Teaching ADHD children to self manage their behaviour

[henryhsmum]

My DS is 7 and a half and has severe combined type ADHD and autism/aspergers. He is on a high dose of short acting Ritalin - 55mg a day. He needs 40mg to get him through school without being disruptive and we found that with less than that and on the long acting drug his behaviour was unmanageable in school. I feel that it is essential that long term he learns strategies to self manage his ADHD. I guess that to date we have focused mainly on the autism as he has had that since age 3 and ADHD only diagnosed a year ago. He moved to mainstream from special school in September so we have mainly focused on getting his meds right and settling him in mainstream, where he has full time support. I am paranoid that if his behaviour deteriorates he can't be managed in mainstream. We have no halfway house here, ie no mainstreams with special units attached. It is either mainstream or a low ability range special school. My DS is able academically albeit impeded by his disabilities so I know special school would not be right for him again. His ADHD hid his ability and the medication has helped him a lot at school. I am however frightened of relying on the medication because he is already on a high dose and I am worried we will hit a point where the meds aren't effective and he can 't be given more. I am very pro Ritalin for my DS but I feel that now his meds are established, he also needs help with behaviour. Would just like some ideas on things we could try that would help in that sense. Exercise seems to be key but only works with 2 people with him as he can be very difficult and run off, throw himself on floor and I am frightened of walking more than about 50 metres without someone else with me with him

I struggle with teaching DS2 (6yo) to self-manage his behaviour as well. ADHD/ASD, sensory problems, dyspraxia, hypermobility, etc. He cannot have Ritalin due to family history of heart problems. He's also in SS, having moved over at the beginning of Yr2. He's also a runner, so I completely understand what you're saying about exercise.

I'm not sure if you're talking about impulsive issues or general behaviour. Which in particular are you looking at?

I am surprised that the SS couldn't keep him academically challenged. DS2 is academically well in advance of his age group, however, struggles to focus and pull the comprehension through (using the knowledge and applying it), but his SS gears his education to his individual needs. There is no way he could cope with a MS classroom - he gets stressed and anxious if there's more than 6-7 children in the classroom.

The MS school should be working closely with you to put strategies in place to allow him to cope with the MS schedule and other things that may cause him to become anxious or struggle. What has the SENCO said?

7 is still very young; there's a lot of time left in junior school for progress in social skills and behaviour.

DS2 has similar types of needs: ADHD and Aspergers/ASD and highly able. Quite noticeable 'autistic' behaviours when he gets overexcited or distressed.

He is coming to the end of Y6 at a mainstream school that he loves and has been on methylphenidate since Y3 in order to help him cope at school.

His behaviour has improved dramatically in the last three years, especially since he turned 11.

He thinks that his medicine has enabled him to focus enough to observe the socially appropriate behaviour of the neurotypical children around him and model his own behaviour on theirs (yes, that's actually how he talks!

He is currently attending a transition course at a selective secondary where he'll be going in September, and we're feeling quite optimistic.

My DS is lucky that we have a very small village school with only 60 pupils in total so there are only 19 in his class. At SS there were 12 so it is OK for him class size wise. His main ADHD behaviours are hyperactivity, noise, fidgeting severely to extent of throwing things and hitting people, slamming doors, shouting! He very much struggles to concentrate without meds.

I lost faith in the SS tbh. They denied point blank that he had ADHD and refused to fill out a Connor's. the consultant was quite shocked when he met my son as he said it was very severe and should have been picked up.

Maybe I am expecting too much of him age 7 to learn to self manage but I am just anxious about his behaviour

My DS is in early stages of copying behaviour off other children and that for me is the biggest benefit of mainstream. The other kids all adore him, they know he is different but they baby him and even picked him to be their school council rep!

At moment he copies behaviour but can't stop himself in the heat of the moment. Copying has had some disadvantages, such as he has been told that bees will sting him so the latest thing is a phobia of bees and flies, he used to love the garden but will stand there and scream now if there any flies

I will look into alert programme. I have just bought a book called "step by step help for children with ADHD" a self help manual for parents which looks good.

One of my more mad ideas was to get a dog to make us all go on walks but I am probably making life harder for myself with that one!