# Anyone deal with ADHD in young children?



## Flirtycuddle (Nov 10, 2010)

My son is 4 and is going for evaluation Dec 10th for possible ADHD since we are having many issues with him. He wont focus on anything for more then 10 mins max usually 5. Its gotten to the point he will not sit and eat any meal without getting up and running around to play no matter how we go about meal time. I have turned off all distractions, serve dinner where there are no toys to be played with, keep it quiet to try and let him focus and he will just sit there and play with his food or stare into space till he gets up to get a drink then runs off to play. OF course when he runs off to play he has to come sit back down. He wont watch a movie for more then 10 minutes before needing to get a drink, get a snack, just walk around or play. I cannot sit down with him and try and help him learn anything cuz he wont focus on what I'm saying or trying to show him, surely doesn't retain anything. He gets aggressive when he's in trouble and has to go into time out and has come towards me to hit me forcefully. Granted at 4 he doesn't hurt me but I cannot have him doing that. 
I know some of this might be just normal 4yr old stuff but even the doctor we went to see for check-up noticed how he is and wanted the evaluation. 
I have put him on a schedule and started trying to keep him occupied with stuff I know he loves but it isn't doing any good. We do time out away from everyone when in trouble and that just makes him upset of course but that way he isn't trying to hurt someone or himself.


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## fuzz16 (Nov 10, 2010)

not sure really what to say. i was diagnosed with "add" because in school teachers said i didnt pay attention and my head was always in the sky. 

how active is he? kids with add and adhd need constant activity that makes their minds THINK hard. 

the aggressiveness...not really sure. if he tries to hit you just keep him from hitting you as best you can and do not get mad but ignore the behavior, beause reinforcing negative wit with negative behavior will not solve the problem. so like dont say a word just, if you can, hold his arms to his side, put him in his time out spot and walk away. do not look at him or say anything. wait however long your time outs last then go and talk to him about why he is in time out. 
if he turns aggressive just dont say a word walk away again, if he gets up pick him up and put him back in his time out spot just as before, silently with no eye contact


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## Flirtycuddle (Nov 10, 2010)

With the aggressiveness I've been just ignoring it and making him sit in his area longer every time he tries to hit me. I can talk to him till he's blue in the face and will tell me he's sorry then do it again 10 mins later. When I ask him why he did .... he will say I don't know then ask if he was just told to not do ..... and he will say he doesn't remember. 
I can sit and help him build stuff with his blocks, go outside and run till he don't want to run any more, give him directions to do one at a time, help him build forts to play with, but he wont stay on one activity for more then 5-10 minutes. The only thing I can get him to is watch Scooby Doo which I refuse to let him do all day lol. We have work books for kindergarten for his older sister and he kept saying he wanted to do it so we bought him one for kindergarten since he will be starting next year. He will sit and do a page for maybe 5 minutes then hes off doing something else. And the pages are simple as tracing letters on the page at the begining of the book.


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## nermal71 (Nov 10, 2010)

My 19y/o son was adhd and still is to a point. For several years we had to take him completely off of wheat, dairy and red food coloring. We found it was an allergy. He still has issues with the red food coloring, but the other two foods he can have. We found medication and for us it was a good decision. It was difficult dealing with his allergies but in the long run we learned to adapt using soy/rice milk, cheese and ice cream in place of the normal ones. And there are flours out that do not use wheat which can be used in place of it for baking.


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## Flirtycuddle (Nov 10, 2010)

My son has had food allergies since he was 6 months old to dairy, soy, and egg whites so we have removed all of those from his diet already. Everyone in my family and on his dad's side is telling me how wrong it would be to medicate him no matter what the doctors say and it's frustrating to the point I told em to just stay out of it. His dad was diagnosed adhd and I had mild add as a child I found out so not a big shock he might have it. They did another RAST test on him recently and came back the same allergens so nothing new to exclude. My only issue is most of the stuff I have read keeps saying medication not for under 6yrs of age so kinda curious to see what will happen next month too


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## JadeIcing (Nov 10, 2010)

I'll ask my mom before posting but I feel your pain.


