My Son Was Recently Diagnosed with Autism and ADHD

This may help regular consistent exercise usually gets all the extra nervous energy out, less sugar and less TV if he watches any. Try to keep away from food dyes, like red, yellow, and orange which is in candy and fruit snacks and sometimes fruit drinks. It is one of the things that causes ADHD. Hope it works. Researching also helps. I know my sister was diagnosed with ADHD when she was in 1st grade.

C.:

Before putting him on meds, you might look into some of the diets especially for ADHD. You are mainly cutting down (out) refined sugar, processed food....(Feingold diet, is an example). Depending on how much he weighs (my 3 year old is less than 30 pounds, so I would never put him on meds), the meds may be too much for him.

A. L

Hi C.:
my son was diagnosed with ADHD in the first grade. I worked in the social work field at the time and had the advantage of having seen the pros and cons of the different types of medications. We chose Strattera for my son. It has worked very well for him. At one point we temporarily switched him to Concerta over a summer to see if he would have better results, however, were alarmed to see that he became more aggressive while on it. We then switched him back to Strattera which is a nonstimulant. While it does not treat all of the ADHD symptoms, it does assist my son in concentrating more in class. He is an A-B student and has not needed any special assistance at school. Along with the medication we also have him in counseling and use behavior modification. As previously stated, I worked in social work for 8 years and saw some very unfortunate situations with parents who did not believe in medication. Many of these children struggling with the ADHD suffered such low self esteem and frustration. Medication alone is not a fix all, but can mean such a difference in whether a child is able to successfully cope and function with the ADHD. I hope this helps somewhat.

I have two boys with AD/HD and I was diagnosed with AD/HD myself at the age of 8. I was put on many different types of stimulant medication, all of which had negative side-effects and did not improve my quality of life in any way....so I was certainly skeptical when it came to treating my boys.

I searched the internet for alternatives to medication and found Native Remedies' BrightSpark and Focus. These are both herbal remedies for AD/HD....and they work GREAT! I started my older son (age 7) on it at the beginning of the school year. I just recently started my 5 year old on Focus....the difference is like night and day.

I suggest that you go to the site and read for yourself. www.nativeremedies.com

Also, check out the book "Ritalin is Not The Answer" by Stein. It is an eye opener.

Good luck!

My nephew's school believes he has ADHD and my sister and brother in law did not want to deal with the medications so they found a natural pill (grapeseed extract) that they started giving to my nephew. What's really amazing is that he went from 3 calls a week home for midbehavior to only one call since Christmas since taking this stuff. They never told the school what he was taking, just that they were trying new medicine. The first parent/teacher conference at the beginning of the year was about two hours, first with the teacher and then with the principal, and this year, it was maybe 30 min just with the teacher and absolutely nothing negative to say. We bought some from Walmart, but haven't opened the bottle yet. I'm not sure if you can crush them up to put in applesauce or not, they are pretty big for a little one to swallow whole. It may be worth trying!

Hi C. I wanted to give you the information that I have learned about how to treat ADHD. By taking out the artifical additives they put in our food today can help him so much I am not saying it is a 100% cure it can be hard to switch your entire diet over to all natural especially at first but little steps in that direction would make a huge improvement. The founder of my company has a child with allergies to dyes and additives and is also adhd which he can not take medication because of the additives they put in it as well so she solely feeds him all natural food products which we sell and he doesn't need to be medicated.

I sell Wildtree and we carry over 100 products that are all natural NO perservative, dyes, MSG, additives, caking agents and we have no Peanuts (for those with this allergy) from taco seasoning to pancake mix to beer bread as well as a great line of all natural grapeseed oils. I do have an allergy list with all the products that you can go through and see what product have wheat, milk, eggs ect. You can visit my website if you want more information www.stacyflynn.mywildtree.com and if you have any questions or want to learn more please call or email me anytime. good luck

I am a special education teacher and a new mom. I have taught many students with ADHD and autism. For some children I would say that medication is very necessary for them to be successful, but I would not say that necessarily for a child as young as your son. I just really have a hard time with medicating such a young, growing child, especially if it is bringing out side effects that seem to be worse than the symptoms of the real diagnosis. I recently read Jenny McCarthy's book about her son who has autism and found it very informative. She talks alot about diet and medication and the affects she has found. I would totally recommend her book called Louder Than Words. I would also look in to manipulating your son's diet to see how that works.
I hope you find the right balance no matter what it is...

