Add ??? - ADD / ADHD Message Board

Faithbuilder · 12-26-2002, 12:50 PM

Hello ,hope every one had a wonderful Christmas .I have a few questions and after reading this would you please help me to understand if we are dealing with Add. Well when my daughter was 3 she was in a wonderland when she would watch cartoons it was like she was really in there with them you couldn't get her attention for nothing .I explained to my wife that somthing wasn't right and she said that she'd grow out of it well 2 years later in kindergarden the teachers starting talking about this great imagination Alexandria had we also noticed her letters were backwards but the teachers said thats ok for now shes just starting to learn . Then 1st grade her teacher explained that her imagination is incredible she came up to me and started handing me thease different kinds of can goods naming each one and having me put them on a shelf all the way up to 14 as though they were real it was almost as though she actually saw them in her hand as she handed them to her ,after that we stated noticing she has animal phobias scared to death of cats dogs squriels . She's now 10 and in the 4th grade the past year and a half the doctors have diagnosed her with Add and put her on 35 mg of Aderall and 10 mg of celexa for depression shes still scared of animals shes so disorganized its unreal she never follows directions never finishes what she starts you ask her to do somthing and she dose somthing else and you ask her why shes doing thease things and she says she dosn't know she gets frustrated at her self all the time she has very low self esteem always stays to her self even with her little brother and sister she'd rather play alone as for test shes had them she intellegent on a normal scale her grades are average shes never hyper you have to constantly stay on her or she'll never complete any thing any ideas out there on what we are going through the doctor said this last time if theres no improvement he's going to switch her to concerta.

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Jesus didn't come to condemn but to save those who are lost .Mike&Kristie and Kids

nan1970 · 12-29-2002, 05:38 PM

I would say that this definitely sounds like ADD rather than ADHD. My twin sons both have ADHD and took ritalin for years. I myself have ADD and now take Concerta and Effexor. This had been diagnosed years ago, when treatment did not work, I just thought I would just get by like I always had and continued to take anti-depressants.
I started having problems with work-related stress and went back to the doctor to get checked again. I would have to study a topic three times to understand what it was about, where co-workers would look over it once.
I recall not feeling like I belonged as a child to pretty much anything. I was depressed a lot and did not have much interest in playing or doing anything.
Daydreaming in school was a everyday all day occurance.
You had mentioned cartoons and her attention span would be captured...This is a ADD\ADHD symptom called Hypo-focus. If something really gets your attention, all other noise or movements are not noticed.
You could say her name many times and her respond until she sees you and hears you at the same time.
I would defintely go with the doctor on the medication change. It sounds really familar to me.
When she starts the right medication at the right dose, she will more than likely start feeling much better. (adjustments are made until the correct dose is reached) I wish they had noticed when I was a child, I am sure that I would have been more successful. Twenty-five years ago they just thought a child that daydreamed just did not care.
Good luck to you all!

Tiphanie · 12-30-2002, 12:20 PM

Let me ask you some questions, before I respond.
Are you taking her to the pediatrician or to a specialist such as a neurologist or psychologist?
Is she taking 35mg. all at once or is that broken up into 2 doses? Did the doctor start her off at the dosage she's on now, or did he work her up to that dosage?
Is she still forming letters backwards?
Socially, is she at a 4th grade level? Does she communicate at the same level as other children her age?
DId her fear of animals start suddenly, or has she always been kind of that way around them? Do you have any pets?
Does she have or has she ever had any friends? Does it seem that she is always in her own little world?
Any other behaviors that seem "odd" to you?
I work at the largest school In the United States for learning different children, figuring out what is going on with children is what I do. Please respond before you go back to the doctor and I'll give you as much information as I can.
If you would like, check my profile, and you could e-mail me personally rather than have anyone and everyone read information on your daughter.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Tiphanie

Faithbuilder · 12-31-2002, 01:22 PM

Alexandria is seeing a specialist and a phsycologist.The doctor started her out with 5 mg of adderall then went to ten mg 5 in the morning 5 in afternoon he explained it was a very small dosage for some one her age then we went to 20 mg 10 in morning 10 in afternoon and started her on 10 mg of celexa an antidepresant she takes it in the morning with her 10 mg of addereall then after a month or two he put her on 20 mg adderall with the 10 mg celexa in the morning and 10 mg adderall in afternoon 2 weeks ago he raised her adderall to 35mg. 25mg in the morning 10 mg in the afternoon shes still taking the celexa 10mg in the morning too. Alex is still scared of animals we have no pets for that reason. Here recently since the doctor put her on 35 mg she seems better more out spoken instead of clamming up when you ask her questions about why she did this or that and seems to be standing her ground so to say more than she did before shes been on the 35 mg for two weeks i think its making a difference .The doctor said if this dose dosn't work he was going to switch her to concerta but so far its working fingers crossed .Alex still writes letters backwards and has a hard time staying focused she has been tested for dyslexia and they said she didnt have it but im beginging to wonder about that test, she alex is out for christmas hollidays and gose back thursday so we will then see if this dosage works. The school she attends is suppose to be supporting her more since we had the 501 form introduced but i believe they are dragging their heels ,the doctor informed us about a 501 cordinator at the school and we are going to contact her and get things straightened out there and pray that helps ,Thank you for your response God Bless Happy New Year.

Quote:

Originally posted by Tiphanie:
Let me ask you some questions, before I respond.
Are you taking her to the pediatrician or to a specialist such as a neurologist or psychologist?
Is she taking 35mg. all at once or is that broken up into 2 doses? Did the doctor start her off at the dosage she's on now, or did he work her up to that dosage?
Is she still forming letters backwards?
Socially, is she at a 4th grade level? Does she communicate at the same level as other children her age?
DId her fear of animals start suddenly, or has she always been kind of that way around them? Do you have any pets?
Does she have or has she ever had any friends? Does it seem that she is always in her own little world?
Any other behaviors that seem "odd" to you?
I work at the largest school In the United States for learning different children, figuring out what is going on with children is what I do. Please respond before you go back to the doctor and I'll give you as much information as I can.
If you would like, check my profile, and you could e-mail me personally rather than have anyone and everyone read information on your daughter.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Tiphanie