Average age of onset of problems....

[jodyice]

I think I first noticed when difficult child was almost 3 years old and going for his upteenth test to see if he was hearing impaired or not, since pediatrician doctor kept saying there was nothing wrong with him. The medication they used to do the test would had knocked out a typical child and many adults, but mine fought it all the way through, after that test and the results of him being deaf, other professionals kept saying that our child was difficult, but none could/would give us any answers. When we moved to PA for the deaf school it seemed he calmed down some and the school always complimented he was an *angel*, what they didn't see was the major tantrums he'd have at home. When he was 7, things got a little more volatile, still nothing at school, in fact when I explained some of the things that were going on at home, the school thought I was talking about a different child. pediatrician docs still said that he seemed more difficult than other children his age and that it wasn't just from his deafness, when we asked about testing though we were blown off. When he was 10, that is when the school finally began seeing what we had been seeing at home for years. The school psychologist didn't feel that difficult child had adhd, but wasn't sure what he had. When he was 11, that was his first stay in psychiatric hospital, they diagnosed him with anxiety not otherwise specified, depression not otherwise specified, odd and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). They put him on Klonopin, Lexapro and Abilify. His psychiatrist then added Effexor to the regimen. A few months later he was back in the hospital, a different one this time where they diagnosed him with ADHD. They took him off the Klonopin, Effexor and Lexapro and put him on Concerta and Ritalin, leaving the Abilify there. A few months after, psychiatrist prescribed Remeron to help him sleep.
It keeps going to where we are now. We're still looking for answers and correct diagnosis, correct medications, etc.

 

[judi]

My son is 21 now and really didn't start with big problems until age 15. Yes, he was diagnosed at the age of 8 years old with ADHD but his behavior was totally manageable until the age of 15. Since that time, it has been up and down, mostly down.

 

[Lothlorien]

When Missy was 4 months old, she cried and screamed like a 5 year old! She never really did have that sweet baby infant cry. She screamed bloody murder. I was a wreck!

At 7 months, she flipped out when I got to the grocery store parking lot, I had taken her there several times before and never had that reaction. I thought it would get better when we got inside, but she flipped even more. By the time we got home, she was almost completely out of the 5-point harness car seat that she was in!

At 18 months, around the holidays, I can remember her being so defiant and oppositional that I broke down and cried. I could not figure out what the heck was wrong.

She was involved in playgroup at 14 months old and not one other kid had the tantrums and meltdowns that she had. I knew, at that point, something was up.

A year later, I landed here.

 

[ROE]

My difficult child was an easy baby. Although some of his behaviors struck me as a little odd as a toddler and on, I never realized the significance until later in life. It was a sign of things to come. He was 9 when it became obvious that his behaviors were much more than a little odd. It's been a challenge ever since.

 

[flutterbee]

Except for the speech problems which developed in the second grade, difficult child came out this way and has just gained more experience. :wink:

We've been to tdocs, child psychologists, etc since age 4 and finally at 11 have some answers. Are they the right ones? Some things fit. Some don't. But we're closer than we've ever been.

 

[Wiped Out]

difficult child was a premie and had sleep issues from the start. He was always so incrdibly active from the get go. He started speaking really early and had good gross motor skills from the beginning.

Both in daycare and preschool we were told he was the most active child they had ever seen. In preschool he started throwing chairs, getting into trouble and also was the same way around the house-wouldn't (couldn't?) listen to save his life.

The journey with the doctors started when he was 4.

I've seen improvements and major setbacks. It seems to be a never ending journey as I'm sure it seems for many of us. We are just now beginning to find out specifically about his learning disability.

 

[Hound dog]

T's problems were from birth. He had a screeching high pitch cry that made you want to rip out your hair. He was rigid, never slept. (I mean that literally) I could make a long list. I worried for a long time if he was severely autistic.

N's really became promonent around 18mos. It just grew worse as she grew older. It didn't help that she also has low blood sugar, which only exacerbated the symptoms of BiPolar (BP). I stepped out of denial when she was 11 or 12. She didn't get any real help til her threats of suicide at 15.

Interesting topic.

 

[busywend]

From day 1 here, too.

Let's just say the nurses on the floor had to have a meeting regarding my nipple - difficult child had, um, sucked too hard. doctor said he never saw a baby with that tight of a grip. Colic, ear infections, etc. Terrible twos meant nothing to me because nothing really changed - she was always a tough kid.

Something did change though around 7 - I am not sure if I suddenly had less patience or if she just started being more defiant. Sometimes I wonder if I expected more of her, just things that would have been expected of a 7 year old and she was not capable.