PDD and ADD

[r and r mom]

Hi, I am new to the board and new to PDD. My son, 7 years old, was been dx'd with PDD last fall and now he has also been dx'd with ADD. My doc says that though now that the 2 are not usually diagosed together that in the future he thinks they will be. He has suggested Stattera as a medication, and that he is seeing a real positive response with another child with similar symptoms. Is anyone out there taking or has a child taking Strattera? How about being double diagnosed? I am looking forward to your input!

Thanks a lot

[*Rachel K*]

r and r mom,

My son is 6 years old and has been diagnosed with PDD and ADHD. He just started Strattera almost 2 weeks ago and I cannot say I see a real big change in him. The first week he was extremely sleepy. I can tell you that his speech therapist and OT therapist think that he is focusing better. It is suppose to take at least a full two weeks to see results. I'm going to be patient and hope this helps in the areas it is suppose to help in. He is currently taking 18mg once a day.
I would also like to add that we have tried all the current therapies such as the GF/CF diet, mega vitamin therapy, allergy elimination diet, mercury testing, candida testing, organic acid testing and others. The diets were done for a year and half. He is still in speech and OT (privately as well as in school). We work with a ABA therapist once a week for 2 hours. He see a pshycologist once a month. All of these have been a piece of the puzzle which I feel has help him come along way. Speech is almost in the normal range in receptive speech and it came up quite a bit in the expressive range as well. They have told me there are no deficits in academic but he is behind on fine motor skills which doesn't help with writing skills. I'm very proud of my son and I know he will be a productive member of society.

Rachel

[r and r mom]

Rachel. Thanks for the reply. It sounds like our sons are some what similar in their needs. I am unfamiliar with some of the terminology of your son's treatments. What is an ABA thereapist? Did you see any results with the diets? A year and half is a long time. Does your son have seizures? My son is also taking trileptal for partial complex seizures. It has been quite a ride the last 6 months.
Is your son having any of the negative side effects I have been reading about? If he did/does, what are they and how does he react to them?
Thanks again for the reply! And Good Luck to you and your son!!!!
Connie

[*Rachel K*]

r and r mom,

My son doe's not have seizures. But, it is funny that you say your son is taking trileptal. My son is taking it as well. But, he is taking it for a mood stabilizer and not for seizures. The diets I think did help him in the since that he had alot of allergies from eating the same food over and over and his body just started to rejected them as if they were allergens. After eliminating these foods (which we were also doing the GF/CF diet at the same time)
for a year and half he is now allergy free. He is eating more different foods now than he ever did.

A ABA Therapist is a therapist who specializes in behavioral therapies. ABA stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis. ABA breaks down desired or problematic behavior into discrete skills and works on each one with intense drills.

My son really has not had any side effects with the Straterra with the exception of sleeyness.

If you have not already read the book "Pervasive Developmental Disorders" by Mitzi Waltz I would highly recommend it. I borrowed it from the library and after reading it went and bought it. It has alot of resources and very, very good information that I continue to go back to refresh my memory.

I hope I have answered all your questions. Good luck to you and your son.

Rachel