What do you know about ADD?

[noobiechickenlady]

In children with severe ADD we find the use of a visual schedule really helps.

You simply make icons to represent different tasks and put velcro on the back of them. Then you can make a little strip or booklet that the person can carry with them.

When there are tasks to be done the booklet or strip is loaded up. As each task is completed the icon for that task is removed and placed in a container or pocket on the back of the booklet.

It makes getting those tasks easier - they actually get DONE with tasks for a change!
It also gives the sufferer more independence and success than they have ever had.

A win - win!

I forgot about this one. We do a version of this. We have one blue & one purple laminated chart on the wall. Each kid has their own dryerase marker to mark off their tasks. When they were smaller I used pictures, but now they are reading & writing they write their tasks in the allotted space. Each day of every week (they are weekly charts) they get 3 chores & 3 tasks. Chores they are paid for (We don't do allowances, you don't get paid just because you're my kid ) and tasks that are stuff that they do just for the privilege of living under my roof.
For example, DD (7) had these today:
Clean Bathroom ($.50) Entails wiping surfaces, clearing clutter, emptying trash, & sweeping. I swish the toilet & clean the mirrors or DH does it.
Vacuum Living Room ($.50)
Wash Dishes ($.50)
Straighten Toys (her room)
Empty Trash (her room)
Empty hamper into washroom hamper

They mark off the tasks as they are completed.
So now, instead of saying 15 times each "Did you wash the dishes?" and "Did you clean up your toys?" All I have to say is "How's your chart?" The charts are fairly large & are in the hallway leading to their rooms & bathrooms, so they get passed often. The colors stand out from the walls so they grab your attention, and they are at kid height.

 

[Big Daddy]

Our 9 year old has FAS. The FAS causes ADD type symptoms. Just general inability to control himself. The medication works quite well for now. He's been on it about 6 months. He used to be on Ritilin. He is now on Concerta. Without the medication he is very difficult to control much less teach anything too. I can understand why schools require the medication. Or son didn't have the medication in Kindergarten and was very disruptive. We of course didn't want to put him on it but we finally caved. I'm glad we did. He is finally learning in school. He has gone from being the primary instigator to being the one that says "I wasn't doing it" and he really wasn't. I know that there is a major movement against it and a lot of people are able to lessen the severity through diet and different behavior modifications. I truly commend those people. In our sons case it is doing the job.

 

[TanksHill]

Big Daddy, "I can understand why schools require the medication."

Your sons school is requiring him to be on medication?? What exactly does FAS stand for? If you don't mind sharing??

Thanks, Gina

 

[me&thegals]

FAS: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

BD: I wouldn't want this conversation to minimize families who need to use medications. I think they have their place. I don't think my kids are having enough problems to warrant it and, in fact, may never be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. But, some kids definitely are helped by medication, which I have personally observed in my daughter's kindergarten class.

 

[TanksHill]

I am thankful for this opportunity to discuss my sons situation and behaviors with other parents who have similar experiences. It is very difficult trying to travel this path alone.

This thread has done just that. Given us all a glimpse at what other parents are dealing with and how they handle it.

gina

 

[me&thegals]

In my experience almost every (if not EVERY) true ADHD child I have met has one or both of the two following factors involved:

1. a parent with severe ADD/ADHD

or

2. a mother that has been a marijuana smoker before pregnancy (not necessarily during or even right before the pregnancy - remember all of the woman's eggs that she ever will have are present when she is BORN).

It is my personal belief that pot does something to those eggs. I can't tell you what and I have NEVER heard of a medical study in regards to it. The father smoking does not seem to make a difference.

Well, phew! That's one parenting blunder I can cross off my list. Never did pot. Does kombucha count? Except that I just started drinking a few months ago

 

[me&thegals]

I'd like to make a few points about possibly misdiagnosing ADD.

When I began art college, we were told by the professors that creative personalities tend towards lack of focus, easily distracted, easily bored, novelty seekers and sometimes lazy. We were told that we would need to overcome those natural tendencies and force ourselves to focus, finish, listen, etc. The entire freshmen class was warned about this. It was like they were mind readers with this incredible insight into our personalities!
We were not a class of ADD, although a methodical person might have thought so. Highly creative cream of the crop, but with all the bad aspects that come from that.

Very interesting! I have always considered my son very creative. He loves art and has since toddlerhood. He can make a game or toy from anything. His sister is lost without him, as he's the guy to come up with entertainment from thin air.

It would be interesting to know if there are studies on brain function. Is it like muscles, where the more you exercise certain parts the stronger they get?

We have a married couple for friends. She is very creative and artistic--also disorganized, a bit messy and doesn't manage time well. He is an engineer--very organized, on time, precise about life.

 

[Wifezilla]

In my experience almost every (if not EVERY) true ADHD child I have met has one or both of the two following factors involved:

1. a parent with severe ADD/ADHD

or

2. a mother that has been a marijuana smoker before pregnancy (not necessarily during or even right before the pregnancy - remember all of the woman's eggs that she ever will have are present when she is BORN).

It is my personal belief that pot does something to those eggs. I can't tell you what and I have NEVER heard of a medical study in regards to it. The father smoking does not seem to make a difference.

Well, my mom was never a pot smoker and she doesn't have ADD herself. There IS a biological component, but it doesn't always express itself as ADD. The family tree has other components...depression, learning disabilities, alcoholism...
The wiring is different.

In my case, I am an artist and I am left-handed. My brain is just different.

 

[farmerlor]

Big Daddy, "I can understand why schools require the medication."

Your sons school is requiring him to be on medication?? What exactly does FAS stand for? If you don't mind sharing??

Thanks, Gina

The school did not REQUIRE us to medicate our son (I'm BD's woman by the way) but the teachers were having a lot of problems keeping him on task. Seriously, when you went to see the kids there would be all the kids in line or sitting down or whatever but our son would be flanked by a teacher and a teacher aide at all times just to keep him from running out in the street or jumping off a wall or sticking something in a socket. HE was getting frustrated at his lack of ability to remember the things he'd learned just the day before and HE was unhappy that his head was too busy to even play an organized game like kick ball when all of his friends could do that. So it was more for him that we did the trial on meds than anything the teachers ever suggested. He's much happier now that he takes the medication and that's what tells me we've made the right decision.

 

[farmerlor]

As for the pot smoking theory....it seems like if every child who has ADD or ADHD had a parent that smoked pot there would be more pot smokers with kids who had ADD or ADHD. I have never been a pot smoker, stuff smells nasty, but I know an awful lot of people who are or have been pot smokers and right off the top of my head I can't think of one of them who has a child who has ADD or ADHD. Not disproving the theory, and just anecdotal evidence but it made me wonder a little bit.