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ADHD
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"I kind of have experience of the work scenario as I have been diagnosed with mild ADHD. From my experience I find that I will lose interest in a task that is not as challenging as something else I have to do. I have to be extremely organised to get work completed as I will procrastinate and leave things to last minute to feel the pressure but to know I have to do that task. I can't really give you much insight into the childhood aspects as that was over 30 years ago but when diagnosed, I was in my mid 30's, I provided school reports which apparently had common factors of people with ADHD including the lack of focus compared to peers. Not sure if that helps, but just a snippet of my experience "That does, thanks for sharing your experience. What activities did you enjoy as a child? (i.e. you would do for fun) - video games? Sport? | |||
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" That does, thanks for sharing your experience. What activities did you enjoy as a child? (i.e. you would do for fun) - video games? Sport? " No worries. Enjoyed video games, still partial to a bit of Xbox and was into sports, still am. Always been active but wouldn't necessarily say there's a connection as sporting participation runs in family. | |||
" That does, thanks for sharing your experience. What activities did you enjoy as a child? (i.e. you would do for fun) - video games? Sport? No worries. Enjoyed video games, still partial to a bit of Xbox and was into sports, still am. Always been active but wouldn't necessarily say there's a connection as sporting participation runs in family." Did you have trouble concentrating on video games as a child? | |||
"My eldest had ADHD amongst other things, and it's studies like that that can be detrimental to getting the best help for our children. As he's got older his attention has got better but I think a lot of that is due to years of medication. He was always fidgety and even the things he did enjoy he couldn't focus on. I don't want to go into too much detail about him but it's not a conscious choice. And I've worked with lots of similar children and certainly don't see it being a choice by the child over what they will concentrate on. Yes there are varying levels but all are very much the same x " Thanks for sharing, if you'd rather not go into detail then no problem but I'd be curious if he enjoyed any outdoor activities? If so, how was his attention with those? | |||
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"I'm just starting the process of getting my 5 yr old assessed for ADHD amongst other things. His obvious pointers are that he cannot physically sit still, he always has to be moving, even if it's just leg swinging at the dinner table. Again his concentration levels are ok if it's something that he's interested in but even then it decreases over a minutes. At school it's been noted that he doesn't sit in the circle but lays down or rolls about, the teachers don't push him as when they ask him a question about what's being discussed, he can answer them correctly. So the information goes in, it's just how/what he does to process it that's different. I'll help answer questions if I can sweet " Does he have an interest in outdoor activities where he gets to move around a lot? | |||
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" That does, thanks for sharing your experience. What activities did you enjoy as a child? (i.e. you would do for fun) - video games? Sport? No worries. Enjoyed video games, still partial to a bit of Xbox and was into sports, still am. Always been active but wouldn't necessarily say there's a connection as sporting participation runs in family. Did you have trouble concentrating on video games as a child?" Not that I really remember, I could and can get engrossed for ages in a game but only tends to be those I like. | |||
"I hav 2 boys wiv severe ADHD, both teenagers now and they wer very hard work wen younger. Aggressive, violent, destructive and didnt do as told outside or inside skool! My youngest is showing traits too.. Medication helps a great dwal cuz keeps them calm but if they dont take meds then its a nightmare, even needed meds at nite to get them togo to sleep.. Ther are all sorts of levels of ADHD and no one wud understand it unless lived it themselves.. Pisses me off wen people who dont kno about it say its just a label on kidz cuz parents cant cope bla bla bla. Kidz wiv ADHD need alot of patience and understanding. mazza x" The podcast wasn't saying that ADHD doesn't exist. It was arguing that it isn't a problem with the child per se, it's a problem with the environment the child is forced into and not suited for. | |||
"I'm just starting the process of getting my 5 yr old assessed for ADHD amongst other things. His obvious pointers are that he cannot physically sit still, he always has to be moving, even if it's just leg swinging at the dinner table. Again his concentration levels are ok if it's something that he's interested in but even then it decreases over a minutes. At school it's been noted that he doesn't sit in the circle but lays down or rolls about, the teachers don't push him as when they ask him a question about what's being discussed, he can answer them correctly. So the information goes in, it's just how/what he does to process it that's different. I'll help answer questions if I can sweet Does he have an interest in outdoor activities where he gets to move around a lot? " I struggle with activities like football or rugby sessions as again it's concentration and abiding by a set lot of rules. He is very physical though & loves nothing more than going to soft play where he can roam & move about as he wants to. At home he often does his 'moves' as we call them where he'll bounce of the furniture etc. I'm extremely lucky that he hasn't seriously hurt himself YET! He also suffers from restless leg syndrome, as do I, and I wondered myself if it's linked. | |||