Hello, I have a 12 year old son who has ADHD and has been on medication since he was 5. He takes a generic for Ritalin. We tried 2 others also in the beginning and found this one to work best. I have him on a very low dose for his age because I want him to try to function with it that way; I really don't like the whole med. subject too much. I am in the process of doing some alternative things now through a health store in town. I had a nutritional blood analysis done and it showed that he has parasites (which most of us have because of what we eat), candida and some other things which all can be a cause of ADHD symtoms. So, for about 3-4 months, we are doing some supplements and cleanses to see if there is a difference for the better. I also have a 7 year old who has been showing all the same symtoms of ADHD for the past 2 years and is having trouble in school but I am in denial somewhat and don't want to start him on med. yet until I do all this alternative stuff first. He also had the same blood analysis done and it showed all the same things as my older son, so he is also on the same program. The program is done in steps and not all at once because that is too taxing on the body. Some other things that can cause a problem are heavy metal toxisity, lead poisoning, could be allergy to wheat or glueten, (which we haven't tried yet, would be extremely hard since these are in almost everything)along with the other things mentioned above. It is hard to get the regular MDs to even think alternative because they have not been trained in it. So, with prayer and talking to people at health stores, we are on a journey. It is very stressful having two boys with this! I pray God will give us a breakthrough with the alternative route. I am considering taking my older son off med. because he is at the age when he knows right from wrong and can learn how to compensate for this. The younger one is a whole different story. As far as the autism, I do not know much about this. I have heard that some of the things mentioned above also play a part in autism symptoms. If you want to try to get a blood analysis done, call Jocelyn Wright at ###-###-#### and find a location where she does this that is close to where you live. I hope I have given you some helpful info. and I will say a prayer for you as you travel on your journey also.

I am not a "medication" mom. I would also recommend natural alternatives. ALSO have him food allergy tested. My nurse friend took both her girls for this testing and then totally re-did her kitchen and frig. They did so much better when the negative foods were out of their system... including her husband! Neither of her girls are on meds!

My friend's son, now 6, was recently diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome. They were dead set against using medication when they first started finding out about this, but they were both so burned out from 4 years of surviving life with meltdowns, etc., that they quickly agreed. He is on a very small dose of a mild medication (sorry, I don't remember the name) and he has a much easier time in life. I absolutely think that if the grapeseed extract works just as well or better than medication, use it. I will be mentioning it to my friend as well and I'll probably try it out on myself. (I've noticed some ADD tendencies in myself, ever since I was young. I just didn't have a name for them to fit into.)

I don't know what to say about the ADHD. But I was watching a health show about autism, and it was based around a book titled "Rising Son". It teaches parents (the authos even offer a special seminar to teach parents) how to bring down the wall that is blocking their autistic child from connecting to others. I am sorry I don't remember the name of the author. Just remember that when/if you go looking for the book, the spelling is SON not sun. I hope that helps.

~A.~

Hi.

My name is B.. I work in a school in KS as a teachers aide. My job is to help teachers and to work with children one-on-one or in small groups. Some of these kids have ADD, ADHD and/or autism. I also have a nephew and a niece with ADHD and another nephew with autism.

We have dozens of kids in our school with either autism, ADHD or both.

I deal with kids who are on medication and those who aren't. My OPINION is that those with ADHD on the right medication, fare better academically and socially.

School is tough. So much to learn: Social rules, academics: Compromising, getting along with your peers, when to sit and be quiet and when to make noise. Then there's math, reading, science, art and phonics.

It is difficult to focus when you have ADHD. When it is difficult to focus, it is also difficult to listen and follow directions. Medication can take the edge off of the overworking of the ADD/ADHD brain. It can slow it down.

Medication can make the difference between a child feeling successful and a child constantly struggling to process and make sense of what he/she hears. The latter slows down their processing, so sometimes the child lags behind. This causes feelings of inferiority and failure.

Another factor is that kids on medication get into less trouble in class. They don't do things that disrupt the class and themselves as much and they can focus more on the task at hand.

It is my goal to help every child I work with learn and feel good about themselves so they can feel successful. I LOVE my work. One benefit for me is that it is easier to reach a child when he is not battling himself.

