I frikken give up! Is it ADD?

When I was over there fighting to keep my son drug free, I spoke with more than one parent who just loved the Ritalin and said they would be pissed if the docs stopped giving her child the Ritalin. One of these parents was my sons best friends mom and I couldn't believe my ears at the time, until I invested in a computer, did the research and found that there were far more parents out there that I imagined, who insist on having these drugs for there kids.

As time went on, I spoke with some people who knew some parents who were drug addicts who would get them for their kids, but keep them for themselves and parents who got them for the kids, but sold them on the street.

What a crazy world we live in

Zombied out is the best way to describe what it did to my son. It changed who he was completely.

Boomer, I think you had mentioned before that Mo has a hard time keeping friends and my son was the same. The reason was because he always had to have things his way. He was insistant on doing what he wanted to do and nothing would change his mind, so whatever friends he did have, didn't stick around too long.

After years of this, my son finally realized that if he wanted to keep his friends, he would have to learn to meet them half way. Now he's got more friends than he knows what to do with.

eBeth, I want to give you a special thank you for finding that article. Clear, concise and unemotional. I printed it up and handed it off to Mr. B this morning on his way out the door. He glanced at it then sat down and read it on the spot. It really helped me formulate a game plan.

A couple of things were really surprising -- the sugar studies in particular and the part about how it can actually be difficult to get the school to evaluate - this is something the doctor also mentioned. To me it seems that the school is "evaluation happy".

I have a much better idea of how to get started.

Thank you.

Mo has an easy time making friends but a hard time maintaining friendships, Montana. We were making real progress but he suddenly seems to have given up on the friends that he's made - not wanting to have them over to the house, etc. Once someone gets close he wants them gone.

Have you continued to treat Mo for spring allergies?

Yes I am. This is an area where I really have to trust my gut.

As I've mentioned before, Mo has asthma that is induced by allergies. It was exactly this time last year that his allergies got so bad that he started having asthma problems and ended up on those awful steroids. Those drugs made him a monster. He hated them. I don't want to go there again.

Mo doesn't seem to be particularly congested but he is doing "the salute" and complaining about itchy eyes and ears. The doctor (not our usual doc) the other day said it would be hard for him to see allergy symptoms because I had already started treating Mo.

So yeah, my gut says proced with caution but not to let it get out of hand again.

Oh -- and yeah -- his mood and behavior have REALLY improved.

So you may have a partial answer (and can hopefully avoid those vile asthma drugs).

wHAT KIND OF ALLERGY MEDS ARE YOU GIVING HIM, bOOMER? Sorry about the caps! I think there are nose spray allergy meds that are supposed to have smaller side effects.

i wouldn't dismiss allergies that quickly !
i've suffred from allergies pretty well all my life - and they can make you feel REALLY rotten and miserable !
mine started out as a simple nasal allergy but now even can wreck havoc with my gut - and that sure makes me an unpleasant person to be with if i ignore it - particularly in the spring and fall (when it's mold that causes problems - like just from leaves and dead grass) .
hope things will work out !!!
hbg

I'm giving him Claritin or Benedryl. Those seems to work pretty good for him.

Those nasal sprays.... oh man. One time I got a major blast from one of those deals and I honestly thought that my nose was burning off from the inside out and later I sped so bad I didn't sleep for about two days. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Serioulsy. Those things scare the bejesus out of me now. A little head tilt can make a huge difference in dosage. I won't let Mo near them.

Thanks, hamburger, me too!

I know I've talked it up before, but saline lavage (as opposed to spray) does wonders. Sozlet is fine with it, asks for it if she's feeling stuffy. I've done it on myself too (will tonight, getting stuffy -- dunno if it's allergies or something else). No burning at all, just kinda weird until you get used to it.

Recipe:

1 pint purified water
1 tablespoon kosher salt (no iodine)
pinch of baking soda

Heat water -- should be warm but not hot. Stir in the other stuff until dissolved.

Use a bulb syringe and squirt (gently, especially at first) into nose. Aim at the back of the head.

This one thing has done wonders for the kid (who I do think probably has some sort of allergies but has been tested for 60 types and it wasn't one of those). No other medication came close in terms of effectiveness (and when ear infections were a big issue, we went through a slew of medications, including Claritin and Benadryl and all of that).

If those work for Mo, that's moot, of course. But the great thing about saline is that there isn't any sort of medicinal component, in terms of mood or whatever.

Re: I frikken give up! Is it ADD?


That the diagnosis is simply not possible based on objective physical factors, so your description of his symptoms will be the largest factor in diagnosing him.

Describe it with an emphasis on the social impairment and he'll probably get the diagnosis. Don't and he won't.

So if you want a conservative diagnosis, conservatively describe the negative aspects of his hyperactivity.

Kinda sucks, because if you are already having a problem with a complex decision, the fact that it's a very subjective medical decision as well doesn't provide much help.

That makes sense.

One thing to add re: saline -- it works great on getting stuff out, but if swelling of nasal passages is the main problem, it won't really do anything. Claritin et al are better for that problem.

boomerang,

I have fairly acute ADHD. But I don't take any prescription drugs for it and would not have it any other way. I like my brain the way it is, even if fighting my lack of attention and need for sensation defines my life.

It does interfere with my life in many ways. There are certain tasks I have great difficulty doing and I prefer pain to boredom.

But the diagnosis shouldn't be feared so. The people saying it's "over-diagnosed" don't usually know what rate it's diagnosed at and never know what it should be diagnosed at (nobody knows that very well yet). They may have a point in that many people are quick to try to "fix" it with drugs that have significant downsides but the diagnosis itself doesn't mean you have to use drugs. Barely over 50% of diagnosed ADHD cases are on medication and if you are worried that "allowing" him to be diagnosed with ADHD means you've committed to the associated treatment it just doesn't have to be that way.


Here is some info from The CDC

Hey thanks Robert for those statistics.

It is comforting to know that drugs are not the immediate and all pervasive treatment.

I'm absolutely confounded by how scary and confusing this all is. I'm afraid of labels because they create this weird class of normal and thereby exclude anyone who marches to a different beat.

Okay.

I've called the doctor asking for a referral and so here we go.

Well, then, I'll just sit here with you.....

I'll sit with you too. I like your attitude, boomer. "Let's get to the bottom of it." Rule nothing in or out at this point.

i can certainly endorse soz' salt-spray . i've used it for many years and you don't have to be concerned about any side-efects - which you might have with medicinal sprays .
an added benefit : salt water (saltspray) will prevent bacterial growth in the nasal passages - also called SNOT .
i often carry a small bottle of saltspray with me for a quick SNORT - costs about $2 in the pharmacy .
wishing you and mo all the best !
hbg