"Counseling Options Available"

Coping with these disorders can be assisted with the option of counseling. Counselors can teach your child different techniques that they can do when they find themselves getting angry or frustrated when things do not go their way. Counselors are someone your child can talk to once they have built that level of trust with them. Especially, if your child is one of those children who seem to get in trouble both at home and school, their counselor gives them the understanding and comfort that they need or do not feel that they are getting from their parents because of the trouble that they get into all of the time. Keep in mind a child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder does not take responsibility for the things that they do, "Everything is always everyone else's fault." They feel that adults as well as children are picking on them just for no apparent reason. So dealing with this type of child a counselor has their hands full. Counselors are part of the plan in helping your child deal with their disorders. Their are other disorders that can come along with ADHD like Conduct Disorder and Learning Disabilities, we will speak in depth in the future on these conditions as well. Bullying can be a problem as well, not just for other children in your neighborhood or school, but in your own house with other siblings.

Until Next Time,
Tandy

"Symptoms Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder"

In yesterdays post I forgot to inform you about the symptoms of this disorder once you review them you will be able to understand why this is such a difficult disorder to live with. Time, patience and understanding is going to be needed in order to help your child. Unfortunately, their is no medication to treat this disorder. As of now counseling is the only option, symptoms below:

• frequent temper tantrums
• excessive arguments with adults
• refusal to comply with adult requests
• always questioning rules; refusal to follow rules
• behavior intended to annoy or upset others, including adults
• blaming others for his/her misbehaviors or mistakes
• easily annoyed by others
• frequently has an angry attitude
• speaking harshly, or unkindly
• seeking revenge

"Oppositional Defiant Disorder"

This disorder can make you have a nervous breakdown. From the calls from school to teachers complaining about the disrespect your child shows to them. Can you imagine having a child that no one wants to be bothered with? This disorder makes it appear you have not taught your child no values or respect at all. I am a very firm hard parent, but meeting my son you would not think so, Oppositional Defiant Disorder is the worst of the worst of disorders. For the longest I use to tell my son's psychiatrist that their has to be more wrong than just ADHD. So one day I decided to do my own research and boy was I shocked! I came across ODD and my son had every last one of the symptoms discussed to the 3rd power. So he is a very severe case of ODD and he is considered disabled because of the severity of it and combined with ADHD it is a nightmare. I had discontinued this blog for awhile and felt that I needed to continue it because like myself sometimes these doctors and psychiatrist do no know or are not aware of this disorders either. I have listed on the left "My Out Of Control Child" to the left and "Anger Management" I have used both of these programs and they have made some improvement for my son. Maybe they will work better for you all.

Until next time,
God Bless

Tandy

"What Your Family May Think"

I was told so often by many people that I just did not know how to "handle my child" and to let them get him for a week and they promised he would be brought back a knew child. "Yeah Right". Know I consider myself a very tough and rough parent I am not a easy going girl and my children know this. So for someone to tell me this I really took it as a insult, but keep in mind this is what alot of people think when they see your child or any child who may be ADD or ADHD. Well, one of the people who made this statement to me happen to be my son's father. So he agreed to take my son for 2 months (know keep in mind he is suppose to straighten him out). So I asked him and his wife do you need his medication? They both said "Oh No WE Do Not Need That". So I said okaaaaay! So about a week or 2 went by and my ex-husband calls me and says "What Is Wrong With This Boy"? So I ask what is the problem? He goes on to say he has been at the school everyday and that the teachers call him he as spanked our son and nothing works. So of course I am loving this because I tried to tell him and he chose not to listen. So to make a long story short Guess what? He ended up taking the medication. So do not get discouraged no one knows what you have tried and no one knows what you are going through. Just keep on educating yourself about the 2 conditions and you will be fine.