Well, that's it for now. I hope i've given you some things to think about. GOOD LUCK in your decision C.. Will say a prayer for you and your son and daughter!

Sincerely,

B.

p.s. Maybe the medication not working is a sign that you might have tougher decisions and things to face, so you are being prepared to keep working thru obsticles. God sometimes works in mysterious ways!

I have 3 sons, none of whom have been diagnosed with anything yet,(although I take my 6 year-old to a developmental pediatrician in about 3 weeks)but my husband has been diagnosed with ADD. We are all drinking a juice called MonaVie and my husband if off his meds, he had tried Stratera and had been on Adderal for the last couple of years.

It is an all-natural 100% fruit puree made up of 19 different fruits that are packed full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and phytonutrients. Just an idea if you are interested in trying something all natural before you try meds. You can go to www.thejuiceprincess.com to read more about it and I can give you a website/blog that has other moms of kids with autism/ADD/ADHD who have written about their success with MonaVie.

No matter what, best of luck to you. I'm sure it is challenging at times and your son is lucky to have someone willing to seek out the best for him. Be strong.

C.,
My son was diagnosed with ADHD. They gave him that diagnosis over the phone! I did try meds but it also had the same reaction. He sped up. I cried. I then decided to use behavior modification. This worked with him. He has never used meds ever for this and I don't believe he had ADHD. This is diagnosis is overused. He is 14 now. He has social problems with kids, but his grades are great. His social problems are not related to ADHD, it's related to his need to be liked by others. A personality thing. Good Job staying up on things. Your a great mom. This is so controversial. You will get tons of advice. Do whats in your heart!
DE

My son was just dignosed with autism. Please look into the Special School District in the area you live in. The therapists we have been meeting with cannot say enough about them and the resources. Good Luck!

My oldest son (4 yrs old)was diagnosed as PDD-NOS this past December. He goes to school with kids who have ADD/ADHD though. The other moms have said that they have tried prescriptions for their sons, and have been too frustrated with them to continue using them. Just like you mentioned, the symptoms seemed worse than no medication at all... I do know that with most neurological or emotional issues, the gluten and casein free diet helps immensely. My son is 100% casein free and very reduced gluten free. Gluten is much harder to totally remove from a diet than casein (dairy foods). If I were you, I would research online or through a mommy support group what you can do with dietary changes rather than prescriptions. It's easier to manage, and might be cheaper too. Kids with ASDs (autistic spectrum disorders) cannot process gluten and casein like other kids, and yet usually want that the most (my son was a yogurt-aholic and loved cheese too). Casein mimics an opiate-like reaction in their brains, so they really want dairy products. It's not their fault, but you can modify their diets and that really worked for us. We had WAY fewer tantrums and meltdowns, and he became much more happy and balanced. It's tough at first to deny them a food they love, but sometimes tough love is what it takes to help them in the long run! Good luck...

i ahve used meds for my son. he isn't on the autism spectrum, though.that may make the world of difference, right there. i would be more than happy to talk to you about adhd meds or anything like that, like i said i only know enough about autism to be dangerous! lol, feel free to email me if there's something in particular you'd like to talk about. blessings

Sorry, I have no advice, but did want to say hang in there and wish you well. I'm sure every day is a challenge and good for you for looking at each days as a gift as well!

I love your spirit! You keep focused & faith like that & there's NOTHING that God won't see you through! I have had experience with ADHD & I say each child reacts different & I ended up pulling my son off of the medication. He was zapped like a zombie & I just refuse to have such a energectic kid be zapped like a zombie all day...just to keep him focused. I believe he out grew it for the most part, he still has a time staying focused on things that are NOT of interest to him. I hope this has helped you in some sort of way. Remember that God won't put anymore on you then you can bare & even when we think we can't handle it...He know that we can. Good luck & God Bless!

I just read all of the other respnses and it made me want to cry. It is so great to know that other Mom's have the same feelings that I do about medication for ADD/ADHD. My son was diagnosed when he was in 1st grade. I put in on meds unknowing about the effects. My little boy turned into a zombie as some of you described. He also had violent outrages. It was so awful. I decided that dealing with his ADHD without meds was a lot better than him being on meds. Anyway, I told friends and family and teachers about what I had done and everyone treated me as though I was a bad person. I am so glad that I took him off the meds and I am glad to know that there are others out there that do not automatically put their kids on meds. Sorry to ramble on and on. I wish you the best of luck and God bless you and your family.

