conners parent scale- revised

My husband took his son (my 6 year old step son) to the pediatrician regarding his hyper activity. My step son, is very hyper active, makes incessant noises, seems to always be on the go, doesn’t pay attention, for example he doesn’t think when asked a question, he will reply: "I don’t know and if we ask him to think about the question first and try another answer besides "I don’t know he gets very up set, sometimes to the point of yelling at his father and I " I told you I don’t know"  He is also very touchy, gets upset if people move his thing/ toys..ect. Up in till the beginning of the year (07) he would throw temper tantrums, they have decreased over the year. We have been discussing the possibility of ADHD for about 2 years and finally made the decision to ask the doctor, the doctor gave us the conners parent rating scale but upon looking it over, I noticed that their are several questions that do not apply to my step son, for example: he does not have a hard time making friends, he is a good student- 1st grade, math, spelling he gets good grades, I guess im just wondering if he really could be ADHD if he gets good grades. And I would like to know more about how the doctors make a diagnosis based upon the 0-3 scale of rating the behaviors. Any help would be super-
Thanks

[CloverJ]

Please know that children are misdiagnosed with ADD or ADHD quite a lot. My son, who is 17 now, was diagnosed with ADHD in the 2nd grade. He was diagnosed by a pshycologist after have him do a computer test. We started him on medicine and did notice a change. But the change was that while on the medication, he was not himself. Meaning he became extremely quite, almost no emotion, and not really interested in much. He got to where he wasn't hungry, he had a hard time going to sleep. Every summer I would take him off his medicine and just let him be himself. (He never yelled at my husband or I though) I think the yelling is because he is uded to getting away with it so he continues to do it. Lets put it this way, our children know how to push our buttons. There are so many side affects to the ADD/ADHD medicines: loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, stunted growth, depression, and these are just a few. PLEASE think real hard before resorting to any medications, because it is like if you start one the next thing you know they have them taking something additional. I would take your son to a phsyciatrist and have him evaluated. This type of doctor can rule ADD/ADHD in or out and also check for other issues at the same time. My son actually ended up have what is called NON-Verbal learning disabilities. What this means is that he will take things people say very literally, he has a hard time processing things like math and science. In other words he learns better verbally than say like reading to himself. He still, to this day, gets very frustrated when he reads something and doesn't understand what he read. If I read it for him he does a lot better. My son doesn't have a problem with reading, except for a little bit with comphrension. He has read since he was 3 yrs old. Check out every avenue before putting him on medicine. I had to learn the hard way and find out by trial and error. I finally took my son off all med's at the end of 7th grade. He is now in 12th grade and only had to go for one semester of school this year. At the end of the first semester he will have all his credits to graduate. From February until June, he will just have to wait for the rest of the 2008 class to graduate so he can walk with them and receive his diploma. Another thing to, is that ADD/ADHD is hereditary, and it is more common in boys than girls. So if your son does have ADD/ADHD, it probably came from your husband. My husband found out, after we had our son tested, that he was ADD and our son, from my husbands previous marriage, has ADD/ADHD also. Best of luck and my blessings are sent your way.

[samgirl]

thank you, my husband and I are not jumping to put him on meds, we are just concerned :) his teacher, has been teaching for a long time, she tells me that he is sometimes disruptive in class(making inappropriate noises and hyper, she does have to give him reminders through out the day) thier has only been about 3 times this year that she Had really seemed to be at her wits end with him when I have come to pick him up from school. I have mentioned to her the ADHD, she says he is hyper but insists he couldn't possibly be ADHD because he gets good grades, (I am apprehensive to give her the conners teacher scale, because she at the beginning of the year expressed her dislike to behavior charts, humm what to do?

[samgirl]

yes, I agree and thank you! :) on monday I will be talking to her.  

[mythreedaughters]

I am in the same situation with my 6 1/2 yr old daughter.  She is the middle of 3 girls, and always seems to run off of a motor...never ever stopping.   This week we have gone over her reading homework at least 2 times every evening, and she took her test today on it, and got a D-  I don't understand, and I don't want to just put her on meds for the rest of her childhood.  I was wondering what everyone thought about the possibility of a food allergy?  I have heard of this, but does it really make kids off the wall like my little Cressa is?  Help

[nunu1977]

we put my stepson on fish oil and Attentive Child (from Vitamin world) before trying meds. it helps IMMENSELY with his hyperactivity more than his attention but well worth it.

[insightadhd]

i was in rehab for atrophy twice from stimulants. i have never done drugs other than adhd meds from age 6 - legal adult(17). i pleaded my parents to stop the slaughter and influence from drugs. ironically, I was also in a drug rehab program with mr conners daughter.  i am willing to let everyone know about big pharma. even if big pharma puts my family on the naughty list for speaking truth.  or is it too late for me?

In a Congressional hearing,  July 15, 1996, Rep. Christopher Shays observed:

“In ADHD, we are trying to draw the line between personality and pathology, and we are placing millions of children and adults on either side of the social, medical and legal boundary that divides the healthy from the sick.  We should do so only with the greatest care, and with particular reticence to make our children medical patients...”