Therapy?

[eksulli]

VERY new here!
Here is my introduction post: http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122432


My question is, since we are currently on a waiting list, would you attempt to find a counselor or therapist that would see the child until you can begin seeing the pediatrician?

We do not have a solid diagnosis, but my husband and I are at the ends of our ropes with Kiya.
We are both so frustrated we can see that we are giving up.

Do you think that at least going and talking to someone would help her?
I don't want to just "wait it out" and have the problem continue to worsen.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

[anticipate]

It might help, but if she really has ADHD you aren't going to see much in the way of progress without meds. It can help to get her comfortable with someone, so that when she does start meds she can get right into some actual therapy.

[mommytriz]

I did not go this route as we had alot of success with strategies I found in some of the books I read. One of the best books in terms of real, concrete things to DO instead of constant talking around the issue was Dr. Sear's ADD book. It is pretty old and much of the science of ADD isn't as current as you find in books now, but his parenting tips on dealing with the child were great.

I felt I was able to provide a lot of the extra support my child needed once I accepted the dx and started working from a place of understanding and compassion instead of "why can't you do this, everyone else can behave, read, write.......?" From a lot of my reading the person most in need of counselling is the caregiver in learning to deal effectively with an ADHD child. Once my child started her medication she could instantly put her coat and shoes away at shoes quickly instead of taking 1/2 an hour and getting in trouble, she could suddenly behave better in class, sit properly at carpet etc. So all the lessons were in there, she KNEW what to do all along, she just could not do it. Her brain chemistry did not let her. There was a post when I first came her that crystallized this for me and I just cried. It was my AHA moment.

I cannot tell you how much money I spent on health alternatives to no avail, but if you aren't giving her omega oils I would suggest that ( though not as a substitute for seeing a Dr. obviously). I think the high doses of these oils that my daughter gets have really made a world of difference to her and compliment her medication.

[pechemignonne]

Originally Posted by mommytriz

I felt I was able to provide a lot of the extra support my child needed once I accepted the dx and started working from a place of understanding and compassion instead of "why can't you do this, everyone else can behave, read, write.......?" From a lot of my reading the person most in need of counselling is the caregiver in learning to deal effectively with an ADHD child. Once my child started her medication she could instantly put her coat and shoes away at shoes quickly instead of taking 1/2 an hour and getting in trouble, she could suddenly behave better in class, sit properly at carpet etc. So all the lessons were in there, she KNEW what to do all along, she just could not do it. Her brain chemistry did not let her. There was a post when I first came her that crystallized this for me and I just cried. It was my AHA moment.

This should be read by every parent of a child with ADHD.

[mommytriz]

Originally Posted by pechemignonne

This should be read by every parent of a child with ADHD.

It was actually your post in February that helped frame how I planned to move from a place of "fixing" my daughter to a place where I could really help her.
Thank you

[eksulli]

This EXACTLY how I feel about Kiya, she knows better but she CANNOT control herself.
She can't.

We are definitely going to the doctors, we are simply on an almost year long waiting list.
Another member here gave me some alternative doctors that are in state and I plan on looking into them to see if they may be a little faster, even if a little further away.

We are currently looking at a doctor about 2 hours away, because all of the locals tend to treat SOLELY with meds. Often over medicating and they do not provide therapy or alternative parenting techniques. We want to try to treat her on all levels, if that makes sense.

We currently aren't doing any supplements or anything. We only VERY recently realized, "We HAVE to do SOMETHING".
She's always been high energy and just a little different, but school has really made us see...... hey something here isn't working!

[anticipate]

Just FYI - It's pretty typical to go to one Dr (a psychiatrist) for meds, and then to a separate psychologist or therapist/counselor for additional treatment/counseling/therapy.

[happytexas]

Originally Posted by eksulli

Another member here gave me some alternative doctors that are in state and I plan on looking into them to see if they may be a little faster, even if a little further away.

We are currently looking at a doctor about 2 hours away, because all of the locals tend to treat SOLELY with meds. Often over medicating and they do not provide therapy or alternative parenting techniques. We want to try to treat her on all levels, if that makes sense.

We currently aren't doing any supplements or anything. We only VERY recently realized, "We HAVE to do SOMETHING".
She's always been high energy and just a little different, but school has really made us see...... hey something here isn't working!

Ds was diagnosed by a psychiatrist who prescribed his medication but saw a separate behavior modification therapist. If you can get into a local psychiatrist they may have therapists they typically refer to, or you could find one on your own.

Since your dd will likely see them more frequently in the beginning it would probably be easier on you if they are closer--it's surprisingly exhausting to go to 1 or two weekly appointments after school and return in traffic .