"1 of my brothers has ADHD. its very real, although I've encountered a fair few kids that the parents say have it, when in reality, its mostly due to poor parenting and diet.(an opinion I know I'm likely to get shot for) "Agree on the diet, diet products with artificial sweeteners to my mind cause more issues than regular products. | |||
"My eldest had ADHD amongst other things, and it's studies like that that can be detrimental to getting the best help for our children. As he's got older his attention has got better but I think a lot of that is due to years of medication. He was always fidgety and even the things he did enjoy he couldn't focus on. I don't want to go into too much detail about him but it's not a conscious choice. And I've worked with lots of similar children and certainly don't see it being a choice by the child over what they will concentrate on. Yes there are varying levels but all are very much the same x Thanks for sharing, if you'd rather not go into detail then no problem but I'd be curious if he enjoyed any outdoor activities? If so, how was his attention with those? " He also had very severe epilepsy that required surgery as he used to be in status epilepticus regularly and didn't really enjoy any activity. He just had no attention span whatsoever. Was a constant battle to keep up with his need for change and supervision. | |||
" That does, thanks for sharing your experience. What activities did you enjoy as a child? (i.e. you would do for fun) - video games? Sport? No worries. Enjoyed video games, still partial to a bit of Xbox and was into sports, still am. Always been active but wouldn't necessarily say there's a connection as sporting participation runs in family. Did you have trouble concentrating on video games as a child? Not that I really remember, I could and can get engrossed for ages in a game but only tends to be those I like." That's the point they were making really. They were saying that the problem is really trying to force all kids into one education system. It's also notable that ADHD effects 3x more boys than girls. | |||
"I hav 2 boys wiv severe ADHD, both teenagers now and they wer very hard work wen younger. Aggressive, violent, destructive and didnt do as told outside or inside skool! My youngest is showing traits too.. Medication helps a great dwal cuz keeps them calm but if they dont take meds then its a nightmare, even needed meds at nite to get them togo to sleep.. Ther are all sorts of levels of ADHD and no one wud understand it unless lived it themselves.. Pisses me off wen people who dont kno about it say its just a label on kidz cuz parents cant cope bla bla bla. Kidz wiv ADHD need alot of patience and understanding. mazza x The podcast wasn't saying that ADHD doesn't exist. It was arguing that it isn't a problem with the child per se, it's a problem with the environment the child is forced into and not suited for. " I agree. You can't tame all kids, some just need a wider safety net. I let my son blow off his steam but I make sure he's safe. My nephew has ADHD & other spectrum disorders but he's 17 now. Watching him grow up had helped with my current situation though, you need to change as a parent to help the child not try to change the child! | |||
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" That does, thanks for sharing your experience. What activities did you enjoy as a child? (i.e. you would do for fun) - video games? Sport? No worries. Enjoyed video games, still partial to a bit of Xbox and was into sports, still am. Always been active but wouldn't necessarily say there's a connection as sporting participation runs in family. Did you have trouble concentrating on video games as a child? Not that I really remember, I could and can get engrossed for ages in a game but only tends to be those I like. That's the point they were making really. They were saying that the problem is really trying to force all kids into one education system. It's also notable that ADHD effects 3x more boys than girls. " I don't really know what I can contribute, as I don't have much experience of ADHD. Although being on the autism spectrum I'm certainly not 'neurotypical' There is some overlap of the conditions so I can relate to what others are saying here. There is the school of thought that lack of exercise and a one size fits all education system doesn't help kids in these situations. | |||
"a neurologist could diagnose ADHD/ADD." It takes 6 months in my area just to get a referral to the community pediactrics from school. The GP won't review until the school has. I can understand why a lot of adults have trouble with the system & were just labelled as troublemakers in their youth. | |||
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"Thanks for all the replies, it's interesting to see the different experiences. I think they hammer home that it's a spectrum. I don't have ADHD but did find school excruciatingly boring. I do wonder how much of that spectrum is bought about by the environment. The fact that it effects boys so much more than girls seems to suggest a fair bit. " see I share a lot of traits with my brother, just not to the same degree, school bored the arse off me,the pace was too slow, once I'd grasped something I needed new stuff, not to wait while others learnt, my brothers behaviour meant 2 primary schools booted him out, his temper was scary, and he was often violent. I'd get called out of class to go deal with him, which basically involved pinning him down till he calmed enough to get him outside, then scrap till he'd worked it off.  | |||
