Comments for Life with Fast Boy http://fastboy.wordpress.com The Challenges of Raising Our ADHD Son Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:22:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 FastBoyCommentshttp://feedburner.google.com Comment on The ADHD Medication Debate by Heather http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/the-adhd-medication-debate/#comment-95 Heather Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:22:42 +0000 http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/the-adhd-medication-debate/#comment-95 One tired Mama, I feel for you. I to am the mother of not one but two boys with these same issues. Your "Fast Boy" is in between my two. My oldest is 12, 4'7.5" 78 lbs. The Dr.'s have labeled him as ADHD/ Bi Polar, with additional issues resulting from Lead Poisoning. And my other boy is soon 7, 4'6.5" 89lbs. To which drives his older brother crazy. And the Dr.'s have labeled him as having ADHD/ODD. I read alot of what you have written and let me tell you, with my oldest(Hype), that is his nickname, they are a lot alike. We have been to so many Dr.'s, starting with GP's to Peds. Neuros. And more meds. that I can count on fingers and toes. Meds. for me to are a major concern, not just side effects. With Hype they keep mixing different meds. together. And a real problem with these types of meds. is the loss of appetite or the other excessive weight gain. The other problem is one month(s) the meds. he's on will work for him and then in the blink of an eye they don't. That's when real problems start. Our current problem with Hype is the puberty thing, body changes are wreaking havoc with his meds. Currently, He is taking Concerta 54 & 18 and a Risperidone chaser. Without this medication this child will not sleep. When he was five the Dr.'s had me kind of do a test over summer, and let me tell you it was rough, They had me see how long he would stay wake before going to sleep on his own. 2.5 days! Normal days as possible. That is when the long line of Dr.'s And meds. started for us. Now days, we(Hype & Me)look at it as challenge that we find balance. Where he can find the calm that he needs to get through the school days. The school knows about him and his problems and mood changes and they do a great job with him( I swear they are psychic.) They like myself can see problems coming before they surface in him. His teachers are awesome(for a reg, ed. school.) I need to sleep it is really late here. I hope to come to this site more often now that I have found it. All the best to you and yours, Heather One tired Mama,

I feel for you. I to am the mother of not one but two boys with these same issues. Your “Fast Boy” is in between my two. My oldest is 12, 4′7.5″ 78 lbs. The Dr.’s have labeled him as ADHD/ Bi Polar, with additional issues resulting from Lead Poisoning. And my other boy is soon 7, 4′6.5″ 89lbs. To which drives his older brother crazy. And the Dr.’s have labeled him as having ADHD/ODD. I read alot of what you have written and let me tell you, with my oldest(Hype), that is his nickname, they are a lot alike. We have been to so many Dr.’s, starting with GP’s to Peds. Neuros. And more meds. that I can count on fingers and toes. Meds. for me to are a major concern, not just side effects. With Hype they keep mixing different meds. together. And a real problem with these types of meds. is the loss of appetite or the other excessive weight gain. The other problem is one month(s) the meds. he’s on will work for him and then in the blink of an eye they don’t. That’s when real problems start. Our current problem with Hype is the puberty thing, body changes are wreaking havoc with his meds. Currently, He is taking Concerta 54 & 18 and a Risperidone chaser. Without this medication this child will not sleep. When he was five the Dr.’s had me kind of do a test over summer, and let me tell you it was rough, They had me see how long he would stay wake before going to sleep on his own. 2.5 days! Normal days as possible. That is when the long line of Dr.’s And meds. started for us. Now days, we(Hype & Me)look at it as challenge that we find balance. Where he can find the calm that he needs to get through the school days. The school knows about him and his problems and mood changes and they do a great job with him( I swear they are psychic.) They like myself can see problems coming before they surface in him. His teachers are awesome(for a reg, ed. school.) I need to sleep it is really late here. I hope to come to this site more often now that I have found it.
All the best to you and yours,
Heather

]]> Comment on Give the Boy a Keyboard by Christina Shaver http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/give-the-boy-a-keyboard/#comment-86 Christina Shaver Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:08:01 +0000 http://fastboy.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-86 I have enjoyed reading your blog. My son also has ADHD, so I can relate! I've been looking for a place on your website where I can contact you, but am coming up short. Could you please send me an e-mail? There's something I'd like to ask you. I have enjoyed reading your blog. My son also has ADHD, so I can relate! I’ve been looking for a place on your website where I can contact you, but am coming up short. Could you please send me an e-mail? There’s something I’d like to ask you.

]]> Comment on Academically and Intellectually Gifted by Ron http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/academically-and-intellectually-gifted/#comment-85 Ron Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:00:22 +0000 http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/academically-and-intellectually-gifted/#comment-85 Hi,as you stated in your question about the handwriting problems in school. I would suggest you invite the technology department or someone from the dept. to your IEP meeting and take advantage of the technology. We have not even begun to look at the various ways to teach and help our children. We focus so much on the disability and not on the strengths of the child. There should be a balance. Disability and strengths! An IEP meeting involves collaboration from all sides. Hi,as you stated in your question about the handwriting problems in school. I would suggest you invite the technology department or someone from the dept. to your IEP meeting and take advantage of the technology. We have not even begun to look at the various ways to teach and help our children. We focus so much on the disability and not on the strengths of the child. There should be a balance. Disability and strengths! An IEP meeting involves collaboration from all sides.

]]> Comment on Academically and Intellectually Gifted by Karen http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/academically-and-intellectually-gifted/#comment-84 Karen Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:19:17 +0000 http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/academically-and-intellectually-gifted/#comment-84 If your kid is bored in his regular classroom, the AIG program might make school interesting for him. A lot of behavior problems are based on boredom. I put my kids in a Montessori school so they can work at their own pace in their regular classroom. My son reports being teased about being in books ahead of his grade, but it's my experience that all gifted people get teased about being smarter. If your kid is bored in his regular classroom, the AIG program might make school interesting for him. A lot of behavior problems are based on boredom. I put my kids in a Montessori school so they can work at their own pace in their regular classroom. My son reports being teased about being in books ahead of his grade, but it’s my experience that all gifted people get teased about being smarter.

]]> Comment on Scared… by Sarah http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/scared/#comment-83 Sarah Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:51:10 +0000 http://fastboy.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/scared/#comment-83 I just wanted to respond to something Douglas mentioned - bribery. I don't believe he is using bribery. It was once explained to me that the difference between bribery and rewards is that bribes are given before the behaviour, and rewards are given after. For example, if you give your child a cookie on the way into the grocery store and make them promise they will behave, that's bribery. And of course, it doesn't work. Because once they've eaten the cookie, there's no incentive left to behave. If, on the other hand, you promise them a cookie at the end of the shopping trip if they behave, and then follow through if they do behave (and make sure you DON'T give it to them if they don't behave), that's a reward. And IMO, those are okay, as long as it's only one of the techniques in your toolbox and they don't come to expect it every time :) I just wanted to respond to something Douglas mentioned – bribery. I don’t believe he is using bribery. It was once explained to me that the difference between bribery and rewards is that bribes are given before the behaviour, and rewards are given after. For example, if you give your child a cookie on the way into the grocery store and make them promise they will behave, that’s bribery. And of course, it doesn’t work. Because once they’ve eaten the cookie, there’s no incentive left to behave.

If, on the other hand, you promise them a cookie at the end of the shopping trip if they behave, and then follow through if they do behave (and make sure you DON’T give it to them if they don’t behave), that’s a reward. And IMO, those are okay, as long as it’s only one of the techniques in your toolbox and they don’t come to expect it every time :)

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