1) Boy diagnosed at 5 years old by a young doctor with the latest up to date education and training.
2) Sister 16months older, raised exactly the same way, totally normal.
3) Difference between the two is black and white, night and day.
4) Both very intelligent, in gate-advanced education programs etc.
5) Boy treated with concerta (slow-release) a few years. Became less effective with time. Switched to ritalin.
If he does not take meds, it’s obvious. If he takes the meds, he’s able to concentrate and focus and control himself.
Anyone who still believes (in 2012) that ADD/ADHD is a made-up disease is operating off extremely old steretypes and misinformation. I used to think it was just an excuse for bad parenting. Having a kid with real ADD, and seeing the irrefutable affects of the medication, converted me to being more open minded.
Supposedly, many grow out of it.
We try to keep him off medication on weekends, or during the week after homework is done. However, anyone who wants to roll the dice and let their kid suffer through the formative educational years, don’t buy it.
It’s definitely real but does NOT need to be treated with medication; the supplement magnesium is what he/she is deficient in.
You would not believe the list of symptoms that are present when mag is absent. ADD being one of many.
Thank you for that. In karate and swimming lessons I’m made to feel like the bad parent, the one who does not discipline her child properly. My husband is home for 48 hours at a time so it’s not lack of proper male role model. In fact, my son’s 2-3 hours of bounce house/trike time is while my husband is working out. It’s their time together while our daughter is napping. We just left karate because my son could not focus and stay still. We’ve tried just about every method of discipline: spanking, time outs, taking away special toys, explaining good and bad behavior, etc. His actions continue. Right now he is in the kitchen jumping up and down in a circle while reading a Leap Frog book and sing a Taylor Swift song. He’s been up since 7 am and has had no nap. If I ask him to say a Hail Mary, Our Father, or his four karate statements (positive statements all his teacher’s students must memorize) he can rattle them off perfectly, all while fidgeting excessively and looking everywhere but at me. None of the other four year olds in his class can memorize the first one properly, but they can stay in their spot and mind the instructor. When an instructor works with him one on one, my son gets it instantly. When he’s with the small group he dances in a circle and violates the other students’ personal space. The child is intelligent, but just cannot focus regardless of what I do. At breakfast yesterday morning I actually considered tying him to his chair. I just couldn’t take it anymore.