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-> Parenting our children
-> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)
amother
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 3:16 am
I have 2 kids on ritalin for adhd. One needs it majorly or the house is a war zone.
The other is younger and needs it to succeed in school.
Recently, after reading up a lot about adhd dh decided to be tested and he was told he is definitely adhd so he is finally starting meds. (He has had a very rough life and has been depressed now for a number of years)
I was against meds for years but I see how it helps my kids and I hope it could help dh.
Now my 5 1/2 year old is having trouble reading and I think it's very likely to be adhd. Do I rush to get him tested? With my oldest I waited years as I was against labeling and meds but he suffered so much.
My 8 year old was recently put on meds after complaints from school and she went from failing to doing great instantly. she was having trouble reading and with the ritalin she can read and got 100 on her math test.
Any support will be appreciated and I have a very lively house. Those not adhd are probably borderline adhd.
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chani8
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 4:43 am
ADHD runs in families. Best to go for it. Get him tested. Why let him suffer.
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imasinger
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 6:18 am
Why on earth would you hesitate to do the testing?
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amother
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 6:29 am
Quote: | Why on earth would you hesitate to do the testing? |
because I don't want to medicate if not necessary
and testing it not real - it's just a bunch of questions and if they see he is inattentive - he will be labeled adhd
I bet if I tested all my kids 6 out of 7 would fit.
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imasinger
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 6:54 am
Fact. You have seen 3 members of the family benefit significantly from medication.
Fact. ADHD is hereditary.
You feel your eldest suffered unnecessarily for a long time because you were uncomfortable with medication, and you now regret that.
I assume you are doing more than just medication? Those who suffer from ADHD benefit from counseling, and from a certain kind of parenting style with lots of structure.
If the non medication pieces are in place for all, even the borderline ones (meaning charts and schedules, maybe OT, and the like), then you might benefit from talking to the teachers of the kids you suspect would benefit from diagnosis and treatment. Listen to their descriptions. They shouldn't say, "your kid has ADD, you should medicate", but they can give you details about attention, impulsivity, and social functioning.
Bottom line -- IMO, there has been too much negative press given to medicating ADHD. There is other research showing that most of the people receiving such medication really need it.
There are not family limits, with only the neediest being entitled to treatment.
Just make sure you have a good, thorough psychopharmacologist, someone who has a reputation for being careful. Remember that people without ADHD do not generally benefit from these meds. If the Conner's questionnaires show cause, and it's not the overprescribing type of doctor, then maybe 6 out of 7 should be on meds.
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amother
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 7:16 am
Quote: | Remember that people without ADHD do not generally benefit from these meds. |
is this really true
like if it helps then it's for sure adhd
dh can learn better then in years
he says though if I would take ritalin I would probably get more work done as well
(I don't have a problem b'h)
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imasinger
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 8:16 am
You have a good point.
Stimulant medication seems to help everyone concentrate better, whether they have ADHD or not.
The key factor may be the overall life enhancement outside of the classroom. For a child with ADHD, there are large social deficits that affect home life and ability to make and maintain friendships. There are side effects to the medication, and if it is not truly helpful, the side effect deficit may show as a greater loss than a gain. But for the kid (or adult) who really needs it, it's worth the side effects.
My personal take on it is if a child or adult is suffering from the constellation of symptoms we call ADHD, medication trials will show whether there will be gains from taking something.
For a very balanced discussion of the issue n great detail, see this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pm.....9818/
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chani8
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 8:17 am
Read Dr Amen's book on the 6 types of ADD. You'll learn that when you find the right meds, a person's life can change for the good and the brain can actually heal.
You'll also learn from that book, that if you medicate with the wrong meds,because of the differences in ADD types, then you can actually cause worse problems, which is why Ritalin has a bad name. For those it helps, it's like a miracle drug, and for other's, they may want to jump out the window or throw others out the window.
Anyone thinking to medicate, should read the book.
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amother
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 8:33 am
what's the name of the book?
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chani8
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Sun, Jul 13 2014, 12:38 pm
amother wrote: |
what's the name of the book? |
Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD
by Dr Daniel Amen
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