My son was diagnosed today with Severe ADHD and suspected Autism. The pediatrician is referring him to a behavioral specialist for a full evaluation.

First thing out of the pediatrician's mouth? Medicate.

Screw that. At 4 1/2 (nearly 5) I'm not going to dope up my child before I get him into some different therapies

Doctors are dumb

Hey Sky. I am so glad you got him evaluated. I know thats alot to take in but I am guessing you feel alittle better to know that what your gut was telling you was correct and that now you can start to get him some proper help.

I have never medicated Jagger. and I dont have any plans to. However I will never say never since there is no telling what tomorrow will bring. I do think it is absurd that that was his doctors first suggestion. There is so much help out there and so many different approaches you can take. I recommend doing some reading up on adhd and autistic specturm disorders. Did he point you in the right direction for some early intervention programs? I hope you are finally getting some of the answers you have been needing.

No direction really because our pediatrician says he really tends to refer these children out to specialists and doesn't do much more than medication management.

I feel like this was step one on a really big stair case. I'm fine with it though. I felt better the second I heard someone say "he definitely shows all the signs of this and possibly this..."

The full evaluation at the children's behavioral center will help with early intervention and behavior management. Unfortunately...it takes a while to get them an appointment. I suppose what I'll do is get the appointment and call to see if they get cancellations on a regular basis.

Medication may be in my sons future, but for now....we've done okay just the way we are. I'm not saying we're in an ideal situation because if we were I wouldn't have felt a need to have him seen - BUT I don't think his personality needs to be buried under any pills.

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I feel like this was step one on a really big stair case.

It's true, it's a really long stair case, but that first step is a big one!! It took me a long time to even get a refferal for Jeramaih, so that's awesome. When they gave me Bub's daignosis they gave me tons of packets telling me where to go from there. Our PCP keeps trying to get Jeramiah started on meds but I won't let her, and therapy has helped him so much. Seven months ago he could only say about 15 words, and now he can say a couple full sentences, and it has taught me how to handle and prevent melt downs. Good job Mom!

Hey sky i'm glad that you finally got some answers and that you are taking it slow. I think that now a days parents are so quick to jump on the medication (and for some kids that is what is needed)that kids aren't being given enough time to really be evaluated enough.

I hope that everything works out with your son!

God Bless

Amy is a good person to talk to! You made me feel so much better when I got his diagnosis, just having someone check in to make sure I was still hangin in there! Your awesome AMY!

It is a huge smack in the face to hear that your child isn't perfect. I knew Jeramiah had autism, had known it for over a year, but to hear the Dr. actually tell me that he did was the hardest thing I have ever had to hear. (Even harder than "I'm leaving you for someone else") I wanted to punch the woman!

I know in Oregon early intervention is for kids who are not yet in school. Jeramiah will go until he's 6 cause thats when he will start school. IE has been the best thing for him. I found a WONDERFUL therapist who has the patience of a saint and Miah loves him. He has really helped bring Miah out because he responds so well to him.

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I acutally ended sending Katie to the same school even though I had to pay tuition to go there. I wanted Katie to have a better understanding of her brother and learn about other disabilities.

That's awesome! I sent Sam to a workshop for siblings of autistic kids and it helped so much. He was so proud of himself when he would use what he learned to help Miah. He would also tell everyone who came into contact with Miah all about autism and how "Bubba's brain works differently than mine."

You know for me finding out that I was right that he IS different is much more of a relief. I don't feel that he's "broken" in any sense. Matter of fact my son is so amazing and so intelligent and I've always known that both of my children were special in their own God given ways. To me it just gives me the RIGHT path to help him improve upon his talents.

My daughter went with us yesterday to hear the doctor say he has ADHD for sure. She has some friends at school (some medicated some not) who she says are her best friends that suffer from ADD and ADHD. It was like a little light bulb went off in her head. She said "one of my friends when she doesn't take her pill goes absolutely loco!" She has taken much more of a Mini-Mom-Teacher mode the last 24 hours and seems to have found a centimeter (they are siblings!) more of patience with his outbursts.

My mother...omg she's a totally different person. I actually went to lunch with her today. Apparently a woman she knows has a group for special needs adults that she hosts. They get together to socialize with one another for time with people that have similar difficulties so they feel a sense of being in a community. She has been talking to Vicki a lot about my son and Autism since I told my family that I want to have my son evaluated. My mother is reading and listening and does admit she sees many arrows pointing in the same directions I do.

After years of hearing its both him and me....I am hearing my mother say she is beginning to understand. She realizes that I have a child who I cannot take my eyes off of and its starting to sink in that my son may never outgrow it. Honestly I wonder if she was thinking the last 5 years that he would outgrow this and then she'd be able to bond more with him. I do give her some credit because she has been trying harder in the last year than ever before. Its only about 5cents credit though because none of its where it should be.

My father....he's kind of shut down. I think the idea of my son having a diagnosis slapped him in the face. My brother...no communication yet he says he's processing it all.