I always say follow your instincts as his mother. I occasionally work with ADHD children and think that if you find the right med for your son the results are definitely worth it, but putting your child on meds is a very personal decision...follow your instincts on this one!!

Keep trying!!! You will find the correct medication and the dosage.

ok I have two sons one with autism and adhd and the other son has just adhd. My son with autism is 7 years old and is on risperdalo for the autism and strattera for ADHA. the Strattera takes two or three months before it works. this is his 4 or fifth medication for ADHD we have tried some of the others made him to aggressive towards others or fall asleep. I have found that with my 5 year old son that Tenex worked for about 6 months but as he started it at the age of 4 1/2. and with him we are doing two medications until the strattera builds up. The tenex was great but he would still have very active points of the day when he could not stay focused in his preschool so we upped it to the max dose allowed for his age and so just this month we had to try something new. with both of his medicine we have seen a big difference. Each child reacts different to these medication and for a 3 1/2 year old to be on them that is scary I know that the center we go to the youngest they will put a child on medication is 4 years old because some of these drugs they use are only made for adults but they dose them down for kids. so be very careful and ask lots of question because some medications do take time for the body to get used to them and to build up.

I dont' know with his autism if the ADD/HD medicines will work the same. At any rate, most medications we researched were amphetamine based medicines, we determined to go with the non amphetamine based medicine, Strattera. The doctors said it would work the same and not have the heart issues to worry about that the amphetamines cause. It works for him. And had less of the "black box" warnings found with the other medications. Death as a side effect of a medication, is just not acceptable to us.
Consult with your specialist about what they would suggest.

My son takes Concerta for his ADHD and has taken it since he was in Kindergarten and we have had no problems with it. A good friend of mine her son has asperger's syndrome and they give him aderall and have had success with that. He has meltdowns but not as many since he has gotten older from my understanding. I have only known them for the last 3 years. I have never heard of them giving a child that young adhd medicine but if they do I am greatful that they are making changes.

Have you considered some natural alternatives? Please search the web for some responsible alternative therapies. I have heard that the Reliv supplements for kids have had really good results for the ADHD. I don't know about autism. If you do not know a Reliv distributor in your area I could refer you one, or you could surf the web at www.reliv.com

Ask your pediatrician for some of the more recent studies and resources for autism, because they are finding newer things out there that are better than all those medications. You won't escape taking some. Get to know your local support groups for autism and talk to the parents and what they have been through, what works; find out what your options are and get good resources.

Hi C.,

I am a single mother of three, and my youngest daughter, age 2 1/2 was just diagnosed with Autism in January. She is doing really well with her behavioral therapy. It is good to hear that your son is in a good early learning program. While my daughter doesn't have the ADHD aspect of Autism, she takes some vitamins that I believe have helped her not to have a lot of the physical symptoms frequently associated with Autism. I'm not a medical doctor and that is simply my opinion and observation of her.

I know there are quite a few Autism support groups around here in Jackson county, MO and Johnson County, KS. I'm not as familiar with Cass county although I'm sure there are support groups around. Some other moms have found success with a gluten free (wheat free)and casein free (dairy free) diet. I haven't been brave enough to try it yet. It may help him though. Feel free to contact me at ____@____.com if you have any questions.

A book that may help is "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies" by Kenneth Bock. Good luck.

I would definitely go with the other suggestions of food allergy testing and natural alternatives to medication before resorting to medications that are man made chemicals. God knew what he was doing I think a bit better than pharmasutical(sp?) companies!

Have you looked onto a gluten free and casein free diet? I just read an article the other day on how diet effects children with autism and ADHD. It was in a magazine at HyVee in the Health Food section, and the article is called The Nutrition Link. I know this isn't new news, but the article was interesting, and many parents with children with autism or ADHD don't yet realize how much food effects behavior. It discussed the link between symptoms of children with autism and ADHD and the significance of their diet. They suggested avoiding additives, preservatives, and artificial colors, which can exacerbate symptoms for some children. Eliminating trans fats and going organic were also suggested, because the trans fats found in processed and fried foods intensifies toxic accumulation and cell function problems for children with autism and ADHD. Eating organic foods limits pesticide and chemical exposure.

