ADHD help

[Brandi]

We are going to have a consult with a doctor who is going to start an ADHD screening for Carter. He is having difficulty lately with getting too excited and going crazy when there is too much stimulus. Anyway, I'm not that knowledgable about ADHD. He does seem to exhibit some of the characteristics, but not all the time. He does so well for much or even most of the time. It's really when we are around more people and he just gets so excited. Do you think that could still be ADHD? I did read some of the other threads about it and they were very helpful. Thanks.

[Nadine]

Hey Brandi

we were told that we should look at 3 areas - family/home, school and friends. if he has trouble in more than 1 area it is likely to be adhd.
BUT people easily put kids in that drawer so have him evaluated.
hope that helps/ more next week....

[Joan]

I am no expert but I'm thinking Carter is too young to be diagnosed. Who is initiating the referral? There is a lot of information out there, and i have been overwhelmed at times with keeping up with the latest, so my only advice is follow your instincts and read what you can.

I will say, Nadine has been a big support for me! My son Sean was dx with ADD last year.

[Brandi]

Thanks guys! Well, I'm not sure I even want to take him to the dr. now. I am the one who called. I was so frustrated with him after several days of craziness. He even bit someone at school and wasn't allowed to come the next day - his first suspension! I think that was a 4 year old thing, but who knows. The last few days, he seems to be back to his normal 4 year old self. It's just something that was building up last week. I think he is just really super independent, a perfectionist, and strong willed! Putting all three together is tough. Plus, add to that the fact that his sister is a special needs child who gets lots of attention in the way of taking medicine every day, wearing glasses, going to see a special doctor where we go overnight, etc. It makes it tough for him I think. I'm really not convinced that he should have an ADHD screening and I'm not sure we'll do this or not. I'm meeting with his teacher later this week, so we shall see what she thinks. I think I might just wait on this and try some things here at home. Thanks guys!

[Karri]

Brandi - How is Carter's communication? If he can express himself well, you could always have him go see someone. My friend is a child psychotherapist and sees children who have issues dealing w/ things (among other issues). Or you could just take him to see a counselor. IMO, it would be worth trying to figure out what exactly is frustrating him and then getting professional suggestions on how to work with him on it, instead of pursuing the ADHD route (I agree that its too young to determine and I'd hesitate. I think some doctors tend to jump the gun on slapping that label on the child and Rxing medication and that would scare the crap out of me)

[Jillian]

I am no expert but I'm thinking Carter is too young to be diagnosed.


I agree with this...but I think technically, he is old enough. Janelle has an official diagnosis of ADD from a developmental psych, and a neurologist working together at her sleep studies...2 seperate tests. Her first test was just after 3, and her second test was at 3 1/2.

But, I don't believe it, and neither does her ped, neither of us think a 3 1/2 year old can actually be diagnosed with ADD, or even a 4 year old. We really need to see how she behaves in a class room setting and such before we pursue it any further.

[Shel]

When we took Jacob in, the specialist we saw would not do any diagnostic tests for ADD/ADHD until he was 6.

[Brandi]

Thanks everyone! I meant to get back here. We skipped the pediatrician route and went to see a counselor. I think this will be much more fruitful. After seeing us for 90 minutes or so, she said she is leaning to maybe ADHD or an anxiety problem. I think that either way, I don't want him on medications because I think we can control this without them. We are going to see her a couple more times before we try to work out what plan of action we are going to take. Carter is extremely verbal and I think she might try talking with him alone. I'm not all that interested in putting a lable on him, but more trying to get some ideas on how to deal with him and be proactive so we don't have to deal with his problems.

In the mean time, we've institued quite times in his room and if he naps, he is rewarded by getting to stay up late (2-3 hour nap gets him 30 minutes up late). We've also cut out all tv during the week. If he goes to school, he doesn't get tv. This has been hard, but I think we have seen an amazing improvement already! He still HATES our rules, but it's getting better! I just wish we could get outside more!

[Nadine]

Brandi - in any case meds are only given by the time kids go to school. And if he is a borderline case (IN CASE he is diagnosed ADHD), he might get by without tham as
well.

I have no idea how they are called in the USA, but here we have people specializing in special education. They evaluate your kid (and the earliest is 5 I was told, we might have Shoham evaluated in the summer) and then give you constructive methods and ways to deal with whatever your kid has been diagnosed with. This person also has weekly or so meetings with the kid and teaches them ways to deal with their situation and usually is involved in the school/KG and instructs the teacher how to deal with the kid.
I have no idea if you have something similar in the USA but if you do - find such a person. The one we go to was/is a life saver.