OT: ADD

Have heard people having great results with psychiatrist/psychologist who does BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. It seems to be a permanent fix vs the drugs, which just mask/control the symptoms... hope you can help her...

I have a kid who teachers urged me to get tested for ADD. I didn't. She's doing fine now, in high school and straight A student... the key for her was getting a lot of quality sleep... less sleep, she just cannot function well

First, ADD is not your fault! You are not a bad mom because your kid has ADD. It's the way her brain works. She would be ADD even if you were the most perfect mom in the world. You didn't make her this way but you can help her live with it. I work in education and am married to a man with ADHD.

There is a national organization, CHADD, that has a lot of info on their website. They also have local support groups so you might find something near you.

You need to learn about her rights in school especially if she is being tested for special education. This is not easy, finding a local support or advocacy group can help. In my experience, schools don't always want what is best for your kid, they want what is cheapest. You will have to advocate for your daughter which is difficult at best and even harder when you have fibro.

Just as every child is different, every child with ADD is different. It is not one size fits all so what works for one kid may not work for another. The decision to medicate is a big one. The side effects are very scary. I've seen medication change kids lives allowing them to learn and behave and make/keep friends. I've also seen medication turn kids into zombies, they just sit there barely functioning. Some teachers love it because the kid isn't causing any problems.

My favorite ADD book is "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" by Jack Gantos. It's a fictional story about a little boy with ADD and his experiences. I love it because it helps you really understand ADD from a kid's point of view. It is funny and thought provoking. Depending on your daughter's age, you might want to read it to her. If she is in a regular 3rd or 4th grade classroom, you may want to ask the teacher to read it to the kids. It's a kid's book and should be available at your local library.

My ADHD husband recently started taking fish pills to help his thinking. Some new studies show that it helps some with ADD/ADHD. He's been taking fish pills for years for his skin but at a low dose and not every day. He increased the dose (3/day) and he feels it does help him stay focused a bit better. Also, I just read a study about food allergies/intolerances making ADD symptoms worse. My husband definitely does better when he cuts grains and some other foods he loves out of his diet but it's tough so he doesn't stick with it.

I hope this helps.

My grandson was just diagnosed with add. The school is giving his parents trouble about working with him more. These 2 parents do his school work with him everynight so it is not like they don't care....

There is some great articles about diet and add, I didn't read too much into it because my step daughter knows everything at the age of 28 LOL.