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For starters, it's a medical problem, or an issue in our lives, that few of us talk about. But when I read Driven to Distraction (Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratley, M.D.) Order on-line I recognized myself walking through those pages, whether or not I've actually been medically diagnosed. Hey, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck ...
As I read the book, and saw its stress on Ritalin (methylphenadate), I also found lots of valuable hints for my own life, whether I have ADD or not. Things like having organizations and structure in my life, and a support network of friends (especially my wife, who is also non-diagnosed) to cue me and keep me on track. As soon as I mention the topic, folks either talk to me about the book or want to learn more about it. So I've had some interesting dialog with Men's Forum members, colleague Forum Managers, and friends and acquaintances in my physical life.
If it's an issue in your own life, you need to consider whether to seek the professional advice of a doctor (M.D., homeopath, naturopath, osteopath or whatever) and/or a counselor. (Be forewarned, of course, that not that many counselors actually have experience with adult ADD, and ask the counselor you go to some very specific questions about their experience about this. Bernetta and I were disappointed to find that our counselor, helpful in many other ways, was totally clueless.)
Here's a transcript of a discussion we had about that on the Men's BBS.
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood by Dr. Edward M. Hallowell
Order on-line
Order on-line
An controversial analysis of the true cause of Attention Deficit Disorder. Based on personal experience and years of medical practice and research, Scattered is a groundbreaking book that explodes the conventional wisdom that A.D.D. is a genetically based disorder, declaring instead that its roots are environmental. Dr. Gabor Maté, a family physician and himself an A.D.D. sufferer, asserts that A.D.D. originates in infancy as a response to conditions that fail to provide a necessary degree of emotional or physical security. Financial problems, marital strife, job stress, and substance abuse can all create an environment that may trigger A.D.D.
Survival Strategies for Parenting Your ADD Child
Order on-line
Talking Back to Ritalin: What Doctors Aren't Telling You About Stimulants for Children
by Dr. Peter R. Breggin
Reviews
Order on-line
Related:
Letter From a Learning Disabled Kid. 15-year-old Launches World-Class Web Site to Help Others.
Order on-line
An controversial analysis of the true cause of Attention Deficit Disorder. Based on personal experience and years of medical practice and research, Scattered is a groundbreaking book that explodes the conventional wisdom that A.D.D. is a genetically based disorder, declaring instead that its roots are environmental. Dr. Gabor Maté, a family physician and himself an A.D.D. sufferer, asserts that A.D.D. originates in infancy as a response to conditions that fail to provide a necessary degree of emotional or physical security. Financial problems, marital strife, job stress, and substance abuse can all create an environment that may trigger A.D.D.
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Adult ADD
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Paul:
Bert, How did you get a Doctor to diagnose
the ADD? I believe I have the same problem and took my step-daughter's
Ritalin for years as I found it relieved the problem. I can't
use the Ritalin now as I haven't been diagnosed and (obviously)
have no 'scrip. I'm going to El Paso tomorrow for a week. Might
pop over to Juarez to pick up some Ritalin.
PJ--
" It is not necessary to understand
things in order to be able to argue about them. "
Beaumarchais. 1775
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Bert:
PJ,
You ask an excellent question. In truth,
I am not at all willing to have a doctor diagnose ADD, nor is
Bernetta willing to have a doctor diagnose her. The M.D.s are
all so very willing to prescribe Ritalin. We both have grave misgivings
about the extent of M.D. knowledge, especially with regard to
not noticing or caring about side-effects.
How did I come to this conclusion? Somebody
sent me a promo copy of Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratley's
Driven To Distraction: Recognizing And Coping With Add From
Childhood Through Adulthood. (ISBN 0-684-80128-0), in hopes
I would interview him for the magazine. Hallowell and I both being
ADD, we never connected. (He has a funny story in his book, about
his first ADD group therapy session. A man rushed in, very frantically,
20 minutes late - into an empty room! The others were distracted,
too busy, caught in traffic jams, or whatever.)