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## CKGS (Nov 10, 2010)

Your son sounds nearly identical to my son. My son is 6 and diagnosed with ADHD and some anxiety disorders just a few short months ago. 
We are going the medication route along with more 'quiet, calm, thinking rituals/routines'. We are on our 3rd medication now and it's just a waiting game to see how he tolerates this one. The first worked VERY well but he lost his appetite almost entirely and within 1 month he lost 6 1/2 pounds! Next medicine caused much worse outbursts and he was repeatedly hurting himself or trying to. So far the current one seems to be doing the job without making him a zombie or having the massive aggressive outbursts.
I feel your pain as I know what you are going through. If you would like you can PM me and I will listen and help support you through this time. Maybe we could even compare notes since we are going through the same things at nearly the same time.


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## Sweetie (Nov 10, 2010)

*Flirtycuddle wrote: *


> My son is 4 and is going for evaluation Dec 10th for possible ADHD since we are having many issues with him. He wont focus on anything for more then 10 mins max usually 5. Its gotten to the point he will not sit and eat any meal without getting up and running around to play no matter how we go about meal time. I have turned off all distractions, serve dinner where there are no toys to be played with, keep it quiet to try and let him focus and he will just sit there and play with his food or stare into space till he gets up to get a drink then runs off to play. OF course when he runs off to play he has to come sit back down. He wont watch a movie for more then 10 minutes before needing to get a drink, get a snack, just walk around or play. I cannot sit down with him and try and help him learn anything cuz he wont focus on what I'm saying or trying to show him, surely doesn't retain anything. He gets aggressive when he's in trouble and has to go into time out and has come towards me to hit me forcefully. Granted at 4 he doesn't hurt me but I cannot have him doing that.
> I know some of this might be just normal 4yr old stuff but even the doctor we went to see for check-up noticed how he is and wanted the evaluation.
> I have put him on a schedule and started trying to keep him occupied with stuff I know he loves but it isn't doing any good. We do time out away from everyone when in trouble and that just makes him upset of course but that way he isn't trying to hurt someone or himself.


Sounds like ADHD for sure. There are things that you can do to help your son.


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## Sweetie (Nov 10, 2010)

*Flirtycuddle wrote: *


> With the aggressiveness I've been just ignoring it and making him sit in his area longer every time he tries to hit me. I can talk to him till he's blue in the face and will tell me he's sorry then do it again 10 mins later. When I ask him why he did .... he will say I don't know then ask if he was just told to not do ..... and he will say he doesn't remember.
> I can sit and help him build stuff with his blocks, go outside and run till he don't want to run any more, give him directions to do one at a time, help him build forts to play with, but he wont stay on one activity for more then 5-10 minutes. The only thing I can get him to is watch Scooby Doo which I refuse to let him do all day lol. We have work books for kindergarten for his older sister and he kept saying he wanted to do it so we bought him one for kindergarten since he will be starting next year. He will sit and do a page for maybe 5 minutes then hes off doing something else. And the pages are simple as tracing letters on the page at the begining of the book.



You have one solution here, activities which he and you can do for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

What city are you in, in Indiana? I have an aunt in Indiana that may be able to helkp you with your son.


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## Sweetie (Nov 10, 2010)

*Flirtycuddle wrote: *


> My son has had food allergies since he was 6 months old to dairy, soy, and egg whites so we have removed all of those from his diet already. Everyone in my family and on his dad's side is telling me how wrong it would be to medicate him no matter what the doctors say and it's frustrating to the point I told em to just stay out of it. His dad was diagnosed adhd and I had mild add as a child I found out so not a big shock he might have it. They did another RAST test on him recently and came back the same allergens so nothing new to exclude. My only issue is most of the stuff I have read keeps saying medication not for under 6yrs of age so kinda curious to see what will happen next month too



First of all, a child who has ADHD should be medicated if nothing else works. 

Good for you telling your family to stay out of it. There are a lot of research on ADHD that they may not know about. They may not think that medication will help your son. But in this case the benefits will outweigh the risks of medication.

