Does any one have children with ADHD, need advice!!!?

Question

I have a 5 year old son, the last of three children and he is the only one with ADHD, he was first diagnosed when he was 2 1/2 but as him mum I figured that every child at that age is over active and on the go.. I have changed his diet, no preservatives, sugars etc, and that seemed to help for awhile but as the years have past he has gotten worse.. He is a beautiful child and can be so sweet, but then he turns into someone we just dont know, he beats up other children bigger than him, inluding his older brother, but no-one retaliates against him, the fact that he is small for his age and because he is a bully and will most likely make them suffer more.. He has started to be a very nasty child and watching him daily with his siblings and the way he treats them is shameful.. I have recently taken him to see a specialist and his follow up appointment is coming up soon.. I have spoken to his teacher and she say's that he is very active and can be disruptive etc.

Answer 1

ok..i dont have kids but my sister has to take medicine for it and we had 2 change our routine and watch different stuff on tv.and when ever she started acting up we made her go in another room if she coulnt  behave..idk if that helps much but yeah.

Answer 2

That isn't ADHD, he has another problem as well. ADHD alone does not make children mean. It might just be his personality, but if you assume all his bad behaviour is because of the ADHD you'll be looking for the wrong type of solutions.

Answer 3

Children with ADHD can have anger problems because they have alot of emotional stuff to deal with--not fitting in at school, getting in trouble alot, feeling like everyone is mad at them, frustration with the inability to communicate (especially that young) and they will act agressively as a way of releasing some of that anger.  Also, a child with ADHD also has impulse control problems and so anger they can't express in a more acceptable manner very often is expressed physically because they don't have that built-in censor that makes them stop and think first.  My son, now 16, was diagnosed first grade after several years of this kind of behavior.  Doctors are now telling us he might actually be bi-polar, not ADHD, and the list of symptoms of both disorders in childhood is quite convincing; he seems to have way more yes's in the bi-polar column.  

One thing we found very helpful was helping our son find a voice and words for the stuff that was emotionally tearing him up.  He was very mean and aggressive toward his little sister, then one day after many many months of trying to help him figure out a way to say what was bothering him, he blurted out that we love his sister more than him because she's perfect and never does anything wrong; he said he wished he was dead--and was 6 years old!  Counseling has helped tremendously, as has being very diligent in correcting aggressive behavior immediately--removal of privileges, grounding, etc., requiring restitution when someone was hurt physically or emotionally by him or when someone's possessions were damaged (letters of apology, offers to help clean up, etc.), and each time anger surfaced, I tried to help him explain what was the cause or trigger, asked what had happened today at school (often something makes him mad at school or home resulting in anger later somewhere else), an argument with friends, anything.  We tried to come up with alternate solutions, etc.  

I'd like to say that now at 16 he's anger free and handles everything appropriately, but it's not true.  Though he still snaps occasionally or loses his temper, he does return on his own and apologize and has developed his own anger-relieving strategies that I've approved over the years.   Some examples, are removing himself from the presence of other people (going to his room, or for a walk), hitting the punching bag, smashing things (we have an assortment of objects plucked from people's curbs or save broken stuff at home for this purpose) as long as he cleans up the mess afterwards.  He still has some work to do, but at 16, I think he handles his anger better than alot of other boys without ADHD.  We are looking in to the bi-polar thing soon, in case he needs meds.

Martial arts also helped my son--it teaches them focus, gives them goals to work toward, and gives them other ways to deal with anger, as well.  My second husbsand is a former judo/jujitsu instructor and taught alot of kids --boys and girls--with ADHD.  If the parents are behind the kids in this endeavor it is extremely beneficial.  It also gives them a physical outlet for alot of that energy.

Lastly, on the physiological front, one thing I found very helpful with my son was absolutely making sure that he 1) got enough good quality sleep (still an issue) and 2) had healthy meals with lots of protein, and  ate on time with little or no snacking on junk food.  He learned by the time he was 3 that he felt better just having something to eat and would come to me and ask for "real food" or "protein".  He might be hypoglycemic, but the pediatricians haven't seemed interested in testing him.  He now eats healthier than anyone I know and understands that he is a mean bear when he needs to eat.

Answer 4

My daughter has ADHD also, but it sounds like your son has other issues as well that need to be addressed, and the ADHD is only part of the problem.  We're still tweaking my daughter's medication, but right now she's taking 27 mg Concerta in the morning, 18 mg after lunch, and 10 mg methylphenidate (generic Ritalin) after school.  She metabolizes so quickly that the extended release pills don't last more than about 4 hours in her system.  

Your first steps should be finding your son a counselor to get him an official diagnosis, help him deal with the symptoms of ADHD, and refer you to a psychiatrist that can begin adding medication to his therapy.  When you see a psychiatrist, they will help give you the options and tell you what's available, the side effects, and the benefits and risks, and together you will work out a plan for your son.

If you choose medication (and it sounds like that is the best course of action right now for you) then try to remember it's an aid, not a crutch to lean on.  The medicine won't be a magic cure, but it will help you find your little boy underneath the symptoms of the condition.

Answer 5

I am not making fun of the situation and I know it is a real disorder but sometimes the truth is funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkzytidhP...

Answer 6

The great majority of teachers and others who claim a child has ADHD do not have the expertise to diagnose it and as a result 90% of those who are said to have ADHD do not have it.

Take your son to a doctor specifically trained for this type diagnoses not just a family doctor. Many children who are active and disruptive are children with high intelligence and are not challenged in class and become bored; resulting in disruptive behavior.

Never put a child on Ridlyn until they have been properly diognosed. It quiets them yes, but it also makes zombies out of them and destroys their curious mindes and makes them  loose interest in everything. If you must put a child on somekind of medication put them on Mederatrainian pine bark known as pycnodginal. Do not use the pycnodginal made with grape seed it is not as effective. pycnodginal does not make a zombie out of a child.

Best find a teacher who will challenge the mind of your child and you will see a big difference in his activites.

Answer 7

I think your little boy is just showing you who he is when you see your doctor tell him /her everything.Meds mite help it mite be just the thing to help settle him down give it a try you can always take him off if you feel it is not working for him but allow time for it to work