DownSyn Forum

blitzpooch · Posted: February 04 2010, 8:15 PM Post subject: New here

I am very happy (relieved) to find this forum. My son Nicolas is 8 and I am positive he has ADHD as well. I have tried diets, vitamins (which I can't afford right now) and have been trying to do sensory processing activities with him. He just doesn't slow down, doesn't focus. He is very oppositional and noncompliant.

He is a very happy, bubbly little guy. A real ham. I can see him in performing arts if we ever get the behaviors under control.

We have an appointment with developmental pediatrician at the end of March (that was the soonest I could get in.) I'm in survival mode and could use some helpful pointers with his behavior and preserving my sanity. Crying or Very sad

AliMama · Posted: February 05 2010, 12:31 AM Post subject:

Welcome to Downsyn! Glad you found us. I don't have advice for you, but I'm sure there are others who will be able to help--they've been there, done that!

_________________
Maresa,
Mom to Alisa (10-29-2008) DS, complete AV canal repair on 3-6-2009

Tigger · Posted: February 05 2010, 2:27 AM Post subject:

Welcome. We saw the pediatrician today and he agreed that Talitha has hyperactivity and at the moment everything is a fight. We are focussing at the moment on getting her to sleep at night because that is one factor that I know is affecting her behaviour. She has been on clonidine for sleeping (and on very bad days we give it to her to settle her down a bit). We are trying melatonin which is incredibly difficult to get here in Australia but I want to give her a break from the clonidine because it isn't working as well as it was initially. At this point we aren't doing anything about medicating her specifically for the hyperactivity as I am still trying to deal with it with diet and behavioural methods.

I am finding the battle to be consistent and to deal with her behaviour is taking it's toll on me and the other kids though.

We also have an 8 year old living with us who has ADHD and ODD whose behaviour we also need to manage and to help to teach his mother to manage.

The 8 year old is on Concerta (which is a longer acting version of ritalin) and clonidine both of which he takes in the morning. The combination works well for him with behavour management and plenty of exercise. We and his mum were reluctant to put him on medication but it has changed his life (and everyone elses!).

I hope you can get some answers and I have to say that although I would love to not have to use medication, it is a wonderful thing when it works.

_________________
Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

Tom · Posted: February 05 2010, 9:41 AM Post subject:

Have you been to a doctor to discuss the issue? There are medications that you can try but you have to watch out because many of the typical medications used with ADHD make things worse with kids with Ds. There have been discussions in this forum on this issue.

_________________
Tom

Dad to Beth ( 20 ) and Mikey (15 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
My Blog - Random Thinking
Find me on Facebook
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EAS1971 · Posted: February 05 2010, 12:14 PM Post subject:

Hi and welcome. My son Oliver is 5 and has ADHD. It's a daily battle. We've made behavioral changes, parenting changes, dietary changes, added meds. It is MUCH better than it used to be. He's still quite busy and has limited focus, but is now able to focus in small spurts and learn in school.

_________________
--Beth
Mom to Oliver, 5 (DS, ADHD)
and Sebastian, 4

LinMac · Posted: February 05 2010, 12:41 PM Post subject:

Welcome to downsyn!

Quote:

We are trying melatonin which is incredibly difficult to get here in Australia

Karyn....It was also very difficult to get in Ireland. My pharmacy had to order it from the UK. Its not the list of certified medicines here. It was very expensive too....70 Euro per bottle.
I have it for Robert for sleep issues.
[/quote]

_________________
Linda & John
mom to Hannah Kate (Age 14 ), Robert (Aged 9 - DS)

First Communion Day

Tom · Posted: February 05 2010, 5:16 PM Post subject:

LinMac wrote:

Welcome to downsyn!

Quote:

We are trying melatonin which is incredibly difficult to get here in Australia

Karyn....It was also very difficult to get in Ireland. My pharmacy had to order it from the UK. Its not the list of certified medicines here. It was very expensive too....70 Euro per bottle.
I have it for Robert for sleep issues.