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"My brother in law was diagnosed with ADHD many years ago, with him he could always focus on the things he wanted to do, computer games and football; school work was a complete no no. He was disruptive and naughty in class and now as an adult he is pretty much the same, and unable or unwilling to hold a job down. I believe he was wrongly diagnosed and he was an example of just a plain naughty attention seeking child. Unfortunately these types of misdiagnosis tarnishes those children who genuinely do suffer. Slightly off topic, but for those that really do suffer with ADHD life must be made 10 times harder due to tne likes of my BiL. " Why do you say he was misdiagnosed. I don't believe it's a contradiction to say an ADHD child can focus on things they are interested in but not school work. | |||
"My brother in law was diagnosed with ADHD many years ago, with him he could always focus on the things he wanted to do, computer games and football; school work was a complete no no. He was disruptive and naughty in class and now as an adult he is pretty much the same, and unable or unwilling to hold a job down. I believe he was wrongly diagnosed and he was an example of just a plain naughty attention seeking child. Unfortunately these types of misdiagnosis tarnishes those children who genuinely do suffer. Slightly off topic, but for those that really do suffer with ADHD life must be made 10 times harder due to tne likes of my BiL. Why do you say he was misdiagnosed. I don't believe it's a contradiction to say an ADHD child can focus on things they are interested in but not school work. " More because of the way he is now, he's not a nice person, very manipulative and I believe he just played the system to get out of going to school and try and justify his bad behaviour. Just as he tries now to manipulate people to make his life easier, without going into a huge amount of detail about him there are signs that he certainly does have some sort of disorder but its not ADHD. | |||
"My brother in law was diagnosed with ADHD many years ago, with him he could always focus on the things he wanted to do, computer games and football; school work was a complete no no. He was disruptive and naughty in class and now as an adult he is pretty much the same, and unable or unwilling to hold a job down. I believe he was wrongly diagnosed and he was an example of just a plain naughty attention seeking child. Unfortunately these types of misdiagnosis tarnishes those children who genuinely do suffer. Slightly off topic, but for those that really do suffer with ADHD life must be made 10 times harder due to tne likes of my BiL. " i only know 2 kids diagnosed with ADHD and one is hyperactive to an extreme degree, the other seems like a little shit and enjoys destroying things or hurting other people. both completely different seemingly but both have the same disorder. it's a brain condition, and one that i admit i know nothing about, but brain conditions (well all conditions really) tend to have a specific type of, or amount of, symptoms that mean someone gets diagnosed with something. | |||
"1 of my brothers has ADHD. its very real, although I've encountered a fair few kids that the parents say have it, when in reality, its mostly due to poor parenting and diet.(an opinion I know I'm likely to get shot for) "I agree completely. ADHD and similar disorders do exist. I also think that in some cases the child simply needs to be more active, spend less time gaming or in front of the TV and get sufficient sleep. Nita | |||
"My brother in law was diagnosed with ADHD many years ago, with him he could always focus on the things he wanted to do, computer games and football; school work was a complete no no. He was disruptive and naughty in class and now as an adult he is pretty much the same, and unable or unwilling to hold a job down. I believe he was wrongly diagnosed and he was an example of just a plain naughty attention seeking child. Unfortunately these types of misdiagnosis tarnishes those children who genuinely do suffer. Slightly off topic, but for those that really do suffer with ADHD life must be made 10 times harder due to tne likes of my BiL. Why do you say he was misdiagnosed. I don't believe it's a contradiction to say an ADHD child can focus on things they are interested in but not school work. More because of the way he is now, he's not a nice person, very manipulative and I believe he just played the system to get out of going to school and try and justify his bad behaviour. Just as he tries now to manipulate people to make his life easier, without going into a huge amount of detail about him there are signs that he certainly does have some sort of disorder but its not ADHD. " Thanks, that makes sense. I saw some documentaries on it and some of the kids clearly have an issue but I'm not always convinced it's ADHD. | |||
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"My brother in law was diagnosed with ADHD many years ago, with him he could always focus on the things he wanted to do, computer games and football; school work was a complete no no. He was disruptive and naughty in class and now as an adult he is pretty much the same, and unable or unwilling to hold a job down. I believe he was wrongly diagnosed and he was an example of just a plain naughty attention seeking child. Unfortunately these types of misdiagnosis tarnishes those children who genuinely do suffer. Slightly off topic, but for those that really do suffer with ADHD life must be made 10 times harder due to tne likes of my BiL. i only know 2 kids diagnosed with ADHD and one is hyperactive to an extreme degree, the other seems like a little shit and enjoys destroying things or hurting other people. both completely different seemingly but both have the same disorder. it's a brain condition, and one that i admit i know nothing about, but brain conditions (well all conditions