Mandylubug Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 My son has had a really bad "ADHD" week. We don't medicate so when he has several bad days it makes me consider medication ;) We typically adjust his learning into small lessons, allow him to stand instead of sit, etc... but the twitching, fidgeting, eyes rolling in back of head while doing simple math, refusal to write out long addition is about to make me to start twitching.... He uses TT for math and for the most part it works wonders with him for math.. but we have restarted these lessons twice now and just hitting a brick wall... right now, in his attempt to sound french he is saying out loud "fifffffteeeeeennnnnn plus sevvvvvvvonnnnnnn bahhhhh where issss deeee numberrrrrrrrrr!" Seriously, about to start twitching.. if he could just focus, the number would come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 he just now asked me, while trying to solve 15 plus 7; if he held his breathe and pulled in too much air would his cheeks actually explode?:ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 ANNDDDDDD he just focused and finished 20 problems in 2 minutes with no errors?!?!?! then ran off excited to his next page in cursive exclaiming he will do it standing while humming so he can do it faster...... he really makes me go wha!? some days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treestarfae Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Try alot of exercise before you start the day. Walk in the morning or do wii fit. Some kids need alot of activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenL Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 (edited) I feel your pain as my eldest has ADD. After 2 years of the struggling, fighting, crying, unexpected outbursts and getting nowhere with school, we adjusted ds's diet to include lots of protein and all natural foods (no HFCS, dyes, etc) coupled with extra Omega 3s and Source Natural's Attentive Child (magnesium and zinc supplement); it helped for a while. About 3 months ago, after it getting to the point where he was barely able to function despite all these changes, we made an appointment with his pediatrician. He's been taking 25 mg of Strattera since then, and I have my son back. There are still days where he struggles a bit (if he doesn't get enough protein for breakfast or he's overtired), but it is nowhere near what we went through before. We are all happier, and I am so grateful. One of the books I read recently said that the parents of an ADD/ADHD child basically have to be the frontal lobes of their child's brain until they are adults... that's hard enough for our own brains to do sometimes, nevermind taking on someone else's! This is not to tell you to go medicate your son, rather just to share our experience and to let you know that I understand. I will pray for your days to become calmer and for him to focus better. :grouphug: eta - As treestarfae says, lots of exercise does help. Edited March 22, 2012 by jenL added more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Your post has made me smile from ear to ear! :D I have one just like that. On an aside, we have been able to take him back down to a much lower dose and only one medication, since bringing him back from ps. :party: He is still making all sorts of funny voices in the other room, but I love hearing him happily chirping away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnTeaching Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I remember those days!! My son has gotten a bit better with age and we do medicate, but with a very low dose that only releases two times a day. (Homeschooling allowed us to do that - in ps he would have had to have been a zombie.) I remember days when I would try to teach something and ds would be completely upside down twirling in his chair while picking apart Pink Pearl erasers all over the floor with a string of paperclips and rubberbands all tangled together. (Note to self, twirly chair=bad idea).:glare: Good luck. It can be exhausting, but I am amazed at how much has actually sunk in when I thought he was not paying a bit of attention to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 For my DS, I see my choices as being to accomodate the inability or offer an intervention (medication or otherwise). Without either accepting that focus isn't possible or doing something about it, then I have to accept that it's just not going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Your son sounds just like mine doing his TT. :D We have our tough days, too. My guy is not diagnosed ADHD - his evaluator said he has some tendencies, but he's not quite there. Still, there are days when I wonder. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thank you all! Exercise is a big helper here and I should make him run around before we sit down for math. Its one of those "helps" that I always forget about. Medication wise; with him being at home, I can accomodate him enough most of the time and accomplish his studies but me and my husband have agreed that if it gets to the point that it interfers too much with normal day to day life then we would consider medicating. My husband is ADHD and non medicated. He is a ball of energy and that is such a shiny, good thing about his personality. We are praying my son is able to make it through school without meds. My husband is going to college full time and it is comical to watch him tap and fidget at the table beside my son while my son and him are both doing their own separate work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 My Aspie is on time out for the remainder of the day and has done NO school work yet, so you are doing better than I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerbread Mama Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 (edited) Try alot of exercise before you start the day. Walk in the morning or do wii fit. Some kids need alot of activity. This helps us bunches *BUT* what do you do when it is pouring outside? We typically take a long walk and the kids ride bikes or skateboard. Spring in TN means rain, rain, and more rain. Like 4 out of 7 days a week :glare: On rainy days we don't get the excercise and I can tell a HUGE difference. In fact, it is raining here today and supposed to rain for the three days straight. We had eye appts yesterday, I woke up this morning and found my systemic yeast infection is back with thrush :confused: and have had to start trying to find a new dr to actually treat it, and when the rain was pouring I just called off school. YDS would have been AWFUL and I would have been a screaming witch with him. We'll do three days next week (my mom's spring break), and take two off with her, and call our days off this week and next spring break. I give up. ETA: I don't have a child "diagnosed" with ADHD, but it has been strongly recommended by school evaluators. I haven't bothered to get an official diagnosis because meds aren't an option for us right now, he has too many physical issues that a decrease in appetite would aggrevate so I choose not to risk it. Edited March 22, 2012 by Gingerbread Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 My dd12 ic incapable if not fidgeting. She has severe ADD although we haven't had her tested yet. Her brother had it so I do know what I'm dealing with. Dd's is much more severe. Two things that have REALLY helped are: Thinking putty. It is like a large container of silly putty. She squeezes and stretches the stuff. Fidgeting with it helps her learn better, and definitely helps with concentration! Also, I have a huge exercise ball she can fidget on while doing her schoolwork. If standing and fidgeting works for your ds, great. The exercise ball is just another idea. Other things I have heard that work: whole foods diet, NOTHING with artificial dye. Fish oil; chewing gum, coffee. Taking breaks between subjects to walk in fresh air, or so jumping jacks, will also help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treestarfae Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 (edited) This helps us bunches *BUT* what do you do when it is pouring outside? We typically take a long walk and the kids ride bikes or skateboard. Spring in TN means rain, rain, and more rain. Like 4 out of 7 days a week :glare: On rainy days we don't get the excercise and I can tell a HUGE difference. In fact, it is raining here today and supposed to rain for the three days straight. We had eye appts yesterday, I woke up this morning and found my systemic yeast infection is back with thrush :confused: and have had to start trying to find a new dr to actually treat it, and when the rain was pouring I just called off school. YDS would have been AWFUL and I would have been a screaming witch with him. We'll do three days next week (my mom's spring break), and take two off with her, and call our days off this week and next spring break. I give up. ETA: I don't have a child "diagnosed" with ADHD, but it has been strongly recommended by school evaluators. I haven't bothered to get an official diagnosis because meds aren't an option for us right now, he has too many physical issues that a decrease in appetite would aggrevate so I choose not to risk it. I put Wii Fit as an alternative. My kids like the Just Dance but there's plenty of others like sports and running/jogging. I find it well worth the money. I hope you feel better! Try Lactobacillus acidophilus for the yeast. Edited March 22, 2012 by treestarfae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerbread Mama Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 We have a Wii Fit and active games like Just Dance. My kids don't get into it, maybe I'll just make it required :001_huh: Or tell them the alternative is jumping jacks and running in place LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 We all love our xbox kinect. another fun active game is Wipe Out... but mine played through it within three days... so we sent it back. We use gamefly to rent games instead of purchasing... waiting for our next kinect game to arrive :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treestarfae Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 We have a Wii Fit and active games like Just Dance. My kids don't get into it, maybe I'll just make it required :001_huh: Or tell them the alternative is jumping jacks and running in place LOL Ya my alternative is going up and down the stairs at home. Whatever works lol. They'd do the same thing at gym class or walking around a school. Old fashioned callisthenics is great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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