My 4 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD today but I think there is more to it than that. I knew there was a problem from the time he was about 1 1/2 yrs old. He IS hyper and always has been. His attention span is about this long __ . BUT, He also has other things going on like, fascination with fire, to the point of almost burning my house down last week, He found a lighter, yes my fault and I feel horrible and blame myself, started a fire in a garbage can in the living room while I was in the kitchen and almost caught the curtains on fire. The whole time just staring at the fire and laughing. He is also obsessive/compulsive. He didn't talk until he was 3. He is developmentally delayed, he is at the age level of a 2 yr old. He can not go to pre-school at public school, he has to go to the psychiatric center in our city, luckily they have a wonderful pre-school program for children like him. He shows little emotion other than anger. He has never shown sadness or remorse. When he hurts someone, he doesn't care. For a while I thought he had toddler Tourettes for the way he was cussing everyone out, words I don't even use. The school says it's normal with kids like him. Not normal for kids, but for kids like him. He has never wanted to be touched much, he won't let you cuddle or hug him much, unless it's his idea. It hurts me so bad to see him this way, I love him so much and I sit and wonder if this is all my fault? What did I do for him to deserve this? And will he ever forgive me. The Psychiatrist today said he has some Autistic traits but he isn't Autistic. I just don't understand. He also said that in children this young, they don't like to put them on meds for ADHD or hyperactivity but because he is so violent he wants to try him on Risperdal and see how that works. He is to take 1/2 of a 0.25 pill every morning to start.
Well, I am sorry this was so long but I had so much to say, I have so much more but I don't want to write a book.
Thank you all for letting me vent.
Chellaine
A few things I wanted to mention about his behavior also are that he is a head banger, when he gets mad, he will bang his head on anything near him, be it carpeted floor, concrete, wood furniture, it doesn't matter, he has done that since he was about 1 1/2. He also has a couple of speech impediments, slight echolalia and a slight stutter, neither of them are very bad, but they are there. Another thing is discipline, it has no effect, if he does something, we discipline him, he turns around and does it again immediately, we discipline, he turns around and does it again, etc...
It's a viscious circle. He act like he just doesn't understand what the meaning of discipline is and what the meaning of the wrong-doing is.
Thanks again,
Chellaine
A few things I wanted to mention about his behavior also are that he is a head banger, when he gets mad, he will bang his head on anything near him, be it carpeted floor, concrete, wood furniture, it doesn't matter, he has done that since he was about 1 1/2. He also has a couple of speech impediments, slight echolalia and a slight stutter, neither of them are very bad, but they are there. Another thing is discipline, it has no effect, if he does something, we discipline him, he turns around and does it again immediately, we discipline, he turns around and does it again, etc...
It's a viscious circle. He act like he just doesn't understand what the meaning of discipline is and what the meaning of the wrong-doing is.
Thanks again,
Chellaine
Chellanine:
As a special educator, I have worked with students moderate to severe disablities. I have experience with working with students who have ADD and Autism. From what you have written so far, I have come to the determination that your child may not have ADD but may be Autistic. The behaviors that your child is exibiting corrseponds with children who have Autism. You may want to get him tested so that he can get the services that he deserves. With good interventions from a psychologist and early intervention program, your child will eventually be able to grow out of his behavior.
I don't like to alarm you, but I have to agree with Sandson also. Many of those scenarios are very uncharacteristic for a child with ADD. Maybe get a 2nd opinion, or do some research of your own about ADD and see if your child actually "fits the description". Good Luck!
Thank you for your replies, they are much appreciated. I wanted to let you know that he has been tested for Autism and they tell me that he is not Autistic, mainly because he can talk. I think they are full of it. The psychiatrist also told me that yesterday, that thee is no way he is Autistic. He also has Impuls Control Disorder, he has no self control, and he knows it. If he sees an open door, he is compelled to run through it and keep running, therefore, I have to keep locks on all my doors in my house. I even have a lock on the inside of my bedroom door, I have to lock us in our bedroom at night, otherwise, he wakes up before me and runs outside and down the street. If we go to a store, we have to keep him either in a cart or put him on his harness and leash, if we don't, he will run off. Holding his hand just don't work, he get's very antsy and throws a fit and don't want you to touch him. That's the reason for the leash, for the "no contact".
Thanks again for the responses.
Chellaine
4 yr old son Dxed w/ADHD today 
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