So here is the story on our ADD family. Lee Joe admits to having ADD now. Kelsea has it and decided to stop taking her medication for it in Jan because of the effects it can have on her growth. Things aren't going so well. She has a D in math mainly because of missing assignments. She isn't paying attention in class when he tells them to turn assignments in and he is not that consistent about when they turn their work in. Since she has been on meds since the 6th grade and has not had this problem it is the ADD effecting her. She is also inconsistent with how she plays basketball. Not that it is problem like the math grade-just a continuation of her struggle. And the thing that gets to me the most is her attitude at home with her sisters and me and how she gets along with Lee Joe. I can't stand that part and constant arguing and bantering over everything just because. So as an attempt at a remedy, we are trying a supplement system until we go back to the doctor. A friend of mine told me that caffeine works the opposite on ADD people. Instead of stimulating it helps them focus and NO doz is considered the lowest form of Ritalin type over the counter help you can get. And I have read how Omega 3 and magnesium is beneficial so on goes our experiment. Could be helping a little but it's a little early to tell. Kelsea was really good and calm at church. One of our still volatile places. So we go on and see how it goes. I feel like all the hard work from the last three years is gone and we have to start all over again. You may question how I know all this-Matt has ADHD-diagnosed by a doctor. My mom more than likely has it-all the job changes and moves. I have another brother with it in Connecticut. My nephew Dylan has it-diagnosed by a doctor. In the hyperactive category the phsychologist had never seen a child score as high as Dylan. He was in the 97%. I have studied it extensively and have worked with large groups of kids since high school and identify ADHD children long before their parents take them in and put them on meds themselves. Ususally those kids really need that help. So Lee Joe is convinced-use to be me biggest combatant on ADD-that Hannah has it. He could be right but it doesn't effect her learning like Kelsea. It is mostly her inability to follow instructions, distractibility and she rarely sits at the table long enough to eat her food until she is done. We need to get much more consistent with her. We thought maybe Autumn had it a long time ago but she gets super focused when she decides to focus and she is super stubborn and has some strange sensory issues. So we have given her weirdness it's own name. We call what she has Autumnism. I was thinking about Lee Joe and he does not have the hyperactive part of ADHD he is the opposite so last night I told him that he has ADTPD. Attention Deficit Turtle Pace Disorder. That is usually only around me.
Off that soap box and on to rest of the weekend. Lee Joe got a an emergency call from a guy that he has worked with in the past. They needed to tear some concrete out of plant over the weekend that had another company back out at the last minute. They had to shut down the plant in order for that to happen. So he left at about 7am Saturday. He met us at the school for the parent drive for Amber at 9. It is official, she has her permit. Then we didn't see him again until 10:30am Sunday. He worked all day and all night and came home with two calves on one of his legs. A piece of concrete fell onto his shin and was so swollen it looked like a calf muscle in the wrong place. But he is OK. And then he slept for about 4 or 5 hours and finished another job. Usually he doesn't work on Sunday but everything had to get done that fast. I have been waiting ever so patiently so the pile of shed-I call it shi-poo-key-to go away. I hope it leaves this week. It has been there too long. Lee Joe says that is his goal.
Kelsea had practice early Sat. Amber had driver's ed and Kylee had a dress rehearsal for Honor Choir. So at 8, 9, 10 and 11 I was coming and going again. Kelsea really should be walking though. The rest of the day was very relaxing until Amber went to a friends house and wanted to drive. EEEKK!! Kylee had her concert that night. I took Amber and Hannah to the concert and Kelsea and Autumn stayed home. When I got home my internet was messed up. It took until Sunday night to get it fixed. I was frustrated.
I don't know what on earth is going on in our ward but there are now 7 people called to nursery and there are only maybe 10 kids on days when they are all there. Crazy!
Since I wrote a book I want to tell you about a book. I read a really good book this weekend. It is sad and then rewarding. I can read it and say that my childhood wasn't as awful as this person's was. But I could relate to a lot of what happened. It is called The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. It is a true story. You should read it.
3 comments:
I think Hailey has the home made Turtle Pase Disorder (ADTPD) that LeeJoe has. That's too funny! But not, at the same time!
The therapist and a few school teachers and counselors have suggested that Isaac be tested. He is definitely not ADHD. He likes being sedantary, as long as his mind has something to do. The therapist, though was not convinced that he was full on ADD because he was really strong on it in some areas and other areas he didn't show at all. I think our society has made us all ADD hypochondriacs. However, Isaac's behavior at school is much better when I am feeding him well and he is taking the omega 3 supplements. I have heard that dairy can aggravate ADD in some people. Some other culprits are MSG or food coloring allergies. (Remember Mikel Scott?) Another thing that has been helping Isaac lately is personal accountability. He can't blame his behavior on anything. He just has to do what he is supposed to--no excuses. It is slowly working. It is 7am. I just got home from work and Isaac was already up getting ready for school with no adult prompting. He has time to spare, so he is watching a little TV. Then he will ride his bike (that we got him for his birthday) to school and back. I am proud of him for that. Maybe I should have put this novel on my own blog.
Kelsea is accountable for her behavior. ADD is not an excuse, it is a reason why she needs to work harder. I don't have patience for bad behavior. She has impulse control issues occsionally. She is accountable for poor choices and pays really big prices-her emotional damage and my huge disappointment in her- when she makes those poor choices. I think ADD and ADHD is more prevalent for many reasons. One I am sure could be diet but it is also genetically passed on which multiplies it. I have seen it in the classrooms at school -it is disruptive- and at church when parents choose to take their kids off meds for the weekend and you get to do sharing time with endless disruptions. Dylan tested super high on on the hyperactivity but origionally didn't test high on the add. A pshychologist was able to confirm that he had it. Dylan is very, very smart(reads at an 8th grade level in 3-4th grade) and still learns but doesn't apply himself. They make it possible at school for him to not have to sit at his desk. If he is standing at his desk that works for the teachers that know him. Matt has also paid huge prices for his afflictions. He is also bi-polar. I had to advocate for Kelsea because no one else spotted it. She is so meek in the classroom she disappears. Isaac is very ADD in my opinion. Like my sister you probably don't think so because you have never known anything different. ADD ADHD kids can spend hours on video games and watching television because it stimulates their very active minds. Yes they can be sedentary. But those diversions aren't there, what happens. Kelsea uses a notebook still at church. And when you give instructions are they able to calmly look you in the eye when you give instruction and follow through -kids are able to do that-or do they look everywhere but at you and more than likely won't remember anything past the very first thing you said? We have to tell Dylan 2-3 -4 times to look at us when we give him instructions or reprimand him. We are still in the first full week of vitamin assistance for Kelsea. We also have something else adding to the issues here in my house-PMS! about once a month. yay fun.
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