how do i determine if my 13 yr. old son has ADHD or behavior and anger problems?

[sandt5165]

My son was  diagnosed with ADHD 3 mos. ago. He is 13 almost 14 Yrs. old, his Father and I divorced 6 yrs. ago and we have joint custody of him and our other 9 yr. old son. For 2 yrs. now my 13 yr. does not ever bring books home from school and says he does his homework at school. I have a problem with this because he had to go to summer school last year, and get phone calls from teachers almost every day because he cusses them and wont leave other students alone and disrupts almost every class. Well, my wake-up call was in Nov. of 08', one of his teachers calls to tell me that he was sitting on another students desk and after several times of telling him to get off of the desk he got up and the top of the desk broke, a screw popped out and hit the teacher in the eye. Well, we take him to the Dr. and he sends me to a Psychiatrist. They ran some tests on him at the Hospital and turned out he does have ADHD. The Dr. prescribed hi,m Abilify 2.5mgs. daily. Also Melatonin at night for good rest, the 1st night on the Melatonin he wet the bed. I called the Doc back that day and she told me to take him off of the Melatonin. Still bedwetting occasionally. On April 1 2009 he got very angry because he had to go to the Dr. again. and refused to get into my car when I picked him up at his Dad"s, he asked his Grandpa(Step) where the key to his Dad"s gun cabinet is that he wanted to shoot me or worse himself. I called the police because I can't control him and neither could his Step-Grandpa.The Police made him get in my car and go to the Dr. and told us to make sure that all the guns are removed from the Dad"s home. The Pediatrician took him off of the Abilify and sent us back to Therapy, well my son refuses to go there again also. On my week with the boys on 4/28/09 my son was constantly hitting on his little brother so I tried to disapline him by putting him in his room and that did not work, he told me several times he hates me and wishes I would die! He"s also telling his little brother to tell me the same thing. I took him to a new Psychiatrist yesterday and he says he thinks that he does not have ADHD so I am very confused. It is not normal to tell your own mother you hate her let alone, tell her to die. This has been going on for a year now, cursing me all the time, staying out all the time as late as he wants. I feel like I am a failure as a mother and that it is my fault but I know this is another wake-up call for me and I don"t what to do and feel like there is nowhere else to turn. The Father of my son refuses to go to any Doctors with us and I need some advise very, very desperately! Keep in mind this Psychiatrists insist that I give up my every other week with him, keep him away from his little brother and life should be better for my son if he stays with his dad!!!! Not normal to me at all because he is trying to sound like a Lawyer instead of a Psychiatrist which happens to be a friend of the Dads Family. Please help!!!  Thank You, very confused!


This discussion is related to Aggressive Behavior.

[jdtm]

I took him to a new Psychiatrist yesterday and he says he thinks that he does not have ADHD so I am very confused. - your words

I suspect this doctor is correct - often young children are first diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as many of the more severe mental health issues have not "fully developed" - shall we say.  I feel your son should be seeing a psychiatrist; if you feel uncomfortable with this doctor, then request another psychiatrist. By the way, children do not have the right to "refuse" to go to the doctor; if you feel he needs to go, then he goes (whatever it takes to get him there).

If you are "confused", then I might suggest you post on the "ask a doctor" - child behavior forum for a professional opinion.  Hope this helps ....

[margypops]

It could be the meds he was on if you google the meds and put in side effects you will come up with information, especially if he hasnt got ADHD , if you look at the ADHDf orum you will see a lot of similar posts , Try him on some supplements Experts have agreed that Food supplemet treatment of children especially those with concentration and learning difficulties benefit from a multiple Vitamin-mineral supplement Vit B Complex and Vit C some parents have also found Fish oil useful.