Me....the literature I'm reading and techniques they offer......things are already changing for the better. My son is doing arts and crafts this afternoon. I gave him some safety scissors, crayons, a glue stick, post it notes, and tons of coloring books, construction paper and even a sticker book. I haven't had a tantrum, fit, or anything broken in 2.5 hours. Sierra's Dad bought a little art desk for her for Christmas which she is so very nicely (she's nearly too big for it anyways) letting him sit at so he has a spot that is right next to me to do all his art.

This boy is VERY exact with his creations. He draws perfect lines and everything has its place...we may not know what they are but they are very geometric. LOL

Ok...I'm into book writing but I just want to thank you all who have jumped in and given me your shoulders and support. I've been writing posts for nearly 2 years that said I think my son is borderline aspergers and definitely ADHD probably longer than that. I just don't think I ever dug deep enough into the forum to see how many resourceful and wonderful parents here were going through it with me.

Hi,im pretty new to this site.My son was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of three,i didnt want him taking medication so his doctor told me to try omega 3 fish oils as this could help.It didn't work with my son but on the research i done it has helped many children.My son was then diagnosed with aspergers syndrome,hes 9 now and he does take medication to help his concentration in school.There are other options out there i.e diet,vitamin supplements etc that can help, each child is differant but there worth looking into.

It is a long road but you will get there.

I took a tip from 4strong and brought my mp3 player out to lunch with us today. It managed to keep my little guy fairly entertained while he ate in the restaurant and my daughter and my friend and I were somewhat able to enjoy ourselves.

Still after an nearly an hour he couldn't handle the environment and went "bonkers" I had to catch him and force him into his coat and get him back into the truck.

I just hope we get to the point where my son can go to a restaurant for an hour without me explaining to people why he's terrorizing the place LOL

Actually some of the men were cracking up because they remember being little boys themselves. One of them especially seemed to get a kick out of Braeden crawling along the floor like a monster.

I can't wait to try the mp3 player and sunglasses out in the grocery and wal-mart like she suggested. The lights weren't as bad at the buffet and there weren't as many people around....I'm wondering how they'll help with his senses in high fluorescents and crowds.


I so wanted a sign that said my son is a normal 4 year old boy ...not one with aspergers.... when he reached into the jello container on the buffet with his hand to get his. hehehe I had to get a bunch on his plate to make sure I got all he touched! LOL

I don't go anywhere without Bub's MP3 player! It makes going to the store so much easier, He would stick his fingers in his ears and scream when we went to the store and the sun glasses help so much with sensory overload. I don't care what I have to do, if it gets me through the store in one piece I will try it!

Things Jagger doesnot leave the hous without.
His V-smile pocket
His Blue chips (i mean ranch doritos)
His blue jello
his red cup ..filled with red juice
A few jars of baby food
A flyers filled with pics of toys
crayons and a notebook
a blanket to put in the bottom of his shopping cart to sit in or his own stroller/wheelchair
For long trips or resturants I always bring a portable dvd player..and extra dvds
Jagger doesnt eat "normal" food in resturants so I always order his icecream as soon as we sit down ..
i always ask for a corner booth so that he is boxed in and has no one behind him if he stands on the seat(which of course I dont encourage).. and he likes to be looking at the room..
I explain and they are usually happy to help

Even with this I have finished many of my meals sitting in the car with Jagger. But he is really doing better. And sometimes I am just releived to get out of the resturant and sit there quietly. I don't even mind as much as you'd think.

Parents of special needs children plan for the everything possible to go wrong and come armed ready to bring out the reinforcements at any given time..then if we go home with at least one thing not taken out of the bag..we are proud because that means our child did well.

I've found that post it notes a stick of glue and safety scissors with a pile of construction or plain white paper....is excellent for appointments!

I also always have a pen in my purse for unexpected doctors visits...I let Braeden color the white paper on the doctors table.

I'm taking notes and sharing as best I can lol Right now Braeden has packed up all his healthy cracker snacks to give to Ms. Debbie at school so he "doesn't get that sugar". I've such a good boy.

Okay I'm off....and then I'm not.....because I'm sick and headed to the doctors yet again. I want a new head, same face different sinuses.

I have found that I can learn so much more from parents of autistic children than I can from any book. My ex thinks he is all up to date and can handle Bub in any situation because he has read ONE book on autism. I always tell him to spend 24 hours with him and he will learn alot more, but he won't, hasn't since he we got divorced when Bub was 6 months old.

Things I always carry:
Thomas trains
pen and paper
MP3 player
Sun glasses
Fritos (cause they are gluten free)
Diego doll
Orange cup (ONLY orange)
extra almond milk
His B (Blanket)

Blindsky sorry to hear about your head. I have only had 1 sinus infection in my life and I wanted to die, so I can't imagine dealing with all the time! Feel better soon

I've never met a doctor that knew jack about autism other than the doctor who diagnosed my son. Usually when my son has medical issues the doctors and nurses ask me what to do instead of the other way around. Get used to being your son's best advocate... and I echo what 4strong said other parents are the best