I was told 3 days ago that my son who is 6 has ADHD. After teachers concerns the school psychiatrist (2) , the SRT comitee and the teacher started to monitor him. Finally they asked me to have a meeting with them and I answered to lots of questions. They came to the conclusion that he has ADHD and also the psychiatrist said that she tested him as well. The first thing I did was spend 2 whole nights researching..First of all I realized that my son has almost ALL the symptoms (at least I read about on the internet and in books) >Now I really dont know what my next steps should be. Any ideas or suggestions are most welcome.. I am still in shock and feeling kinda hopeless plus guilty for punishing him or yelling at him for things that I now know weren't his fault :(

I think your next step is to find a good professional outside the school system who can discuss your options with you. (Meds, diet, ways to deal with behavior, etc.) There are also some great books out there for dealing with the behavior problems of ADHD kids. Two I've read are Power Parenting for Children with ADHD and ADD/ADHD Behavior-Change Resource Kit.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0876288778/qid=1078496227//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-2099081-9208950?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Support groups are a good place to start. I'd bet there is good local support near Norwalk? I found this web page:
http://www.spednet.org/upcoming%20events.htm
It seems to have a few ADHD related things in CT.
http://members.aol.com/ADDisorder/4help/ct.html
has links and info on support groups, et al. in CT.
Good Luck,
Greg

This is also a good support group you've found here. :D

Sounds like you are already handling this very very well, GreekGoddess. Welcome to the forums. My own suggestion would be to make sure you give him lots of love and acceptance in the next few days while you sort out everything else you are feeling and learning.

Cheers!

Paul

Here are my $.02 on the matter:

1. Have your son independently tested by a good diagnostician. ADD shares many symptoms with other disorders and conditions. While I don't doubt the school psychiatrist's credentials, too many "school docs" are diagnosing ADD without doing a thorough enough workup. Make sure you ask for your son's test results for all the tests that were performed, to present to your doctor to review.

2. Once your son's diagnosis has been verified, I would ask your son's diagnostician for next step suggestions. Research all the options, and don't feel pressured, by your doctor, or the school, to follow any course of action until you feel comfortable with the decision. Many schools have been intimidating parents to put their children on medication. While I am a big proponent of ADD meds, it is not for everyone, and not always necessary. Behavior modification can work wonders, with or without meds.

3. Keep doing what you're doing; reading, researching and asking questions. Too many parents take what the school or friends tell them at face value, and never take the time to learn about the challenges that your child faces and the strategies you can try - at home and at school.

4. For additional resources in Connecticut, check out the Local Resources - Connecticut section at: http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=166

Good luck, and welcome to the ADD Forums!

I agree with BIG 110%!!
Our 9 yr old son was dx about a month ago. Please make sure you get a independent dx from a psychologist who is an expert in ADHD. Read everything that you can get your hands on. At times this may seem overwhelming. I downloaded a lot of information from our local university (Buffalo State University in NY). I also read a great book recommended to us by our sons psychologist called "All About Attention Deficit Disorder" by Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D.
I know exactly what you mean about the guilt. I still feel terrible guilt for all the times (past 4 years) that I scolded my son for not staying focused. I blame myself for the performance anxiety that he now suffers from. However <sniffle> I am making up for all that by being my sons best advocate and arming myself with all the knowledge I can hold in my head. You sound like a wonderful concerned parent. You will do fine and if you ever need anything, this forum is the best place to get it.

Good for YOU, Tonya! Sounds like you're taking the proverbial 'bull by the horns' :)

Excellent feedback big

Hi Goddess!

Our 9 year old has also just been diagnosed. He has been seeing a therapist for a few months (after having an ADHD assesment by his pediatrician). His "score" was very borderline so we went the therapy route. After a few months we decided (with the psychologist) to send him to a Psychiatrist for an eval. He was determined to be "borderline" meaning he is flying under the radar for now, but the peer issues and family issues are mounting.

I am also researching everything these days and filled with guilt. Maybe we can help each other??? This site seems great.

Good luck to you,
Jimsmom

yet another link you might want to check out:
http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/help/ct.htm

a friend's son was diagnosed with AD/HD; put on ritalin; later they found out it was a misdiagnosis, so, I would reiterate what the other posters have told you on this forum: get an independent work-up on your son. good luck.

Words of advice for those above who have felt guilt during their childrens' assesment phases: Try your best to let go of it as soon as you are able. The things you and your children are experiencing or will experience in the course of treatment are difficult. Guilt will not serve you in any capacity I can think of. Try to feel positively about recognizing instances in the past where you might have done better and then form a more effective plan for when those types of instances reoccur. Good luck to all of you.