Seeking Help with My AD Daughter

Do you mind telling me what exactly does she do characteristically that has given her the AD label?

I have 10 children...we homeschool(ed) them all. Possibly her style of learning is really the issue...does she learn better by doing something actively with her hands? Can she stay focused all the way through? How old is she by the way? Or does she learn better by being read to or by verbal instructions?

That would help us help you help her,

B. in Eau Claire, WI

My daughter has the same thing she is ADHD and ADD my daughter sees dr. werner he is a very good doctor he has tried her on many meds too. but after a year of tring to find a good med for her we finally found concerta for her she takes 18mg a day. write me back and let me know if u want to chat sometime about this.

Hi K.,
LDA of Minnesota (www.ldaminnesota.org) is a local organization that might help you and your daughter; they have a lot of classes and workshops for children (and parents of children) with learning disabilities.
A.

Although it may feel like starting over, you may want to change doctors. You need someone - or a team- to look at her comprehensively (school, home, behavior, learning etc.) so that you can make sure her life is as structured toward her needs as possible. Then, bring in the meds. Meds alone are not going to help - but they are an important piece of some children's treatment plan.

You may already be doing this but just didn't say it in your post. Without knowing what specific areas she is struggling with and where you would like to see improvement, it is difficult to offer specific advice. I would only say that if switching to different meds isn't helping, than the meds aren't the issue - it's something in her home or school environment that you need to experiment with.

I have a 10th grader who was diagnosed in 2nd grade. It took me about 3 years before I understood her needs and got a working program in place. She is on Adderall XR (can't remember how many others we tried) but she also has the structure in place so the meds don't have to do all the work. Now we are in the process of transistioning out of being the one "in charge" and allowing her more control of it - wow, is that ever gratifying and nerve wracking at the same time :)!

Good luck to you!

Have you tried changing her diet? My cousin did that for her daughters - got rid of anything containing Sodium Nitrate (hot dogs, packaged lunch meats, summer sausage, most microwave-and-go foods, etc). It helped greatly with their attention spans and got rid of Kate's migranes. Also, a daily vitamin would help. Nothing fancy is needed, just something like Flintstones or One-a-Day.

Hi K.,
My 8 year old son is AD/HD. He has had problems with speech, anger outbursts, reading & writing, general attitude issues and problems getting along with others. My husband and I were at our wits end. (He is also dyslexic and AD/HD.) I refused to put our son on meds.
About a month ago, my husband heard of the wonderful benefits of Pycnogenol. It is an antioxidant, safe and available at health food stores. We read up on it and started our son on it the next day. Five days later we noticed improvements. A week and a half later we saw more improvements and he continues to improve. He is getting along with other children especially his younger sister. He is more attentive at school and remembers things better. He genuinely seems happier. We feel like a real family. I want to tell everyone about Pycnogenol. Please do a Google on it. Please note, they typically do not put children under age 6 on it. The dose is approximately half her body weight is what she would take in milligrams. If she weights 100 pounds then you would give her 50 mg one a day, preferably in the morning during mealtime.
Your health care provider will NEVER tell you about Pycnogenol because it is a natural supplement and not a precription backed by money from pharmacuetical companies. Please write me back if you have any questions. I have researched AD/HD and consider myself a great resource of information. I would love to hear how your daughter does if this is a route you choose. It has been a blessing in our family and I know that I am giving our son something that is good for him and not a class 2 narcotic which is what Aderol, Ritalin and other ADD meds are classified as. Best of luck, L. B

I know that I am new to this site but I got thrown into the deep end when I got married. Before I met my husband I was a single mother of ONE. About 2 years into the relationship I found out that I was pregnant, we got married and a few months later I am a married mother of 3. I now have a step daughter with AD/HD she is great on the medication that our doctor suggested. Concerta is an AD/HD medication that is based on the childs weight and it has been working great for her from the time that she started it. Her school performance improved right away and her behavior at home did a complete turn around. My husband and I couldn't be happier with this medication (this coming from a mom that said that she would never put her children on medication) Also, a great factor in medicationg the AD/HD is a schedule with the child, makingsure that there is a routine in place will make life a whole lot easier for everyone involved! that's what I have on that one.... E.

As a response to all medicalizations of "mental disorders" (except in those cases where there is potential harm to self or others):
STOP THE DRUGS

Stop giving kids drugs. Start paying more attention to them. Take the time to see the world through her eyes and not through how society/doctors/your mother-in-law *thinks* your child should see and act.

If you feel your daughter needs help adapting to normal school situations/etc. I would recommend behavioral therapy with a child psychologist who specializes in ADD/ADHD. Perhaps consider alternative schooling - ie; Montessori or Waldorf education, both of which are child-centered.

K., if you are willing to try an alternative method, I may be able to help you. It would involve an antioxidant and vitamins. Nothing herbal, all food based. I have helped with other people that have ADD/ADHD children. Let me know.

We have seen fabulous improvments in our son by changing his diet. His "trigger" were artificial colors. Once we eliminated them from his diet he became a totally different kid ( wonderful, engaged, a joy to be around). It takes some work (label reading, and policing) but is well worth it to have my great kid back.

Where as I do not have a child with Attention Deficit Disorder, I have worked with children with similar issues for over 5 years. The other advice you have received is great! I just really wanted to support the idea of structure and support in every area of her life. Medications are helpful for most AD/HD kids, but not all by themselves. I would really recommend a child psychiatrist, if you don't have one already. A great one who specializes in children with AD/HD is Dexter Whittemore ###-###-####) He is through BHSI in Golden Valley. This office is really great because first you would see a specialist who does a quick evaulation of your daughter and offers up some very helpful suggestions to use along with medications, even before you see the actual doctor. I have seen wonderful results when parents use the suggestions for home and school along with the medications, as well as diet and sleep changes. I hope this is helpful! Good luck to you!