really) tend to have a specific type of, or amount of, symptoms that mean someone gets diagnosed with something." He was diagnosed about 15 years ago, so this was all quite new back then, though I think it was the school not a medical professional that suggested he had it. Up until the age of 14 he was completely normal, and displayed no signs of ADHD, it was after he started to become naughty at school and on the cusp of expulsion that he mentioned ADHD and it just kind of snowballed from there. You can probably tell that I don't like him so perhaps there is a degree of me being bias against him, but I'd fully agree he's got something wrong with him. The main point I was making that in my experience ADHD has been used as an excuse for bad behaviour and this just makes it harder for those who genuinely suffer. My friend's son has ADHD but she can tell when he's being naughty and when it's the ADHD. | |||
"My brother in law was diagnosed with ADHD many years ago, with him he could always focus on the things he wanted to do, computer games and football; school work was a complete no no. He was disruptive and naughty in class and now as an adult he is pretty much the same, and unable or unwilling to hold a job down. I believe he was wrongly diagnosed and he was an example of just a plain naughty attention seeking child. Unfortunately these types of misdiagnosis tarnishes those children who genuinely do suffer. Slightly off topic, but for those that really do suffer with ADHD life must be made 10 times harder due to tne likes of my BiL. i only know 2 kids diagnosed with ADHD and one is hyperactive to an extreme degree, the other seems like a little shit and enjoys destroying things or hurting other people. both completely different seemingly but both have the same disorder. it's a brain condition, and one that i admit i know nothing about, but brain conditions (well all conditions really) tend to have a specific type of, or amount of, symptoms that mean someone gets diagnosed with something. He was diagnosed about 15 years ago, so this was all quite new back then, though I think it was the school not a medical professional that suggested he had it. Up until the age of 14 he was completely normal, and displayed no signs of ADHD, it was after he started to become naughty at school and on the cusp of expulsion that he mentioned ADHD and it just kind of snowballed from there. You can probably tell that I don't like him so perhaps there is a degree of me being bias against him, but I'd fully agree he's got something wrong with him. The main point I was making that in my experience ADHD has been used as an excuse for bad behaviour and this just makes it harder for those who genuinely suffer. My friend's son has ADHD but she can tell when he's being naughty and when it's the ADHD. " Completely agree with the last paragraph there! I can tell immediately if my 5 yr old is in a hyper state or just being a regular pain in the butt kid! He also tells me after it was just a bad behaviour moment, he often doesn't see the hyper side of himself if that makes sense | |||
"My brother in law was diagnosed with ADHD many years ago, with him he could always focus on the things he wanted to do, computer games and football; school work was a complete no no. He was disruptive and naughty in class and now as an adult he is pretty much the same, and unable or unwilling to hold a job down. I believe he was wrongly diagnosed and he was an example of just a plain naughty attention seeking child. Unfortunately these types of misdiagnosis tarnishes those children who genuinely do suffer. Slightly off topic, but for those that really do suffer with ADHD life must be made 10 times harder due to tne likes of my BiL. i only know 2 kids diagnosed with ADHD and one is hyperactive to an extreme degree, the other seems like a little shit and enjoys destroying things or hurting other people. both completely different seemingly but both have the same disorder. it's a brain condition, and one that i admit i know nothing about, but brain conditions (well all conditions really) tend to have a specific type of, or amount of, symptoms that mean someone gets diagnosed with something. He was diagnosed about 15 years ago, so this was all quite new back then, though I think it was the school not a medical professional that suggested he had it. Up until the age of 14 he was completely normal, and displayed no signs of ADHD, it was after he started to become naughty at school and on the cusp of expulsion that he mentioned ADHD and it just kind of snowballed from there. You can probably tell that I don't like him so perhaps there is a degree of me being bias against him, but I'd fully agree he's got something wrong with him. The main point I was making that in my experience ADHD has been used as an excuse for bad behaviour and this just makes it harder for those who genuinely suffer. My friend's son has ADHD but she can tell when he's being naughty and when it's the ADHD. " you probably know him better than anyone, i did post mine before you'd posted your next statement and when i read that i did wonder about something else but i don't know him and would be being presumptuous (plus need to stop 'diagnosing' people lol. know what you mean though, i've been accused of being bi-polar from someone with no actual ability to diagnose me, whereas someone with that ability and the qualifications to do so thinks i have cPTSD (and i agree with her a since i've learned about it). both have the same/similar symptoms, just the reason for each condition is different and that is how you differentiate between the two diagnosis. | |||
