does a lot of research, stays current on new findings and writes papers for medical journals. He takes time during our appointments to talk with our son about how he feels and what is going on in his life (he is 9 now). He definitely isn't "pushing pills". He does have a hard time sleeping and takes melatonin at night, and very little appetite except in the morning and at night but we make sure what he is eats if packed with good calories. We also do not give him time off of his meds. We had discussed this with his doctor and came to the conclusion even though we want him to gain weight, he either needs his meds or he doesn't it isn't fair to him to stop them. He can tell the difference and gets upset when he isn't on them. He just can't control his impulses and doesn't feel in control of himself.
I guess my advise is find a doctor your are comfortable with, do your research, read as much as you can about ADHD and your doctor, be ready to try different meds because they all work differently and listen to your gut. You the only one who knows what is right for your child.

meshashesha2012

My son was just diagnosed with ADHD and ODD and they are wanting me to put him on Ritalin and Concerta. I am nervous and have my reservation about putting my son on drugs such as those. Anyone here have similar childrens issues?

What is ODD? Do you mean OCD? I'm not trying to be cheeky by asking. I think medication for OCD is a good idea. I've been taking it for two years and no longer have any symptoms.

ODD - Oppositional defiant disorder

OCD - Obsessive compulsive disorder.

ODD is a little more controversial - some mental health practitioners believe it's just a label to put on someone who stands up for what they believe in.

I have a kid that stands up for what he believes in. I would never medicate him for it - I would rather focus on him learning acceptable social rules but always standing up for what he believes is right. The trick is to make sure that he's good at heart and believes in the right things.

There is a difference in standing up for what you believe in and beating the s**t out of me because I said something as simple as get ready for bed.

I've been beaten by a 7 year old. It's sad that I am sometimes afraid of my own child. This isn't "standing up for what you believe in". Being hit in the face by a ruler is painful and it happened to me a few days ago.

yeah my mom would have KILLED me if i did that. i'm not exaggerating either . i got a strong bank hand ONCE for saying something nasty (never aid anything again) so i can only imagine what would have went done had i have hit her. i may have had ADD but i was smart enough to know that some *kitten* just cant be done unless i was ready to meet my maker.

seriously though, just cus your your kids have ADHD and ODD doesnt mean you cant teach them discipline. I know people will say it's different for me because I was a girl, but one of my aunt's had 3 BAD behind boys with ADHD and ODD and even THEY knew better than to screw with their mom like that.

b00b0084

My son was just diagnosed with ADHD and ODD and they are wanting me to put him on Ritalin and Concerta. I am nervous and have my reservation about putting my son on drugs such as those. Anyone here have similar childrens issues?

What is ODD? Do you mean OCD? I'm not trying to be cheeky by asking. I think medication for OCD is a good idea. I've been taking it for two years and no longer have any symptoms.

ODD - Oppositional defiant disorder

OCD - Obsessive compulsive disorder.

ODD is a little more controversial - some mental health practitioners believe it's just a label to put on someone who stands up for what they believe in.

I have a kid that stands up for what he believes in. I would never medicate him for it - I would rather focus on him learning acceptable social rules but always standing up for what he believes is right. The trick is to make sure that he's good at heart and believes in the right things.

There is a difference in standing up for what you believe in and beating the s**t out of me because I said something as simple as get ready for bed.

I've been beaten by a 7 year old. It's sad that I am sometimes afraid of my own child. This isn't "standing up for what you believe in". Being hit in the face by a ruler is painful and it happened to me a few days ago.

yeah my mom would have KILLED me if i did that. i'm not exaggerating either . i got a strong bank hand ONCE for saying something nasty (never aid anything again) so i can only imagine what would have went done had i have hit her. i may have had ADD but i was smart enough to know that some *kitten* just cant be done unless i was ready to meet my maker.

seriously though, just cus your your kids have ADHD and ODD doesnt mean you cant teach them discipline. I know people will say it's different for me because I was a girl, but one of my aunt's had 3 BAD behind boys with ADHD and ODD and even THEY knew better than to screw with their mom like that.

When the child has ODD (and there are different levels) there is nothing you can do to discipline the violent outbursts, they are not "present" when they do it. The feel extreme remorse after they calm down. They are mad at themselves for not being able to stop before it goes to far. If I try to discipline my son during a violent outburst he gets more violent. I have been told to take him straight to the hospital or call the cops for help.

brittamh

My daughter is 10 years old and was diagnosed at age 7 with ADHD. After trial and error we finally found a medication that works for her. Do not get discouraged because it may take trying many medications until you find one that works for your child. good luck:)

candctaber

Both my step-children have ADHD. We fought medicine for many years, but finally had to give it to them when they started flunking in school. They both take Adderall & it has been like night & day!! I wish we wouldn't have fought it so hard.