Parents of kids with ADHD

[r3dh3d]

I've not got an official diagnosis yet, the shrink yesterday said he would have to check with colleages first to see if there are other tests pre-diagnosis. But he says I pretty definitely have ADHD; nothing else explains the symptoms. Hooray hooray. Sort of.

It runs in families, right? So although DD1 would not be troubled by it alongside everything else she has , DD2 would have a problem if she has it, and I ought to keep my eyes peeled so that she at least gets the support in school etc that I missed out on.

Sooo... 2 questions:

• if you have more than 1 kid with it, or other rellies with it, do they all have the same "type"? I have inattentive only, do I look for similar symptoms, or might DD2 be hyper too?

• when did you first notice it, and what were the first symptoms?

Thx all.

From the books I have read (a while back) on ADHD it does sound as if the presentation can vary from one family member to another. ( Ds was originally DXed ADHD but now has a dx of ASD/LD)

It does tend to 'run' in our family!

MIL, father, DH, DS1 and very probably (I can spot it at 50 paces now! ) DS5 also has it.

Yes, i would say they all do present very differently.

MIL is the "mind-racing-100MPH" type. She cant finish one sentence before going on to another sentence halfway thru that one! and doesnt ever wait for an answer to a question shes asked - BTW shes 63 - and still burns her hands on oven 3rd time in as many minutes because shes forgotton its still hot, and NO before you ask its not dementia, shes ALWAYS been that way. Very easily led too

Father is in his own world most of the time, doesnt sit still for a minute and 'shuffles' a lot.

sorry got to go and do lunches...

Thx all.

Jelly, DD2 will be 4 this Xmas. She's a bit boisterous, tendency to exhibitionism. She's the one that has to have the fairy wand forcibly removed before someone loses an eye. So some signs of impulsive (though you could equally read it as arsey). Not hyperactive at all. And all nearly-4-year-olds are inattentive, aren't they?

It sort of runs in our family in that my parents both have (I think) mild tendencies. Not as bad as me though. I don't think there's anything on DH's side. So we'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

It's an issue right now as we're at the choosing schools stage and I suspect some will be better with this sort of thing than others.

Yes, DS2 ( 8 asd/adhd) the educ psyc picked it up a couple of years ago and finally got the dx in August this year. He is described as having high activity levels, impulsive, doesn't like change, difficulty following instructions - the whole lot really!

My mum is hyper - always on the go so think she might be but also have begun to think that I might be as well my adhd parenting group is the only place I don't feel I have to force myself to sit still!

School choices are difficult, ds2 has s&L dificulties so our options were limited in that he was statemented and a specialist speech unit was deemed the most appropriate option for him. He has settled very well.

Hiya my ds1 has d/x of adhd although his school say they cant see it but he is so impulsive,very immature, very short tempered and will hit his siblings go to hit myself/dp without any notice or warning signs when something annoys him no matter how little, he talks nonstop so bad in fact we have to send him into the other room for 5 mins chill time at times, he is VERY easily influenced, no road sense at all, hoards all sorts of crap and no personal hygiene skills..

My ds3 has suspected adhd and he is total opposite he is always on the go cant sit still, delibrately does things for attention hurts his twin brother but none of his other siblings, he strokes ppl, touches inapproipately etc so two different examples but you can see the adhd signs there

I am considering getting myself tested as since i been on the learning curve of having special needs children i have noticed im very fidgety even when sitting i move my legs constantly and always need something inmy hands to fiddle with, i cant finish a conversation without stopping half way and going onto a different subject i try so hard but things just come out of my mouth about soemthing totally different, i hate waiting around and will pace, i also struggle to give eye contact and force myself to give eye contact even when in bed i fidget and move about lol and as a child i never shut up talking when awake or asleep i meant to mention it to my gp but forgot doh! x

Whereabouts in the country are you, jan? I'm getting seen by SLaM (South London and Maudsley, which is in London, near Brixton). They seem to know their stuff. But wherever you go, they all like you to have early history - ie either bring a parent , or dig out your early school reports - they're ideally looking for evidence from age 7 or before.

If you're within striking distance of SLaM, I'd ask for referral to there from your GP. From what I can tell, they see you relatively quickly; if you don't get referred to the right place it can take months, years even.