Crimson Wife Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 DS was evaluated by the pediatric neurologist yesterday and praise be, she does not think he is on the spectrum at all. She does, however, think that he is 2E with ADHD-Combined type and some anxiety issues. The other thread with resources for ASD was so helpful, so I'm hoping you wise ladies can share similar ideas for dealing with ADHD. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I'm very relieved and happy for you. I hope you will get lots of suggestions here to help. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seshet Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Is there something specific your looking for? Every person in my house is 2E, and ADHD is something we've all got. So, I've got a lot of experience with it, and I might be able help. Do you need suggestions for dealing with inattention during school work? Or teaching them the organizational/time management skills most people with ADHD have so much difficulty learning? Or something else? I'll be happy to help if I can, but the post will be extremely long if I just start typing out suggestions & things I've learned over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Sounds like there was some good news in there!! So glad! My understanding is that ADHD with anxiety is a difficult combination for choosing medication, as medications for one issue are often contraindicated for the other, and that there may be similar difficulties when it comes to supplements. Bumping for you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Well, probably not what you want to hear, but meds are miracles for us. It's not because I couldn't handle him; not because he couldn't learn. He's very smart and he's always been a sweetheart. What I found was that socially he was annoying to others. He couldn't concentrate. He was maybe one of the best kids in Kempo as far as memorization of the moves and ability, but he couldn't look like he was paying attention. He was going to start getting the label of the "bad kid" because of this. (His impulses are now pretty much totally controlled, too) Now.... he is a sweetheart who's head isn't spinning in a million directions and he's more at peace with the world... as the world is with him :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 - Superparenting for ADD: An Innovative Approach to Raising Your Distracted Child by E. Hallowell and P. Jensen - What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews. All the best to you and your boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 :bigear:Totally watching this thread. We haven't yet had our DS9 evaluated. We are looking at a program at our local university, but that won't start till the students come back in the fall. Based on what we've found online and the history in our extended family, I think his diagnosis will be similar. Giftedness, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety are found in the nieces and nephews (& our sibs) on both sides. The one weird things is that he stims -- the hand-flapping thing -- but he quits immediately if his attention is brought to it, and he only does it when he is thinking about trains and -- as he himself noticed and pointed out -- never if he is holding something. He doesn't otherwise seem to be on the spectrum. He's cuddly, makes good eye contact, etc. He didn't do it when he was little; not until he was about five, which is the same time he stopped running in circles (literally taking laps around the person he was talking to), so the stimming seems almost to be a replacement for a behavior that is more classically ADHD. So, anyway, we are looking for resources, too. I'm currently reading "Organizing the disorganized child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School" by Martin L. Kutscher & Marcella Moran. They wrote this book to all students, but the first author's other books all address ADHD. It's good, but not directly relevant to young homeschoolers. I think I'll teach my kids (pretty sure DD7 is ADHD - inattentive) the strategies the authors suggest before the kids start High School material, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Thanks for the book recs, they are very helpful! I'm not totally opposed to using pharmaceuticals, but I would prefer to start by using nutritional and behavioral approaches to see if we can resolve the symptoms without the use of medication. One silver lining to come out of this is that our pediatric neurologist is very supportive of continuing to homeschool DS. She said that we should try to keep him out of PS unless it becomes absolutely necessary because she said it is a very bad environment for 2E kids with ADHD. Always good to have added ammunition against the homeschooling skeptics among my relatives. