Sponsors
Sponsors
..the progress he's made this year is amazing (Moderated by Deepika, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 6/6/08 9:53 PM ET
Since Paula posted about her daughter's wonderful achievement, it reminded me that I didn't mention what my darling boy managed to do this year.
Bear in mind that he just turned 8, deals with ADHD *and* anxiety disorder, and had a teacher who just couldn't get it together at all......
at the end-of-the-year class party, he was awarded the certificate for "Most Scientific" and his teacher explained that he was WAY ahead of most of his classmates and would always have more information to challenge them with when they studied something new. She also stated that he was the one who was basically responsible for pushing his calss to want to learn multiplication and division when he came to class and announced that he was doing algebra with his dad and that he figured out that 10x10 was 100, therefore, 100x10 was 1000!!!
In his final report card, was a little slip of paper from Papa John's Pizza (huh??) that caught me off guard. As I was reading it, I started laughing....he made the honor roll after several marking periods where he was struggling (and one where he was VERY sick and missed a lot of days!).
Not only that, but the results of his PALS test and SOL tests were sent home with him.....my 8yo, going-into-3rd-grade son is both reading AND comprehending on a 6th grade level!!! His teacher even went so far as to write a note that she thinks he is at a higher level but the test for elementary school only goes up to 6th grade. His SOLs were pretty high as well, but, being an avid reader, I was more pleased with his reading scores (I was at 8th grade level in 2nd grade, so I honestly think it's genetic).
Anyway....from struggling with a teacher who was "still getting settled" in October (classes start in August), and getting tardy slips because his bus wasn't getting to school until the late bell (learned about this in March, which is when I started driving him to school), to finally being able to sit a little separated from the class (by his choice, and therefore less distracted - in MAY!!!)....he's come a long way all on his own.
Next step is to completely wean him off the stimulant medications and get him on natural remedies because I don't want to take the chance of him having heart troubles just because of the meds he's supposed to take to focus....
Larisa
------
Bear in mind that he just turned 8, deals with ADHD *and* anxiety disorder, and had a teacher who just couldn't get it together at all......
at the end-of-the-year class party, he was awarded the certificate for "Most Scientific" and his teacher explained that he was WAY ahead of most of his classmates and would always have more information to challenge them with when they studied something new. She also stated that he was the one who was basically responsible for pushing his calss to want to learn multiplication and division when he came to class and announced that he was doing algebra with his dad and that he figured out that 10x10 was 100, therefore, 100x10 was 1000!!!
In his final report card, was a little slip of paper from Papa John's Pizza (huh??) that caught me off guard. As I was reading it, I started laughing....he made the honor roll after several marking periods where he was struggling (and one where he was VERY sick and missed a lot of days!).
Not only that, but the results of his PALS test and SOL tests were sent home with him.....my 8yo, going-into-3rd-grade son is both reading AND comprehending on a 6th grade level!!! His teacher even went so far as to write a note that she thinks he is at a higher level but the test for elementary school only goes up to 6th grade. His SOLs were pretty high as well, but, being an avid reader, I was more pleased with his reading scores (I was at 8th grade level in 2nd grade, so I honestly think it's genetic).
Anyway....from struggling with a teacher who was "still getting settled" in October (classes start in August), and getting tardy slips because his bus wasn't getting to school until the late bell (learned about this in March, which is when I started driving him to school), to finally being able to sit a little separated from the class (by his choice, and therefore less distracted - in MAY!!!)....he's come a long way all on his own.
Next step is to completely wean him off the stimulant medications and get him on natural remedies because I don't want to take the chance of him having heart troubles just because of the meds he's supposed to take to focus....
Larisa
------
research associate in the field of child development, married to an engineer
I am woman, I am invincible, I...am...TIRED!!
I am woman, I am invincible, I...am...TIRED!!
Posted on: 6/6/08 10:36 PM ET
Congrats to your son. He's done a lot this year. It's not easy being bored stiff in a classroom.
------
------
Marilyn
January 2009 to January 2010 81 yards out and 71yards in January 2010 to the present 106.7 yards out and 146.5 yards in. January 2011 to the present: 47 yards out and 69 yards in.
January 2009 to January 2010 81 yards out and 71yards in January 2010 to the present 106.7 yards out and 146.5 yards in. January 2011 to the present: 47 yards out and 69 yards in.
