Help, Son with ADD/ADHD has odd behaviors

[angelas817]

My 10 year old son was diagnosed with combined form ADD/ADHD 3 years ago. We had him on Adderall but he developed some obsessive behaviors such as not wanting to touch things (he would pull his shirt sleeve over his hands) and saving EVERYTHING including trash (even hiding it), so our doctor took him off that and put him on Focalin. He was doing ok but soon became very "spacy" and asked if he could try going without his meds.He has been off for about 6 months now and everything was going well until now. He has begun developing odd behaviors. He is starting to save things again and is now becoming overly clingy. He has always been very sensitive but lately he doesn't want to leave us (even when his friends invite him out to play). He cries when his dad goes to work and today the school called to find out if something happened at home because he is visibly upset (we are going up there today to meet with them). We have tried talking with him and he insists nothing has happened at school and he just misses us. He has always been a bit different and during his testing the doctor said he is extremely intelligent. Is it common for children with ADD/ADHD to be overly sensitive or emotional??

[Lipasill]

I am sorry my words did not register on the keyboard. What I ment to say is ta I have observed odd behaviors such as saving 'trash", extreme clinginess, sudden tearful breakdowns way before I was even considering medication or add or adhd. It has recently become evident to me that the medication Adderall, is clearing up his mind, sorting thoughts in a new manner, which has made him able to express underlying problems. This past week I fond out that he has been bullied for some time. Terrible emotional ad verbal bullying. Without the medicine, I do not think he would have been able to express the severity of his problem and all he pain that came with it. Having said that, look for what the Adderall might have brought out into the light.
Life is an endless search. Good luck!

[Lipasill]

My son before he was put on Adderall....sosensitive and so bright.

[kirk8]

I did some odd things when I was a kid.  Different things than you are describing with your son.  I was more obsessive compulsive but I horded things like he does.  And it had nothing to do with my ADD.  I did it weather I was on meds or off.

I think he will grow out of it.  I did.

[Sandman2]

   Its also possible he has Sensory Processing Disorder and not ADHD.   It is not unusual to find kids who have been misdiagnosed.  You do not take meds for SPD.  Check out this link and see if any of the symptoms ring a bell.
     http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/

[MarkLakewood3367]

It is really difficult to determine to what extent if at all the medication or his ADHD is affecting behavior.  You mentioned that your son was previously diagnosed with ADHD combined type but you didn't state why.  I think that it would be a mistake for any child to be on psychotropic medication for an emotional issue after being diagnosed with ADHD not to be receiving counseling.  It is within this context that you would be able to better determine what is causing is what.  Your son's school counselor might be a good resource for this service.  

[ShinyJabberwocky]

I'm not an ADD/ADHD expert, but I've been living with a mild to moderate case of ADHD and know people who also have it, including my wife. The saving of trash and not wanting to touch things does not sound like a symptom of ADHD. What sounds more reasonable is that the Adderall might have, for whatever reason, enhanced an underlying issue and brought it to the forefront, causing your son to act a certain way. The only reason why I say this is because you said your son was starting to save trash again but is not on any medication currently. It might be helpful to test for something other than ADHD to see if perhaps the ADHD was the primary disorder but that there might have been something else as well.

I don't believe having ADHD makes a child overly sensitive or emotional, but children with ADHD do have impulse control issues, which can come across as emotional or sometimes even aloof or uncaring--it really depends on the child. And perhaps because your son is extremely intelligent, he understands more than he can process, which might be part of the problem. I know a few intelligent people, and they seem to trade off some weaker social skills because they are so smart.

Or perhaps some of this is just a phase, like the clingy behavior. Sometimes it's hard to tell what is going on in their heads. The best thing you can do is be supportive. Perhaps trying different meds for the ADHD might work and maybe even seeing another doctor for a second opinion--not for the ADHD, but for another disorder that the ADHD could have masked.

I wish you the best.