beachgirl200621
New Member
My almost 6 year old step son was diagnosed with ADHD at 4, (he lives with us full time and has since he was about 18 months old.) we went to the dr to aske them about his behavior because we knew his mother was also adhd. we put him on the lowest dose possible of focalin i was literally taking the capsul apart and counting the individual beads inside to make sure he was getting exactly half of the smallest dose possible. this worked wonders the 1st few days and then he had a horrible reaction to it. he started crying for 4-5 hours straight about a dog we had when he was 2 that died. he was unconsolable! we took him off the medications and refused to try again! we did family therapy and urged his mother to come and she did it was all four of us talking to the therapist but ended up being the adults in therapy and nothing to help our son. his mother doesnt get him like she is supposed to there is just so much going on with that there is no way I could begin to type it in this forum... she is basically a mother when everyone is watching but if no one is watching or there is no on ethere she can impress she isnt interested. He hurts badly because of her lack of interest at times im sure. But we are at the point where we are ready to try medication again. i have read up on so much stuff since we took him off the medications that its crazy! I was completly and totally against putting any child especially mine on medication.. I dont know where to go or who to turn to. he just finished his Kindergarten year and he is soooo smart the teacher says but he just doesnt have the attention span most of the other kids have. I attribut it to the fact that he is the youngest child in the class he just made the deadline to start Kindergarten this past year. we need help that is the basis of it all we need help NOW. I'm starting to wonder if there are emotional/depression issues under all this behavior stuff. His mother is not stable at all and there are certain things she has to do or have in order to keep him.. she has not had him overnight since October. he just burst out time to time and decides WOW im gonna be mean and hateful or crazy and LOUD just different combinations of things. it has take ALOT but he is finally listening at home. but with other people its a different story. he hates school and we do not like hearing him say that. also I am worried about how much he is like his mother. she can be happy one minute and flip out the next I am not sure is she is bi-polar but she has all the signs I know she has a history with depression and from what ive read with that kind of history that chances of a child being put on medications for adhd are slim.. i dont want him to keep suffering and I dont want my husband and I to keep suffering either. He stressed my Husband to the max tonight and I dunno how much more he can take. we love him so much but its literally driving us insane! its a constant battle every day for him to do simple stuff. I feel like its gone on so long everyone in our house just has a negative attitude all the time and I know thats not good for any of us. I want my family back and most of all I want that sweet loving toddler back! he doesnt understand consiquences they are always consistant and its like it just doesnt click with him... my 2 yr old already understands what she will and wont get in trouble for and she is 2! I am not understanding why he doesnt get it or doesnt care. I appreciate any and all advice.. Names of medication that has worked for you and what type of Dr your child is seeing. we have just seen the peditrician but I think this time we should go to a behavior Dr. what are some other coditions I should look up or research.. who can tell me the flags for depression or bi-polar in kids? Thanks in advance for all your help and support. It will be nice to hear what other people dealing with the same issues have to say!