Anyway, BINGO! In fact, another FM and
I were talking about this just last week. "If it walks like
a duck, talks like a duck" ... and I could relate to all
the tests in the book, and all the behaviors he describes. He
has some very practical suggestions, aside from pumping folks
full of Ritalin. So the medical diagnosis is unimportant. I don't
really care what label folks want to put on me. His suggestions
for deliberately adding structure in my life, and to set up a
support system that "cues" me in the right way ("How
did x go?" or "Have you done x yet?" instead of
"You f*****ed up again, promised but never delivered on x")
are a great help. The FM also recommended a ginko herb derivative
which he says has worked well for him. I haven't tried it yet,
but he says folks noticed the difference in him within days.
I wondered as I've seen your posts,
whether or not we have a kinship here.
Most non-ADD folks think of "distracted,"
"short attention-span" and "no focus." They
have no clue that digging in with a single-pointed focus and manic-like
behavior, to do a sleepless marathon effort to complete something
creative (ignoring distractions like food, sleep, relationships)
is equally as symptomatic.
For myself, the stress-relief strategies
we talked about in the other thread (physical exercise, quiet
meditation, carving time out to slow down and listen to music).
I'm especially grateful to Bernetta for stressing the the value
of exercise in burning off the excess energy, and in truth I feel
the consequences of not following the advice of Betnetta-the-exercise-addict.
Of course, I can only speak for myself
and Bernetta. I think if we felt that these strategies weren't
effective in helping us gragging control of our lives, we would
each or both also sek medical or counseling advice. And in fact
the counseling that Bernetta and I have each received addreses
the ADD issues, if only in an indirect and unarticulated fashion.
Neither one of us have sought a counselor or an M.D. who was specifically
trained in ADD. And you need to know that there are very many
therapists out there who also don't know much about adult ADD.
And when I get O (for the non-ADD folks,
the name of that O is "a round tuit") I'll start a special
section on adult ADD.
Bert -- Bert H. Hoff Men's Issues Forum
Manager
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ADD in Kids
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Nina:
In the late 1800's, researchers noted
that individuals recovering from serious head trauma often presented
with inattentive and distractible behavior. In 1902, a researcher
by the name of G.F. Still described a disorer in childhood which
he referred to as a Defect in Moral Control. The set of problems,
inattention, impulsivity. He observed this was a disorder that
occurred more frequently in males than females. He dedescribed
possible causes of the problem, including heredity, tram. He
was also quite pessimistic, feeling that there was very little
that could be done for these children. In the early 1900's, especially
gollowing an outbreak of encephalitis, researchers began reporting
on restless, impulsive and overactive behavior. In the 1930's,
Charles Bradley, began experimenting with stimulant drugs for
these children and saw a dramatic effect in them. In the 1940's,
research with soldiers experiencing head trauma as the result
of war wounds. In the 50's and 60's this disorder, was la bled
as hyperactivity. Children with the disorder but without sign
of hyperactivity fell through the cracks. In the 70's and 80's,
research began to focus on the issue of attention and implsivity.
Then came the name Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder. Better known as ADD and ADHD, which brought
with it a definition of the disorder. It is not my "job"
to convince anyone that it exist. All I know is it is easy to
sit back and judge others. It is much harder to live with something
every day misunderstood by many. I have been blamed as his mother,
as a single mother the sad part was I belived it for awhile. I
did not buy into anything or look for an easy way out. I looked
for the best way I could to help my child. Thousands of studies
tell us what these kids can't do, but few tell us what they can
do and who they really are. That is the work I have done with
my son's school was to get them to focus on what he and other
child with this disorder can do.
Nina
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CarolAnn:
First of all, let me point out that
this is not directed at any parent on this board. It is simply
my opinion, and I stand by it.
While I don't argue the existence of
ADD or ADHD, I bemoan the rush to medicate the children without
the benefit of any other treatment.
If the research is valid, these children
will have to learn to live with their disorder for the rest of
their lives. Medicating a child without addressing the existence
of the lack of self-esteem is a formula for disaster.
Medication is no more than a tool -
the children must be taught how to live with ADD/ADHD, including
being taught impulse control techniques, self-talk, etc....
When I was diagnosed with Chronic Major
Depression, it was made clear to me that I would battle this for
the rest of my life. I take anti-depressants, but I don't depend
on them solely to control my mood swings and irrational behavior.
