Adhd Kids on Meds

have you tried the feingold diet?

You mention you've noticed a change with diet. You might be interested in this Yahoo group that covers from ADD to autism to yeast imbalance: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EnzymesandAutism/

Very informative place. :)

You might consider a different brand of medicine, or one that is a single dose, as opposed to the multiple doses during the day. With the multiple doses, kids experience ups & downs if the timing isn't perfect.

You might also consider visiting a child psychologist, our dr insisted on this prior to prescribing any medication. It gave us great piece of mind and a second opinion, because we were apprehensive about medicating. We had a very frank conversation about our concerns and he actually did some other testing that our dr had not done.

As far as working from home, I work for a company that provides Internet searches, it's all on-line so I can work when and where I want, regardless of what's going on in my home! It's awesome on snow days, I get paid and never leave the house.

R.,I have 2 boys one with ADD and one with ADHD.I understand what you are going through they both are on meds.My oldest is doing so much better on the meds. he is on his school work as improved as well as his behavorier and attitude. My youngest is a total different story we have lowered and increased his meds and we still have problems,in school he does not want to do his work and he gives the teacher fits especially if he don't get his way.At home he is more out of control if he don't get his way or can't have what he wants he throws things and goes after my other children.Trying to find a good scructure with him is hard like I said if he don't get his way watch out.Sugar is another problem if he has too much of it he is more out of control and he gets mean at times so we really have to watch the sugar intake.My oldest we have to watch the sugar too it wounds him up and he can't sleep if he gets too much of it.I can't work either and it is a financial burden especially with the cost of meds.We make it work some how though.I tried to go to work but I ended up having to quit,the only thing I can do is volunteer at the fire dept.in my town and clean my sister-in-law's house once a week so I know what you are going through.If you want to talk more about this feel free to get a hold of me.

Take Care,
J.

I really don't know what to say to help you. My 5 year old has only been on Ritalin for 7 weeks and I saw the same thing, only a minor calm down, only at school. At home he's still the wild child he always was and I have to keep a tight reign on him.

Since environment plays a big part in their hyperactivity I would focus on eliminating things that would trigger it or rewards that calm it. Some kids get hyped up playing video games but others are soothed by it.

I can't take a job outside of home either because I have too many appointments for him to make a good work schedule. Therefore we're also financially strapped. I know that the more stressed out you are the more the kids are going to act up. Their emotions are tied to their disorder and they will feel the same things that others feel. You'll have to work with them to help them handle those things and Dad doesn't get a free pass just because he's the one that works. He has to share the load.

I would suggest finding a copy of the Explosive Child on tape at your local library or ask your library to find a copy in another town and arrange for you to check it out. You both listen to it then have a one on one meeting with each other and create the baskets. If he's the one having trouble with the kids then everything he wants in basket A should be in there and he has to be consistant in working through those behaviors and acting appropriately. If he's not willing to at least try then maybe he should have been the one to be medicated. Plus if you "know their personalities" and he doesn't seem to and you don't let him parent his way, you could be the one that is causing the trouble not him.

Now it doesn't matter how much money you have if the quality of your marriage is in jeopardy. Therefore you have to focus on what you do have not what you don't. Set up time to be together as a family. If your husband works late nights then have a family breakfast instead of family dinner. But the kids need to know that there are rules of behavior and these rules are going to be enforced. There may be a different set of rules for each child and that's okay because your parenting style needs to be different for each childs needs.

At five year old ADHD boy I think there's a tremendous pressure to start acting grown up, especially if he's in an all day school already. So when he is home he needs that extra time to be silly. It doesn't mean he can be dangerous or destructive but he still needs lots of active play and imagination. Find a way to spent 20 minutes a day alone with each of them, say progressive bedtimes where you're reading/talking to one as the next one is bathing. This could also be the time where you work on their rooms, chores or homework. Dad will be in charge of the other two at that time.

As you and your husband work together you'll see a better relationship in the family. You have to support each others decisions and reactions at the moment and tweak them later too.