I'm new here and this is my first post.

I'm not sure where to start, so I'll jump right in with a little background.

My son is almost 4 (8-20-01), and was dx last week with ADHD (with a backup? dx of ODD) by a NeuroPsych. We go back to the pediatrcian to see if he is comfortable prescribing meds for my son, as the NeuroPsych can't write an Rx for him. So, I have been sifting through tons of information to try and make the best decision for him.

My son starts preschool in September and will go 3 days a week. When he's 5, he'll go for a 5 day a week program, and then start Kindergarten when he's 6. He has an August birthday, so we can choose to start him at either 5 or 6.

Adam is very intense, and always has been. He was not colicky as a baby, but he's always been high-needs/high-maintenence. He is agressive to anyone that goes against what he wants to do, not JUST other kids, and not JUST us (parents). He loses his temper quickly when things aren't going his way, and has a hard time controlling himself. He was kicked out of daycare last month for constantly not listening to instructions and being so hyperactive he was disrupting the other children. Our biggest complaints are back-talking and not listening. I know he can hear me (he's had his hearing tested), but he chooses not to obey.

SO - my dilemma is this - I have not found very much info for kids his age with ADHD. The NeuroPsych said she feels meds would be appropriate for him b/c he is so intense in his behaviors. She worries that if he can't obtain the socialization skills he'll need for school, his self-esteem may suffer a great deal b/c he will have difficulty making and keeping friends. I see her points, and they make a LOT of sense. I just was hoping for more input from parents with kids his age, and thoughts on meds. My husband has ADD, and my younger brother has ADHD. I know it's more common in males and is hereditary, so I'm comfortable with the dx. I'm less comfortable with the idea of meds, b/c I can't find any good info out there. I just want to be the parent he needs be to be. I am his advocate, and want to make the best decision for him that I can.


Sorry to write a book here, any thoughts very much appreciated :)

Heather

Adam 8-20-01
Katherine 1-14-04

Here is some websites to help you learn ore about ADHD.
http://www.adhdnews.com/
http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/
I know the flashing things will be annoying.
http://members.aol.com/ADDisorder/4help/
http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article.php?artID=435
http://addadhdadvances.com/cyl.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1887424520/102-9878195-1055361?v=glance
ODD (OCD I couldn't find anything on ODD) Help
http://infoscouts.com/health/ocd.htm
http://www.psychiatry24x7.com/bgdisplay.jhtml?itemname=nonprofbackanx011&s=4
http://www.beatyourocd.com/?hop=fcolours
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A509654
Treatment.
http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/adhd/a/adhd_guidelines.htm
http://www.adhdhelp.org/
http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml?ovchn=GGL&ovcpn=Google+International&ovcrn=adhd+treatment&ovtac=PPC
http://www.adhdnews.com/adhd-treatment.htm
http://www.newideas.net/attend.htm
ODD(OCD) help
http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/ocd/sandra/treatment.htm
http://www.diseases-explained.com/OCD/ocdtreatment.html
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/ocd/treatment.html
http://www.anxietypanic.com/ocdtreatment.html
http://www.ocdhotline.com/_wsn/page2.html
I hope this is alot of help.


Ichpushtli :) :) :)

WOW, that was very helpful and quite efficient :)

Thanks a ton!

Heather

No problem, I find information in more then one language.

Heather,
A Google for Oppositional Defiant Disorder brings up lots of hits.

Be very weary of the internet.

Dr. Russell Barkley is the leading authority in the field. He has devoted his life to studying adhd. This link of his has plenty of information. http://www.continuingedcourses.net/active/courses/course003.php.
He also wrote a book called Taking charge of adhd, it is highly reccommended by many.

Here is another book that is frequently mentioned; The Explosive Child ->A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children
by Ross W. Greene

With adhd you have to consider how severe the impairment is...and in the end you make the call. I did hear Barkley talk and if I remember correctly, he said that the medication for younger kids works but not as effectively as for older kids, this is a generalization of course. Have you considered doing a trial run?

Thank you for the suggestions and links. The NeuroPsych actually did suggest if I was wary to put him on meds to ask the doctor for some samples first, to see if we noticed a difference in his behavior, and also to make sure he tolerated it. From what I've read (so far) some of the meds take a while before you notice any real changes, and others are almost instant, providing some results the same day.

My problem in choosing a med is his age. When I read the drug information on each drug, the efficiacy and side effects are all listed for children 6 and up. I wanted to have decided upon a drug before meeting with the ped. next week. I have so many questions for the ped that right now, I don't see us having a decision ready by Tuesday. I suppose, though, we have all the time we need. The doctor can't make us start him at all, much less before we're ready and really comfortable in our decision.

My husband and I are both so confused. We want to do what's best for Adam. I never realized until starting research that adhd is such a controversial topic, even before you start discussing medications!

Well, here I go writing another novel :) Thanks again for all the helpful information.

