ADD anyone?

• By WendyStation
• Posted June 19, 2009 at 10:35 pm
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Hello rockstargrl!

How old is your daughter? You may wish to also join the NCEPH2 website at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nceph2Group/ . (NCEPH = National Childhood Encephalitis Parents Help group). They are Parents or caregivers of children touched by encephalitis.

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• By MichelleN
• Posted June 20, 2009 at 9:14 am
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The doctor hadn't diagnosed me with ADD on paper, but told me I might. When I told my mom she said I do have it. It takes nothing to distract me then I can't remember what I was doing. That's why I'm not allowed to use the oven or stove by myself.

ADD is actually why I have coffee as a medicine. In kids it does the opposite as adults sometimes as it does for me.

I've actually found it's easier for me to have soft back round noise that doesn't have distractions like music without words.

I'm an adult on paper so this might not help your son.

Michelle

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• By yetzabee
• Posted June 20, 2009 at 4:54 pm
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Well definitly I know i cant concentrate, and Im also taking alternatives which has helped some. How are they working for your son?

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• By DVirginia
• Posted June 20, 2009 at 8:50 pm
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My son had neuropsych testing last year and they found that he had "deficits in attention" - they told us that they wouldn't label it ADD unless it had a major impact in his day-today life. And, for him, attention has been a minor issue compared to migraines, seizures, anxiety, etc.

But, early on, I read a bunch of books about ADD. Dr. Hallowell has a great book called "SuperParenting for ADD." He has a great approach and believes that medication is only one small piece of "managing" ADD. I can't remember if he gave specific suggestions for alternatives to medicine. It's really a book about having an appreciation for the special talents that your child has, even when it seems sometimes like they are just wild and out of control (actually, it's something all parents should be able to do - appreciate what makes their child different, but still special).

Anyway, it might be worth checking out...

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• By BobTX
• Posted June 23, 2009 at 1:38 pm
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After E I have a big problem with attention. I did neuropsych testing last year and the neuropsyche suggested Ritalin for me. My neurologist had already suggested something for attention before but I didn't want to try it. Finally I did and now I take Adderall and it does help me but is not a cure. I do not notice any side effects now but when I started I had some nausea so I always took it with meals. Now I can take it on an empty stomach. I also had a fairly rapid heart rate but that subsided after a couple of weeks. Some say it diminishes their appetite. I also take Neurontin at night for migraine prevention which can cause some weight gain so maybe they counter each other in that aspect because it is still hard for me to lose weight. I am an adult and not a growing child so my experience may not be relevant.

Take care

Bob
E Apr '98 (at age 39)

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• By dannon
• Posted June 23, 2009 at 2:22 pm
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My attention deficits in neuro-psych testing showed me to be impaired in attention and impulsivisity (or whatever it is they add up to having attention problems)

That meant having to add a psychiatrist to the list of docs I have to pay so I can get some amphetamines for the attention problem. Actually its not bad because I only see him for fifteen minutes every other months for two separate scripts (not sure if that's kosher or not) so the cost isn't that much but it would be cheaper (medicare wise) if it came from my neurologist.

Back on subject:
He told me its not in my file as ADD because its part of my whole organic brain thing. So that may be why one of the previous poster's child wasn;t automatically labeled with ADD.
Perhaps its like, if you have really bad fatigue after encephalitis, you won;t get labeled with chronic fatigue syndrome because they know where the fatigue comes from.

Anyway -
To the original poster.
I understand and appreciate your predicament in not knowing what may or may not harm your child (I don't know the age of the child).
I will tell you, that, from my experience, if the problem has to do with executive functioning, any form of stimulant seems to help that area work a little better.
Ritalin is just a stimulant - its speed. like Coffee and Nicotine which are just stimulants.
So,
you could discuss coffee with your doctor.
That is if you personally are comfortable giving your child coffee.
I do understand one thing - a child has many years of brain development and growth left to go. So, I understand thinking in the long term vs the short term.
Good luck in this - and - if you find something that works outside of the ritalin/amphetamine choice, please let us know so we can pass it on to the next parent asking the same question.
-dannon

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• By geez
• Posted June 25, 2009 at 9:28 pm
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My doctor has not diagnosed
ADD, though since "E" i have had concentration problems and was given
Adderall, I haven't have many side effects, I do need to take Trazadone to sleep, because the Adderall effects my sleep. I have tried to get off the Adderall, but I find I can't function very well with out it.
Before "E" I was able to multitask and was busy all thye time. The adderal has helped me to at least read and complete tasks.

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