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 but I would prefer to start by using nutritional and behavioral approaches to see if we can resolve the symptoms without the use of medication. Yes, please suggest some nutritional tips - what works/doesn't work - to counter ADD symptoms, including the inattentive type. :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Crimson Wife, add these to your list to look at. I think they may be useful for what you are looking for. They are on my to buy list. - Different Minds: Gifted Children With Ad/Hd, Asperger Syndrome, and Other Learning Deficits by Deirdre Lovecky - Different... Not Less: Inspiring Stories of Achievement and Successful Employment from Adults with Autism, Asperer's, and ADHD by Temple Grandin (This just came out in April) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 There are many threads here about fish oil in various dosages and brands. For us, it helped a little but not enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seshet Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 A little bit of caffeine generally helps with attention issues. Not a lot, just one cup of coffee or a can of soda in the morning, can often help them focus throughout school time. Flax seed helps some, but not all, people with ADHD. I recommend getting the whole seeds & grinding them yourself (a coffee grinder works perfectly), instead of buying pre-ground or flax seed oil. The ground flax seed can then be used in pretty much anything you make, especially baked goods, pancakes, & waffles. Start the day with a breakfast containing protein. Protein helps you focus & think. Eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, or some other source of protein should be included in breakfast. Smoothies made with Greek yogurt, tofu, almond milk, and fruit are big hits around here. Schedule a snack between breakfast & lunch and one between lunch & dinner. We generally do fruits & veggies for snacks, and another source of protein at lunch, since they do school in the afternoon too. Some food sensitivities can have symptoms that are similar to ADHD. If cutting out red dye or some other food additive cures a symptom, that symptom was not part of the ADHD to begin with. (this is something very commonly misunderstood by many people) Studies have shown that sugar does not actually have any impact on ADHD symptoms. It does not cause them or worsen them, so don't bother trying to cut out all sugar to help the behaviors. Melatonin can be given at bedtime if the child has trouble sleeping. Melatonin is something your body naturally produces. It is available by the vitamins in any pharmacy section of a store. Most Drs recommend starting with 3mg, then up to as much as 6mg if needed. A few will bump up to 9mg in cases of severe sleep problems. My eldest is currently on 9mg & a Benadryl at night (the Benadryl is actually to help counteract a side effect from one of her other meds, but did help her sleep in the beginning, not so much now). I'll do another post with some behavioral ideas. I'll post more nutritional tips if I think of them. My A/C doesn't seem to be working right now & it's about 90 degrees in here, so I'm not thinking incredibly clearly & may have forgotten some things. I hope some of this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Thanks for the book recs, they are very helpful! I'm not totally opposed to using pharmaceuticals, but I would prefer to start by using nutritional and behavioral approaches to see if we can resolve the symptoms without the use of medication. One silver lining to come out of this is that our pediatric neurologist is very supportive of continuing to homeschool DS. She said that we should try to keep him out of PS unless it becomes absolutely necessary because she said it is a very bad environment for 2E kids with ADHD. Always good to have added ammunition against the homeschooling skeptics among my relatives. :) I'm very happy that you're getting support from the neurologist. It will be very helpful to have someone on your side with your ds and dd's. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 ADDitude Magazine is a very helpful site: http://www.additudemag.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 ADHD and Diet -- Food Intolerance Network Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Zipper: The Kid With ADHD is an excellent book for kids to read. My son picked it up at the library when he was six and diagnosed himself after reading it - he was really encouraged by it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I've found a lot of good info on the ADD Forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 DS was evaluated by the pediatric neurologist yesterday and praise be, she does not think he is on the spectrum at all. She does, however, think that he is 2E with ADHD-Combined type and some anxiety issues. The other thread with resources for ASD was so helpful, so I'm hoping you wise ladies can share similar ideas for dealing with ADHD. :) Yeah! I know you aren't a public schooler, but for those who are here is what I would say as a former teacher. These are accommodations I have seen actually made in CA classrooms. Fidget toys A classroom microphone for the teacher and speaker system (there is research to prove that this helps ADHD kids concentrate). A disc to sit on or a large bouncy ball A student desk shield for occasional use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui in mo Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Is the Failsafe diet that is linked to any different than the Feingold diet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seshet Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I said I'd also do a post on behavioral helps, bit got busy. So, here it is. Some kids do well with an exercise ball instead of a chair. However, others will just use this