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Hi, Im sahm to 4yr old ds, and 9yr old ds, recently dx with adhd, and now aspergers. We have been to a develpmental pedictrician, and now behavior therapist and pyschitrist. We tried aderall with major tics and worse symptoms. Then we tried no dairy high protein meals low sugar, fish oil, and other natural type "treatments" with no luck. Now we are on tenex, with the dose recently lowered to control the adhd but it was too high we were having alot of worse symptoms. In a couple weeks doc wants to start risperidone sp? I hate medicating my son he is so small only 50lbs and young, but after so much failure I dont know what else to do. Has anyone else had sucess with these med combos? He is high functioning at school, but comes home ands its total different story. His voice is super high pitched, he sings odd things over and over loudly, cant remember simple things about the day, but his memory is awesome for remember facts or statistics. Cant stay on task and get simple things done. He is a handful to take out in public as last night we went to my 4yr old baseball game. He would not stop talking very loudly about the kids were better at baseball than him, laughing very loud for a long time obnoxiously at the kids for every error they made shouting at them pay attenstion and whatever else the coach was telling them. He was complaining he was bored tired and cold even though he brought books along and I gave him my sweat shirt. The outting was just an hour long, but we all came home wiped out. This is how all outings go with him, I try quietly telling him to settle down dont say anything if its not nice, and he does over and over and over louder each time too. I try to speak short and sweet with him but I have not found a way to get through. Anyone have advice or tips? I am really worried about treating the anxiety before the adhd is all the way under control. I dont think he is able to handle stimulant meds. Does it sound like my doc is doing the right thing? Or jumping ahead to prescribe things. I am unorganized mess but am reading as much as i can and hoping joining this board will help. I want to do anything possible to help my son he is a sweet bright boy if he can just get behaviors under control. Hope im not rambling too much ours is a complex story, looking forward to learning more about you all

Erg... Maybe try an environmental approach. I find baseball boring, as well. It sounds like his executive functioning skills need some work. He is just four, though. You're talking about your four-year old, right?

I know what works for myself is environmental changes. Baseball games are rather uncomfortable...the lighting, seating, crowds, noise...totally an uncontrolled environment. Even if it's a small event, to sit and watch is very annoying. Now think about if you were a little kid. Fun? Probably not. If your special interest is baseball, it's probably best watched at home. It sounds like everything was getting to him. It is hard to pay attention to a book when so much is going on around you.

If he is playing a sport to stay active, I would recommend activities of a more individual nature. Skiing is a great one, especially for one-on-one lessons. Horseback-riding is also great, because the kid can commune with animals, which can be really therapeutic. Simple things, like bike-riding, rock-climbing, and nature-hikes are wonderful. Fresh air, low crowds (if any), and you can take your food from home so the food will at least be the same. When planning a trip, one thing I noticed works really well is keeping a huge wall calender that you can write on. The kids can see it and see the pattern of routines. You can take a day every week or every other to go to the park. They can use their energy by running around (and putting that high-protein diet to good use) and everyone can get some fresh air.

Why are you putting stimulant medicine in a small child, with ADHD? Both of those things sound terrible, so, no, I don't agree with your doctor. Then again, I am no doctor, but how does that sound like a good idea?

As for executive function skills, I am still trying to figure that one out myself. I think there are many resources online that can help with children, but for adults, I am still looking. A big wall calender for the family and a personal planner for you, I guess.

heya,
Sorry to be unclear, I have a 4 yr old but the 9 yr old is the one with dx and problems. He was put on a stimulant so he could try to complete tasks and perform better at school, and at home. I love your ideas about being outside we do the nature walks alot, although he cannot ride a bike yet we are working hard on that this summer. He loves baseball watching it on tv, going to the local games where the brewers play, and in the past has liked being on a team. Last night at the game he was watching his brother play he brought books to keep busy, but he couldnt focus on them, instead he was mocking the small kids and couldnt stop his comments/complaining. Your idea about sports that are not so competive sounds good too, we are working on getting a fishing license and poles for the boys, we can go as a family and just relax ( i hope). We are on a tight budget so I doubt we can go skiing, but your idea of him doing things just him and not so competive makes sense. We do try to be outside alot but he doesnt want to particpate in alot of things we try to do. Even just sitting around hed rather be inside watching/tv or video games otherwise he complains hes bored no matter what else i provide for him to do. We have been through many evals pediatric developmental specialists and an iep team at school, everyone agrees not much else has worked and he needs meds. Its not my favorite choice but I cannot continue to watch him fail at school, and social situations, and not having friends without trying something.

To WrongPlanet!! !

Ah, I see. Honestly, I doubt medding him up will give him friends...but to complete school work, I see the problem. Yeah, they bombard us with stimulation when we are young and expect us to perform with next to no stimulation at all.

Maybe he has some theory of mind issues, if he doesn't understand that the kids younger than him are going to have worse skills. I remember having those issues and still do even now. No comprendo personas. Now childhood development is really interesting to me (though not a special interest...yet.) I see where AS comes in for myself. To combat this, I don't know...I guess when the opportunity arises, make a note of explaining everything to him. Like, "do you remember how you played that that age?" If he says no, explain. "Well, these were your skills, you hadn't developed these skills yet, because you were younger." My current (new!) employment emphasizes using every moment as an educational opportunity. It may be easier said than done, especially when you are tired, but my parents made a point of that with me, and it helped. Constant reminders will help reinforce the point you are trying to make.

For school, I would learn what makes him tick. Like, I know he needs to complete his homework, but what does he like to do? Play video games? Many can be educational without realizing it. I somehow learned quite a bit, and still do, from the games I play. I guess it depends on what he likes. RPGs (role playing games) are a great way to learn math, creative writing, and literature, since RPGs are based off of D&D, and you need to know math to properly build your character. The single-player stories are pretty much open-ended novels. Games like Age of Empires (an RTS -- real time strategy) will teach him history and things like tactics. Tactics will help him impress other little boys!! Maybe there is a way you can tie in his love of video games to learning somehow. Using games as an example in reference to his hw. It could at least improve English, and perhaps inspire art and music, as some can be really spectacular.

Outdoor games like any extreme sport (dangerous, but impressive, and could help the social out a bit. Tony Hawk has ADHD. His bio may inspire you/him. Not the broken bones bit, though. Not everyone goes pro, don't mean to scare you, if I did :lol) can also help with the math, as the moves are generally named after angles. This is nifty, as it adds a visual component to learning.

But, back to school work, perhaps letting him run around and tire himself out will allow him to focus enough to get it done at all. (I sometimes need to work out in the middle of and before completing a task. Really does help me focus.) Perhaps what he needs is not a stimulant, but something to calm him down to focus, as he sounds pretty stimulated anyway, just by nature. How can you stare at a paper, when you are raring to go? Relaxing things can be accomplished at home. A desk, a good lamp, the right smells, wordless music (perhaps a tune from Halo, or whatever it is he plays,) soothing colors. Colors are important for the autistic. Perhaps a deep-pressure vest or chair ball, if you want to get crazy, haha. Just changing these things really makes a difference.
Maybe his Exec. Function problems make it difficult to even know how to start. *shrug* I hope this helps...

Hello, and welcome aboard the WP, engiishmuffin.

Hello engiishmuffin, welcome, enjoy your stay on the Wrong Planet!