Until next time,



Tandy

"You As A Parent"

I must say as a parent it can be very difficult raising a child with this disorder. You will need a lot of patience and understanding. Most of all it is not your fault that your child has this disorder. I think the most relief for me was that their was a answer and a diagnosis for my son's behavior. I remember thinking on many days the school would call me complaining about his behavior "What is wrong with this child?" But I even remember those times when I had exhausted every punishment option I knew and he still was not behaving in a proper way I remember thinking "What am I going to do?" The school has had it with him and daycare I cried many days and nights about my son. So to finally get a answer for his behavior was a great pressure off of me. I immediately put my son on Ritlan 5mg he was 5yrs old in kindergarten. Now some of you may choose other options, but this was my "only" option. My son was on the verge of being suspended from school and kicked out of daycare. So my advice to you is to think about how you choose to treat this disorder carefully their are other options available that your doctor may suggest.

Until next time,

Tandy

"What To Do Next"

If your child does show any of the symptoms that were mentioned in the last post and they have been present for 6months then your next step would to be get your child tested. For school age children you can speak with the child's teacher and advise him or her that you suspect that your child may be ADD or ADHD. Now this service will be done free of charge. The teacher will fill out a assessment on your child in reference to their behavior in the classroom. One will be sent home for you to complete as well to answer questions about your child's behavior at home. The school psychologist will look over both assessments and will determine based off your answers and the teachers if your child "MAY" or "MAY NOT" be ADD or ADHD. This determination is based off of the test scores. Take the test to your child's pediatrician and you all can then discuss what treatment plan to begin for your child. Now this is how things were done for my child. Depending on the state where you live they may do things a little differently. Now, it is up to you, but you can also take your child to a child psychologist to be evaluated and tested as well, but of coarse this will be at your expense. The most important thing that you must find out is that which ever doctor you choose "MAKE SURE THEY ARE EDUCATED AND EXPERIENCED IN THE TREATMENT OF ADD AND ADHD" My pediatrician advised me that he was not knowledgeable at all and at once referred me to a specialist who only specialized in ADD and ADHD "ONLY". Today their are many pediatricians who are knowledgeable, but they may refer you to a child psychiatrist. For children who are not in the school system yet you can still take your child to your pediatrician or a child psychologist. Please feel free to make any comment on anything I may have left out.

Until next time
God Bless

Tandy

"Know What To Look For"

These two conditions have become very common in the last 12 years although these conditions have been around for a long time. Their has not been very much information available on these conditions up until about 12 years ago. Now, their are books available and you can find all kinds of information on the Internet about this disorder. When my son who is now 12 was diagnosed at the age of 5 I never was aware that these conditions existed. My son was getting into trouble well at first in pre-k I would get complaints about his behavior on a daily basis so I would go with the regular punishments of taking toys away and spankings if the situation called for one. (This is one example of one of those situations) my son opened up the emergency door of the pre-k bus while it was in motion. This act I later found out falls under "Conduct Disorder" which sometimes some children with ADHD may develop this disorder as well, but we will discuss this at a later date. Of course I was told by the pre-k school that if that happened again he would be kicked out out of the school. So as you can see it is very important to "Know What To Look For". Now this log entry is mainly for the parents out there who do not know what the symptoms are. Doctors say they can show up as early as the age of 3 years old.

Symptoms of Inattention: ADD

1. often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities
2. often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities
3. often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
4. often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions)
5. often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
6. often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework)
7. often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (e.g., toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools)
8. is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
9. is often forgetful in daily activities

Now for the symptoms of ADHD their are 2 associated with it Hyperactivity:

1. often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
2. often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected
3. often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness)
4. often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly
5. is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor"
6. often talks excessively

Symptoms of Impulsivity:

1. often blurts out answers before questions have been completed
2. often has difficulty awaiting turn
3. often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

Symptoms must have persisted for at least 6 months. Some of these symptoms need to have been present as a child, at 7 years old or younger. The symptoms also must exist in at least two separate settings (for example, at school and at home). The symptoms should be creating significant impairment in social, academic or occupational functioning or relationships.

This I hope is some helpful information and their will be more to come about this condition in the future. "MUCH MUCH MORE". Those of you who want to add a little more please feel free to post your comments.

Until next time,

God Bless

Tandy