Posted on: 6/6/08 11:17 PM ET
Congratulations to your son and to you. I've watched lots of couples parent kids with ADHD so I have a pretty good idea of what it takes on the parents' parts to make this kind of progress. Well done to all of you.
------
------
Paula
"In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running."
- Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder
Visit my blog at www.sewconfused.blogspot.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/paulag1955/sewing-inspiration/
"In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running."
- Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder
Visit my blog at www.sewconfused.blogspot.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/paulag1955/sewing-inspiration/
Posted on: 6/7/08 8:20 AM ET
In reply to Larisa
Larisa,
That is wonderful. You must be so proud. We are just now beginning to get my son help for his anxiety. It appears it is only obvious to me and DH. I also have anxiety and know that those of us who have it are masters at hiding it from others. It is a very special moment when our children can overcome the labels that have been put on them and achieve real success. Congrats on your son's job well done!
------
That is wonderful. You must be so proud. We are just now beginning to get my son help for his anxiety. It appears it is only obvious to me and DH. I also have anxiety and know that those of us who have it are masters at hiding it from others. It is a very special moment when our children can overcome the labels that have been put on them and achieve real success. Congrats on your son's job well done!
------
Bonnie
Posted on: 6/7/08 8:14 PM ET
thank you all...he really has done a lot of this on his own, so I am really proud of him. Of course, there were times when I had to go all "Monster Mom" with the school and sometimes even the school board, but at least they got him placed where he should be and not just in a classroom being bored and getting into trouble because of it.
Tried to get him of his meds and today was total chaos. SO, we will keep him on his meds until his gifted program is over, and by then I will have finished my research into a couple more things and will have a natural routine figured out and ready to implement.
I know it will take a few weeks, and he does too, but I would rather have him on natural things than stimulants which have been shown to cause heart issues, even in young children.....patience, all I need is patience
Larisa
------
Tried to get him of his meds and today was total chaos. SO, we will keep him on his meds until his gifted program is over, and by then I will have finished my research into a couple more things and will have a natural routine figured out and ready to implement.
I know it will take a few weeks, and he does too, but I would rather have him on natural things than stimulants which have been shown to cause heart issues, even in young children.....patience, all I need is patience
Larisa
------
research associate in the field of child development, married to an engineer
I am woman, I am invincible, I...am...TIRED!!
I am woman, I am invincible, I...am...TIRED!!
Posted on: 6/7/08 9:16 PM ET
Good for him, good for you. YAY!!!!! You must be so proud.
We finally found meds that helped my daughter's anxiety when she was 16. It helped immensely. During the 3 years or so she was on it she 1) matured 2) learned how her brain worked (which she was able to do because she wasn't in panic mode all the time) and 3) learned coping skills.
She is not on it now because she doesn't need it. But we were so grateful to have it and were very thankful for modern pharmaceuticals.
Susan
We finally found meds that helped my daughter's anxiety when she was 16. It helped immensely. During the 3 years or so she was on it she 1) matured 2) learned how her brain worked (which she was able to do because she wasn't in panic mode all the time) and 3) learned coping skills.
She is not on it now because she doesn't need it. But we were so grateful to have it and were very thankful for modern pharmaceuticals.
Susan
Posted on: 6/8/08 10:01 PM ET
gelbean - ironically enough, my son and I are on the same medication. He's on it for anxiety and I'm on it for seasonal depression...his dose is half of mine. He and I are now able to recognize when the other has not taken the meds and we tend to remind each other...makes life in the house a little bit easier.
Larisa
P.S. It's Lexapro, one of the milder meds, and we take it opposite of what it was originally presrcibed. Instead of taking it at night, we both take it in the mornings...avoids insomnia that way and we are actually able to get to sleep at night after only a short period of time.
------
Larisa
P.S. It's Lexapro, one of the milder meds, and we take it opposite of what it was originally presrcibed. Instead of taking it at night, we both take it in the mornings...avoids insomnia that way and we are actually able to get to sleep at night after only a short period of time.
------
research associate in the field of child development, married to an engineer
I am woman, I am invincible, I...am...TIRED!!
I am woman, I am invincible, I...am...TIRED!!
Posted on: 6/9/08 9:58 PM ET
In reply to Larisa
Lexapro is what my DH takes and what my DS used to take, both for anxiety. Before he started taking it my DH had horrible digestive problems (IBS I think), was taking meds for that and had lost so much weight he was looking gaunt. He was miserable and desperate. Within a day of starting the Lexapro he was able he felt better and within a couple months he was able to eat everything again. He is also a lot easier to live with.