Maybe do a strict routine schedule that you do every day, that has helped me stay focused. Yes, I have ADHD.

Medications that may be able to help: 

Ritalin- I have taken this from age 5 to age 14.

Cylert

Imipramine- have an allergy to this one

Dexidrine(sp)

Strattera- I take this one now and it helps me focus better

Adderal

These are just some of the medications that are out there for ADHD

I would google Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder and see what you can do for your son.

I am willing to share my knowledge on ADHD with you and help you with your son.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Nov 11, 2010)

I have ADHD my hole family has it to be honest. 

My niece who is six has it very very bad. There are different levels. 

The magic drug for this family Concertia (sp) 

Its work very well long term to. I take mine when going into a class or something. luckily its one of those drugs you do not have to take everyday. Like on weekends the older kids do not take it. Now Shawny everyday like clock work.


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## jujub793 (Nov 11, 2010)

my son and daughter BOTH have ADD/ADHD. Both of them tried all the meds (ritilan adderall, concerta...) they did seem to help however the meds caused tourettes syndrom in my son. he did not have the vocalization part of it but he did develope tics that waxed and waned...came and went. I took him off all the meds because of this and he outgrew the tics eventually ( he's now 20) but he unfortunately still has the ADD in as far as frustration levels and inability to organizeand so on. But i felt these were less of a problem then the tourettes. My daughter who is 18 stopped taking the meds about 3 years ago. It was always a battle for her to take them and i had to practically use a blowgun to shoot them down her throat. She would hide them in her cheek or under her tongue and i would find them stashed all over the house. We even tried patches with no success. I found out later that friends teased her about her "dummy pills" and she didn't like the way they slowed her down (which told me they were working.... So like her brother we have just learned to adapt. its a long road. Now they are adults tring to adapt to life. I can see some improvement as far as the hyperness is better but the attention part is still an issue.


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## Sweetie (Nov 11, 2010)

Julie: have they been on Strattera? It is a nonstimulant medication for ADD/ADHD. It works on some people with the disorder. It sounds like your kids could benefit from it.

Also get them to write a routine schedule for themselves to follow every day. Like Mondays and Wednesdays, do this; and so on. It works well for me and keeps me on track with things. It might work well for your adult kids.


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## JadeIcing (Nov 11, 2010)

My mothers advice was... Have them run the test and to make sure they do a full range of test. Make sure that it is the only thing. To be open to meds but also to try other things before the meds. With meds right down any change. How ever small. Start a detailed journal of his day. Any outburst and all details about what was going on.

She also said how you handle him when he gets that way is great. You are not feeding him at all. 

My mom has done so much research and taken so many classes (even given them now) to be able to help and honestly just deal with my brother.


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## Sweetie (Nov 11, 2010)

Sports are a good way to get your son's hyperactivity out. Letting him help you clean the house if he wants, make it really fun so that he stays with the task.


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## ChandieLee (Nov 11, 2010)

I actually work (as a mentor) with_ teens_ who have ADHD, among other diagnoses, so I don't know how relevant this is, but I find that structured activities keep them from losing focus. Some one had already posted this, but try doing some activities with your son that only last about 5-10 minutes tops and see how that goes. And definitely bring him to that evaluation. I can't tell you how many kids have had to wait until their adolescent years to get treatment.


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## jujub793 (Nov 11, 2010)

i have also found through trial and error to try to be very specific when telling them something. Like instead of saying "go clean your room" i would say go and make your bed and pick up your clothes. If its too vague they get distracted with other things like what they may have found under the bed or something like that

Sweetie: I think Strattera is the one drug they did not try. Maybe its worth looking into. My daughter is a senior in high schoool so perhaps she would benefit. I think i would have my son re-evaluated. I know he still has issues but i fear potential abuse to be quite honest. :sad: Its alot different when the kids are older. Unfortunately we have had issues in the past with these meds. Not neccessarily with my kids but their friends who come over and steal it.


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## JadeIcing (Nov 11, 2010)

My brother did Tae Kwon Do and that helped tons.


