Some ADHD Resources

For Jr’s ADHD we’ve tried looking into doing a behavior modification group to help develop solid social skills, but for whatever reason here in Austin it seems to be more for kids 10 years and up.  Not sure why.  Maybe that’s when differences really start to be obvious to the parents.  Or maybe when the kids will really learn and take things to heart.  Who knows.  But dt and I know that Jr needs extra guidance with certain social areas.   He is such a good kid, but he has all of those typical ADHD traits that can be wearing on other kids (and even us at times) and can hinder creating lasting friendships.  

So awhile back we found some books that are really great for him!  He loves to read them and it’s been really good for him to have someone besides mom and dad telling him why certain things might not be the best thing to do.  We have:

 

Dude, That's Rude!: (Get Some Manners)

 

How to Take the Grrrr Out of Anger

 

How to Behave and Why

I also found a video series (at ModelMeKids) meant for kids with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome, but think a couple of them would really benefit Jr, too.  So we may look into that further.  We’ll see.

Just thought I’d pass them along in case they could help anyone else out there!

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Also, I think I love this lady.

E-vil

I don’t know if any of you are interested in this or not, but we have toned down Jr’s food restrictions.  We were doing the full Feingold Diet (taking out dyes, preservatives, salycilates, etc) and have since scaled back.  Over the course of the year we realized that whenever anything was affecting him, it was always dye related.  This is the whole point of the Feingold Diet – to reintroduce and see what is/isn’t causing a reaction.

At this point we are still just keeping things as organic as possible, checking for preservatives and other unnatural ingredients and avoiding them when possible.  But will have absolutely no dye.  Dye is E-vil.  As in the Fru-its of the De-vil.  You know, like from So I Married An Axe Murderer.

I think this is still dt’s favorite scene:

 

Anyway, that’s the scoop.

Adhd article

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/dailydose/11/25/adhd.kids.brain/index.html

Id Cards

This looks interesting…

 

http://www.ucardit.co.uk/bibic.aspx

They also have them for Autism, Asperger’s and other Behavior and Learning Disabilities.  Plus, it’s English so it has to be cool, right?

I don’t want Jr to be labeled, but at the same time he does have a difficult time in some situations.  So this may be a benefit to him if others know how to care for him.

Anyway, just thought it was interesting and that I’d share.

ADHD Checklist before Ritalin

I posted an ADHD Checklist in the top right corner to help with organizing some of the health problems that may be causing ADHD symptoms in children.  If your child has just been diagnosed and you need a starting point in ruling out some easily checked issues go here:

ADHD CHECKLIST

Good luck!  And remember that it’s all worth it for your child!  :-)

Jr Update

I think after my moment of being overwhelmed last week I was able to pull myself together (or God helped settle my nerves) and start thinking about positive steps in moving forward.  I re-looked at the items in our house to see if anything could have triggered behavior and the yogurt I had been giving him every morning and every evening with his supplements are not in the diet.  I had assumed that it was okay because it is very natural and organic, but they contain natural salicylates.  (I’ve long suspected he has a salicylate-intolerance)

Also, when his teacher called she had said he drank some lemonade in science class that they had made and she was really sorry (knowing his diet was restricted).  I assured her that lemonade is actually normally okay so not to worry about it.  I didn’t really think much about it after that. Then a few days later, when Jr wanted to show me how they made the lemonade he informed me that it was PINK lemonade.  They had put drops of Red Food Coloring in it.  I KNOW that the food coloring is why he became more destructive.  It was only an hour or two after that that he wrote on the carpet.  Once we took out Artificial Food Coloring and Flavors last year his aggressive/destructive behaviors stopped.  So he consumes Red Dye and lo and behold!  Here it is back again.  I know that is not coincidence. Normally, I wouldn’t think twice about what they put in foods, but some of it can be pretty horrible.  Just please be aware of what you are really giving your kids! 

But besides ADHD, there have been fun things going on too. Here are a few pictures of Jr last weekend.  He caught a gecko in the backyard and was very VERY excited about it.  We were planning on keeping it and went to the pet store to get supplies.  That is where we discovered that lizards need heat lamps and stuff we weren’t prepared to get and realized we know nothing about taking care of a lizard.  We had pumped it up and he was so excited and so we bribed him with an Ant kit in exchange for letting the lizard go.  Sometimes you have to do what you have to do as a parent.

Here’s video of him showing it off:

He also built an awesome Marble Run contraption that weekend:

Look at that smile!  He was so proud!

New Morning

Okay, well I think my pout-fest, emotional temper tantrum from yesterday is over.  I don’t mean to burden anyone, but thank you for listening.  It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep, prayers from others and giving God the situation can do.  I feel much more capable this morning.

Song of the Day:

This song is an all-time favorite of mine and always a comfort that it’s not me, it’s Him.  I needed a good reminder that God is the one who brings all the goodness, the love, the light into this world.  And also a reminder that God knows what he’s doing.  He’s created Jr this way and I personally think Jr is awesome – it’s when outside factors get involved that things get complicated.  And I think I need to find a way of keeping things simple.

