Hi all, my son was just diagnosed. Looking for any suggestions or advice. We have been dealing with this for 7 years and it's a relief to finally put a name to his condition.
Newbie Ruby: Hi all, my son was just... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...
Newbie Ruby
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Ruby555
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We don't have experience with this exact medication, but are you working with a Pediatric Psychiatrist? They really know what dose, timing and type of medication and/or combination of medication work for children. I was very hesitant to see one, now that we have seen one, I strongly encourage parents to work with one, especially when you have tried a few different types.of medication and have not been successful.
Also wanted to let you know we are at a great place with medication, but it took a long time to get here. You will also get here. Just stay with it and know you will also feel so good once you see your child foundation on medication that works for them.
Best of luck..
Yes we are working with one. Your story gives me hope 
When my son was first diagnosed, this video was the first thing I found to be REALLY informative, along with the book Smart but Scattered:
I have been GLUED to this all morning, taking notes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, it explains so much. I was diagnosed with OCD but I see a lot of myself in this.
Agree with the suggestion to learn about the diagnosis so you are an informed consumer. I like Russell Barkley's book Taking Charge of ADHD and information from the National Resource Center on ADHD at help4adhd.org (funded by the government and not by drug companies).
Yes that video is very informative and eye opening...but keep in mind that Dr Barkley usually gives worst case scenarios as his examples while your child may in a more mild range. Otherwise about 1.5 hrs into it, the depressing weight of all this new knowledge about your child’s future as he paints it (failing at marriage, at work, at social interactions, can’t drive a car) is crushing. Just remember there’s a range!
So true. Although he’s incredibly informative he made me needlessly cry. I don’t recommend pursuing him until you have a handle on your ADHD diagnosis and what it means. RB RUINED my day
He’s completely negative.
You, me, and many others I’m sure were crying at about an hour and a half into his video. You’re not alone. Can you imagine being in the audience that day trying to hold it together?
I WAS crying and so angry at myself for being angry at my son and losing my temper so many times on him. I hurt for him now. It breaks my heart because he is such a smart and affectionate lil guy who is just so angry and has low self esteem. He is a people pleaser that just cant get it right. It's not fair.
Glad I never watched that! I would never say that any child would end up not doing...becuase they had xxxx, children are amazing!!
I would still recommend giving RB a try - you don’t have to agree with it all, but he’s got a lot of knowledge in the area. He gets grim when talking untreated ADHD, and the statistics of potential repercussions of leaving it untreated - he’s a big advocate for medicating, and accommodations/ training at the point of the problem (home / School) versus therapy in a counselors office. I guess I perceived it more as just frankness & data versus an overall dire outlook.
He’s also got some really interesting ideas, like bringing the emotional component back into the diagnosis / treatment. And I really loved his “Parents are shepards, not engineers” part - which I think is great for all parents, of both neurotypical and neurodivergent children.
He is a bit doom & gloom, probably due to his own family history. Thanks for balancing it out!
Yes! When you learn his history you get his negative attitude. NH told a story about sitting in a lecture while at Harvard. He was so bored that it felt like an EMERGENCY to him. So he jumped out a first story window to get out of there. He felt like we do when the building’s on fire. He made me laugh and st the same time helped me understand how my son feels when he’s bored!!
Dr. Hallowell’s approach to ADHD/ADD is a good counter to Dr. Barkley’s, but his sunny optimistic superpower take on it is also a bit much in the opposite direction, especially if your child has inattentive ADD rather than hyperactive ADHD.
Here’s another option: a YouTube channel called How To ADHD. The young adult in the video (forget her name right now) has ADHD and draws upon her own experiences as well as information from Dr. Hallowell and Dr. Barkley. She seems to be a good balance of the two and is quite engaging to watch as well. She has lots of videos covering many topics. She always starts them off saying, “Hello Brains!”
