New to this site, temporary single mom losing her mind!

[veggiegymrat]

Hi, I just found this website and am hoping to give and receive advice as much as possible! My husband is in Afghanistan through May 2009 and we have a 3 year old (4 in April) son that is ODD, ADHD and possibly has some mood issues as well.

He's been on a few different medications and we're currently on Adderall XR 10mg which brings down his hyperactivity but makes him depressed as ever.

We see a psychologist and have our first pediatrician psychiatrist appointment on Feb 6 and first pediatrician neurological appointment on Feb 11.

Everyday is such a struggle and I hate not looking forward to picking him up from preschool after I leave work-what an awful thing to feel!

Well I just wanted to introduce myself, thanks ladies (and any gents out there).

 

[SRL]

Hi veggiegymrat,

I know we chatted by private messaging but I wanted to welcome you publicly. How is your research coming along?

 

[veggiegymrat]

Hi, thanks for the welcome! I have compiled a very extensive list of my son's behaviors for the psychiatrist and neurologist. I don't expect him to be cured, but I am praying for an answer on how to best deal and live with his problems. It's very hard with my husband in Afghanistan. I just hope to get through it until his return, where we can cope together.

 

[Ropefree]

veegiegymrat: Hye, welcome. I hope you are doing well under all those stresses. I grew up in a military family and the seperation and the unknown is tough to live with
for children and wives and mothers.
You are doing the one thing that I found worked for me when my son will little and challenging to stay one step ahead of and composed and not turn into a wailing yelling mommymonster...the weepy eyed nose running angersourous. I talked to other adults to "debrief" from my worrys ect so that when I did have my son with me my attention was focused on him and our time. having a plan and a daily routene help make it all easier for him. Also talking about things that are in store and ASKING HIM QUESTIONS so that you engage him in the dialogue and you can hear what is going on in his thinking process.
my quesss is you already know that.
It is a struggle to give all our time and attention to others. It is the nature of the
matron stage of a womans life. And as much as it does fly by so fast that it amazes,
it also can tic hard in the mean time.
When a child is not easy it also means that their are not so many oppertunities to
have play date time to really have some down time for yourself, and it is a hard hard schedule. I pray(and am afraid to ask) that he does sleep? You know if he does not this is the point where you will have to have help. A person..even female people..must get rest. Regular sleep. For hours at a time. It really maybe the next fronteir in marital vows and pre-neps the contract provisions guarenteeing both
essential rest AND beauty rest.

Anyway welcome and I hope you find much that you need here.

 

[veggiegymrat]

Sorry for the delay, lots of things have happened in the last week. He goes through spurts as far as sleep is concerned. Sometimes he wakes up several times a night. But here's the deal:

-psychiatrist diagnosed him with Aspergers in addition to ADHD and pretty severe ODD (those weren't new)
-took him off Adderall and now on Clonodine
-sleep deprived EEG next Wednesday (how in the world do you keep a child awake all night long???)
-MRI in the next couple of weeks
-seeing a specialist for sleep apnea evaluation
-chromosome and gene testing in the near future

Luckily since we're military, all of these things are quickly referred and free...anyone else have these tests done-what are they like?

 

[SRL]

Asperger's would explain the challenging behaviors. It's often missed in the little ones so I'm glad you have some direction while he's just 3.

One of my kids had an MRI when they were young. They put the young children out for the test so it was an easy one with no after effects.

Chromosome and genetic testing is mostly bloodwork and consultation.

If he has Asperger's and is hyperactive, you will want to look into Sensory Integration Disorder. The two often go hand in hand, and some children with Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) will be very active because they're trying to regulate for a sensory system that perceives input differently. ie a child who is constantly spinning might be doing so because it calms them to where someone with a "normal" system might be most of the time. Check out The Out of Sync Child" by Carol Kranowitz. If Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) is behind the motion, medications won't help although they may help sleep.