Used correctly those modern pharmaceuticals can change lives!!!!!!!!!! I am so grateful they are available to us.
Susan
Used correctly those modern pharmaceuticals can change lives!!!!!!!!!! I am so grateful they are available to us.
Susan
Posted on: 6/11/08 7:36 PM ET
Larisa, many congratulations to you and your son!
My sister has ADD and the associated anxiety disorders. She does really well on her medication and has a very hard time without it. One of the medications she takes is Lexapro.
I'm an RN, and I know there's a lot of information out there about the negative effects of ADD medications in children. But if your son is doing well on them, both in school and in terms of his health, please consider leaving him on the medications! At the same time, don't let his doctors intimidate you -- speak up about your concerns and ask questions, and if you don't like what one doctor has to say, find another one.
I have a great deal of faith in herbal medicine and alternative therapies, but I have not heard of ADD being a condition that can be successfully treated in this way. I would love to read any information you might have about it!
Please don't feel like I am attacking you or that I think I know more about your son than you do just because I'm an RN. But I have watched my sister repeatedly try to get off the medications, morph into psycho-b----, and take a massive nose dive that can only be evened out by going back on the medication. At the same time, herbal medicine was never offered to us as an option for treatment for ADD so I'm not familiar with what herbals are used and how they help.
On a somewhat related note, I started taking an antidepressant in December after fighting it for most of my life. I've come to terms with the fact that my brain just doesn't process neurotransmitters correctly. But it can be hard to accept that it's something you don't have control over and that you are therefore dependent (at least in the short-term) on medication. Incidentally, the first thing my doctor suggested was St. John's Wort, which I had considered starting on my own -- but it interacts with my birth control, and I didn't think having a baby would improve my mental status much!
If nothing else, I hope that you will talk to your son's doctor about different treatment options. His doctor can also help you wean him off the medication and minimize the (for lack of a better term) "withdrawal" symptoms.
------
My sister has ADD and the associated anxiety disorders. She does really well on her medication and has a very hard time without it. One of the medications she takes is Lexapro.
I'm an RN, and I know there's a lot of information out there about the negative effects of ADD medications in children. But if your son is doing well on them, both in school and in terms of his health, please consider leaving him on the medications! At the same time, don't let his doctors intimidate you -- speak up about your concerns and ask questions, and if you don't like what one doctor has to say, find another one.
I have a great deal of faith in herbal medicine and alternative therapies, but I have not heard of ADD being a condition that can be successfully treated in this way. I would love to read any information you might have about it!
Please don't feel like I am attacking you or that I think I know more about your son than you do just because I'm an RN. But I have watched my sister repeatedly try to get off the medications, morph into psycho-b----, and take a massive nose dive that can only be evened out by going back on the medication. At the same time, herbal medicine was never offered to us as an option for treatment for ADD so I'm not familiar with what herbals are used and how they help.
On a somewhat related note, I started taking an antidepressant in December after fighting it for most of my life. I've come to terms with the fact that my brain just doesn't process neurotransmitters correctly. But it can be hard to accept that it's something you don't have control over and that you are therefore dependent (at least in the short-term) on medication. Incidentally, the first thing my doctor suggested was St. John's Wort, which I had considered starting on my own -- but it interacts with my birth control, and I didn't think having a baby would improve my mental status much!
If nothing else, I hope that you will talk to your son's doctor about different treatment options. His doctor can also help you wean him off the medication and minimize the (for lack of a better term) "withdrawal" symptoms.
------
"To love another person is to see the face of God!" ~Les Miserables
www.lillianbettyandsibyl.blogspot.com
www.lillianbettyandsibyl.blogspot.com
Posted on: 6/11/08 7:46 PM ET
I think that's wonderful. He has really overcome, and excelled on his own. And, give yourself a pat on the back. We moms really do put in several full day's work just in a 24 hour period with being a wife, mom, and working woman.
* Advertising and soliciting is strictly prohibited on PatternReview.com. If you find a post which is not in agreement with our Terms and Conditions, please click on the Report Post button to report it.
Selected Reviews, Classes & Patterns
Fancy Frocks Fabrics
Fine Designer Fabrics
Fine Designer Fabrics







