Hyperactivity-what's Next?

I would look into what he's around. We have a 4 year old who is ADHD...I can honestly say he is hyper and easily distracted. This isn't a bad thing....many great minds of the past showed signs of ADHD. However, we chose to use behavior therapy over Ritalin (Ritalin is a Class 2 or a Class 3 NARCOTIC) I'm not giving my 4 year old drugs (sorry to those who do use meds....I'm not bashing you, we each have to make the choice for myself and my conviction is not to use drugs to improve him). In behavioral therapy, we are learning new parenting techniques to control over his behavior that are simple effective however they take time to learn and break old habits. We also have come to notice that he is worse after I clean using store brand cleaners and when eating certain foods.

We have since started using nontoxic cleaners from a specfic company (I'm an independent representative with them because I believe in their products so much. I won't say the name but if you would like to know please email me.) It has improved from when I used the harsh chemicals.

Then we have started removing additives from his foods and there is some improvement but we only started this 3 days ago. I am going to look into changing his diet to see what triggers his behavior also.

But I am certain that the chemicals kids are exposed to daily are causing huge problems. Just research what's in items we use... baby shampoo, air freshener, personal care products, and every day cleaners contain: formaldahyde, cancer causing agents, hormone disrupting agents and more.

I am actually working to build a website dedicated to moms "go green" to inform them of the dangers of chemicals in cleaners.

You seem to have two questions. First, what is next? A full evaluation is next. Do your son a favor, and keep your feelings from the evaluator and just answer the questions and tell them what you see without trying to guide them into seeing what is most palatable to you. If your son gets a diagnosis that is based on what you want him to have, you may not give him the help that he needs.

Second, what can you expect from an evaluation? You should expect that this professional will assess medical, psychological, nuerological, educational, occupational, speech and langauge, and behavioral aspects of your sons functioning, and give you data refelcted in standard scores that are compared to a very large "normative" sample of children his age. That professional should write a long report that will spell out all his standard scores and will spell out something called subtests of each evaluation they do that will explain nuances in his processing and functioning that will both assist them in a diagnosis and provide direction for theraputic intervention. The last part of the evaluation should give you a treatment plan that will include many therapies based on the data and a recomendation for medication trial and care, if appropriate for his functioning and condition.

You should expect that this evaluation will take many hours. If it does not, look into a new evaluation from a Developmental Pediatrician, who will provide the most comprehensive evaluation you will find. You can also get a pretty good evaluation from a nueropsychologist combined with treatment from a psychiatrist, but you will have to supplement with ancellary therapists like speech and OT.

BTW, ADHD is very often (more than not) comorbid with sensory issues so there is nothing about what you said that rules out ADHD in reality. Food allegies and sensativities are best dealt with by an allergist, which is usually not part of a nuerobiological evaluation or the intervention that is recomended for children with them, though there are alternative practioners who beleive this and will use diet as a first round intervention. If you think your son has allergies, seek out an allergist, but I am afraid that you will be disapointed with a neurodevelopmental evaluation in that regaurd, and you should not expect that this will be a significant player in either the diagnosis or treatment. You can be sure though, that if there were significant evidence that diet and food sensativity were involved, this aspect would both be a standard aspect of these evaluations and treatment for issues like your son is experiencing. There is no conspiracy by the medical community to eschew any treatment that would help kids like your son, dispite popular myth that pysicians would rather "hand out pills like candy" which is just rediculous.

Treatment is far, far, far, more than "just" a pill, and frankly, even if it is not ADHD, and it might not be, the treatment plan will likely look very similar to what I about to describe because therapy is targeted to what the data indicates, not what the diagnoisis is anyway. Medication, when appropriate, is a tool used to help children with issues get full benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, social skills classes, Occupational therapy, speech and langauge therapy, pysical therapy, educational interventions, and behavior plans, which are going to be the meat and potatoes of his treatment no matter what he has. You may find yourself with many hours a week of appointments for your son's treatment, and then homework for each, so appropriate treatment is way more than "just" a pill. You will grow to appreciate how important that pill is if it shortens the number of months you drive him to his therapies because your son is getting more from each one and can attend to the coping skills he is learning for self regulation more readily.

It sounds to me like your school wants to offer your son services, but they need a medical evaluation that says ADHD to do so. Do not be afraid of that. Services at school are not based on a diagnosis either, so it is useless to argue with the school about what to call him, and frankly, the school may have room in their numbers game with the state to provide what your son needs in that category, but as I said, services are provided based on his needs, not what you call his condition or how they qualify him for services. Once you get to the point where the school is offering services, you should have your own evaluation, undertand the data so that you know what he needs, and then advocate that he gets it, based on the data. His diagnosis is of no concequence expecpt that the school may need a medical professional to sign that he has a medical condition so that they can offer him a needed service. www.wrightslaw.com will be a good source for you to understand how to advocate well.