I have learned to recognize the signs of control loss and to deal
with them appropriately. While my control is not perfect and I
don't see any signs that it will be, I do not use my diagnosis
as an excuse. I hope I have managed to teach my son not to use
his recent diagnosis as am excuse either, and I don't accept it
myself as an explanation for any behavior he may exhibit.
If I had a dollar for every parent in
Scouts and sports that excused their child with "Oh, s/he's
got ADD" I would be able to retire now. I tell them the same
thing - I won't accept that as an excuse in my team/troop, and
I explain why. Most of them are a little surprised, but see my
point. I have had a few huff off and report me to whatever authority
there is over me. That's fine - I have never been removed from
a position of leading children because of it, and I believe that
to be because many parents are tired of the children with ADD
disrupting their children's lives and getting away with it. Most
of the parents I work with recognize that I am fair to their children
and I expect the same level of behavior from all the children
I work with.
The children with ADD frequently need
time to themselves to regain their control, and I am willing to
do this. I am also willing to talk with a child to bring him back
under control. I will not punish a child for something I believe
to be out of his/her control, but I will not accept ADD/ADHD as
an excuse for inappropriate behavior. I have seen too many children
respond positively to methods employed to teach them self-control
to believe it can't be done.
When the child is taught to recognize
they are losing control, they can be taught appropriate methods
of dealing with the loss of control. -- Be well - CarolAnn http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/1326
--<--<-{{@ Doing it One Day at a Time!
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Rene:
CarolAnn - Excellent post and it brings
up several important points, which psychiatrists often dismiss.
That is alternative treatments. I have had several students each
year in my class that have been diagnosed ADHD and one this last
year that has ADD. The majority of the parents take the Ritilan
and expect miracles, and are often frustrated and disappointed
their child doesn't turn into an angel and straight A student
overnight. The medication, they are led to believe, should FIX
the problem without further intervention. I take inservices and
classes every year to keep up with the latest on ADD/ADHD/ and
now ODD (oppositional defiant disorder). I work with my parents
to help them understand how behavior management and further education
for themselves and their children are necessary in order to learn
to live with this disorder.
I also have a friend whose son was diagnosed
ADHD and refused to medicate him, choosing instead to place him
in a behavior management program for boys and following a strict
diet that has been found to have good results with "hyper"
kids. It has not been easy, but there have been good, solid improvements
as a result of her diligence. I always recommend this approach
to my students' parents, to compliment their choice to medicate.
On a side note, as far as easy diagnosis
of these disorders - in my 7 years at my present location, I have
had 9 students come in labled ADHD - I believe only 2 of them
truly had the disorder. I saw parents wanting an easy answer for
disruptive children, and looking for a quick fix - not understanding
that the labeling of their children will follow them throughout
their lives.
- Rene
"Learn to teach...and teach to
learn."
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Nancy:
>>On a side note, as far as easy
diagnosis of these disorders - in my 7 years at my present location,
I have had 9 students come in labeled ADHD - I believe only 2
of them truly had the disorder. <<
Rene, Last month didn't someone come
out with a study that showed pediatricians overprescribe antibiotics
just to please parents. I think the same thing is true in the
"disorder" field of medicine. Maybe people should just
be spending time coping with what was given to them, than reading
magazine after magazine about how to better themselves, and looking
for something to cure them. -- Nancy
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Nina:
Parents of a child with ADD should receive
instruction in behavior management. Ritalin is not magic, it doesn't
change the behavior of the child. It allows the child the ability
to concentrate and learn things such as self-control, self-discipline
and behavior that is acceptable. Ritalin cannot mask the problems
of ADD. It is still there and these children are a challenge to
raise and to teach. The child with ADD has a hidden handicap with
which he will often need help for many years.
My son knows that his medication is
only to assist his concentration and allows him to exert more
efficient control. My son knows that the Ritalin is not responsible
for his behavior but that he himself is.
Parents who use ADD or ADHD as an excuse
for their child are doing a dis-service to their child.