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"Just to expand the hypothesis further. If you think about the modern human brain evolving over ~200,000 years then it's only really the last ~100 where it would ever have been common to find the majority of men sat around indoors for long periods of time. This is one possible reason it effects boys more than girls (i.e. school is better suited for girls)" I'm not qualified to back this up but what you say does make sense. We're evolved for a certain lifestyle and many modern health problems are tied to not living that lifestyle. | |||
"Our son was diagnosed with ADHD and at 15 Aspergers, ADHD is hereditary." They are discovering genetic links with spectrum disorders. It's fascinating really. I think many of my generation were labelled as disruptive or stupid whereas if they were assessed nowadays the label would be very different! | |||
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"There's a whole spectrum so it cannot really be generalised. With special needs of any sort be it autism, adhd, whatever. Whats more important is to get the individual help which is needed to help each child/adult in my opinion than labelling. Though yes diagnoses do help you get further help down the line eventually if you kick up enough." Spot on  | |||
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"Theres a programme on bbc 2 on Tuesday 25th April, 9-10pm. Reads like it will be a good watch:- Comedian and Impressionist Rory Bremner is on a personal mission to uncover the science of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a condition which he has suspected he has. In this film he learns about the science of ADHD, goes for a diagnosis, and tries the drug methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) for the first time - just before walking on stage. Around three percent of the adult population suffer from ADHD, and five percent of children - yet many people remain sceptical of its existence, blaming it on naughty children or bad parenting. This film looks for the solid scientific evidence that ADHD does exist as a distinct disorder in the brain and the implications for those people suffering from it. In Rory’s case, he believes that the random associations it throws up feed his comedy. But for people with more severe ADHD, the consequences can be extremely serious. Incredibly, almost 30 percent of adult prisoners have ADHD; we meet someone who has consistently been in trouble with the law (Amy Sweet), whose potential career as an England hockey player was blighted by her impulsive behaviour. The programme also traces the biological origins of ADHD, and discovers that far from it being a modern disorder, doctors were describing its symptoms in 1775. From today’s research, we see the clear differences in the brains of people with ADHD, and discover how the genes involved are being identified by research on flies, which have been genetically modified to be hyperactive or inattentive. Rory comes to see that it’s a complicated condition, which is different in almost everyone who has it, due to the interaction of the many genes involved with the environment. Rory tries out treatments for ADHD, taking methylphenidate (notorious under the brand name Ritalin) for the first time, as well as trying out an experimental form of brain training. Finally he finds out why ADHD exists at all: while it may be bad for the individual, some scientists believe it may have helped society by providing risk-takers who, like mine-sweepers, identify dangers and map out boundaries, to the benefit of the rest of us " Shall be setting the planner for this. Thanks for the heads up. | |||
"Theres a programme on bbc 2 on Tuesday 25th April, 9-10pm. Reads like it will be a good watch:- Comedian and Impressionist Rory Bremner is on a personal mission to uncover the science of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a condition which he has suspected he has. In this film he learns about the science of ADHD, goes for a diagnosis, and tries the drug methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) for the first time - just before walking on stage. Around three percent of the adult population suffer from ADHD, and five percent of children - yet many people remain sceptical of its existence, blaming it on naughty children or bad parenting. This film looks for the solid scientific evidence that ADHD does exist as a distinct disorder in the brain and the implications for those people suffering from it. In Rory’s case, he believes that the random associations it throws up feed his comedy. But for people with more severe ADHD, the consequences can be extremely serious. Incredibly, almost 30 percent of adult prisoners have ADHD; we meet someone who has consistently been in trouble with the law (Amy Sweet), whose potential career as an England hockey player was blighted by her impulsive behaviour. The programme also traces the biological origins of ADHD, and discovers that far from it being a modern disorder, doctors were describing its symptoms in 1775. From today’s research, we see the clear differences in the brains of people with ADHD, and discover how the genes involved are being identified by research on flies, which have been genetically modified to be hyperactive or inattentive. Rory comes to see that it’s a complicated condition, which is different in almost everyone who has it, due to the interaction of the many genes involved with the environment. Rory tries out treatments for ADHD, taking methylphenidate (notorious under the brand name Ritalin) for the first time, as well as trying out an experimental form of brain training. Finally he finds out why ADHD exists at all: while it may be bad for the individual, some scientists believe it may have helped society by providing risk-takers who, like mine-sweepers, identify dangers and map out boundaries, to the benefit of the rest of us. " Definitely have to watch that! My son shows no fear physically and will even take the risk to help out other kids that are stuck or scared, say on play equipment etc But mentally he gets scared of basic kids stuff like the dark, noises in the house at night. Programme looks good, I'll have to set a reminder. Thanks | |||
