not sure if my son has ADHD

[tammy]

My six year old is very hyperactive (very) always talking, always moving, figiting. But those are the only symptoms of ADHD he has. He does well in school. I am just trying to find out if anyone else's child is diagnosed with adhd , with just the hyperactivity symptom?

THanks

tammy

[PMM]

I can't stay too long right now but the short answer is sone kids are just more active and it's not ADHD. That said, there's ADHD and there's ADHD. I have one son whose ADHD affected him so much that it was DX'd very early and he needed meds to function. My youngest has ADHD and was able to keep it under control himself until recently (he's now 13yo and has a recently discovered LD) I think w/o the LD he might have done just fine but the LD put him over the edge.

I'll try to post more later.

Pat

[Zonulin]

Of course you have checked out the "criteria" used by the mental health industry to diagnose children with "ADHD": http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/symptom.htm Note the use of "often" -- and how that is not defined whatsoever (once every hour? every minute? every school day?). ADHD is diagnosed only from subjective and observed behaviors. There is no scientific "lab test" to diagnose ADHD.

I would look more closely at your child's poop than at their behavior, because the two are very closely linked. If a child is "squiriming often in seat" it could be due to constipation or diarrhea or stomach cramps from eating too many processed foods and no fresh fruits/vegetables. If they are "easily distracted" I would order a blood test to see very clearly whether they're getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals to help support their growing bodies. I would definitely consult with a nutritionist before seeing any type of "mental health professional" and agreeing to any psych medications.

Karen ("OFTEN easily distracted") :eek:

[Marciab]

Tammy,

You just described me after a bite of marshmellow or a single dose of Enfamil baby vitamins. Turns out that high fructose corn syrup was doing that to me.

Have you looked at your son's diet ?

Here is a link on how over indulgent the medical profession has become with prescribing ADHD meds.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/medicatedchild/

Hope this helps .. Marcia

[annelb]

Before going to the doctors for a diagnosis of ADHD and medications, try getting all the junk food out of the diet. Diet and behavior are closely related. Then look at the school. I was told my child was figiting too much. I went to the class and realized that the problem was boredom. A 7 year old child needs to be moving not sitting at a desk all day. They need to be challenged - the world is exciting.

My son is an adult and doing very well.
Anne

[Zonulin]

My six year old is very hyperactive (very) always talking, always moving, figiting. But those are the only symptoms of ADHD he has.

Also, Tammy, he sounds like a prime candidate for soccer, baseball, running, etc. Do you live near a field where he can just run and run? Check out this UK link: http://www.encams.org/appg/downloads/appg_18_07_06.pdf, starting on Page 3...

Karen

[The Pogue]

Why does everyone automatically assumed that a mother seeking guidance feeds her kid junk food and glues him to the tv?

The question to ask is if the hyperactivity interferes with his adjustment or social functioning. It's normal and healthy for kids to be active. But if he can't control himself, and is constantly clashing with others due to impulsivity and inattention, then it's time to explore medical options.

ADHD is a neurological disorder, and is not caused by diet or constipation.

[Zonulin]

When doctors have developed a lab test of ANY kind which proves that ADHD exists, and it is not being diagnosed merely by subjective, observed behavior, I will say, go for the meds!

They have found gliadin (the protein in wheat) in people's brains - it is able to get past the brain/blood barrier. If you put gliadin in a petri dish with human tissue, it will attack the tissue. Research shows that gliadin makes the intestines more permeable (causing "leaky gut"). Did you watch public television's program, Frontline last week? It discussed the effects of psych meds on children...no fresh fruits or vegetables in sight. I noted with interest the 4-year-old boy on 8 medications (9 by the end of the program) who was eating a corn dog (gluten/gliadin) and discussing how he couldn't wait for his next meal of Goldfish crackers and cookies (gluten/gliadin). A real doctor needs to examine this child's poop and ascertain that he isn't getting the nutrients he needs to be healthy! Instead, it's meds, meds, meds. Doctors are doing these children a disservice by not looking into other factors regarding behavior. I'm not blaming the parents -- I'm questioning the doctors. This is all I have to say about the matter -- plug "gliadin" into PubMed and see what you find.

Karen

[mrsdoubtfyre]

Here is a list of things that mimic ADHD criteria: 50 of them

http://www.incrediblehorizons.com/mimic-adhd.htm

Tinkering with diet, to see effects requires no drugs. Only committment.

Food intolerances are very common today. They are #2 on this list.

Why even our baseball leagues are now becoming ADHD so they can use those drugs without sanction.
http://www.furiousseasons.com/archives/2007/12/adhd_exemption_and_stimulant_use_in_baseball.html
what an example THIS sets?

