Mom to a newly diagnosed 4 yo w/ lots of questions

[ShaniaTwain534]

My 4 yo was in trouble on a daily basis with the aggression only escalating. In a desperate attempt for a diagnosis/treatment i submitted him to a Behavioral center for 24 hrs. All the nurses at the behavioral told me my son was one of the most restless kids they had ever seen; however, the Psychiatrist still did not want to diagnose him with ADHD. Within 2 days of lots of research, i got ahold of a pediatric doctor with a specialty in behavioral issues who diagnosed my child with ADHD. I could honestly worship him b/c he helped me get my foot in the door. He prescribed Guanafine and Behavioral Therapy. My son has been under this non stimulant med and it is one of the most amazing things. I feel like im getting my son back. Question is..Psychiatrist is now calling to ask if i wanna schedule an apt with him but idk if i should just yet. Can someone offer advice..

[Madmarie]

You want to do the research, and make sure you are buying a high quality, high potency fish oil.

[ShaniaTwain534 in reply to Madmarie]

Thanks! I got him a liquid multivitamin called KIDS NATURAL CALM MULTI which is supposed to be specifically for ADHD kiddos. Have you heard of it?

[Madmarie in reply to ShaniaTwain534]

Yes, my son took it for a while. He was not crazy about the taste even mixing it w/ juice he didn’t care for it. We now just do the other things, the magnesium supplement I give him are called Magmind. They have come highly recommended as well. One in the morning one in evening. I can tell the evening dose helps him wind down a bit. My son is 10, and he’s ADHD, ODD, and has a learning disability. He has been on medication for 3 years now. It’s been a long tough journey. I also start behavioral therapy with him next week. I can tell you it takes dedication on my part, and some days I end up in tears. I can tell though I’m starting to make an impact, and I hold on to the good days.

[ShaniaTwain534 in reply to Madmarie]

I am with you, sister. Its only been a couple of weeks with this diagnosis but there is a lot to take in. I now realize the journey ahead of me so i am trying my best to take it one day at a time. Stay strong and awesome. 🤞😘

[MunchkinMommy537 in reply to Madmarie]

My son is on Vayarin, which is a specialty fish oil made from krill. My son takes it in yogurt and doesn’t mind the taste, and it’s helped a lot.

[ShaniaTwain534 in reply to MunchkinMommy537]

Does it have a taste to it? My 4 year old son is super picky with tastes

[MunchkinMommy537 in reply to ShaniaTwain534]

We put it in yogurt so that masks the taste. By itself it’s not great

[Madmarie]

My son takes Barlean’s high potency fish oil. It comes in a few flavors, and he doesn’t mind it at all. We take this, along with the magnesium, and a probiotic every day. Good luck. 🍀

[Adam081911 in reply to Madmarie]

I have a question. The only kid's fish oil for Barlean's is Kid's Omega Swirl I see on their website.... I thought the high potency ones are for adults? Do you adjust the serving?? I'm thinking of ordering Barlean's fish oil for my 7 yo.

[Madmarie in reply to Adam081911]

I give my son a tablespoon of the key lime flavor every morning. I buy the adults kind. I don’t adjust it because they say adhd kids are so deficient in omegas. We’ve been doing this for a few years. The only side effects, is that his hair and nails grow like crazy!

[Adam081911 in reply to Madmarie]

Thanks for responding. I just ordered online Kid's Omega Swirl. How long did it take to see the effectiveness? and how did it help?? Was it obvious? I'm look forward to receiving my order!

[Cherrypielover]

What is the med called?

[Reeeba1]

Vayarin is an omega 3 fatty acid medical food supplement specifically formulated for ADHD brains. It’s worth checking out! My son is on medication (Dyanavel) as well as Vayarin and it has helped a lot. It comes in capsules which we open and mix the powder inside with applesauce. We find the meds help with the focus and attention during the day and (it seems) the Vayarin helps with meltdowns and emotional balance. Together we see good results 80-90% of the time. My son is 7 and was diagnosed at 5. I wish you all the best.

[Reeeba1]

Oh and don’t expect instant results. It takes 2-3 months for it to build up in the system but in our experience it does help. The product website has lots of info and research and we were referred to it by my son’s psychiatrist.

As for your question whether to see a psychiatrist - it’s different for everyone but I would make an apt but give yourself time to do your own research and observing before you go. It’s all so new to you and you need time to process before making choices. Most meds won’t be covered by insurance until your son is six which is the minimum age indicated by the meds - unless you fight for an exception which I did. Again good luck!

[Rocket305]

That’s great. You mentioned you feel like you’ve got your son back. If he has markedly improved with the non stimulant and the therapy, then It sounds like you may not need that appt.

[ShaniaTwain534]

Y'all are awesome. Your stories are inspiring and i feel like im not alone in this. Much love and prayers to each and every single one of you! 🙇‍♀️😘

[Onthemove1971]

Thanks for coming to the group, welcome. We started seeing our pediatrician when we first started and we spent a lot of time on the wrong medication. It was very hard for me but we started see a child psychatist and it was the best decision I could have ever made. She quickly read my sons personality and we tried a number of mediactions until we landed where are. It was the best decision for us. So I say YES! I strongly feel that seeing a Specialist is best when a child has symptoms that need a more expereinced medical opinion. They know medications and dosing. As your child grows they may need an increase or change and they should be the ones doing it.

Good luck and so happy your son is doing better. I also know how much counseling helps.