Cole's Story

     We are now going on almost 2 yrs of theropy and lots of learned tricks of dealing with ADD & ADHD.   If you would indulge me as to let me share some of the things I have learned to make it a tolerable situation.   (I dont use disease because I dont consider it a disease).

     I am not anti-Ritalin, I just want to make sure that I explored all avenues!!!!   Not all kids should be stuck on Ritalin right away.  it does work for some, but dont always take that as the only choice, there are SOOO many sister drugs with only half the side effects.

     Watch out for Red dyes in food.  For example: Chef Boy Ar Dee, Red colored Kool-aid, candy bars or any very sweet candy etc....with Cole, it would make him almost lose his mind.   he would literally climb counters and jump off, bang his head on the walls, and almost loose his mind until his body filtered out the food.   But the red colored food is he worst-took us almost 6 months to narrow it down.

     Refrain from physical punishment- I am one for if the action is bad enough, nothing hurts like a spank on the butt only!!!  But with Cole, it made him more defiant.   He would stare at you with a drop dead look and refuse to cry.  Physical punishment fails every time.   I personally use this method---I find a book,(thickness depends on how serious the act) and make him hold his arms out and hold the book with palms up.   Minutes holding also depends on act.  That is more effective then taking toys aways or even grounding.   Time outs DO NOT work for children with ADHD...looses their effectivness after about 2 minutes and they dont learn.

     Another little trick for when you have to drive & the kids are in the car jumping & screaming-----LIFE SAVERS :-) their name is true to the candy.   LOL   They don't have too much sugar and atleast with my kids, it gives them something to do that they like.   I keep a bag in the glove box ALL the time, I buy the bags of them at Wal-Mart for like $1 a bag...it is a very cheap and handy thing to have!!!!!!

     And most important!!!!!!!!!!!

     After we got the right dosage of meds, I read in 1 pamphlet somewhere that routine does help...Boy did they UNDERstate it...

     Cole is now 8 yrs old, and going into the 2nd grade.  He repeated Kindergarten but it was for the better.  We still have problems, but they are getting a little easier as we go.  He did struggle very much with readihng thins year, but after summer school I think Cole finally got it.  We still have to deal with the breaking of ALl crayons, the scribbles on paper, the ripping of pages cuz he doesnt want to read, the having to always DOMINATE his peers, but slowly we are getting threw it.

     I guess the best thing that has helped me, was talking to other mothers with children in the same situation, and knowing that my child is NOT adnormal, and what he does is very much what alot of other kids do too!!!!

     ADD&ADHD does not only affect the kids, it effects EVERYONE in the family...Cole has 3 younger brothers and he is very physical with them, but we cope.

     If you or anyone else has anything you would like to talk about....I am here!!!!   I will answer any & all questions honestly, and even tho sometimes you may not like the answer, I will answer it from the HEART!!!

     I thank you for listening to me, and if this in any way helped, then it was worth telling.   :-)))