ADD/adhd

[Middle Buffalo]

Anyone out there have or have a child with ADD/ADHD? I'm pretty sure my son has ADD. He's in second grade, and he has an awfully hard time paying attention and following instructions. He's always distracted, and his schoolwork is starting to suffer. No major changes or problems at home, either. In fact, he's always had this problem, so my wife and I are going to get him evaluated.

 

What I want to avoid is a lifelong dependence on medicine. Does anyone have any personal knowledge or experience with a homeopathic remedy or a non-chemical technique to alleviate the symptoms? I kind of feel like the educational system and medical field are quick to diagnose this disorder in young boys because it has become acceptable. I'd like to find an alternative.

[DrunkBomber]

Sorry I dont know any alternatives but I do think its a good idea to search for one. SOme of my friends have it and take things like adderol and they can be terribly addictive and you become completely reliant on them.

[Middle Buffalo]

Sorry I dont know any alternatives but I do think its a good idea to search for one. SOme of my friends have it and take things like adderol and they can be terribly addictive and you become completely reliant on them.

Thanks. That's what I'm looking to avoid.

[DrunkBomber]

I dont know if you looked here yet but here is some info from wikipedia

 

The most frequently prescribed medications for ADHD are stimulants, which work by stimulating the areas of the brain responsible for focus, attention, and impulse control. The use of stimulants to treat a syndrome often characterized by hyperactivity is sometimes referred to as a paradoxical effect. But there is no real paradox in that stimulants activate brain inhibitory and self-organizing mechanisms permitting the individual to have greater self-regulation.

 

Frequently prescribed stimulants are Methylphenidate (better known by the brand names Ritalin and Concerta), Amphetamines (Adderall) and dextroamphetamines (Dexedrine). A fourth stimulant, Modafinil (Provigil) is commonly prescribed off-label[citation needed] and is not approved for ADHD. A fifth stimulant, Cylert was used until the late 1980s when it was discovered that this medication could cause liver damage. In March 2005, the makers of Cylert announced that it would discontinue the medication's production. It is no longer available in the United States. A sixth stimulant, Amineptine (Survector), is an atypical Tricyclic anti-Depressant commonly not available in most of the world and when it was approved was prescribed only off-label for ADHD. A seventh medication, bupropion is classified as an anti-depressant, but inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine, and to a lesser extent, dopamine, in neuronal synspases,[45] and so is noted in this paragraph. Unlike many of the stimulants used to treat ADHD, bupropion is not a controlled substance. See further information on Bupropion in the paragraph below.

 

There are also several nonstimulant medications that are used either by themselves or in conjunction with the stimulants. These are commonly Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs but not to be confused with Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors also referred to as SNRIs) such as Atomoxetine (Strattera). These are also sometimes classified as Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (NRIs) for the confusion issue. Also, tricyclic anti-Depressants are occasionally prescribed, but they seem to only treat the hyperactive part of the condition. There is research on a class of medications called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Enhancers (SSREs); currently, the only one available is Tianeptine (brand name Stablon; it is not available in North America or the English World); this is an atypical tricyclic anti-depressant which is inconclusive in its efficacy. Bupropion (Wellbutrin, commonly prescribed as Wellbutrin XL in a timed release form due to risk of side effects) is an anti-depressant which weakly inhibits the neuronal re-uptake of both norepinephrine and dopamine, but has little or no effect on seratonergic re-uptake.[46] It is approved for ADHD [citation needed] and is not particularly known for its stimulant properties because at high doses it tends to cause seizures in a large portion of the population.

 

Because many of the medications used to treat ADHD are Schedule II under the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration schedule system, and are considered powerful stimulants with a potential for abuse, there is controversy surrounding prescribing these drugs for children and adolescents. However, research studying ADHD patients who either receive treatment with stimulants or go untreated has indicated that those treated with stimulants are less likely to abuse any substance than ADHD sufferers who are not treated with stimulants.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Hey Buff, I think you're going about this in exactly the right way. Doctors these days are too quick to dianose and medicate/overmedicate for ADD/ADHD because it's easy for them, the parents and the teachers. This is coming from a parent who has two kids who I'm sure would test positive with meds recommended and still might down the line.