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## Sweetie (Nov 11, 2010)

Julie: getting them both re-evaluated, that way you will know if Stattera will be right for them. I believe from what you said about your kids that they will benefit from Strattera.


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## fuzz16 (Nov 12, 2010)

i personally...at that age...would not even think to medicate. medications act like speed, most do im pretty sure. but if you have add or adhd it does the opposite to person without it...calms them down helps them think.

you need to really pay attention to the effects short term and long term though. i personally think i am worse off...i have major memory issues since i came off after 2 years of adderral and i have had to majorly adjust without meds but it is possible. 

i think meds are an easy way out...if nothing else works then you should medicate but he cannot even communicate properly about how it may effect him...ie not eating, not sleeping, making him sick.


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## Happi Bun (Nov 12, 2010)

Medication is not an easy way out and can be a blessing. I've had to take many various kinds for various reasons (including ADHD), along with therapy. I can't really comment on ADHD in young children, but It sounds like you are doing a great job. Getting professional help and testing is very important. Medication is something that should be up to you and the doctor. Do not fear it. Sometimes it's the only thing that can really help. Do be careful about OVER medicating though, which is a problem in children these days. Look into behavior therapy or take a class on ADHD to learn more and get support for YOU from other parents facing the same challenges.


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## Flirtycuddle (Nov 12, 2010)

He is on a strict schedule that does include helping me clean the house and going outside to play, building something with his blocks easy, coloring or drawing for a few minutes, but each one lasts 10 mins at a time throughout the day. When it comes to doing something like picking up his room or toys I give very specific directions and one at a time once the first task is done. I'll tell him to pick up his cars and put them away...once that's done its pick up ur clothes, and so forth till his room or where he was playing is picked back up. We go outside often and explore the neighboorhood just to give him a change of scenery for at least an hour a day. 

I have read up online about different medication and none of them are recomended for children his age but with concerta I read the biggest issue with children his age is the side effects are escalated. And I forget who said about him not being vocal enough to tell me what is going on with how he feels, actually my son can come to me and tell me clear as day if he is in pain or he cannot sleep or his head feels funny. I will look around the area for other moms dealing with this or classes I can take. 

The doctors are not going to just medicate, if they do or don't they are also going to put him in behavioral theraphy classes and discuss other tips to use to help deal with him. Also they are running tests to make sure it's not something medical and so far no new allergies, no sugar issues, no thyroid issues either which can often show the same symptoms as ADHD with the focusing being an issue. This evaluation in Dec will be more about mental aspects that might be affecting him too not just adhd but that is one option he is being evaluated for. 

Thank you everyone for your tips and I will start working to incorperate even more ideas to help him learn and deal with everything.


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## fuzz16 (Nov 12, 2010)

not being able to communicate as not being able to reconize small changes like someone older would who understands cause and effect of the body more

have you tried doing a chore board with rewards of letting him put stickers on it. its very self satisfying for kids.

and theres great mommy boards out there that i am sure you could get some great help from


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## CKGS (Nov 12, 2010)

I have not ever had a problem with my son telling me everything- this year, last year, the year before. He is 6 now. Children can and often will tell their parents they are hurting. It is up to us as parents to understand/figure out what may be causing the problem. My son knew he wasn't eating and that he was angry with both medicines he had before and told me vocally. 
I have the youngest son with ADHD and the oldest with it also and possibly bi polar which is what he is currently undergoing testing for. Strattera has been wonderful for my oldest son! He has went through many, many medicines over the years and nothing has helped like Strattera. 
I, too, didn't want to medicate my children BUT I am seeing results. I wish, honestly, that I hadn't been against it earlier on. I am certain my older son would have benefited from them earlier on in his life. With the combination of meds and counseling/therapy- my children seem to be improving which is making for a happier, healthier home for us all.


