Comments on: Is ADHD in Children Just Parental Lack of Control?

By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:03:12 +0000

I am a sufferer of ADHD, and after years of being slapped into next as achild my mother decided to have me tested in many different ways. The results were off the charts, hence I have the paperwork that claims I am legally disabled. I have been through many different medication trials all with about the same effect, none. I used to be able to hold a job for about a month before I couldn’t handle being there anymore therefore I have had a lot of jobs.

I finally landed on the right occupation and am an award winning graphic designer, But I was labled the same as alot of the others that have the disorder, whatever you would like to call it and was actually labled and patrolled so harshly in highschool that it was the main reason for leaving and having to get a diploma through adult education.

Those of you with children diagnosed with this please keep in mind that the road is just as rough for the child as it is for the adult, the parent, and the teacher, sometimes rougher. Listen to your child, they may actually now what is going on with them. We can be a real pain but it has been said in some circles that it is the next step in evolution, try to outsmart an educated individual with ADHD/ADD you may be suprised at the outcome, but peopl always try to label of correct something they do not understand.

To everyone whose understanding with their children I wish I was as lucky and I commend you for your diligence and love for your child or adult.

By: LEE

LEE — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:24:49 +0000

PARENT DISCIPLINE, OR LACK OF, HAS BEEN A MAJOR ROLE IN GRANDSON’S BEHAVIOR. CONSTANT PROVIDING AND CATERING TO EACH DEMAND SEEMS TO ENCOURAGE MISBEHAVIOR. HIS MOTHER AND FATHER HAVE AND STILL OVERCOMPENSATE FOR HIS CONDITION. CONSTANTLY EXCUSING ALL ACTIONS AND AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITIES/ACCOUNTABILITIES.
AT AGE 19, HIS MOTHER DRIVES HIM TO SCHOOL (COLLEGE) AND PICKS HIM UP DAILY. HE HAS A PERMIT BUT DOES NOT WANT TO DRIVE BY HIMSELF. UNTIL RECENT TIMES, HIS PARENTS CLEANED HIM AFTER A BM. SAYING “NO” TO HIS DAILY REQUESTS SEEM TO BE A WANTED ACTION BUT NO SUCH RESQUE IN SIGHT.
HE IS BRIGHT AND HAS EXCEPTIONAL SCHOOL GRADES BUT HIS SOCIAL SKILLS (IN PUBLIC) ARE LIMITED. HE HAS BEEN HEAVLY OBSORBED WITH WEB AND GAMES SINCE CHILDHOOD. WHAT “STRUCTURED” LITERATURE CAN ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO ALLOW HIM TO MATURE?

By: NANCY

NANCY — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:09:46 +0000

TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER PATTY THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF THOSE KIDS AND BEING PURE OF HEART ABOUT IT AND GIVING THESE KIDS A CHANCE. MY SON GOES TO SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY FOR ADHD KIDS AFTER PUBLIC SCHOOL TOTALLY DEMORALIZED HIM AND SAID SPECIAL SCHOOL WOULD LABEL HIM AS SLOW AND SPECIAL NEEDS. IT HASN’T IN FACT AFTER WATHCING MY SON BLOSSOM IN HIS ADHD SCHOOL, I’D SAY THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THEIR CRAPPY 504 IEP’S ARE THE ONES NEEDING THE HLEP. MY SON WHENT FROM 4 IEP MEETINGS A YEAR AND FEELING LIKE CRAP FROM THE CONSTANT NICKPICKING OF HIS TEACHESR. TO JUST ONE ANNUAL ONE, WITH NOTHING BUT PRAISE. GOD BLESS YOU PATTY.

By: Elicia

Elicia — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:30:23 +0000

When I was younger, I asked my doctors to be tested for AD/HD. I knew what it was because my cousin had a severe form of it. I made straight A’s in school, but I constantly got in trouble because I was bored. I frequently came up with reasons why I couldn’t go to school. However, because I had good grades the doctors told me I couldn’t have AD/HD and refused to listen to me. When I got to college, the classes and work was a lot harder and I found myself struggling to keep up. I went and talked to another doctor about being tested. He diagnosed me with the disorder and I was started on Adderall. On a follow-up visit my doctor told me he knew I actually had AD/HD and didn’t just want the drugs because when I take the medicine, my brain slows down and I am able to sleep. I can’t take it on anydays where I haven’t had sleep because I just become too tired to do anything, whereas if I was just faking it for the drugs, the Adderall would be like speed and I would be wired for days.
That being said, I do think the diagnosis is over used. Testing needs to include both behaivoral and cognitive abilities so that they can see whether the kid is acting out or struggling because their ability is below/above where it should be or if it is because they understand but their brain just won’t slow down for them to be able to work properly.

By: Eileen Mayhew

Eileen Mayhew — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:13:25 +0000

Fourteen years ago my son was in a class for children with severe communication disabilities. He was unable to attend a regular kindergarten class because his speech and language processing skills were so poor. The following year it was suggested that we have him medically screened. We took him to a child psychiatrist who told us that our some had ADHD and Pervasive Developmental Disorder – or PDD (a form of autism) We were told that we could try medication but not Ritalin as our son had body tics which could turn into Tourette’s Syndrome if we gave him Ritalin. The other options for medication scared me as a was concerned about their possible side effects. I did some research, spoke with other moms and was fortunate to meet someone who gave me information from a doctor, a nutritionist and a pediatrition about the way Certain Foods, Lack of nutrients, Anti-biotics and the chemicals in cleaning products can effect a child’s behaviour and brain development. They also recommended Shaklee supplements and Cleaning Products. I decided to give it a try. We changed our cleaning and laundry products. Made adjustments to his diet – did you know that even some healthy foods like – Corn, Peanuts, Wheat, Milk etc,etc can effect childrens behavior? Last of all we put him on a regimen of Shaklee’s supplements. Withing two weeks we saw a change. Within two months we were told that he would be entering a regular class the following year – initially with Special Education services and a 1-1 aide – that was first grade. By middle school he no longer needed an aide and was recieving less services. By high School he was in regular classes and all of his grades were 89 and above. He graduated last June and is currently in the Air Force. If we had put him on Medication years ago – he would not have the future he now has. I know that for some children medication may be the only alternative to help them function. However there are many children who would respond just as well with a more natural approach and any of the potential side effects. It’s certainly worth a try. Over the years I have shared this information and helped many moms who were able to either keep their children totally off of medication or dramatically reduce the amount of medication that they had to give their child.

