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In a recent phone conversation with A (Charlie’s adoptive mom), she told me that Charlie has Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly known as ADHD.
About a year ago, she mentioned the possibility but never said anymore about it and frankly, I just forgot to ask because I thought if he did have it that she would certainly let me know as soon as it was confirmed. It wasn’t a surprising possibility to her as Charlie is super hyper, talks a mile a minute, and has a short attention span.
So, last week she confirmed that he does indeed have ADHD and will probably begin some form of medication for it. I consider myself to know a good deal about special needs children and the conditions that may have as I have educated myself extensively on cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, hydrocephalus, autism, etc…. But to be perfectly honest, ADHD is one condition that I do not know a whole lot about. However, like any good mother (regardless of if she is a birth or adoptive mother) I have been reading and educating myself about ADHD. Luckily for me, there have been some great blogs, information, and resources written and shared about ADHD right here in the Parenting Special Kids blog so I haven’t had to go to far away in my searching!
I’m not sure how I feel about this yet. From what I am reading, there seem to be varying different degrees of ADHD so it could just affect Charlie a little bit or it could affect him a lot. It also seems that sometimes you have to try a few different medications before you find one that works, which is something we personally experienced with medicating Noah’s epilepsy.
I’ve also read that it’s often genetic. Before I even read that, I found myself wanting to apologize to A. Not that she made me feel that I needed to apologize, but I just felt weird. But, I don’t have ADHD, Noah’s never been diagnosed with it, nor anyone in my family. We don’t have a lot of medical information on Charlie’s birth father’s side though so it could be that he or someone in his family has ADHD.
So, if any readers have any great information or resources about ADHD, feel free to pass them along! ‘
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Helpful Posts from the Parenting Special Kids Blog:
Why Do Some Teenagers Outgrow ADHD?
Is it ADD or Not?
About Prescription Treatments for ADHD
As a teacher and a friend of a family with one of the worst cases of ADHD I’ve ever seen, I can give you some helpful hints that I hope will help.
Has he been tested at an allergy clinic? Food allergies often enhance ADHD behavior. Chocolate and monosodium glutamate or MSG are two BIG offenders. MSG requires reading the label of EVERYTHING you put into your basket.
The medications are good. It takes time and patience to find the one that works best for him. It may take awhile to find the one that works for him and to get the dosage correct. Be patient!
ADHD kids are often disruptive in class, needing to be the first in line, shouting out answers to questions before they are called on, running around the room w/o permission, not listening, etc. All are behaviors that prevent other students from learning and cause the teacher to have to stop teaching to correct him or her. The CORRECT MEDICATION allows them to follow directions, increases attention span and gives them the ability to focus on what they are doing.
I have a friend who’s now 15 and taking her meds on her own. When she was 6, she spent the night at my house. She was wired for sound when she awoke. Her mom forgot to give her the med at dinner the night before and didn’t send any meds with me to give her the next day. She gave Chatty Cathy a run for her money. (We got meds QUICK!!) I took her home and put her through an open window. She took one pill and was fine the rest of the day. She’s 15 now and is learning to control herself on her own.
If they have to put your son on the meds, as he gets older, hopefully he will realize what he’s doing and be weaned off the meds. That can happen as the children grow up!
Good luck and blessings to you and your family!!
Cindy
The meds thing is usually a slow and frustrating process. Many have side effects that should go away in a short period, but do not. Others simply aren’t effective. Some have to build up in the child’s system before you can know if they are effective, and there is the slow process of increasing the dose on each med to see if there will be an acceptable response.
When your son does have the right med at the right dose, life will be different for him. Today ADHD is recognized, teachers are aware that the child may not be able to maintain. They are likely to be helpful and cooperative if they are aware that the med process is underway. Their observations are important to the MD. It is amazing to see a child with the right med, suddenly able to focus and make it. John
If an ADHD med is working for your child, the results will, for the most part be immediate. You may need to build up to a therapeutic dose, but you will know right away if it is worth pursuing.
We have tried nearly every ADHD med on the market. Our best success has been with concerta, across the board. It is a superior medication.
There is an organization called CHADD, cannot remember what it stands for. Google it, you’ll get a ton of great info. Many public school districts have great information and support nights for parents working with ADHD children.
Channel some of his extra energy into physical stuff, like bike riding, roller blading, jumping on the tramp. When he’s a little older, steer him towards sports like maybe tennis or golf. They’re much easier for a child with attention struggles to manage than team sports. Too much going on for much success. Don’t rule them out, just broaden what you hunt around for.
Good luck. Charlie is a wonderful little boy with a good heart. You guys will do great with him, just like you always have.
Thank you guys for the information and advice. Of course, as Charlie’s birthmother, I will not be the one making the decisions regarding his schooling and medication, although I do prefer to be educated as much as possible about ADHD and the things that you all have told me so that when A is sharing things with me I know what she is talking about.
Sue – what you said with team sports hits home! I think A has some frustrations because he hasn’t shown any interest in a team sport and prefers karate and other things than a team sport. It makes sense now!
Karate is a GREAT activity for a child w/ADHD because it teaches self-discipline and body control. I wish I could get my 6-year-old ADHD son interested in karate!!
My son is in first grade, and we are in the “should we or shouldn’t we” medicate stage. So far, he has been able to succeed in school in part because it is a Montessori school (it’s okay to get up and walk around during class) and in part because we have been blessed w/FABULOUS teachers who see the intelligent child behind the hyperactivity. I do have concerns about his ability to sit through an end-of-grade test, but that’s not for a couple of years yet.
My friend, whose son is 11 w/ADHD, explained the meds to me in a way I could understand. There is a part of the brain that sorts new information. For ADHD children, this part of the brain works slower. So, while you and I can field 10 new pieces of information quickly, these children cannot. They feel bombarded with new information and react through hyperactivity.
The medication enables this part of the brain to process this information, and it enables them to have the ability to think through an action. As long as this part of the brain is working slowly, they really do not have the ability to think through consequences, which is why they do impulsive things that other people who not do because they can see the consequences.
I have been trying a homeopathic remedy with my son, which is helping but is not completely “curing” it. You can google “BrightSpark” to find it. Homeopathy is supposed to be a long-term cure, but we’ll see if it will be enough. I go back and forth daily about whether to seek medication for him. :0(
Take care,
- Faith