 

I do think that there are cases that warrant meds, and I think eventually one or both of my kids may fall under that category. For now, though, we've been open to alternate diagnoses and medical indications and at least for my daughter I think we have been vindicated in not immediately going the easy route. It turns out she has a neuromuscular occular-motor issue that makes it hard for both eyes to coordinate and all along this has really been what has given her a hard time in school. 15 years ago she'd have been diagnosed as dyslexic but the diagnosis would have been wrong. Turns out I have the same condition, always have, and it explains a lot of the specific sensorial input and processing issues I had as a kid in school. We paid through the nose (insurance calls it elective, but you wouldn't think so if it was your own kid) for several months of heavy duty vision therapy and it has helped a little bit. Mostly, it has helped for our daughter to know there is a medical reason for her inverting and dropping and adding letters when she reads and writes and armed with that information she is learning how to work through a lot of the problems on her own.

 

All that said, again I think there are many real cases where meds are the right approach. As much as you hate the idea of overmedicating your kid, it would be worse i think to dismiss the option entirely on principle in cases where a little medicine really can go a long way to addressing the ADD/ADHD symptoms.

 

So my advise is to do what you're doing. Seek several opinions and be open to the multiple diagnoses and treatment options offered. In the end, do what you think is best for your child base on what you feel in your heart is teh right course of option.

 

I wouldn't put a lot of stock in homeopathic remedies, though that's just my opinion.

 

Best of luck. I know these are difficult decisions.

[knightni]

This thread takes too long to read.

 

I'm bored.

Edited February 27, 2007 by knightni

[BobDylan]

Anyone out there have or have a child with ADD/ADHD? I'm pretty sure my son has ADD. He's in second grade, and he has an awfully hard time paying attention and following instructions. He's always distracted, and his schoolwork is starting to suffer. No major changes or problems at home, either. In fact, he's always had this problem, so my wife and I are going to get him evaluated.

 

What I want to avoid is a lifelong dependence on medicine. Does anyone have any personal knowledge or experience with a homeopathic remedy or a non-chemical technique to alleviate the symptoms? I kind of feel like the educational system and medical field are quick to diagnose this disorder in young boys because it has become acceptable. I'd like to find an alternative.

 

I have ADD. So does my brother, sister and dad. One is taking prespcription medication. Just from my experience, I don't think ADD is that big of a problem (adhd is another story). I find my attention span to work for long periods if I'm interested. If I'm not intrested, my attention span might last 10 seconds. I took medications for about a year, and while I was able to concentrate better, it was still on the things I wanted to concentrate on. If there was a class lecture I wasn't interested in, I'd put my "super" brain power elsewhere until the pill wore off. The pill keeps an attention span around, but the person still has to choose what to pay attention to. I guess what I'm saying (and rather poorly) is that ADD can't be "fixed". It can be treated for hours at a time, but never fixed. The most important thing he needs to have is a good, solid work ethic. A prescription may help him build a working habit. But it's just as possible to build a work ethic without pills.

 

I would reccommend setting strict homework rules. Set the hours when he should be doing them. If he finishes early, make him get ahead or do something else constructive. Set a few hours aside for educational purposes only. You can also check his work to make sure he's not halfassing it. The pills will help him stay focused, but I think building a routine is more important in the long run.

 

^^^^^^^^

Is what my parents did to me. When they were strict about it and made sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, my grades were better. A lot better. When they got lazy, I got lazy with them and my grades went back down the s***ter.

Edited February 27, 2007 by BobDylan

[Middle Buffalo]

I have ADD. So does my brother, sister and dad. One is taking prespcription medication. Just from my experience, I don't think ADD is that big of a problem (adhd is another story). I find my attention span to work for long periods if I'm interested. If I'm not intrested, my attention span might last 10 seconds. I took medications for about a year, and while I was able to concentrate better, it was still on the things I wanted to concentrate on. If there was a class lecture I wasn't interested in, I'd put my "super" brain power elsewhere until the pill wore off. The pill keeps an attention span around, but the person still has to choose what to pay attention to. I guess what I'm saying (and rather poorly) is that ADD can't be "fixed". It can be treated for hours at a time, but never fixed. The most important thing he needs to have is a good, solid work ethic. A prescription may help him build a working habit. But it's just as possible to build a work ethic without pills.

 

I would reccommend setting strict homework rules. Set the hours when he should be doing them. If he finishes early, make him get ahead or do something else constructive. Set a few hours aside for educational purposes only. You can also check his work to make sure he's not halfassing it. The pills will help him stay focused, but I think building a routine is more important in the long run.

 

^^^^^^^^

Is what my parents did to me. When they were strict about it and made sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, my grades were better. A lot better. When they got lazy, I got lazy with them and my grades went back down the s***ter.