An excellent book to read more on this is "If It's Not Food, Don't Eat It" by Kelly Hayford, C.N.C.

The magazine article also talked about giving children with autism and ADHD supplements too, because their bodies often lack certain vitamins and minerals. It suggested:
Vit. C -reduces harmful oxidants in the body and helps even out levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter commonly out of balance in children with autism and ADHD.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) -like Omega 3's (DHA and EPA) boost brain development and function, and are often low in children with autism and ADHD.
Magnesium -crucial to protecting the body from heavy-metal overload, it is often low in children with behavioral, cognitive, and mood disorders. Deficiency can cause depression, poor appetite, and muscle spasms.
Zinc -vital for proper cognitive function, it is typically deficient in children with autism and boosts immunity and improves taste function.
Source from Kenneth Bock, MD, author of Healing the New Childhood Epidemics (Ballantine, 2007).

Some resources listed in the article included:
-autism.com -This site offers info on the gluten free, casien free diet.
-The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook (Fair Winds, 2006)
-Healing the New Childhood Epidemics (Ballantine, 2007) by Kenneth Bock

You should definitely ask your ped. to check his levels of those crucial vitamins and minerals listed earlier and see if any are low. This could really be the case since he has both autism and ADHD. I would definitely ask his ped. before going on any supplements. If he is unwilling to discuss this aspect with you, you should get a second opinion. Ask a ped. to recommend a good nutritionist that specializes in this area to help you figure out a new nutrition plan to try for a month or two and see if you see any results. To get results, you would have to be pretty consistent. But, I think it could make a huge difference.

I'm not suggesting this in place of meds, but it could help in addition to them.

Let me know if you would like me to send you a copy of the article. It is really interesting and tells exactly how the food children eat effects their behavior.

On a post yesterday or the day before, a mom mentioned two HOMEOPATHIC medications by the manufacturer Vaxa for ADHD. Here is what she said: "They are Extress and Attend. My son also has ADHD and an anxiety disorder as well as Central Auditory Processing Disorder. we have noticed a marked improvement in his ability to maintain attention at school, and in his ability to control his impulsivity and overactive motor drive. Once he slowed down his thought process, he was able to be educated (by me) on social cues, body language, personal boundaries and appropriate behavior. His social abilities have greatly improved and he is now enjoying overnights and more social play. The best part is the Vaxa products have no adverse side effects (my son had horrible sight effects to everything we had tried him on) and the product comes in capsules that can easily be opened and poured into a milk shake or smoothie. The taste is not detectable. He still takes a very small dose of Vyvanse, but it amounts to a quarter of a 15 mg capsule once per day." This would be a more natural approach to medications. Sounds like she had great results.

Best wishes, and please keep us posted as to how he is doing! Again, let me know if you would like me to send you a copy of that article. -C.

Best wishes, C.

My son (now 9) was diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of 2. We also went through the Early Childhood Program, and loved it! Shawn has been on Risperdal since his diagnosis, and does very well with it until he has a growth spurt and it needs to be adjusted. He is also on Strattera for his ADHD. While we do not like having to give him medication, he does not do well without it. Another suggestion, adjust your son's diet. There is a lot of research in regards to how lactose and gluten affect children with autism. If my son gets too much dairy or wheat, his autistic symtoms rear their ugly heads. He drinks only soy milk, and we limit everything else. Border's and Barnes and Noble carry great books about this diet, and there are other books to read to help you understand your son better. Take advantage of all the therapies you can get through the program. Most insurances will not pay for any therapies for autism because they consider it a "mental" disorder. If you're interested in some specific names of books that I have used, or any other info that might help you, you can email me at ____@____.com. I'd be happy to help in any way I can! Good luck and God bless!

I don't know much about autism but there are some great websites out there. I don't have them with me but they are at my work. If I can find them, I will try to send them to you. As far as the ADHD goes. I would talk very closely with your doctor. That diagnosis is often given when in actuality the attention problems are a symptom of another diagnosis. Give the meds some time, but one rule that some doctors follow is that if an adhd med does not have the correct effect, then the kid is not truly adhd. Be careful with that one and research it just like you would Autism.