I clearly love Jr with everything that I am, but I can’t be what he needs in this life unless I look to God.  And He’s the one with all the light, warmth.

Recent Challenges with ADHD

Alright, well, I hesitate even writing about this because chances are I’m going to appear whiney, complain-y and like a martyr especially because I just complained about all the lame people at the mall….but in an attempt to remain authentic I thought I’d post it.  Almost all of my posts here are about how awesome the lucyshouse family is… because, well, we are actually… but that doesn’t mean we have our challenges. 

I’ve written about it before, and I think have talked mainly about the diet and issues like that… but Jr was diagnosed with ADHD last year.  We figured the diagnoses was coming after all of his issues in school starting immediately in preschool.  I think he’s pretty much your average, typical ADHD kid.  His main issues are impulse control (meaning he doesn’t think through to the consequences of his behavior) and focus (can’t seem to sit through getting his work done, especially with distractions at school).  Fortunately he doesn’t have anger issues, which I’m relieved about, but he does have a hard time managing his emotions at times.  If that makes sense.

I’ve been hesitantly hopeful about this year because we started a new school in an entirely new school system.  They seem to have their s&#* together here in Texas education-wise… and I thought (think) it could be a great thing for Jr since he does have special needs.  He started second grade just last Monday and everything was going great.  He was very positive all week and really loves his new school and has already made friends (which is awesome!)  I had talked to his teacher during the week about something, I don’t remember what, and she sounded very positive and said what a sweet boy he is. All of that positive talk had me thinking that maybe the way they have things set up here is going to really make a difference for him!

Well, I’m sure you saw this coming, but I got a call from his teacher today.  Big shock,  Jr is having a hard time in class.  Not only today, but all last week too. His teacher is really very nice, very experienced and has a great personality;  She has a sweetness and patience that his prior teachers have never had and I am very thankful for that.  She explained some of the things that have been going on and my heart just sank.  It’s all the same stuff.  The same issues we’ve been dealing with for 2+ years.  Not keeping his hands to himself, drawing on his classmates shirts, being unruly during bathroom breaks, etc.

I don’t know why, maybe because the summers are always so great but it just threw me for a loop, again, even though I was still considering myself “hesitant” about the schoolyear.

It totally makes sense that with ADHD the school setting isn’t going to “fix” anything… and that those are his issues so it’s not like they’re just going to disappear.  THOSE are the issues he’ll always need help in managing and dealing with.  (I guess I should just be happy new ones didn’t crop up.)  But while I understand it, THAT’S the part that really bums me out.  We’ve worked so incredibly hard with him the last 2 years… the last year especially about those issues.  And the new school year starts with a fresh start and… he starts right back up again. IMMEDIATELY.  I want to just shake him and yell, “Why are you not getting this?!”  And then I try to remember that that’s what makes it a disorder.  It’s not just an annoying personality trait – he’s actually cognitively limited in those areas.  All we can do is continue what we’re doing:  Stay consisitent, work with the school/teacher, set boundaries, create rewards systems.  Beyond that, what can I do for him while he’s at school?!  It’s completely beyond my control.

I think what’s hardest for me about it all is he is the sweetest and smartest kid I know. Anyone who really knows Jr, loves him!  He loves his mom and family with all his heart.  He is interested in boring Space shows about Black Holes because they’re “very interesting”.  (Seriously super boring ones!)  He loves to cuddle and watch cartoons.  He can build amazing Lego Star Wars ships. He can truly make me laugh with a joke – not just a polite Mommy-Pity Laugh.  But no matter how amazing, smart, funny he is to us, to everyone else around us he’ll be “that kid”.  The kid that causes all the trouble.  The kid that all the other parents will roll their eyes about and want to keep their kids away from because he’s getting their kids into trouble!  And it seems like no matter what we do he’s just not understanding what we desperately want him to understand – and for his own good!

We’ve always said that medication will be a last straw and I’m feeling like we’re winding down to that last straw soon.  I HATE HATE HATE the thought of it because they are incredibly strong drugs for such a small child, but I honestly don’t know what else to do for him.   And then I read up about ritalin and drugs like it and am reminded why it’s not such an easy decision when it’s your precious child.

We’re on the Feingold Diet (which defintely helps in some areas), we’ve talked and talked and reminded and reminded about behaviors, we’ve punished, we’ve rewarded, we’ve tried fish oil and other natural vitamins, we’ve prayed for him and with him.  Right now we’re trying L-theanine and are waiting for a few weeks to see if there are positive results and are looking for a counselor to help with behavior modifications.  And I always said I would homeschool before putting him in medication.  He actually is a very well adjusted boy who can learn… he just has a harder time in the typical school setting than other kids.

Can you see why I’m overwhelmed?  The school year just brings about a lot of ongoing frustrations as well as brings back around many big questions… most of which I feel completely unprepared and unable to answer.

Just be praying for for Jr.  Be praying for us for guidance.  Be praying for his teacher and the school. And I guess just thank you for listening and for loving our little guy.