Mis-dianoses are becoming more and more
apparent. Children with Bipolar Disorder (Manic-depressive) are
being seen that have been labeled ADD or ADHD. Children with clinical
depression, are being seen with both depression and ADD.
ADD or ADHD will not go away if ingnored,
it will not go away if treated, but a child can learn to live
with it.
also: Michael only takes his medication
when he is at school, never at home. At home the need is not there,
as home is less structured than school.
Nina
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CarolAnn:
While I was having a multitude of problems
with my oldest, I took him for an appointment with a psychiatrist
he had never seen before.
After talking to the child for 15 minutes,
he told me Robby had ADHD and wanted to immediately prescribe
Ritalin. When I expressed hesitation, he informed me that he didn't
see why I had bothered to bring Robby in if I wasn't going to
take his diagnosis. My response was that I failed to see why he
should be insulted that I was hesitant, and that his methods of
treatment left a bit to be desired.
I found a psychiatrist willing to actually
test Robby, and the diagnosis was Major Depression, which can
frequently manifest itself in the same manner as a child with
ADHD/ADD.
Robby has been treated for depression
and has made great strides. -- Be well - CarolAnn http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/1326
--<--<-{{@ Doing it One Day at a Time!
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Nina:
April 6, 1990
My dearest Michael,
I sit here and cry tonight, I do not
blame you for getting kicked out of pre-school again. I wish I
knew if what I am doing is right. They, teacher, doctors, and
more doctors, say it is one of two things. One is that I am not
a good enough mom for you, and that your dad left three years
ago. Or they say that you have this thing called ADD, and need
medication for it. I have been reading for two months everything
I could find on ADD and a drug they call Ritalin.
Please don't blame your daddy for leaving,
he just could not deal with a family anymore. The only problem
with that is you are stuck with just me. I can not just leave
your well-being up to physicians or to teachers without finding
out as much as I can before I make a decision.
Maybe this is because I was sad during
the time I had you inside of me. Maybe this is my fault, but this
is new to me. Shawna and Ben do not have problems like this. So
even with you being my third child I have no experience with this.
You will be four next month, and as I put you to bed tonight you
said to me "mom sometimes, I do not want to live anymore."
This scared me to death, my heart quit beating.
Michael, you have been different since
you were born, but are so very special. I love the three of you
with all my heart and as a family we will deal with this. This
ADD that they talk about so many have told me it is a cop out.
Other say it is true, to say I am confused is an understatement.
I am scared, but I promise you that I will find out everything
I can before I make a decision on your behalf.
This is one of those times that I must
face my fear, and not listen to anyone but find out all I can
on my own. Know my young son that I love you from the bottom of
my heart. And I will not let you walk this road alone.
With all my love always, Mommy
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Rene:
Oh, Nina - what a beautiful letter.
I hope you save it to share with Michael when he is older. Listen
to your good heart and your instinct, which is right on target.
From "getting to know you" through reading your posts,
you will make the right decision, whichever direction you choose
to take with him. You are a great mother, and Michael is a lucky
little boy. Good luck. -- Rene, wiping away tears...
"Learn to teach...and teach to
learn."
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Nina:
July 7, 1993
To Whom It May Concern:
At the meeting on June 17, 1993, it
was decided to start over with a new assessment for Michael. I
was asked to consider what I believed Michael's needs are for
our next meeting. As his mother, my first instincts are to deny
and protect. Even though I know that it is a very high form of
love, to allow someone for whom we care deeply to suffer the natural
consequences of their behavior, and thus to have the opportunity
to learn the particular lessons that behavior will teach. When
we feel responsible and out of our own fear and guilt we can short-circuit
those consequences and therefore those lessons.
Since a lot of Michael's emotions and
behaviors seem to be beyond his control, it has always been somewhat
difficult for me regarding Michael. So it was with a great deal
of effort to view Michael objectively, that I arrived at the conclusions
of how I view Michael and what I feel his needs are.
Michael's temperamental and behavioral
characteristics are inattentiveness, distractibility, impulsiveness
and opposition. He becomes emotionally over-aroused with a low
frustration tolerance. He can be extremely demanding, frequently
clowning around or displaying annoying attention-getting behaviors.