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"Theres a programme on bbc 2 on Tuesday 25th April, 9-10pm. Reads like it will be a good watch:- Comedian and Impressionist Rory Bremner is on a personal mission to uncover the science of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a condition which he has suspected he has. In this film he learns about the science of ADHD, goes for a diagnosis, and tries the drug methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) for the first time - just before walking on stage. Around three percent of the adult population suffer from ADHD, and five percent of children - yet many people remain sceptical of its existence, blaming it on naughty children or bad parenting. This film looks for the solid scientific evidence that ADHD does exist as a distinct disorder in the brain and the implications for those people suffering from it. In Rory’s case, he believes that the random associations it throws up feed his comedy. But for people with more severe ADHD, the consequences can be extremely serious. Incredibly, almost 30 percent of adult prisoners have ADHD; we meet someone who has consistently been in trouble with the law (Amy Sweet), whose potential career as an England hockey player was blighted by her impulsive behaviour. The programme also traces the biological origins of ADHD, and discovers that far from it being a modern disorder, doctors were describing its symptoms in 1775. From today’s research, we see the clear differences in the brains of people with ADHD, and discover how the genes involved are being identified by research on flies, which have been genetically modified to be hyperactive or inattentive. Rory comes to see that it’s a complicated condition, which is different in almost everyone who has it, due to the interaction of the many genes involved with the environment. Rory tries out treatments for ADHD, taking methylphenidate (notorious under the brand name Ritalin) for the first time, as well as trying out an experimental form of brain training. Finally he finds out why ADHD exists at all: while it may be bad for the individual, some scientists believe it may have helped society by providing risk-takers who, like mine-sweepers, identify dangers and map out boundaries, to the benefit of the rest of us. " The point i was making earlier is that historically ADHD wouldn't have caused many problems, would have probably been an advantage in many situations. I'm not saying we should go back to a hunter gatherer society but equally i think that the education system is designed against the natural insticts of boys. | |||
"Environment is a huge factor for lots of people. My eldest son has Aspergers. In primary he was ok at school to a point but then completely fell apart when he got home. He had spent all day trying to conform and struggling to process the sensory overload of the environment, social interactions and concentrating, he would just sob when he came home from exhaustion. In high school he was bullied badly and thrown out of more classes than he was in. Since leaving school he has thrived though. His Aspergers in some way helped him as he focussed on one thing to the point of obsession and hes developed a career path out of it and is working to help others like him. Had he still been in school he would be a very different young man.. miserable, anxious and not progressing. My youngest son is going through the 'journey to diagnosis'for Autism at the moment he's miserable at school, hes in constant state of high alert, he struggles with other kids and although very bright and keen to learn the last school environment was open plan and he struggled. He needed safe spaces and picked under chairs and up trees to try and escape those around him. If he gets upset he struggles to process it and gets stuck in a cycle. Hes attending play therapy and starts a fantastic new school tomorrow. Its a long road. I work with adults with Autism too, many mis diagnosed or diagnosed later in life. Id like to say our school system gives kids a better chance however I know first hand it's not. Staff are poorly trained and there is a,definite lack of knowledge. Kids and adults on the spectrum.. no matter where they are on the spectrum can and do achieve and learn and develop with the right support. However support needs to be as individual as they are. A,diagnosis may help to understand how they process the world to an extent, it may help get additional support, but two people with the same diagnosis are likely to be completely different. " What's his career path if you don't mind me asking? I know it's a stereotype but I'm curious how many autistic or aspergers kids are well suited to software coding... | |||
"Environment is a huge factor for lots of people. My eldest son has Aspergers. In primary he was ok at school to a point but then completely fell apart when he got home. He had spent all day trying to conform and struggling to process the sensory overload of the environment, social interactions and concentrating, he would just sob when he came home from exhaustion. In high school he was bullied badly and thrown out of more classes than he was in. Since leaving school he has thrived though. His Aspergers in some way helped him as he focussed on one thing to the point of obsession and hes developed a career path out of it and is working to help others like him. Had he still been in school he would be a very different young man.. miserable, anxious and not progressing. My youngest son is going through the 'journey to diagnosis'for Autism at the moment he's miserable at school, hes in constant state of high alert, he struggles with other kids and although very bright and keen to