Thursday, April 16, 2015

What Does ADHD Look Like for Us

The brain is the most complex organ of the body.  There are a great deal of things we still don't understand about it.  Our brains react differently to a situation as we go through different stages of our life.  That makes it very difficult task, even for medical professionals,  to pinpoint something that is out of sync in the brain.

ADHD is a well known term in the USA.  I believe that is is often over-diagnosed, or misdiagnosed.  Parents even claim their children are ADHD without a formal diagnosis.  This means that when you explain to others that your child has ADHD after he acts out of control in a new situation, they start to treat you differently.  You're looked at as one of those moms who simply can't control her child.  The mother is found to be lacking.

My Bumblebee is ADHD.  He has been formally diagnosed by a neurologist.  Bumblebee is a mixture of the two types of ADD: hyperactive and inattentive.  Here's why I sought the diagnisis, and what it looks like in him.

I looked to the doctor for help when he reached 5yrs old and barely recognize his own name.  I can work on a letter of the alphabet for an entire week in our homeschool and at the end, he still can't identify it, or tell me what sound it makes.  This makes him frustrated to the point of meltdowns.  And, I'll admit, it frustrates me as well.  I spoke to our pediatrician about a possible learning disability, and he referred me to the neurologist.

Dr. Jones is a wonderful and caring doctor.  When I went to her office, I expected to be told that Bumblebee was on the autism spectrum, just like his brother.  This isn't what happened.  She told me that beyond a doubt, Bumblebee has severe ADHD.

We chose not to medicate.  Understanding what you're up against can be half the battle.  This lasted until he started to become violent towards other children.  He wasn't intending to be mean, he simply acts as though there are no consequences.  And then when punishment is issued, he goes into disbelieving shock.

Hyperactive and inattentive  ADD war with each other.  For Bumblebee, this means that it is difficult for him to complete a task that helps get the energy out because he's distracted by something else.  He may be jumping on the trampoline when he sees the sidewalk chalk, and suddenly that looks like much more fun.

Getting dressed also takes a great deal of time.  Just yesterday, it took 30 minutes just to get a pair of pants and he tried to put them on top of his pajama's.   The shirt and shoes took another 20 minutes.

There is no fear of what his actions may do.  He will run into the street and be nearly hit by a car and doesn't understand why you are scared and angry.  Climbing to the top of a 6ft tall bookshelf and jumping off is nothing.

This is simply the tip of the iceberg with his behavior.  I'm am termed a helicopter mom, this means that Bumblebee doesn't lack for correction, or love.  Not all ADHD looks the same; but, the struggle is the real for them all

No comments:

Post a Comment