~Heather~

Here are some ODD sites thanks to lmnapl and her search suggestion.
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-ch05.html
http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/72.htm
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-ch05.html
http://www.conductdisorders.com/
http://www.klis.com/chandler/pamphlet/oddcd/oddcdpamphlet.htm
This is a search that i did with good hits.
http://www.questia.com/Index.jsp?CRID=oppositional_defiant_disorder&OFFID=se1&KEY=oppositional_defiant_disorder
http://www.teenswithproblems.com/conduct_disorder.html
http://addadhdadvances.com/improvebehavior.html
http://www.ptsd-free.com/
http://www.mental-health-matters.com/disorders/dis_details.php?disID=67
http://www.emedicine.com/PED/topic2791.htm
http://ericec.org/faq/odd.html
http://www.psychnet-uk.com/dsm_iv/oppositional_defient_disorder.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~bountys/
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx73.htm
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/oppositional_defiant_disorder.jsp
http://www.chclibrary.org/micromed/00058960.html
http://www.directiveparenting.com/index_odd.html?src=overture&OVRAW=Oppositional%20defiant%20disorder&OVKEY=defiant%20disorder%20oppositional&OVMTC=standard
http://www.aspeneducationgroup.com/oddo.html
this should be helpful when your kids grow older
http://www.teenhelponline.com/

Thanks again Ichpuchtli!

This book also comes highly recommended; The Parents Guide to Attention Deficit Disorder, by Stephen McCarney & Angela Maire Bauer - Hawthorne Press. It will help with Behaviour management.

Thanks, Scuro.

We just implemented a behavior modification plan last week. We're still having a hard time with his back-talk and sassy behavior, but I know it will take some time. I placed the book you mentioned on hold at my library, and should be able to stop by tomorrow to pick it up. I really appreciate everyone who took the time to search/suggest material for me to read :)

Hi- Our 4.5 y/o is on meds and our story is similar to yours. I think if you click on my "name" and search for "all posts by cacaeb" or something like that, you can find pieces of our long saga. The short version is: we decided to medicate after exhaustive reading and lots of collaboration (and tons of evaluations)with an experienced team (child psychiatrist, therapist specializing in ADHD, and school district). Alex is doing well now and we believe that our early intervention was appropriate. His aggressive oubursts are down by about 90%, he's far more accepted by his peers, and he's a happier, less volatile kid. Incidentally,he's an awful lot easier to live with now that he's not hitting and biting us, dogs, and our visitors.

I'm happy to share what we've learned.

Good luck!

Amy in PA

Thanks, Scuro.

We just implemented a behavior modification plan last week. We're still having a hard time with his back-talk and sassy behavior, but I know it will take some time. I placed the book you mentioned on hold at my library, and should be able to stop by tomorrow to pick it up. I really appreciate everyone who took the time to search/suggest material for me to read :)
We have a toddler who is similar to this, not quite as bad in the not minding category, but very impulsive on top of the anger and aggressiveness. We hadn't considered medication until it was expressed to us that his safety was at issue. He's currently on Clonidine. So far so good. On the medication forum for Clonidine, another medication is mentioned, can't remember the name, starts with a G. Anyway, it apparently has fewer side effects.

I know you said you've implemented a behav. mod. plan, but if that one doesn't work, look for the book 1,2,3 Magic, or check out the web site. This was recommended to us by our pediatrician. I thought it was way too simple to work, but it does, for all of our kids. It's simple and just requires consistency. All the kids know how it works, understand it, and no the consequences, even the toddler.

Good luck!
Jazz

Hi I just wanted to write to tell you that I am in the same boat! My almost 5 yr old son was dx at 4 yrs old with add/odd he has tried several meds and is now on straterra (we will see how that goes) I just want to let you know that if you ever need anyone to talk to Im here I dont know it all Im still learning. In fact I think having a child with add you're always learning something new. I think the biggest thing that helps with my son is that i try not to fret over the little things like changing his shirt 5 times before he finds one that doesnt itch! I let him feel like hes in control alot. Well my email is slucas@kcnet.org if you ever want to chat! Im a stay at home mom so im always checking my mail! It would be good to talk to someone who is in the same boat as me! good luck!

I wanted to pop in and let you know, too, that our son was diagnosed with severe ADHD/ODD at 4 yo. We did one year of physical/occupational therapy and worked one-on-one with a psychologist which was an incredible learning experience for US, but did little for him. At 5 we started him on normal Ritalin and it was like turning on a light. He was finally able to take in some of what we were trying to teach him.

This is NOT to say meds are THE answer. He is now 14 and we have continued with various forms of therapy and without them and the support from those professionals I don't know if he would even be with us. It is a tough battle, but the medications and constant search for the right combinations and dosages is what made it possible for us to work with him.

Hang in there and know that you are not alone!

Kim

my oldest son was dx'd a week before his 4th birthday and was prescribed ritalin and the change was immediate (well within half hour of taking meds) he really did well on the meds and settled in school but i was forced to take him off the meds (pressure from the ex hubby) and after a few concentration problems and lots of behavioural strategies he is doing ok for now but i am playing it by ear as to whether he is gonna need to start the meds when he reaches high school.

so what i am trying to say is that meds can be a good thing but they are not for everybody and they dont have to be forever.

if you can get behaviour strategies that work and he can follow when he is on meds and young enough for it to sink in there is a good chance that if you decide to try him off the meds at a later date he may still be able to follow them.

dont know if that makes sense lol

wendy