learn the last school environment was open plan and he struggled. He needed safe spaces and picked under chairs and up trees to try and escape those around him. If he gets upset he struggles to process it and gets stuck in a cycle. Hes attending play therapy and starts a fantastic new school tomorrow. Its a long road. I work with adults with Autism too, many mis diagnosed or diagnosed later in life. Id like to say our school system gives kids a better chance however I know first hand it's not. Staff are poorly trained and there is a,definite lack of knowledge. Kids and adults on the spectrum.. no matter where they are on the spectrum can and do achieve and learn and develop with the right support. However support needs to be as individual as they are. A,diagnosis may help to understand how they process the world to an extent, it may help get additional support, but two people with the same diagnosis are likely to be completely different. What's his career path if you don't mind me asking? I know it's a stereotype but I'm curious how many autistic or aspergers kids are well suited to software coding... " Radio.. he is not the stereotypical introvert. | |||
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"Theres a programme on bbc 2 on Tuesday 25th April, 9-10pm. Reads like it will be a good watch:- Comedian and Impressionist Rory Bremner is on a personal mission to uncover the science of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a condition which he has suspected he has. In this film he learns about the science of ADHD, goes for a diagnosis, and tries the drug methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) for the first time - just before walking on stage. Around three percent of the adult population suffer from ADHD, and five percent of children - yet many people remain sceptical of its existence, blaming it on naughty children or bad parenting. This film looks for the solid scientific evidence that ADHD does exist as a distinct disorder in the brain and the implications for those people suffering from it. In Rory’s case, he believes that the random associations it throws up feed his comedy. But for people with more severe ADHD, the consequences can be extremely serious. Incredibly, almost 30 percent of adult prisoners have ADHD; we meet someone who has consistently been in trouble with the law (Amy Sweet), whose potential career as an England hockey player was blighted by her impulsive behaviour. The programme also traces the biological origins of ADHD, and discovers that far from it being a modern disorder, doctors were describing its symptoms in 1775. From today’s research, we see the clear differences in the brains of people with ADHD, and discover how the genes involved are being identified by research on flies, which have been genetically modified to be hyperactive or inattentive. Rory comes to see that it’s a complicated condition, which is different in almost everyone who has it, due to the interaction of the many genes involved with the environment. Rory tries out treatments for ADHD, taking methylphenidate (notorious under the brand name Ritalin) for the first time, as well as trying out an experimental form of brain training. Finally he finds out why ADHD exists at all: while it may be bad for the individual, some scientists believe it may have helped society by providing risk-takers who, like mine-sweepers, identify dangers and map out boundaries, to the benefit of the rest of us. The point i was making earlier is that historically ADHD wouldn't have caused many problems, would have probably been an advantage in many situations. I'm not saying we should go back to a hunter gatherer society but equally i think that the education system is designed against the natural insticts of boys. " Yeah I just thought some people on this post might find this interesting, that's all. | |||
"My daughter had ADHD but we did not know until it was to late she would always get into trouble and I spend a lot of time at the Police Station in the end I had to get the court to order for her to be tested as the doctor would say it's just a Phase she was going through . I feel for any Parent who has a child with ADHD as it is very hard and you hear people trying to blame the parents which is not the case at all my daughter got medication in the end but twice she ended up in hospital as she had taken all her tablets at once and asked why she said I thought I would get better faster . In the end she took her own life . This was 8 years ago so now I hope anyone who has been diagnosed with ADHD is getting the treatment they need and as soon as they can sorry if this post sounds a bit sad but my hart is with you all if you are dealing with this " I'm very sorry to read about your daughter xx | |||
"Theres a programme on bbc 2 on Tuesday 25th April, 9-10pm. Reads like it will be a good watch:- Comedian and Impressionist Rory Bremner is on a personal mission to uncover the science of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a condition which he has suspected he has. In this film he learns about the science of ADHD, goes for a diagnosis, and tries the drug methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) for the first time - just before walking on stage. Around three percent of the adult population suffer from ADHD, and five percent of children - yet many people remain sceptical of its existence, blaming it on naughty children or bad parenting. This film looks for the solid scientific evidence that ADHD does exist as a distinct disorder in the brain and the implications for those people suffering from it. In Rory’s case, he believes that the random associations it throws up feed his comedy. But for people with more severe ADHD, the consequences can be extremely serious. Incredibly, almost 30 percent of adult prisoners have ADHD; we meet someone who has consistently