Unfortunately I agree with you Kristy, too many children are misdiagnosed with it. I think just because some children are "hyper" they get labeled with ADHD. And what really makes me mad about too many children being wrongly diagnosed, is it ruins it for the people who really have it. So many people have become skeptical of the condition alltogether. I grew up with ignorant adults trying to tell me it doesnt even exist at all and this is just because it has become an all-to-common condition. It is a real condition(caused by a chemical inbalance) and some people really do have it and cant function all that well with it. I kind of get embarassed talking about ADHD, but I feel this is a good thread to educate people about it :) .
One year, my parents experimented and took me off medication when I was a child and I had a drastic drop in my grades(and I also got in trouble in class alot) not to mention I didnt have any friends(ADHD people can have problems socially, I for one talked too much, too fast, and interupted everyone because basically I didnt pay attention to my surrounding and I ignored all "social cues"). Well I got back on it and did just fine. The rest of my school years I made good grades and was involved in all sorts of activites. I would occasionally forget to take a pill here and there and my mom and my teachers could always tell. So IMO it defiently exist(and I know you werent saying it doesnt Kristy :) , I am just saying this to all the people that are skeptical out there). I get so mad that doctors dont do as thorough of testings like they are supposed to and some are too hasty in diagnosing. It is a real shame.

GREAT post Shana and I so agree with you - my ex was very against medication & I of course won that battle - & finally got my son on something that helped him - EVERYONE could tell when he wasn't taking it too - My husband became a beliver in the power of the proper medication and my son is now 25 and even HE knows he should be on medication again. With some pople it's a lifelong committment and a huge improvement in their lives if on the right dose of what works for them.

Great post Shana. I guess the point I really wanted to drive home is that people should think reallly long and hard, get lots of professional medical and psychological opinions, talk to others in similar situations and most of all, talk to their child before they decide that their 8-year-old needs to be medicated.

Shecass - I volunteered with autistic children for a long time. I loved it. Unfortunately, the school (for autistic children - both high functioning and not so high functioning) moved far from me and it is impossible to get there after my regular job. I think that working with autistic children has to be one of the most rewarding experiences.

My son, Kevin is ADHD. He is 15 now. He is outgrowing it slowly. He was on medication from the age of 3 because we were afraid he wouldn't see 4 if he wasn't. He would play with knives, run in the street, all kinds of things. At one point he had only a mattress on the floor in his room. I had to lock him in at night or he would roam all over the neighborhood. I got a call at midnight once that he was in the front yard. (he was 2) When he ended up in the hospital 3 weeks before his 3rd birthday because he took diabetes medication I gave in and let them put him on Ritalin. He had every side effect in the book and didn't gain any weight for 2 years. In second grade we took him off the meds and I started to take him to a chiropractor. We were able to do that for 5 years. Once school got really hard in 7th grade he went back on meds for 2 years. He is off again because of the side effects, but he is learning to compensate for the disability.

I also truly believe that I have ADD. It wasn't diagnosed but when I think back on school I see the signs. I still can't pay attention. Sometimes I wish I had the hyperactivity part!

Make sure your son sees a good pediatric neurologist. And give chiropractic a try, I swear by it!

It really is very rewarding. I help out at school whenever I have the time. There are so many misconceptions(sp) about autistic children. All of the ones that I have been around are not as violent as a lot of the literature used to say they are some of the most loving kids I have ever been around. Of course there are some that are not very loving but, the ones that I have been around are.

I'm in school right now to be a special ed teacher. The experience that I have had with Ethan and his classmates is why I decided to go back to school.

The county that we live in is the best in the State for special needs children and if I'm not mistaken I think that this program has been modeled after around the world. So we are very lucky that Ethan has had the resources that he has. I would hate to think where he would be without them.

Sometimes all it takes to get some of the kids diagnosed with ADHA is a little use of rules and sticking to them.

Kids with out rules will push till they get them and get strung out and stressed.
After 21 years of working with kids it is amazing what a little positive reinforcement and rules will do to a kid that is labeled ADHA, wild and out of control.

But there are those out there, that are and have and will always by ADHA, drugs will help.
All to often the guys passing the drugs out have not a clue as to how they really work. Do some reading the test they run one week on and one week off do not do it. It takes at least 10 days to have the drug to kick in a work.
My younger brother was on and off it durning a test every other day till My mother went wrong way guys.
Thing is we tend to trust the Dr. to much instead of doing the leg work our selves.
I was once taught that true ADHD kids will mellow out drinking coffee as their system runs opposite of a normal persons. Used to work for me all the time not so much I am older.
That is why Ritalin gives normal people a high and not ADHD kids.

Yes it is to often the drug is used as and easy out when a good round of TLC, time and training can help.
I still have my bad days when Hyper drive is going strong but I have been taught to work it through.

Joy

autistic grandsons
 

Just replying to Shecass--- My grandsons are now 16 and 14 . the 16 year old is basically autistic in the social part but also has a hardtime with feelings
and can not do sports or anything like that, has a weakness in his joints. He is very organized and is doing fairly well in school . He has always been in regular classes and wants to either teach other disabled children or go into computer field. He enjoys being around adults more then boys his own age because of his disabilities, My 14 year old is high functioning autistic. He is in a special class and has helpers to assist him. We are lucky because he is able to speak and can be taught. It might take awhile but if he wants to do something he will do it. Knows a lot of his words and can tell you things that you would not of even guessed he would know. Amazing!! He is beautiful ,blond haired, tall {going to be 6 ft. tall or more.} Has learned so much in the last two years. It so depends on the teacher being so good with him. Good luck with your son. These boys belong to my son and his wife and they also have two girls who are the youngest ones. Tjhey have no trace of it. Funny eh!! Because of them having the two of them they are in a study group down in Hamilton. :confused:

Ethan has come such a long way. He is 9 and he can tell you anything he wants. There is absolutely nothing that he can't & won't say. He improves weekly if not daily at school and he loves it. We are very lucky Ethan is so independent and I'm so thankful. A really good friend of mine has a son the same age as Ethan and he is almost completely non-verbal. These kids are smart as can be. I honestly think that Ethan has a photographic memory and he has been reading since about age 2 or 3 he loves magazines so, he has several that he gets in the mail and he will carry them with him wherever we go.

My niece was diagnosed with Aspergers a year or so ago. She has a lot more issues with noises than Ethan does and just gets so mad so easily if things don't go her way. She will be 12 next month. She also has lots of ODD tendencies. She is a great artist loves working with clay and drawing and can write stories better than most adults that I know. Her vocabulary(sp) is wonderful. She is too smart for her own good and she won't let you forget it. She also gets along better with either kids older or younger than her. But, she is getting better as far as that goes.