A good start on understanding these issues is a book called "All Kinds of Minds" by Dr. Mel Levine. His expertise is not limited to ADHD, but he does explain it and all the other similar and related issues.

M.

Added:Ritalin is a stimulant, not a narcotic, and it is not the only medication available. The idea that ritalin is a narcotic medication is horrible misinformation. Stimulant medications work because of the way brain cells function, they don't touch and for our "thoughts" to move over the space between brain cells (called a synapes) our bodies produce electrochemicals to carry that thought as an electrical impulse. People who have damaged nuerotransimittler receptors or who do not produce eneough of the neuroransmitters cannot rely on their brains to function properly, and they have ADHD. Stimulant medication, NOT NARCOTICS help this problem, and there are other medications that are not stimulants that adjust other neurotransmitters as well. There is zero use of narcotic medication for ADHD, and this thought stems from the very mistaken and antiquated idea that children with ADHD need to be calmed, which is really opposite of what they need. ADHD medication does not cause "zombies" or change personalities. This idea is uneducated popular ignorance and It is really distructive for parents who need information from this century such that they are not scared to death to try good, standard medical care for a medical condition.

Second addition: Ther is a test for neurotransmitters in the brain. Unfortunately, it is done at autopsy. The same is true for older people who have alsheimers desease, but no one contests the existance of that disorder, nor blames parents, children, caregivers or victims of this brain disorder, nor suggests that medical intervention is inapproriate. Brains are flesh and blood people. What is off limits about medical intervention about any organ system with a defect? I just don't get it. If it does not work for your child after you have tried standard, good quality, medical intervention with a thoughtful and knowledgable professional who really understands these medical interventions after a reasonable and cooperative trial, then bash it. If not, then you really have zero idea how helpful these interventions are for children who really need them.

I'll give you a few resources to check into and you can determine what would fit with what you need:
Acouple of books on high sensory children: "The Sensory Sensitive Child" and "The Highly Sensitive Child" are very good. Also "The Out-of-Sync Child" by Carol Stock Kranowitz.

websites:
( ignore the name, there's lots of good info) is http://www.explosivekids.org/ . He also has a book and various other materials.

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/index.html There's a
symptoms checklist and much more info.

rdiconnect.com that covers a wide breadth of these issues - which is actually good if your child only partially "fits" into a diagnosis.

For the food sensitivities, PLEASE check out http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/foodlab/. It's busy, but that's because there are a lot of wise members who have gone through this already and can start you off, also helping you through what you discover.

Another starting point is 'feingold diet'. It can be hard to change eating habits, but often the changes in behavior (once you find the sensitivity(s)) becomes well worth it.

Martha has given you some really great, factual insights into the process. Please re-read her message several times to gain what you need about what to expect. She has some super information there.

Our son has ADHD and it's been a long process. No one will just give your child a pill and say that's it. It was a very long review process for our son that started with a behavioral therapy well before medication was even mentioned. That said, medication is what has made the most wonderful, life-changing difference for him and enabled therapy to work. Our son now tells us that medication "helps me control my body." He's still full of energy and the same personality, but his behavior is in the normal range. I always find it interesting that people bash ADHD medications when they would never be cruel enough to do the same about heart-treatment medications or insulin for a child. ADHD is a medical condition that greatly benefits from treatment, just like any other medical condition.

I urge you to address any concerns and questions you might have with the doctors at the time of evaluation and diagnosis, rather than seeking too much information online. There is a lot of misinformation out there (and scams, too), so your best starting point is with the board certified medical professionals who understand whatever condition(s) you may be facing, if any.

Best of luck to you as you begin this process!

Please go the routes of checking out food sensitivities/allergies as well as sensory processing disorder. I am a teacher (20 years) as well as a parent of 2 kids with SPD. Schools are still thinking that every overly active kid should be on medication. A qualified Occupational Therapist can evaluate your son and let you know if his behaviors are sensory or not. It is possible to have SPD and ADHD, but the sensory issues are something you can work on WITHOUT medication.

Good luck!

ADHD meds are NOT narcotics, they are stimulants, as another poster said, and you will know right away if it is not the right choice for your child. If they do not have ADHD, they will be bouncing off the walls. If they do, it will help them calm down. And.....any self respecting professional will not give an ADHD diagnosis to any child under 6. The meds are not approved for children under 6 either. Your ped should refer you either to a developmental ped (I just went through this, can't say as it was the big answer I was looking for) or send you somewhere for psychological testing. ADHD is often comorbid, meaning that it is not the only problem that these children have, so just keep in mind that if he does have ADHD he may have something else. SPD (sensory processing disorder) is not currently recognized as a "real" disorder by the DSM so don't expect to get much help for that.

Food dyes, preservatives and sugar can exacerbate ADHD symptoms. If you take those items out of his diet and give it some time for all of the chemicals to clear his system, then you will probably find that your son is just a little bit (or a lot more) mellow and less distracted by his environment. There's a book that you can buy on Amazon called The Autism & ADHD Diet by Barrie Silberberg. I have found it to be a very useful tool for me with my son.