[eksulli]

Closer would be GREAT! I just I wish I could find one closer.
I called my local doctors office and they said they knew of none! NONE! Can you believe that?

They said I should contact the school and she was sort of counseling they could offer and go from there.

[eksulli]

Originally Posted by anticipate

Just FYI - It's pretty typical to go to one Dr (a psychiatrist) for meds, and then to a separate psychologist or therapist/counselor for additional treatment/counseling/therapy.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

Thanks for the heads up though

[happytexas]

Originally Posted by eksulli

Closer would be GREAT! I just I wish I could find one closer.
I called my local doctors office and they said they knew of none! NONE! Can you believe that?

They said I should contact the school and she was sort of counseling they could offer and go from there.

I guess it depends on your location. When I was in PA for a wedding we had to drive at least 45min to get anywhere, but in my current large city healthcare is a big business--we have several medical "centers" and practitioners that have practices close to those centers. Though my side of town has undergone a fairly recent building boom and I usually have to drive around 30min for ds' appts. "Luckily" ds' first psychiatrist dropped our insurance last summer and the new Dr. had just opened an office between our house and ds' school ; yesterday I dropped off stamped envelopes on the way home from school .

The school is one route for finding a therapist (my school keeps a stack of their list in the office), and/or if you are going through insurance they should have a list of practitioners affiliated with them. A third (which I haven't tried) is to contact the agency that licenses counselors in your state--though you'll probably have to narrow it down to those that work with children with ADHD. You could also contact a doctors office that your hoping to get into and ask what therapists they refer to.

[zette93]

Originally Posted by happytexas

The school is one route for finding a therapist (my school keeps a stack of their list in the office), and/or if you are going through insurance they should have a list of practitioners affiliated with them. A third (which I haven't tried) is to contact the agency that licenses counselors in your state--though you'll probably have to narrow it down to those that work with children with ADHD. You could also contact a doctors office that your hoping to get into and ask what therapists they refer to.

We had a bad experience going through the in-network list from our insurance. Got a doc that told us DS definitely wasn't autistic and didn't have ADHD and just needed a little time to mature. In our area it seems the best doctors never go in-network because they have a full caseload without it.

I would suggest finding a developmental pediatric or psychologist group at a children's hospital or teaching hospital. Next option would be to look for a CHADD group or autism support group. The parents there can recommend which doctors and therapists they've had good experience with.

[happytexas]

Originally Posted by zette93

We had a bad experience going through the in-network list from our insurance. Got a doc that told us DS definitely wasn't autistic and didn't have ADHD and just needed a little time to mature. In our area it seems the best doctors never go in-network because they have a full caseload without it.

Ok, but that isn't the case everywhere. I've heard stories from parents going out of network to see a provider who was thought to be "the best" and got the same results you did. Ds' in-network psychiatrist recommended ds' in network therapist, who was great.

I would suggest finding a developmental pediatric or psychologist group at a children's hospital or teaching hospital. Next option would be to look for a CHADD group or autism support group. The parents there can recommend which doctors and therapists they've had good experience with.

We also took ds to a children's hospital (also in-network) who did a good thorough evaluation--the type that ds' psychiatrist couldn't/wouldn't do (couldn't because she practiced alone, and wouldn't because she doesn't do educational testing, she refers out for that). In any case, the OP is having problems finding any therapist and any doctor within a reasonable distance.

[eksulli]

Originally Posted by happytexas

I guess it depends on your location. When I was in PA for a wedding we had to drive at least 45min to get anywhere

That's us!

Walmart - 45 minutes.

Hospital - 30 minutes (to the closest)

I drive 45 miles one way to school everyday (I am a non traditional college student, I have never done anything on time. )


The closest mall to us is an hour away, the next closest mall is about 2 hours.
But you drive 5 minutes and you are on a hill in the middle of the woods and probably surrounded by cows... hahah

Our family doctor does not do the testing for ADD/ADHD and that is why we are on a waiting list for the pediatrician that is a little further away, but works more with the family through other resources (like sending you to a therapist, behavior mod etc), and helps keep the meds in balance.
From what we've gather, he and his staff are WONDERFUL and well worth the wait.

I did speak with Kiya's teacher at the parent teacher conference yesterday and the school is going to allow her to start to see their school counselor for a bit every day. Which makes me happy. (My mother was a teacher within the school district until retirement and BOTH of my sisters work within the school district and as I said we live in a VERY small town, so they help me out immensely in dealing with the school.)
That's a start, I am still working on researching our own personal options.