to play & it is more distracting. Having something they can play with sitting on the desk with them. This could be a bowl with a snack - baby carrots, nuts, grapes - something that isn't messy, that they can eat while working. It could be a bowl of marbles or river rocks. A stress ball or a balloon filled with sand or salt could also work. This gives them a less distracting way to fidget. If you have multiple kids, have them work away from each other. If they can, have them work at different desks or opposite ends of the table. Having a tri-fold display board to separate them also may help. If possible, separate rooms may be best (especially if only one has ADHD & you can trust the other to work in a room without you). Play music in the background. This is generally a huge help for people with ADHD. Regular breaks for physical activity. Eat meals high in protein before schoolwork. Many people with ADHD do well with computers and other electronics. So, if possible, let them watch videos or documentaries about things they're studying, let them do their writing on the computer, look into educational computer games and interactive sites to supplement their studies. Many people with ADHD have trouble with Writing, especially when it comes to putting things in order & getting all their thoughts on paper. Let them try out many ways of taking notes, to find what works best for them. Letting them do their papers on the computer helps them, especially since whole paragraphs can be easily moved. Don't focus on penmanship, spelling, grammar, or punctuation on rough drafts - let them just get it all on paper first. Then help them find all the spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. mistakes - I mean help them, not you go through & mark everything, go through it together & have them look for mistakes. Systematic, incremental Writing programs are generally better than going off the cuff or giving vague instructions. Sometimes, talking through what they are doing helps them - not having a conversation, not you talking to them, just them saying the process out loud. This could be self-talk or they could 'teach' it to a class of stuffed animals, toys, the pet fish, etc. White boards, use white boards! Letting them use white boards for as much schoolwork as possible can be a big help. I'll likely think of more later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Is the Failsafe diet that is linked to any different than the Feingold diet? Yes, it was developed at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia. Feingold was one of their starting points, but they did a lot of their own research. For one thing, they found that in addition to salicylates and artificial additives, some people have sensitivities to natural glutamate and biogenic amines. There's some more information about it on the RPAH's web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 :lurk5: Great info on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 I have a severe adhder with anxiety issues. We have found that treating her ADHD properly helped a lot with anxiety- probably 75%. She takes normal adhd medication - Vyvanse and methylphenidate/ NOw she is an adult female and also has a hormonal aspect to her anxiety and she takes 20 mg. of Lexapro for two weeks. But at your child's age, nothing like that would be needed. It seems like when she is adequately medicated, she doesn't obsess about her anxieties. Like she might have a fleeting thought that provokes anxiety but with the adhd medication, it leaves. We didn't find that once the medication was adequate, that anything else really needed to be done for the ADHD except making sure the environment was not excessively distracting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Not sure if these are already listed: How to get your child off the refridgerator and onto Learning If I'm diapering a Watermelon, where did I leave the baby? Games for Learning - Or pretty much any Peggy Kaye Books I've seen stuff like a circle of Lycra wrapped around bottom of front chair legs, something for the child to "fidgit" with, that can possibly help soe children with ADHD, as it keeps there focus, and gives them something to play with On the same grounds, I have seen teachers swap normal chairs for the gym ball chairs. Smart but Scattered Visual Spacial Learners Right Brained Children in a Left Brained World The Gift of ADHD & Actvity Book Learning Abled Kids Website Certain Vitamins/Supplements that may help ADHD Comic Book ADHDMommas Blog Ideas for School Some of these have been recommended to me, others my friend uses, and some are just ones I came across. Take with a grain of salt. I have concentration issues, and so do my kids, hence the recommendations, but no-one in our household has adhd, so I cannot "recommend" based on that. But these were books, resources and ideas that I believe to be useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Late-Lost-Unprepared-Executive-Functioning/dp/1890627844/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1343622404&sr=8-3&keywords=executive+functioning+skills+in+children+and+adolescents Not sure if Late, Lost, and Unprepared got mentioned yet, but it has good lists on EF of NT and ADHD. Definitely worth reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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