And you may be right about the sensory issue. To learn more about it, you may want to read The Out of Sync Child if you haven't done so already. When your senses are out of whack, it makes it really hard to focus. For example, my son is overly sensitive to overhead flourescent lighting that they have at his school so, if he wears a baseball hat on his head, he is able to perform better at school and feels more grounded.

Whether or not your child has ADHD and/or sensory issues, you will want your child evaluated by a developmental pediatrician. A developmental pediatrician can better tell you what's going on with your child and what kind of things you can do to help or what kind of tutoring or therapy will benefit him. You will also want your child evaluated by an occupational therapist who specializes in sensory processing disorder who can better help you understand the scope of your son's sensory issues and what you can do to help him at home and at school.

I hope this helps. It sounds like you are really on top of things already. Wishing you and your son all the best.

Is your child one of the youngest in the class. Here is an interesting article in USA Today about ADHD and how over 1 million children have been misdiagnosed. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-08-17-1Aadhd17_S...

I don't know what to expect at that doctor visit but this is what I would do right now:

1. No more than 30 min of TV per day.
2. No high glycemic foods...fruits and vegetables and protein are fine...not too much bread, quick snacks (other than the above) like goldfish etc.
3. Create structured time and allow for unstructured time.

In our society things have changed and not for the better giving even the best kids the wrong starts for the day and their lives. Best of luck with the doctor. I will keep my fingers crossed that it gets better with changes.

The other option is take him to the allergist.

Check into SPD. It's very real and can look very much like ADHD but it's not and can be treated by an OT.

My son was just diagnosed about 3 weeks ago with Aspergers and ADHD. We now have him on a low dose med and it already has done wonders. We took our son to a Doctor in Bolingbrook..that specializes in children. He is great.

Try the Feingold diet. It worked wonders for my youngest sister when she was little.
Good luck!

The Feingold diet is a great one as it is an elimination diet helping you to eliminate artificials that kids/people are often allergic to because they are artificial and were never really intended for nutritional value. The concept is to eat naturally, buy brands that use all naturals in color, preservatives, flavor. Check www.feingold.org It is a great resource and worked really well for my sisters with their kids, one of which was dealing with hyperactivity a lot. That paired with therapy (to teach him how to better regulate himself) is a great way to go to try to avoid unnecessary medication. Best wishes to yoU!!

Check out LYNX THERAPEUTICS in Morton Grove. The OT there is wonderful! ADHD is a complicated diagnosis so is Sensory Processing Disorder. Try to get him on a good start on the school year. Remember to watch his sleeping habits, pack healthy food for lunch, and make sure he is getting plenty of exercise.

If you suspect food sensitivities then that's something you can confront before you see the doctor. Get some books out of the library and start him on an elimination diet. Also, look into all-natural soaps, household cleaners, etc.

Try cutting him off of TV completely for a week. TV can have effects on certain kids. Our school doesn't allow kids ANY TV Monday-Friday and you would not BELIEVE the difference! Truly amazing! I can tell which kids "cheated" and which kids didn't.

I am not a believer in mental medication. There is no test that shows whether a person has more or less of a certain chemical in their brain. If you have other diseases the doctors sample your blood or whatever and test it. Then they tell you what you are deficient in, or what bacteria they found. There is NO MEDICAL TEST that shows whether a brain is lacking a certain chemical. So why would you treat a child's brain with chemicals if there isn't a test that shows what they need?

Try detox (under the supervision of a doctor), chelation has shown to help in a LOT of cases. Go more natural and try him on a simpler diet. There has been a spike in recent years in kids with ADHD types of disorders. I've been working with kids for 20 years and I can see it. Where there used to be one "odd" child in a group, now there are 5-6. It can't just be chemicals in our brains, there has to be a root cause. I believe it's the chemicals in our air and food.

I wish you the best.

Just keep your september appointment and discuss your issues with the doctor. they can give you various tips and techniques to try without jumping into medication. the school can't MAKE you medicate your child. Plus, if you choose to medicate him, try to find medication that you only have to take once a day....and don't tell the school! they label kids and he will forever be treated differently. They may not tell you that, but even at the high school level, when a teacher gets kids that have the ADHD diagnosis, they call them "specials". At least that was the case when I was helping in a high school class 8 years ago.

I would just get him OT services if your insurance covers it. If not I would look into it, it has helped my two kids tremendously so they do not need meds, My son sounds like your son with the food, etc it works for him and we are not medicating him. As for my daughter we meet with the neuropsychologist to see what his reccomendations are instead of medication too. good luck and it is fine to show your pedatrician and ask him what else does he recommend besides medication. medication has terrible sie effects and can make a child so lethargic that they cant function appropriately either. There are tons of other ways to regulate it and what I ahve been learning is mnay kids in the olden days were diagnosed and treated for ADD or ADHD and all they had were sensroy issues that could have been helped by Occupational therapy! UGH