[/quote]

Wow! I just bought a bottle of 60 3mg time release for $6. Maybe I should go into business. I wonder how much it would cost to ship them to Ireland. Wink

_________________
Tom

Dad to Beth ( 20 ) and Mikey (15 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
My Blog - Random Thinking
Find me on Facebook
Find me on Twitter as tgpaul

Momof6 · Posted: February 05 2010, 6:07 PM Post subject:

Hi and welcome to the boards. Glad you found us. My 17 year old has ADD/ADHD. We got the dx when he was 7. We have had many bad days but so many good.

_________________
~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 19, Chelsea 16, Connor 14, Logan 9, Cody 6 & Austin 4 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 ) diagnosis 10/28/10 Colonic Neuropathy, 12/16/11 dx with seizure disorder, neurogentic bladder...Monti Cath 11/9/12
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

I think I can, I think I can.
Climb the highest hills in all the land.
(If you think you can, you can.)
He could and he did !

I say CHEESE !

LinMac · Posted: February 06 2010, 6:53 AM Post subject:

Quote:

Wow! I just bought a bottle of 60 3mg time release for $6. Maybe I should go into business. I wonder how much it would cost to ship them to Ireland. Wink

It did occure to me that I might have to ask someone at downsyn to do me a favour and send me a few bottles....but it didn't come to that in the end!

Robert has a long term illness card which entitles him to free medicine for the whole of his lifetime.
The chemsit had to call the administrator and insist that this medicine be covered under the scheme. They agreed to pick up the cost of it in the end!
Otherwise we could have been business partners Tom Wink

_________________
Linda & John
mom to Hannah Kate (Age 14 ), Robert (Aged 9 - DS)

First Communion Day

blitzpooch · Posted: February 07 2010, 3:23 AM Post subject:

Can't get a prescription from ped...developmental ped is at the end of March. I'm jealous of you NYers. I'm a native NYer but live in FL. We get NOTHING and have about another two years of waiting for Medwaiver.

What diet helped? What parenting tips helped? I'm DESPERATE. I just bought a book called Accountable Kids today which is a kind of positive behavior/schedule program. I know he needs more structure than what we've got. Very tough in my house though and I think dh is ADHD himself.

Melatonin...I'm guessing you're only giving this at night, right? I use it myself, though it's not working so good right now. Laughing

It's so bad we live for quiet time and bed time Shocked

EAS1971 · Posted: February 07 2010, 12:26 PM Post subject:

Diet changes..... I admit I wasn't a believer until I tried. I really recommend you try them.

First and easiest, add Omega-3s into his diet. You can buy milk with DHA, yogurt with DHA, eggs with lots of Omega-3s, add flaxseed mill to homemade breads or oatmeal or pancaket batter, buy Omega-3 supplements.

Next step I'd recommend, try eliminating synthetic food dyes (the stuff with numbers... Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5.) Also eliminate preservatives. Give it a full 2 weeks and see if you notice changes. You can check out the Feingold Diet. We follow a modified version. It seems overwhelming at first, but it's actually very simple. It's just a matter of reading food labels. You'd be surprised at how many things have synthetic food dyes!! Sometimes all you need to do is buy a different brand...other times you'll need to buy natural/organic products or make your own. But it's really not difficult.

By making those changes, we saw a HUGE difference!

As for parenting changes, the biggest thing we've done is making sure we praise praise praise the positive behavior!! Positive reinforcement is very effective.

_________________
--Beth
Mom to Oliver, 5 (DS, ADHD)
and Sebastian, 4

Tom · Posted: February 07 2010, 7:00 PM Post subject:

Some people have said that eliminating gluten helps but getting rid of gluten is very hard.

_________________
Tom

Dad to Beth ( 20 ) and Mikey (15 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
My Blog - Random Thinking
Find me on Facebook
Find me on Twitter as tgpaul

blitzpooch · Posted: February 08 2010, 8:42 AM Post subject:

Will try to work more on the EFAs. I have been a label reader for a long time and am careful about food dyes and high fructose corn syrup (except for ketchup...he won't eat the homemade stuff).