been in trouble with the law (Amy Sweet), whose potential career as an England hockey player was blighted by her impulsive behaviour. The programme also traces the biological origins of ADHD, and discovers that far from it being a modern disorder, doctors were describing its symptoms in 1775. From today’s research, we see the clear differences in the brains of people with ADHD, and discover how the genes involved are being identified by research on flies, which have been genetically modified to be hyperactive or inattentive. Rory comes to see that it’s a complicated condition, which is different in almost everyone who has it, due to the interaction of the many genes involved with the environment. Rory tries out treatments for ADHD, taking methylphenidate (notorious under the brand name Ritalin) for the first time, as well as trying out an experimental form of brain training. Finally he finds out why ADHD exists at all: while it may be bad for the individual, some scientists believe it may have helped society by providing risk-takers who, like mine-sweepers, identify dangers and map out boundaries, to the benefit of the rest of us. The point i was making earlier is that historically ADHD wouldn't have caused many problems, would have probably been an advantage in many situations. I'm not saying we should go back to a hunter gatherer society but equally i think that the education system is designed against the natural insticts of boys. Yeah I just thought some people on this post might find this interesting, that's all." I'm sure they will. It's an interesting area. I think the overriding point is that 'society' can be too quick to say non-conformity is a problem even though variation is a natural and positive part of evolution. I find it worrying that in 2014 there were 922,200 prescriptions for ritalin in the UK. Whilst i don't have facts to prove it, that feels way too high intuitively. | |||
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"Hey guys, just found this thread. I worked with kids with ADHD for nearly half my life. It's becoming much more understood these days. I used to be one of the doubters thinking it was an excuse for poor behaviour but am totally convinced that it is real (in majority of cases. Obviously there may be some misdiagnosed cases? If your concerned about a child, then 1st place of enquiry is the school's Second. You'll need to fill forms in and then your child will be tested. For an adult, go to your Drs and start the 18 month ball rolling! You could cut corners by filling in a Diva 2.0 questionnaire. Knowledge of ADHD for a parent or 'sufferer' is paramount! I personally see adult ADHD as a gift if you know how to focus and use it! " In plain english terms, what would you say someone with ADHD is? | |||
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"My son has ADHD and takes medication in order for him to concentrate during the school day.. before he was diagnosed he was referred to as a 'chair kicker' who would distract everyone around him rather than get his head down and do any work.. He is not naughty, he doesnt have tantrums but he does get angry when he cant get on and do what he wants to do.. His ADHD manifests itself as impulsiveness so basically without the medication he could be a danger to himself.. One theory about it is that its hereditary on the male side and there are certain traits my son displays that i saw in his dad " So if it was monday morning and you told your son that he could do what he pleased today - what kind of things would he say he wants to do? | |||
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"Well (broken) 32 years of my life has been with ADHD. For me it's a gift a higher power able to have more energy then any other. Being able to complete task at a rapid rate it's about training your mind staying focused. Meditation,exercise,veggie lifestyle will also help believe me. Until this day I'm still hyper still me never change. "Do you struggle to stay focussed on anything or just boring things / school / office work? | |||
"My son has ADHD and takes medication in order for him to concentrate during the school day.. before he was diagnosed he was referred to as a 'chair kicker' who would distract everyone around him rather than get his head down and do any work.. He is not naughty, he doesnt have tantrums but he does get angry when he cant get on and do what he wants to do.. His ADHD manifests itself as impulsiveness so basically without the medication he could be a danger to himself.. One theory about it is that its hereditary on the male side and there are certain traits my son displays that i saw in his dad So if it was monday morning and you told your son that he could do what he pleased today - what kind of things would he say he wants to do? " He would probably go back to bed | |||
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"Nope no struggles I'm a head chef by trade so I need to remain and stay calm and focused at all times detail presentation service etc my job maybe stressful it's how you deal with it and how you should channel that energy in. Hardest time for me was secondary that's when everything happens exams,puberty etc,Doe's put more stress on a youth. ADHD kid's are not bad at all just society chooses the label Loyle carner has ADHD too who..... You ask just Google the name and you'll see "But that's my issue with ADHD, it seems to demonise boys (especially) for not wanting to sit around and listen to catcher in the rye or some shit like that. I heard a psychologist comment that there are zero ADHD armish children. That's because if they had a kid who needed to move around a lot and liked being outside, then they have plenty of valued jobs that require that. They don't try and force them into a classroom environment. | |||
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