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## AquaticRex (Nov 14, 2010)

i was diagnosed with adhd when i was a kid, and it wasn't the case. after a while my doctor tried for add, not the case either. it was just me. i didnt WANT to pay attention, cause it wasn't interesting to me. i did the whole dinner thing too. i just ate enough to fill me then didnt want to eat with my family cause they did the same thing, it was all just boring to me, so i took off. instead of making everything bland, try making it fun. it helped me when i was a kid, i eventually changed and grew out of it. now the aggression part... that needs to be corrected. as for add and adhd, it's really over rated. doctors will diagnose any kid to it that doesn't seem formed to society's standards. being hyper active just means that they have a lot of energy, and it's normal for a kid to have energy. some more then others, which means that all you have to do is give ideas on stuff to do that requires lots of energy. try signing him up for a kids soccer team or something. i think that at age 4, it's WAYYYYY too early to diagnose a kid with a disorder such as adhd. kids are meant to be really active.


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## AquaticRex (Nov 14, 2010)

btw, did you know that a few years ago there was a couple of cases where add/adhd meds had caused the death of kids? just letting you know so you can ask your doctor about it maybe.


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## Happi Bun (Nov 15, 2010)

Having ADHD goes far beyond just being hyperactive. I have the disorder and most people find it shocking because I'm rarely hyper active. For me all the hyperactivity is in my mind. I disagree with it being too early for such a thing. Diagnosing possible problems early can mean a much happier and stable life later on. Being diagnosed doesn't mean the child has to be put on medication either, if the parent doesn't want it. Many other options can be explored first.


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## JadeIcing (Nov 15, 2010)

*Happi Bun wrote: *


> Having ADHD goes far beyond just being hyperactive. I have the disorder and most people find it shocking because I'm rarely hyper active. For me all the hyperactivity is in my mind. I disagree with it being too early for such a thing. Diagnosing possible problems early can mean a much happier and stable life later on. Being diagnosed doesn't mean the child has to be put on medication either, if the parent doesn't want it. Many other options can be explored first.



Well said.

I hate hearing people say it is overrated, doctors make it up.... Why because I have witnessed the ups and downs my brother has gone through. I know what the difference all the help he has recieved does for him. Yes my brother is an extreme case but some people with simple adjustments be it meds or enviroment or routines whatever they needs can make a world of difference. Yes some doctors are quik to label but some are not and that can be the worse thing of all. The sooner you start getting help the easier it is. That is why I am a firm believer that doctors and parents need to work together closely to get to the heart of whatever the problem may be.


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## Flirtycuddle (Nov 15, 2010)

The doctor my son sees refused to just medicate him which I respect and has set up for the full evaluation instead of just saying "its adhd take this". If I just wanted to medicate him I could find a doctor that would easy but that is not what I am after either. I know the help some have from meds while others need a stricter schedule or something changed in the enviroment. Not every person be a 4 yr old or 50 yr old will benifit the same from every treatment. 

With my son it is not just about hyperactivity either. IF that was the case I could take him out to the park let him for hours on end till he's wore out and then have less issues. I've tried that and even when we get home he's still unable to focus for long. I have bought him building blocks because he showed real intrest in them at first but then his attention started to get shorter and shorter now to the point he wont even use them. I have done movies, games, outside activities, and everything....everytime its the same result.


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## Sweetie (Nov 15, 2010)

Very well said Happi Bun and JadeIcing.

Flirtycuddle: good for you working with your doctor to weed out other possible issues first and for trying other things first, before medicating. It does sound like your son will benefit from medication. I have a hard time focusing even now when I don't take my medication.

A lot of medication say not to give until a certain age, but it actually can be given earlier with doctor supervision. I was on medication since I was 5 years old. I am able to function better in life. So medicating early can be a very good thing, especially long term.

Anyway, good job working with your doctor to find out if there are other issues going on, before medicating. Your son will benefit from all of this that you are doing. Hang in there, you will make it through this. Keep up the good work.


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## JadeIcing (Nov 15, 2010)

One thing that helped my brother was my mom rotated his toys.


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## Sweetie (Nov 15, 2010)

http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/45/21/21.1.full

Here is a link that may be of interest to you and anyone else. I have found this during my search for 3 articles to do summaries on for my Lifespan Psychology class. It may help!


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