He sometimes has difficulty adjusting to situations and has a
hard time following rules. At times he seems unmotivated and lacks
a desire to please.
Michael shows a remarkable ability to
pay attention under certain circumstances. For example, while
watching television or being read to. Yet, he has difficulty concentrating
on activities that require sustained attention, therefore, he
has trouble completing tasks. He has difficulty following instructions,
especially if they involve many steps. He appears not to listen.
He often loses or forgets things. He has difficulty planning his
actions and shows poor judgment.
Michael needs constant mental stimulation,
but is easily bored. On the other hand, Michael is creative, intuitive,
and intelligent. Michael's fine motor skills are delayed, which
affects his writing. As he states, he gets "tired of writing."
Michael needs to feel safe and secure in order to ask for assistance.
He needs uncomplicated and clear instructions with guidance. Directions
and rules might need to be repeated several times. He needs to
feel he has some control over his environment, and when possible,
he needs to be allowed to have choices. he needs to learn to resolve
his feelings. He thrives on consistency.
Michael is able to adapt more easily
and adjust when made aware of changes early on. Michael then can
understand the consequences if he chooses not to comply with the
expectations. He needs praise when he is compliant. he needs to
have time to regroup his emotions. Michael has made progress regarding
his impulsiveness. Michael needs encouragement and support in
doing the things he thinks he can not do. Realistic expectations
and attainable goals need to be set, to help him achieve confidence.
Without losing sight of his strengths, and for positive mental
growth he needs to learn to compensate by learning alternative
strategies. He needs encouragement to form relationships. He need
to practice acceptable social-skills.
I am concerned about Michael's self-esteem.
he has expressed a feeling of being different and unable to do
what everyone else does. When frustrated he refers to himself
as stupid or dumb. Michael is extremely sensitive and emotional.
At times I have seen him demonstrate excessive, needless worry
with a sense of impending doom. He can alternate very quickly
between insecurity and daring. I continue to focus more on his
strengths without denying his weaknesses. This has become an effective
tool in helping Michael.
Respectfully,
Nanina M. Hawk
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Kathy:
Bert and Nina,
Probably Einstein would have been diagnosed
with ADD if it had been one of the things of the moment when he
was growing up.
When my youngest was in elementary school,
his teacher complained two years in a row that he was not doing
what he was supposed to do. He had not finished his Math., but
he had read every book in the room. I kind of wondered where she
was, but she complained so about the state of schools, etc. (even
though we are in the best school district in the city) that I
did not pressure her. I tried to get my child to do what he was
supposed to, without her reminding him....The next year, he had
a male teacher. He said marvelous things about this child. I waited.
I finally asked him if he didn't have a complaint about the child
not doing what he was supposed to do. He told me that he saw my
son reading and would sit down and say, "What are our future
projects? When are they do?" That was enough to get my son
back on track.
The other thing I have noticed is that
the creative child is the child who gets the most criticism. She/he
is likely to be the one who is off gathering wool or daydreaming.
School systems are not geared to the creative child at all.
If there is a drug for it, there seems
to be a rush for it. It makes life so much easier for the adults
who find a kid a handful...or is there, all of a sudden, a rash
of ADD kids out there who never existed before?
Kathy
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Nina:
Kathy, Your post was quite interesting
about your son. Two years ago I went to an awards ceremony for
gifted children at Duke University. It's a program where 7th graders
in the top three percentile of standardized tests take the ACT
or SAT. The top two percentile of these kids tested get an award
from Duke, I think John Hopkins has a similar program for the
Northern folk. Anyway the women sitting next to me had a son getting
an award in language skills. He scored a 29 on the ACT Language
section as a seventh grader. However, she told me during his first
three years in school, he was assigned to special Ed classes for
not finishing his math or not doing what he was supposed to be
doing in class, etc. She fought the system, and got them on the
right track. - Nancy
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Glyn:
After reading "Wyrd Kids...",
I can certainly agree with the idea (as I understood it) that
young males with ADD have an even greater need for a father in
their life. One of my sons, my 14 yr old was diagnosed as having
ADD. I resisted the drug option (Ritalin) for several years because
I didn't think it was needed from what I saw. The truth, however
is that what I saw was only a small part of his behavior. The
lad was pretty much uncontrollable by anybody but me, and my control
only held if I was present. Eventually we did try the drug, and
wouldn't you know, I didn't help. I've cried myself to sleep a
couple of times after watching him suffer through structured social
situations (no, I don't cry easily. no, I'm not a sensitive 90's
kind of guy. and no, I don't make excuses for him.) Perhaps his
condition is a result of something in the environment, but in
his case it is more likely because bio-mom was strung out on methamphetimine
while she was pregnant. I know that parents should think positively
about their kids, but in truth it horrifies me to think about
how his life might turn out if I don't monitor his activities
to the point of suffocating him. I'm damned if I do and damned
if I don't.