By: Jewels

Jewels — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:08:59 +0000

Funny there was no ADD or ADHD back when I was a kid (early 70’s)
If we had excess energy to burn off we hit the door running at the crack of dawn and didn’t come back inside until the street lights came on. If we were thirsty we hit someones water hose in the neighborhood or grabbed a tomato out of the many gardens.
If our parents said something they had our FULL attention and if by chance they didn’t get our full attention we were slapped into next week. Cure for ADD/ADHD!
Nowdays kids have no reason to go outside when they have tv’s, cable, numerous video game consoles, stereos, MP3 players, cell phones…….no reason to burn off the excess energy that these Drs are calling ADD/ADHD.
Open up the front door and tell the kids to get gone until the street lights come on. Make them take their cell phone with them but get them OUTSIDE. We came home so exhausted we didn’t care if there was dinner on the table or not and most times we were too exhausted to bathe but we did it. We’d pass out in bed and get up and start all over again!

By: bfgair

bfgair — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:08:38 +0000

I married a woman that had ADHD in her family and her background. She had four children from past marriages. Three were living at home and one with her past husband. One of the children was 10 another 6 months old and the other was 18. The 10 year old was compleatly out of control. He was neglegted by his mother and shoved off on to the oldest girl for care as was the 6 month old.
The 10 year old was found to have ADHD and was given medication and it did help a bit but when I changed his diet and showed him some love and stability he came around even more. He still acted out for attention from his mother and was always seeking attention from her. He didn’t care if it was even negative attention. She used to tell me to take him out back and spank him and finally after a year I told her NO and made her take him out back. WOW what a change it made. From that point on I made her take him out back and insted of a spanking they spent hours talking and it made such a differance in him.
The 6 month old was the gleam in my eye as her mother worked all the time. She liked to work all the overtime sho could as it was her way of getting out of her responabilitys at home. I do belive she was also border line ADHD just as all of her brothers were. So I became the main parent to the two kids as the 18 year old went off and got married. I changed the diet from McDonalds to home cooking with NO processed meats or other ingrediants and mainly organic. That did make as big a change in the 10 years old daily workings as did the medication. and the 6 month old was doing fine. When she and I were alone she was very good and when her mother was their she would act up and when she was left alone she exibited ADHD actions.
Her mother became involved with another man and left me just as she had done with her other marriages, after 12 years and moved to another state. The little girl now has to be medicated due to her ADHD.
Bottom line with love, good pesicide free food and attention and maybe a small amount of medication ADHD can become under control. It was amazing to me to see the differance that just the diet had to do with the actions of the children. But the main thing that was shown me was what plain old LOVE had to do with the develpment and cure of this affliction. A hug and a few moments alone are the cure for a lot of ailments.

By: Patty

Patty — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:09:32 +0000

I am a middle school teacher with over 15 years of classroom experience. I also happen to have ADHD myself and was diagnosed back in the 70’s when I was in Kindergarten. Back then it was called hyperactivity disorder. I was on Ritalin only on school days through 6th grade and what a difference it made in my life especially in my education. Throughout my career I have found that most of the children I teach that have been diagonosed with ADHD have a higher IQ, are more creative, and are great critical thinkers more so than their peers. Often others think it is bad parenting, but having worked with wonderful parents to the worst of them I can tell you first hand having been in the trenches with these kids that there truly is such a disorder and these kids need both patience and undersTANDIN I have worked with kids that have both been medicated and those that have not been and they have all excelled in my room. In fact

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:49:07 +0000

ADD/ADHD is a DSM-IV TR diagnosible Disorder..not a disease. It is treatable in many ways: Medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy or a combination of approaches Not just those few I have listed). It is often misunderstood by teachers as a behavior disorder…as something the student may be doing to “make” the teacher’s life miserable! Other disorders such as Depression, Dysthymia or even Bi-polar and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have elements that may mimic symptoms of ADD/ADHD. The clinical picture is not always clear-cut. Sometimes it may take one clinical visit to make the appropriate diagnosis, sometimes a year or more!

Anorexia is an “eating disorder” which is tied to a Body Dysmorphic disorder. A “side effect”, if you will, of anorexia is malnutrition, among other things. Malnutrition does not cause anorexia. And yes, Anorexia does indeed occur in third world countries. It’s a mental disorder, not a food (or lack of food) disorder.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:45:42 +0000

TO :Blessed for Success:
Way to go. I respect your intense love and understanding of your ADHD child. It’s easy to see that you’ve done your own studying on the subject. The Hunter vs. Gatherer example you gave is right on par. So basically, following your comment on that, it seems schools are making all of our children into the gatherers. The farmers. Though there is nothing specifically wrong with being a gatherer, we cannot continue to exist in this world if everyone is a gatherer and hunters no longer exist. No wonder the children in our societies are gaining weight. (joke) This would be an interesting subject for conversation.