To bring you up to speed, DS1 has been in counseling once a week for the last 4 years and his behavior in school has been consistent from preschool all the way up to now, 3rd grade. We've tried non-medicinal approaches such as interactive metronome training (which he flew through) as well as using a different approach with him besides the basic reward/punishment systems. I have been reading "The Explosive Child" by Ross Greene, Ph.D. based on his counselor's recommendation and have been incorporating it into daily interactions with him.

Yesterday, he went to his pediatrician for the follow-up and review of the ADD questionnaires that his counselor, teacher and I filled out and put him on Concerta. I am a nervous WRECK today because I am not there to see how it's affecting him. I'm afraid that it will change who he is and that I'm going to pick a spaced out child from after school care.

If there is anyone here who has been there, please can you give me some insight with your experience?

MS, my D15 was borderline ADD. In third grade they wanted to put her on meds. I was very wary of all of this. I read this book that really helped us. We incorporated the techniques (the teacher she had did not want to do the extra work for this but of course she is the one pushing the meds) and it worked. By 6th grade D got it. She is now an university prep high school honor student with no special ed. I know every case is different but I felt the same as you.

The book is called "Ritalin is not the answer", David Stein PhD

I happened to find it in the library when all of this was happening -- good luck

Sometimes I wonder if I have ADD.

How do I know, anyway? How do I find out?

The only way to know is this online test I took (which is not a diagnosis anyway) which on I got an extremely high score of 103.

It said I was very likely ADD.

It makes sense, because I can't focus unless it's something I enjoy, channels on all at once in brain, chattering going on in my brain, etc, etc, etc.

What do you suggest I do about this? You seem fairly knowledgeable about this.

My oldest son (who is 30 now) was diagnosed as being ADD when he was around 10 or 11. They prescribed Ritalin for him and it basically made him a zombie. He wasn't our sweet, lively (LOL-understatement) little boy. We took him off of the meds and endured his childhood (one teacher actually got so frustrated with him, she dumped his desk over!).

We survived. He survived. He was never a GREAT student but managed to do okay.

As an adult, he's a genuius. He speaks fluent Chinese, has his own successful computer consulting business and can tell you just about whatever you want to know about pretty much any subject (if he doesn't know, he'll research it). He's very well read and has self-taught himself so many skills. The FBI approached him once and asked if he would go to work for them.

He was BORED in school. As an adult, he thrives-- with no meds.

Oftentimes kiddos with some sort of food intolerance are misdiagnosed with ADD/ADHD. It's worth trying to change their diet before doing the medication route, I think. Kids with autism/add often respond very well to a gluten free/casein (dairy) free diet. These two items are major immune system irritants and some kids react with hyperactivity.

http://newideas.net/adhd/adhd-diet

http://www.feingold.org/

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/add-adhd-diet.php

As an ADD mom with a borderline ADD daughter and an ADHD son, meds are our friends.

I could give you a list of the ones we've used over the years....when we don't have them, we have trouble at home.

I started on Ritalin and could see the difference immediately but didn't like the rebound effect. Dexedrine gave me headaches. Concerta has worked well for son and me. Daughter and I both tried the patch which we really liked but it ate our skin up. Son has been on a Concerta/Stratera combination for years and it works well for him.

Hmm, maybe that was last night's problem. Maybe no one had their meds yesterday.

Daughter is currently off hers....she can tell the difference that her meds make in her ability to pay attention in class but her current boyfriend prefers who she is when she's not on her meds.....which could be part of the reason she makes some of her stupid choices.

Medication is NOT a cure.

But, it can really make life better.

You know, if your blood pressure is too high, you take your medication. If your heart doesn't work optimally, you take your medication. If you are diabetic, you take your medication. If you are depressed, you take your medication.

No one looks down on you when you take it for those reasons.

When your brain chemistry makes life hard, why is it a problem to do something that will make a significant improvement in your ability to function within the expected norms of society?

My heart just sank....Concerta is the same as Ritalin only that it is time released throughout the day. I feel like I've killed his spirit already and I haven't even seen him yet!

I understand this fully as I take Lexapro for OCD (I have the type with intrusive images), but I'm an adult. I just don't feel good about giving my child a mind altering substance. I also read on the print out from the pharmacy that it can become addictive. That concerns me!!

2 out of 3 kids have (had) ADHD -

I found active and fast sports (soccer & hockey) as good therapy. Keeps them moving and tires them out for their studies. One of boys received a soccer scholarship in college and the other is finishing up BS in BioChem and preparing for med school exam this spring.

Just a comment - Baseball may not be a good sport if you have ADHD.

I have found that lots of paddlings, duck tape and hawg tying rope to be very effective with unruly little hellions. Do y'all need to send those chilluns to Auntie Mel for a little trainin???

Here is the way I got my sons to behave out in public. I threatened to paddle their behinds in FRONT OF EVERYONE in the store. I told them,

"you embarrass me, I'll embarrass you!"

I never had to spank them in the store.

Mel,

How does friday sound???? I give her to you for the weekend, she comes back THANKFUL for having me for a mom and the threat of going back keeps her in line......

Sounds good to me.....

not2fun

ps....I'm talking about my middle girl, who does NOT have ADD OR ADHD....just plain ol' behavior problems....

not2fun,

Whats her name so I can paint her name on my paddle??

Heck, MY grandma actually WOULD take me to the bathroom in a store and spank me.

Learnt me a good ol' lesson...

Bring it on, Mel! Strap those spurs on your Tony Lamas and bring your lasso. You're in for a real treat!!!

While you're at it, bring me some Elgin sausage, too. Haven't had it in years!!

MS,

My DS10 (my third kiddie...the one I want to send to Mel is the middle one) has ADD. True ADD. There is no H for him (meaning he is not hyperactive). He is currently on Concerta, after trying EVERYTHING we could not to go the drug route.

I never really seen any "zombie" effect, though he is quieter when he on his meds. The only side effect I don't care for is it is hard for him to fall asleep, but we get through that better now.

Fast sports never seemed to help him, but that would be because he would get distracted on the fields (if there was a dandilion to be found, he would stop mid-run to pick it....and give to me, of course... ).

Anyway, give this a chance and see how it works. There is nothing to say you have to keep him on it, and it just may be the thing to help him.

not2fun

Shelby....

quite the "Southern" name, isn't it?????




not2fun

ps.... and my son's name is Jackson



pss....don't bother to ask me if I love the movie "Steel Magnolia's"

How do you tell the difference between a BRAT and ADD? I don't know how to tell the difference.

Ha! We call our youngest, "Hurricane Shane". He's already knocked out his two front teeth, gotten stitches in his forehead and lost two fingernails from getting them smashed. Thank God the preschool knows him, otherwise we'd have CPS at our door on a weekly basis!

All parents of BOYS should have a reserved space at the Emergency Room. The staff will get to know you by name if your boy has any spunk.