glyn
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CarolAnn:
Glyn:
Although neither of my kids are ADD,
one of them was lucky enough to inherit Chronic Major Depression
from me.
I have had Robby medicated for quite
a while, and his behavior had improved, but before we discovered
his problem he would try crazy things like running in front of
cars, etc... Only later did he tell me that he wanted to die because
he was so tired of feeling the way he did.
I was at my wits end trying to figure
out how to deal with him. I certainly understand how you feel.
By the way, there is a new medication
for ADD called Adderal. While I am not usually an advocate of
medicating children, I have seen a friend's child respond magnificently
to this medication. You might look into it.
-- Be well - CarolAnn http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/1326
--<--<-{{@ Doing it One Day at a Time!
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Nina:
I would like
you to read what I had written in the Newspaper in my town, to
a man who said that ADD is an excuse, because you can only decide
for yourself. Having to live with it with my son I have seen
ADD and its effects.
It is easy to sit back and judge others. It is much harder
to live with something every day misunderstood by many. In response
to Gene McCaffrey article about the use of Ritalin. As a parent
with an ADD child, I will talk Ritalin with you, Mr. McCaffrey.
I did not buy into anything or look for an easy way out, as you
suggest. I looked at the best way that I could help my child.
This is my third child, he was 3 and 4 years old when it was
apparent there was a problem. He is older now, and I know we
have come a long way. You can blame me as his mother; you would
not be the first; and I am sure you won't be the last. You could
blame me as a single mother doing the best I can for my children.
It is inconsequential if there are people who wish to blame me.
I realize we live in a society where people need someone to blame,
whether it is the truth or a lie. I would have eagerly let you
or anyone else walk in my moccasins for the guilt I have lived
with, as for a time I believed it when it was stated I was at
fault. When ADD was diagnosed and Ritalin was suggested I didn't
say, "Duh, OK." Instead, I went out and found out all
the information I could on ADD and Ritalin. My children are important
to me. I don't trust their well~being to a physician or to a
teacher without finding out as much as I can before I make a decision.
Teachers are usually the first to spot the
problems. Once a child enters school they spend more of their
waking hours at school than they do with their parents. Food
substances ingested by children are often suggested as the cause
of poor learning and attention, as well as other behavioral problems.
Studies involving sugar have shown that children allowed to use
any amount of sugar do not behave differently. Heredity is the
single factor shown to be a common associate of children with
attention disorders. Children with ADD are four times more likely
to have siblings and parents with ADD. We can also discuss a
cause for ADD in terms of brain dysfunction. Brain stem centers
contain the cell bodies which produce chemicals such as norepinephrine,
serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are then sent through
axon to all areas of the brain. Some information is available
to suggest that dysfunction of the dopamine system is important
to ADD. Medication is a widely used intervention for ADD.
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is also the most widely studied medication
given to children. One can view the effect of medication upon
the attention system as a stimulation of the normal system of
the brain stem that regulates attention and concentration. When
this system is stimulated, it is able to function and adjust a
child's attention and concentration level appropriately. If a
child needs and wishes to sit quietly and pay attention, the functioning
of the attention center allows this to happen. A non-functioning
attention center, as occurs with ADD, does not allow the child
to control his activity, attention and concentration. Thus, when
the attention center is stimulated, a child is able to control
his attention and concentration and appears to be quieter. Methylphenidate
(Ritalin) is an amphetamine like drug. It works by stimulating
the part of the brain that in not working. McCaffrey said he
asked several doctors why it has a "reverse" effect
on children and none could explain it. When I could go to the
library and find out, I think we should be more terrified of the
ability of the physicians in Fort Collins. Ritalin is not magic,
it doesn't change the behavior of the child. It allows the child
the ability to concentrate and learn things such as self-control,
self-discipline and behavior that is acceptable. Ritalin cannot
mask the problems of ADD. It is still there and to and these
children are a challenge to raise and to teach. The child with
ADD has a hidden handicap with which he will often need help for
many years. My son knows that his medication is only to assist
his concentration and allows him to exert more efficient control.
