Comments on: 1 in 166 http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/ entirely true, but exaggerated for comic effect Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:29:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Susan http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7261 Susan Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:47:00 +0000 http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7261 Nina, thank you for sharing that. Your son is so fortunate to have you as his mother, because you are aware and are prepared to do what he needs if you see signs that he is having any problems.<br/><br/>I think that diagnosis and treatment HAVE come a long way, and I have faith that we will get where these kids need us to be. Nina, thank you for sharing that. Your son is so fortunate to have you as his mother, because you are aware and are prepared to do what he needs if you see signs that he is having any problems.

I think that diagnosis and treatment HAVE come a long way, and I have faith that we will get where these kids need us to be.

]]> By: nina http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7260 nina Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:39:00 +0000 http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7260 Both my brothers were diagnosed in late elementary school/early middle school with severe ADHD after years of behavioral and academic problems. My parents didn't put a lot of faith in psychology and psychiatrics (they're old school in that way) and the schools just labeled them as "bad kids" and "trouble makers". Once they were diagnosed, the district refused to provide adequate services for them. And by then they were also old enough that they refused to take medication - they didn't want the stigma or the side effects. My youngest brother was also misdiagnosed as being bipolar.<br/><br/>My brothers had tortured childhoods in a way. Nobody knew what was wrong or how to deal with them - not me, not my parents, not the schools. My parents did the best they knew how, but in many ways it wasn't good enough. I think there is so much more information out there than when we were in school and I think we are so fortunate to have it, regardless of the shortcomings that still exist. <br/><br/>I worry about my son having to deal with this same spectrum of disorders/disabilities. I have two other male cousins that both had severe ADHD - one was treated from a young age and is thriving (he's about 15 years younger than the rest of us), but the other went through years and years of aggression, gangs, and never finished high school. He's finally turned his life around as an adult, but I know he still has a difficult time. Both my brothers were diagnosed in late elementary school/early middle school with severe ADHD after years of behavioral and academic problems. My parents didn’t put a lot of faith in psychology and psychiatrics (they’re old school in that way) and the schools just labeled them as “bad kids” and “trouble makers”. Once they were diagnosed, the district refused to provide adequate services for them. And by then they were also old enough that they refused to take medication - they didn’t want the stigma or the side effects. My youngest brother was also misdiagnosed as being bipolar.

My brothers had tortured childhoods in a way. Nobody knew what was wrong or how to deal with them - not me, not my parents, not the schools. My parents did the best they knew how, but in many ways it wasn’t good enough. I think there is so much more information out there than when we were in school and I think we are so fortunate to have it, regardless of the shortcomings that still exist.

I worry about my son having to deal with this same spectrum of disorders/disabilities. I have two other male cousins that both had severe ADHD - one was treated from a young age and is thriving (he’s about 15 years younger than the rest of us), but the other went through years and years of aggression, gangs, and never finished high school. He’s finally turned his life around as an adult, but I know he still has a difficult time.

]]> By: Karyn http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7244 Karyn Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:15:00 +0000 http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7244 Susan? You're a rockstar.<br/><br/><br/>J. presented with "significant anxiety", OCD tendencies and behaviour consistent with ADHD. And the sensory integration concerns. WHICH ALL. FALL UNDER. ASPERGERS. It is so freaking convoluted and frustrating - I agree with you 100%. Susan? You’re a rockstar.

J. presented with “significant anxiety”, OCD tendencies and behaviour consistent with ADHD. And the sensory integration concerns. WHICH ALL. FALL UNDER. ASPERGERS. It is so freaking convoluted and frustrating - I agree with you 100%.

]]> By: rachel http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7240 rachel Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:32:00 +0000 http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7240 Amen.<br/><br/>to the autism article AND Dennis Quaid. <br/><br/>If the public schools were more supportive of kids who don't fit into a certain box, I might rethink homeschooling. Maybe I could fight for it, but I don't have the energy for that fight day in and day out.<br/><br/>As a mom of a kid with SID, gifted, anxiety, and NLD, it's hard to find the right tools to help her, since she isn't a classic case of anything Amen.

to the autism article AND Dennis Quaid.

If the public schools were more supportive of kids who don’t fit into a certain box, I might rethink homeschooling. Maybe I could fight for it, but I don’t have the energy for that fight day in and day out.

As a mom of a kid with SID, gifted, anxiety, and NLD, it’s hard to find the right tools to help her, since she isn’t a classic case of anything

]]> By: Velma http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7239 Velma Mon, 19 Feb 2007 13:36:00 +0000 http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7239 After being told for the last 2 years that my son "probably" has "some sort of spectrum disorder," we met a few weeks ago with a doctor who has seem him in total for less than 30 minutes to hear her say she thought we were "probably looking at an attention deficit disorder" instead." I just hope the in-depth 2 day evaluation isn't going to end up with us receiving a clinical diagnosis of "ADHD...maybe." After being told for the last 2 years that my son “probably” has “some sort of spectrum disorder,” we met a few weeks ago with a doctor who has seem him in total for less than 30 minutes to hear her say she thought we were “probably looking at an attention deficit disorder” instead.” I just hope the in-depth 2 day evaluation isn’t going to end up with us receiving a clinical diagnosis of “ADHD…maybe.”

]]> By: Susan http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7238 Susan Mon, 19 Feb 2007 12:29:00 +0000 http://fridayplaydate.com/1-in-166/#comment-7238 Kim, I've read both things, that ADHD presents as bipolar and that bipolar presents as ADHD. The Times article about Rebecca Riley quotes a pediatrician as saying that most of the kids he sees who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder have something else entirely, NOT bipolar. (The Times article is linked at mamazine.com.) <br/><br/>I think Beth is right--there aren't good diagnostic criteria, and schools and doctors don't have the proper structures to GET good diagnoses, and so we have to make due with whatever diagnosis we're handed, even if the treatment doesn't help what ails our child. It's infuriating.<br/><br/>And yes, Lindsay Lohan has a LOT of freckles. Wow. Kim, I’ve read both things, that ADHD presents as bipolar and that bipolar presents as ADHD. The Times article about Rebecca Riley quotes a pediatrician as saying that most of the kids he sees who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder have something else entirely, NOT bipolar. (The Times article is linked at mamazine.com.)

I think Beth is right–there aren’t good diagnostic criteria, and schools and doctors don’t have the proper structures to GET good diagnoses, and so we have to make due with whatever diagnosis we’re handed, even if the treatment doesn’t help what ails our child. It’s infuriating.

And yes, Lindsay Lohan has a LOT of freckles. Wow.

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