ADHD, any advice welcome please!!

[alibo]

Have already got a thread "AUTISM Please help"...; am also looking into ADHD a bit more. My main concern is ds still hitting out, has scratched children recently, and is generally very impulsive and acts without thinking, can interupt conversations sometimes, and has to be always reminded to take turns etc. Does respond to teachers instructions, but always last to do so etc.
Those are the two issues teacher is talking to me about at school. Had initially dismissed ADHD as, seems other symptoms that do not fit at all. He is not hyperactive, not always up and down, doesn't climb about etc. He can sit and concentrate on tasks for a while, and loves to complete jigsaws etc. Always likes to finish what he's doing, so he can admire the finished product!! etc.
Has anyone experienced ADHD with just the impulsive, can be aggressive to other children side of things??

not unhelpful at all magso! like you said there is such a wide range of symptoms; have seen gp, and dismissed it really due to the lashing out being only concern!! Will catch up later, off to a party now, just hope injured child isn't there!

I went to an Autism Symposium on Wednesday and there was a speaker who is heading up a study giving methyl/B12 and folinic acid to children on the spectrum. Turns out (just as we parents have been saying for years) they have found a significant number of these children are deficient in this area. Both methyl/B12 and folinic acid are critical in some very important biochemical reactions on the cellular level.

A good book on various diets and supplements is Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders.

Thanks for that Jabberwocky

I have just heard from the paediatric assessment place for DS2 (asd) for ADHD assessment so it might be useful for me to look into they methyl/B12 and folinic acid.

Have to say, I am dreading the whole process.

I know how you feel. It certainly is a process. We are in the US and just getting that initial referral to a GI specialist is proving to be difficult. I talked to a mom at the symposium who said it took her 4 years to get her referral. The regular ped drs just dont' want to admit there are things going on that are beyone their expertise

God that's awful, 4 years.

The Ed Psych drew out attention to it at DS2's last assessment and we were referred on to waiting list for about 18 months. I expect we will get a dx - we haven't got the appointment through yet but have had a blue form to fill out which was horrible. I expect it will by around May time before an appointment.

Think it might be worthwhile checking out the methyl/B12 side of things though.

I hope you're process doesn't take as long as the mum at the symposium, I think I would tear my hair out.

Good luck with everything.

I have decided that I will just annoy the hell out of his doctor until they make the referral if only to get rid of me

Ds1 has had gut problems for 2 years now and even though he is doing well with supplements I want to be assured that nothing else is going on and that there is no damage, etc. One of the studies they talked about at the symposium was the Brain/Gut/Immune triad and we certainly have the gut portion.

alibo Can I ask what changes you have made to your son's diet or behaviour strategies since asking advise on MN? I am interested to know how much of the advise you have found useful.

Hi ICANDOTHAT, as far as his diet, i have tried to stick to just cutting out convenience foods, avoiding all artificial colours,preservatives etc, and avoiding aspartame found in sugar free drinks etc. I have not been completely rigid with it, as over half term he had certain sweets, cakes at other peoples houses etc that i am not giving him at home; plus had things at birthday parties etc.
I have also started him on ESKIMO KIDS, fish oil supplement; you may have seen my other thread "fish oil for help with impulsivity problems". He's had this for about 10 days now, so will see how things go.