My son knows it is not the Ritalin but he himself who is responsible
for his behavior.
Nina M. Hawk
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Charlie:
Nina
There have been some new studies that suggest different a combination of a much smaller amount of Ritalin and another drug, works to combat ADD/ADHD better. The problem I have with Doctor's so frequently prescribing Ritalin, is that the long term effects it has on children have not been done. Ritalin itself has a large number of side effects, that in the long run, could manifest itself in these children as they get older. Ask your Doctor to check out what new treatments are out there. Do a search on the internet for the latest studies that are being published. I commend you for your hard work, to keep your son from relying on the medication too much. I know it can be frustrating and difficult at times. I wish you all the best.
--
Any Friend of Harvey's, Is a Friend of Mine.
Charlie
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Rene:
Nina -
It is so difficult to decide to medicate your child. As a teacher we
understand that, and at least in my case, I am always very careful before
even suggesting there may be an attention problem. I always make sure to
talk to the children's doctor myself to share my insights about the child
in the classroom.
I have to share a story about one of my students, Randy, who was the most
severe of any of the ADHD children I have had. I wondered if anyone ever
talked about it, especially to him, so one day I sat down and asked him
about it. I thought it might help me to understand what he needed if I
could get his perspective of living with the disorder. He told me, quite
seriously, that he was like a video tape running on fast forward. All the
same pictures, information, etc is there - it is just going to fast to be
understood all the time. When he took his medicine, he could slow the tape
down to "play" speed and be like other kids. He wanted to take his Rit.
He didn't like the way he felt without it. his mother, like you, gave it
to him for school - but on weekends or holidays, he didn't take it.
Unless he requested, which he did at times because he felt out of control.
He knew he was responsible for himself, and he had a great understanding of
what he was dealing with. Believe it or not, he was only 9 years old.
Since then, I have always made it a point to talk to my ADD/ADHD kids, to
get their perspective. And I have used Randy's video analogy to help them
understand themselves, as well as help their peers understand them.
Randy went from a child on the verge of expulsion and failurein second
grade to one of my top students in third grade. He helped me as much as I
hoped I helped him!
--
Rene
"Learn to teach...and teach to learn."
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Nina:
Rene,
I am glad to hear you say that, you sound like a wonderful teacher. Care
to move to Colorado? I have already got Kathy scoped out for Junior High
in a couple of years.
Not too many teacher take the time to find out how the child feels. I do
not blame them they have a room full of students to teach.
There is a wonderful book, that I wish to tell you about. "PUTTING ON THE
BRAKES" Young People's Guide to Understanding ADD/ADHD. Order on-line The book is
writen by Patricia O. Quinn, M.D. and Judith M. Stern, M.A. The book is
for kids, but great for grandparents who do not want to read all the
techinal stuff. The only way you can find this book is through, Magination
Press. I have a 800 number for them, I am not sure I can put it here.
The book talks about ADD, feelings, Gaining Control, Making Friends,
Understanding Medication, becoming more Organized. It give kids a feeling
of not being alone in this.
I like the book because it talks about and helps explain things like.
~How can I be better at following directions?
~How can I be a better listener?
~How can I become better organized and not lose things?
~How can I keep track of all the things I need to do?
~How can I stop being so messy?
~How should I study for tests?
~How can I make my work look better and neater?
I wish this book would wind up in book stores. It is a
great book for kids 8 -- 13.
The gain that I will make is it may just help a child. :-) Order on-line
Nina
Rene, the world needs more teachers like you and Kathy! Thanks for sharing
your story! :-)
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