8 yr. old boy and worry

[george73]

My young son was diagnosed with ADHD about 2 years ago. He was on meds. for awhile and we stopped using them as we are self pay. He did fine till about January of this year. He was put back on Adderral 3 weeks ago. We have tryed 4 other meds. and they all gave him a racing heart etc...
     To start with he was aggressive and hyper. Couldn't even sit at the supper table all the way on his chair. Got up and went from one foot to the other, sat down and on and on. Also he was very preoccupied with the end of the world & hell. He couldn't even get to sleep at night! We talked to him and still he had so many questions that we couldn't answer them all. This went on for a couple of months every night and several times during the day. When it wasn't that it was playing hunt on the computer of going fishing. Finally I took him back to his doc. who is specilized in adult and children ADD/ADHD. He put him back on 5 mg. adderral. He went back to school and got into trouble with the teacher for refusing to do ANYTHING she said. We had noticed the same extreme stuborness at home. So the doc put him up to 10 mg. Much better but very agrumentive in the mornings and mean in the afternoons. So now he was given a fast and short acting adderall for the morning and afternoon. Much better. But he still gets one thing in his head and can't get it out. First it was drawing traps to trap a raccoon. Now it is taking anything apart. He wants to take an engine apart. He's gonna make his own motorbike. Go to the junk yard and get and old car engine and put it on his bike. When we told him it wouldn't work he gets to talking about what else would work. NON STOP. Now tonight he came and layed down on our bedroom floor. He is sleeping and I woke up. He was talking in his sleep. I heard. " Do you hear that? Angels! Drop!! " So it makes me think that he is still obsessed about all that yet to but just stopped talking about it as we told him not to worry and to try to turn it off and think about something else. I know this is long winded but please bear with me...I am at my wits end!

[hopsing94]

Children are resiliant.  If he is not doing well with the aderall change it try something else.  my son is on a patch, daytrana, 20mg.  He is such an angel on it.  we tried folcalin first and he didn't like breaking the capsule and swallowing it in yogurt or applesauce.  so we did the patch.  on the weekends we only give him half, it's just enough to calm him and have a good day.  but when he's not on it, his attitude and demeanor is nerve racking.  I try to understand that he can not control it but it is very hard to deal with.  all i can recommend is talk to your dr. about different meds.  believe me i wouldn't give him anything if he didn't need it.  his grades are all a's and b's on it, before it was d's f's and suspension from kindergarden.  he is now 8 going on 9.  
Good luck.

[Vla]

Lets not pretend here that you have actually lived for 24 hours a day in the homes of these "saints" as you refer to them. Some children struggle more than others, this is evident in the teaching profession. My point is that there is a difference from a child with a medical condition that requires medication, and one who comes from a home where good examples were not instilled in them, and that child is now acting out because of it. There is also a difference between a parent who has a child with ADHD who requires some type of therapy or medication, and one who is grasping at straws in order to "label" their child's behavior and justify "fixing" the behavior with medication Your job as a teacher is to educate, period. Sometimes however, it is the parents who also need educating.

[Vla]

I am also a parent and a teacher. I think that the diagnosis of ADHD for most children is often inaccurate. Forcing your child to take medications that have such side effects as you described is sickening. This is for all of you in this forum who are advocates for drugging up your innocent children: GET YOUR CHILDREN OFF THE DRUGS!!!!!! No wonder your child worries so much, he probably has gotten the message already that people think that there is something "wrong" with him. Children are not simply born with undesirable behaviors, they learn them. Take a long look in the mirror my friend. I have dealt with numerous parents who think it is their child who has the problem. These little clones of us need to have their feelings validated just as much as we do as adults. Which means we may do so much explaining, we think they may tire of it,(when really it is we that tire of it) but guess what, they don't. In fact, it makes them more curioius. This is a good thing and does not require any medication to correct. You may not realize this, but these are the best years of your life, years that will vanish sooner than you can possibly imagine. You're going to miss this. My advice, take it easy, stop worrying, take your child to Disneyland, and just enjoy the little things in life. Your child will pick up on these positive behaviors and attitudes and begin to display them himself. I am often asked why children display negative behaviors in the first place and my answer is and will always be the same: " I blame the parents".

[musicmama]

I completely understand where you're coming from.  Do you have your son in therapy?  You may want to research Asperger's Syndrome.  We have a friend who recently had their child diagnosed.  They are often obsessed with one thing, and will not let it go.  ADD/ADHD symptoms are often very similar.  Also, to help him sleep, a low dose Melatonin can be helpful.  We have an ADHD child who has never been able to sleep.  I pray you and your son find peace.

[george73]

I forgot that when he was 5 his 3 yr old cousin was killed in an accident. He was very interested in all that and wanted to see him in the casket alot. He had alot of questions all of which I thought where answered. He hasn't asked any more for years about him. About a month ago a 65 yr. old friend died of stomache cancerand he only talked about that a little. It was like he understood he was in a better place so nothing to worry about. The another close friend who is older yet, found out his cancer may be back and a ols lady we are aquatid with who has stomche cancer and also there was an article in the newpaper a week ago about a five year old who has a rare kind of cancer and he is doing super good. My son has worried now he might get cancer and die to. He even was crying. I thought we talked thru that one to, even tho it still has come up maybe once in 2 days.