Stealing and adhd?

[MrsMoore08]

Does anyone else's child with adhd constantly sneak food, candy, or take things that dont belong to them and hide them around the house?

[Onthemove1971]

Yes! We had to lock up our pantry and there are no more sweets in our house. We have punished, begged, bribed... He will not stop..

[MrsMoore08 in reply to Onthemove1971]

Same here..I am just out of ideas...we watch him like a hawk all day long yet he still manages to find things...

[Onthemove1971 in reply to MrsMoore08]

We contuine to lock up and remind him the effects of all of the candy on his body. We also discuss trust with him, we can not leave him home alone or give him any freedom until he stops. Very discouraging...

[anirush]

We don't have a lot of candy in our house but I do have things like fruit snack packages. I have read even with dieting but it's best to have a small piece of chocolate rather than try to satisfy that craving with 50 other things.

And I thought most studies have shown that sugar does not make adhd worse worse. Although does some kids will react to it adversely. You just have to know your kid.

[Pennywink]

Yes!! Though my son has such a guilt complex that he always confesses to someone. Only once would I consider it “stealing” (a pack of gum from my purse he hid in his room.) But he’s had food stashes from time to time. One was a jar of plain uncooked oatmeal flakes he hide behind the umbrella stand. Lol! If I wasn't worried about rodents & bugs, I would have let him keep that one. But he definitely has a stash in his car seat - or has discovered a magical well of Teddy Grahams.

We keep the candy on top of he fridge (while he’s still short.) Everything else I let him keep in his stash - the deal is he needs to tell me about them (and they need to be properly sealed / have wrappers. And kept tidy!) and I’ll let him keep the stash without punishment. Not sure if this is the best way to handle it - with everything else, this has been low on my list of things to tackle so far.

[mrpeanut]

Our counselor told me that this (sneaking and hiding candy) is very common with ADHD - it's a mild form of "hoarding." However, it if crosses the line to where he takes something from someone else at school, we address it immediately and emphasize how bad stealing is.

[Mcguirehg]

We have been having the same problem. We are steal all sweets in the house, including brown sugar. He hides them next to the coach or different areas of the house. It has caused us to get ants in the den one day. Not the best hiding spots so I can’t figure that part out. Sweets are being placed away so he can’t find them. Is this common with adhd?

[Pajamasam36]

Food is an issue in general! He has medication and sensory issues. He only wants to eat fast food for his meals with candy and cookies for breakfast. He is 14 and loves to drink pop. We have had to be very controlling of is intake. He can’t drink caffeine because of his Tourettes and sugars make his hyperactivity and ADHD symptoms in manageable. My husband handles the soda pop intake with my son. I dont drink soda and if I had my way soda would be banned from my house!

As far as the food and snacks I don’t buy candy or cookies from the store and I make treats rarely.

I made a pineapple upside down cake last week and he has eaten it for breakfast every morning until it is gone.

He loves to walk 2 miles to school every morning. He wakes at 5 and I won’t let him walk until 7 am. School doesnt start until 8:40 I usually force him to eat a yogurt before he goes to school. I bribe him by saying you can not walk to school if you don’t make a good food choice for breakfast. He takes 4 brain Meds and I dont like him taking them on an empty stomach. I hate being so strict and controlling but if I am not he makes horrible food and sleep choices. He now sneaks money with him on his walk to school and stops at the gas station and buys sosa and chips. I am a detective and I follow him to school to see if he will tell me the truth after school. Trust issues are a constant struggle at our house!

Good luck! It is definitely a challenge with these kiddos!

[gdrogosch]

When my brother was young (we're both in our 40's now), he used to take food and eat it. As far as I know, he didn't stash it. When he got into his teen years, he got in with the wrong crowd and started stealing from everyone the house. I had to buy my own lock for my bedroom door and my parents couldn't trust him either. He was impulsive about wanting stuff and didn't care where he got the money for it. Back then, he wasn't remorseful a whole lot.

Now, this was back before they knew much about ADHD, but by the time they figured it out, he wouldn't take the meds.

He's older and doing much better now, has a house, a job and is trying to be responsible. But his stealing did escalate from the small to the more expensive. You'd have to consult a therapist on how to curb that tendency to take. Good luck!

[katcald]

YES! We tried locking stuff up but he still got into it and we decided we didn't want to live like that. He even steals things we let him have (like ice cream) and hides them in his room. Worst is he Diet Coke which he knows he can't have. And he is constantly taking his siblings electronics. He's also taken $ from my purse. I've been told he will grow out of it but it really worries me.

[janaq]

Oh yes!

[MandaMc3]

My son is 8 and just started doing this. I think it stems from a love of sugar and also kids with Adhd may feel different and more restricted and I think they push back. Sugar to my son has a drug like effect. He always wants it -- then he feels so yucky after. He's become aware of this too and is slowly developing some awareness. Too much isn't so great after all. But he also forgets a lot and makes the same mistakes over and over. Darn Adhd!

This behavior is control seeking in a way. Especially if they know you feel negatively about too much sugar.

We found two cans of frosting and a spoon under my son's bed after our dog was licking from one of the tubs. We couldn't figure out how the dog got it! After we searched high and low we found is hiding place.

My son's taking is mostly sweets (and while we really watch his diet) we also try to let him enjoy treats without making such a fuss. We don't want him to obsess over junk food that he can't have. So it's more of a thrill, and impulse control issues for us.

It's trying to find the balance. I told my son, if you really want something I'd rather you come to us and let's discuss it. I don't want him to feel like he has to hide food and eat it.

Maybe try not to sweat it too much - I found talking it out and staying calm and not controlling too much helps this sort of stuff with us. But I keep my eyes peeled becuase don't want this to progress further.

[Impulsetoomuch in reply to MandaMc3]

My daughter is doing the same thing & she's 7. I can't seem to understand why she even wants to sneak candy? Ive told her a thousand times if you want it just ask. But she only does it early in the morning before i get up.

Her therapist & i are trying to work with her. But i just don't know what to do.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to Impulsetoomuch]

She can not control herself, just lock it up until she is mature enough to understand.

[Janice_H]

Hello, I know this is a very old post but I came here looking for advice. My 12 y.o. son with ADHD is constantly taking food without asking and stealing money from me to buy junk food at school. The past several months I have noticed money missing but thought I was just not keeping track of my spending. This time I hid money under my jewelry box. A few days later $5.00 was gone. When I asked him, he denied it. Later in the day I made him write a 2 page letter about why he should not steal from his mother. He admitted to taking the money and spending it on junk food. He also comes home with odd things that are not his - clip board, toys, pens or other items that did not come from me. The behavior worries me and I wonder if he is stealing from other people's homes.

[Idontgetit]

Yup, my son took candy from my room. Tgen hides things behind his big bureau. Its frustrating and overwhelming! I don't know how to get him to realize how bad his decision making is.