[Zonulin]

Great links, Mrs. D.! I just found an incredible book yesterday which was written by a doctor: Please Don't Label My Child: Break the Doctor-Diagnosis-Drug Cycle and Discover Safe, Effective Choices for Your Child's Emotional Health by Scott M. Shannon, MD. Books by pediatrician Doris Rapp and Dr. Mary Ann Block are also excellent (re the sometimes immediate and negative effects of diet on behavior). The average doctor visit these days lasts 7 minutes. It is certainly easier for an MD to prescribe a psych/SSRI drug for a perceived behavioral problem than to order lab tests and analyze the results. As parents, we are being forced to do the work FOR the doctors.

This from Dr. Shannon's book regarding a volatile 6-year-old little boy:

Page 82: ...He eventually became violent, and his erratic behavior was a real threat to himself and others. At this point, Cindy and Joe decided that we should stop drug therapy, so we sat down together, and I outlined for them how I suspected that Travis's brain just wasn't getting the dietary and nutritional support it needed to function well enough to allow him to behave normally. ...I started Travis on a nutritional supplement program that was more than double what I normally recommend for the kids I see, watching him closely for any signs of toxicity. I did this while I also began to taper him off the last of the psychiatric medications we had tried in vain.
What Travis needed was not the usual FDA-approved diet but rather a high-protein diet to provide the crucial building materials he needed. Since he was so young and not likely to eat more chicken, fish, meat or eggs, I suggested his parents use a protein powder in smoothies, on cereal, and anywhere else they could add it in a way that was palatable for him...Because of Travis's severe symptoms, I also asked Cindy and Joe to educate themselves about the dangerous effects artificial dyes and food additives can have on children. A large study completed in England in 2004 demonstrated that young children given large amounts of dyes and food additives fared badly on tests of focus and attention. These were huge issues for Travis...

Dr. Shannon also had the parents cut way back on sugar, but gradually. He had Travis take multivitamins, as well as vitamins C, B, E and omega-3s.

Six weeks after we started him on the supplements and put him on a high-protein diet, Travis was much less volatile, his attention span was better, and he was happier than he had been in ages. He smiled at me for the first time ever. His mother said that he was now sleeping 8 hours a night and even seemed to get tired before better...Eighteen months later, Travis was off all psychiatric medications, and his parents were continuing to provide needed social and emotional support as well as a highly nutritious diet.

Karen

[kgauley]

Hi Tammy, I know this is kinda late, but I just had my grand-daughter test for ADHD and was told that her hyperactivity is cause by lack of sleep, she is 5 and only sleeps 9 hours and should be sleeping 11-13 hours a night. So you might want to check into this.
sleep deperviation and hyperactive-lots of info on it.

[The Pogue]

A more likely connection is she sleeps poorly BECAUSE she has ADHD, rather than the opposite. But it's worth looking for ways to help her sleep. Uncontrolled allergies? Snoring? Good quality mattress? How's the temperature of the room? Have a slow wind-down before bed. While caffeine can help ADHD, it's not a good idea for young children and can interfere with sleep. Is she drinking colas or sodas with added caffeine?

[need2talk]

Hi Tammy,
I'm a newbee here. My son thru these "so called" tests has been diagnosed with ADHD (combined type). He also has a Sensory Processing Disorder. Based on what I've been reading it almost seems like they go hand in hand. We thought he was just an "on the go" child. A typical boy being a boy. It was the school that saw a side that we didn't because the number of children in his class and he has no fear of Authoritative figures. Of course, on top of this all is behavior. I believe they all go hand in hand. If you're not getting notes home from school or phone calls. I wouldn't worry so much.

We have gone with an alternative to medication. It pretty much combines everything people here are speaking of. Diet and exercise. The cost for this program in the scheme of things wasn't THAT expensive. The evaluation focuses on the parts of the brain that aren't working properly, a full blood scan of vitamins that are lacking. After eval, a customized therapy was created. The therapy is one-on-one, the exercises are geared to strengthen the weaker parts of the brain. We give him supplements, he goes to therapy 3x's a week for one hour (total of 36 sessions) and they work on EVERYTHING.
The doctore claims he has a 90% success rate of children being "Age Appropriate" when completing the program.

We are 3/4'ths the way through and now see a dramatic difference. We don't have to continuously repeat ourselves. His attention and impulsiveness is better, but still needs work. Our home life (and school, though more issues there) have been better this month.

I feel more comfortable to talk about it and have now realized (that's why I'm here) that I need support, and to talk to people who understand, to give and get advice.

Here is the link: www.bergencnc.com
I believe there are several programs like this around the country.
Just hope more show up. There has been so much "new" scientific findings about the brain, just hope we see it soon!