 

Well, the problem is that my son is in second grade, so work ethic isn't exactly his thing. I actually think that schools expect a little too much of kids too early now, but that's a separate issue.

 

I do his homework with him every night (check, not do). Unfortunately, if I give him his homework and walk away, when I come back ten minutes later, he'll have done nothing. The same thing has been happening in his class. The teacher gives an assignment, and when she goes to collect it, there's nothing (or little) done.

 

He's not hyper (though he was as a toddler), but he just can't seem to pay attention. For instance, I'll tell him to get dressed or brush his teeth in the morning, and he'll walk away for a few minutes and come back and will not have done anything. It's extremely frustrating, and I know he's not doing it on purpose. I structure his morning the same way every day, but I still have to get his clothes and bring them to him and constantly tell him every single thing that he has to do to get out the door to school.

[Soxy]

Well, the problem is that my son is in second grade, so work ethic isn't exactly his thing. I actually think that schools expect a little too much of kids too early now, but that's a separate issue.

 

I do his homework with him every night (check, not do). Unfortunately, if I give him his homework and walk away, when I come back ten minutes later, he'll have done nothing. The same thing has been happening in his class. The teacher gives an assignment, and when she goes to collect it, there's nothing (or little) done.

 

He's not hyper (though he was as a toddler), but he just can't seem to pay attention. For instance, I'll tell him to get dressed or brush his teeth in the morning, and he'll walk away for a few minutes and come back and will not have done anything. It's extremely frustrating, and I know he's not doing it on purpose. I structure his morning the same way every day, but I still have to get his clothes and bring them to him and constantly tell him every single thing that he has to do to get out the door to school.

My sister is a special ed teacher, and most of her classroom is kids with very severe ADHD. If you want, I can ask her what she recommends for young kids in terms of behavioral techniques. She also isn't huge on meds, so she might be able to help you out.

 

I don't want to sound all scientology, but I agree with you and Flaxx about trying to hold off the meds. Ritalin is, basically, crack for kids. Pharmacologically it acts the same. It also is kind of a problem here on campus, it's sold and taken either as a party drug or as a "study aid" (though I've heard it's not that effective on that front).

[Texsox]

I've worked with a number of kids through Scouting that have been diagnosed and managed in a variety of ways. All successful to different degrees.

 

The simplest one basically drinks coffee and it helps him for hours. Not Decaf, the real stuff. The stronger the better for this 12-year old connoisseur of the grounds.

 

Two other that come to mind were medicated and it really helped them both. If it does get to this point, please, don't give them a med vacation when they are in someone else's care.

[Middle Buffalo]

My sister is a special ed teacher, and most of her classroom is kids with very severe ADHD. If you want, I can ask her what she recommends for young kids in terms of behavioral techniques. She also isn't huge on meds, so she might be able to help you out.

 

I don't want to sound all scientology, but I agree with you and Flaxx about trying to hold off the meds. Ritalin is, basically, crack for kids. Pharmacologically it acts the same. It also is kind of a problem here on campus, it's sold and taken either as a party drug or as a "study aid" (though I've heard it's not that effective on that front).

Any help/info would be greatly appreciated.

[DrunkBomber]

I agree with what texsox said about the coffee or any type of caffeine really IMO. I have a hard time concentrating sometimes, actually I would say almost everybody could have a case for being diagnosed with some form of ADD. The problem is if you take them to a Doctor theyre trigger happy to say you have it with any of the symptoms. Especially because there is no physical way to prove it.

 

Ive heard of people who thought they might of had even trying different things like drinking red bull. Doctors hand out prescriptions for the stuff too easily. Youu could go to the Doctor for a broken arm and easily wind up being clinically depressed and with ADD and have a festivus of pills that alter your mind and the way you think.

[RockRaines]

My studies in college and grad work were done with child psychology. I have always believed that it is far and away the most over diagnosed disorder in the world. When parents cant control or discipline their children, they automatically assume its ADHD, the doctors usually agree because it is a very hard thing to accurately diagnose. My initial reaction to your question is try some different techniques for studying or relating the material to the child. Some people just arent visual learners and some arent auditory learners. Maybe the material just isnt presented in a way that is interesting to your child. Maybe social pressures are something that is more important.

 

All in all i would recommend trying different ways to relate the material to the child and give him/her extra time to ask questions and let you explain or help them with the work. Medication is necessary in extreme cases when there is a chemical imbalance that needs to be corrected, but in a majority of the cases the problems can be helped immensely by tailoring the studies to the child's attention span or the childs interests.