Archived Forums

View latest posts View active forum

Alternatives to Meds. for ADHD

doubletrouble May 4, 2013 09:20
Our DD is struggling at school especially in any unregulated periods - break time, games etc. We have exhausted all available current meds. she is on Concerta 45mg which is as much as she can have at present. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions about any therapy/exercise/alternative meds. we could add into her routine in order to calm the situation at school. Removal from her excellent small prep.school a real possibility.We have both been summonsed to a big meeting at school on Tues.
Edited 17/02/2021
Larsti May 4, 2013 10:50
'sensory diet' from an OT?No time to post more but Google sensory diet and it may come up with something.also suggest to school that she has option of doing something structured ar breaktimes...a rots of friends who will play a game, being allowed to saty in and read (if she likes reading) that sort of thing.
Edited 17/02/2021
Milly May 4, 2013 12:40
To me it would be more about putting in supportive strategies during the difficult times. Have you tried googling positive behavioural approaches that work with ADHD? Off the top of my head - clear rules ie expressed positively, in few words and not many of them; an adult to give gentle reminders; a limited choice of favoured activities; only a few other children to engage with, preferably the tolerant and cooperative type (who could be primed to give your dd help); perhaps a simple immediate reward for a good session, based on something your dd would really find motivating eg gets to do class job, has extra playtime, gets to choose a friend to do x with ie whatever would suit/ work for her and the school. School need to focus on the positive not the punitive.Hope this helps, good luck with the meeting.
Edited 17/02/2021
doubletrouble May 4, 2013 12:43
Thanks Larsti. I will google sensory diet.We have had O.T. input in the past and need to refresh myself with what we can do at home as well as school who are struggling with her inappropriate out busts.
Edited 17/02/2021
amh May 4, 2013 13:29
doubleare you opposed to meds or just that her dosage is not enough for your dd.Diet and other intervention did not help ds2 so he was put on a high dose and was at one point on 94 mg of concerta and equasm xl combined. HIs consultant had to seek permission for this dosage.today he takes 74mg but has other medication for his other non ADHD needs.other the years (ds2 is now 20) have had to mix and match difference types of meds to help him.so ask if you can try combinations .There are drugs were the side effects are used to help with ADHD tendencies. Can't remember the names of them at this moment in time but one is clonidine which is high blood pressure meds which helps my dd.
Edited 17/02/2021
BermudaBlue May 4, 2013 16:54
Things that have worked for our LO have been swinging (either on a swing or in a swing seat (IKEA have one for £25ish which the CAMHS psychologist suggested - and it has been great); foot massage (hand massage was suggested but our LO has a phobia about hands so that made things worse); all sorts of bi-lateral stimulation such as rhythmic walking, drumming; listening to certain sorts of music (carefully chosen as some kinds made her even more hyper)....BUT for each of these activities she needs a 'trusted adult' to do the activity with her, so if staffing is an issue I would say that school are not going to be able to get this to work.In school (I was a teacher) we have a)used staff to take certain children out early for their break, so they did get some fresh air and exercise either by themselves or with one or two others. Other quieter calmer activities (colouring in; reading; listening to music) could be done for instance in the room where the person on first aid duty was located.b)used the child's 1:1 to go into the playground and help to teach the child how to play structured playground games with a group of others. This staff member would get their break at a time when the child in question was more able to engage for a short time without their input.I don't know if your daughter has a 1:1, but it sounds as if she needs one, at least for playtime and PE sessions. Not sure how easy this would be in a prep school though.BB
Edited 17/02/2021
Donatella May 5, 2013 07:49
The meds aren't a cure all particularly if there's something else in the mix as well. Here meds calm my boy down and enable him to function reasonably well most of the time. But it doesn't make all the anxiety based stuff disappear and nor does it make the asd behaviours go away. Luckily he's in a special school where they do understand and where his adhd, asd and dyslexia are understood and accommodated.Not sure what dx your child has but have you considered asd?
Edited 17/02/2021
doubletrouble May 5, 2013 11:44
Thanks for all the replies, they have been really helpful.DD is 8, as well as ADHD we have a sensory integration diagnosis and have just had a speech and language assessment. This showed she has quite a few problems interpreting others and her use of language is another problem area. She is going to have speech and language therapy.All this adds up to problems in social and unregulated situations.We have no problem with giving meds. but CAMHS have decided they don't want to change anything at the moment as she has just come off one unsuccessful med. and put back on Concerta which doesn't control her ADHD properly. She may have ASD but have been told that until she is well controlled on her meds. they can't tell if she had ASD.She does seem to be learning to play with others better and can now play well with another child one to one. However if certain children speak to her at school she thinks they are being mean to her, but it is not usually the case. She then says something even meaner back. She also has a fascination for another girl in class who is disabled and insists that she play with her and only her. She needs guidance with interacting/playing in very small groups but I have no idea where to get that.Also I have seen on here people referring to their child having osteopathy or some other form of treatment which has helped their child and I wondered if that sort of thing might be good in this context.Sorry for the long reply, our children are so complicated aren't they.
Edited 17/02/2021
freddie2 May 6, 2013 12:28
My ad has sensory integration therapy twice a week, which I think really helps. School also run sensory circuit lessons three times a week for 30 mins.A friend of mine has a son with add and she takes him to see a cranial osteopath once every one to two months. She thinks that this helps to calm and regulate him.My ads school run a social skills workshop three times a week. They also give her one to one support six hours per week. They think this level of support works well, as it helps her for concentrated periods without making her feel different which she hates. Maybe the private school will be looking for you to fund some one to one support for her? At my ads last school, which was private, they required us to fund one to one support each morning. Good luck tomorrow.xx
Edited 17/02/2021
doubletrouble May 6, 2013 20:42
Hi Freddie,thanks for the info. that's really interesting. We don't pay any fees for our DD so it is difficult to suggest the school put any extra help in so I am looking at some funding for additional help. I must Google sensory circuit lessons before tomorrow's meeting. thanks.
Edited 17/02/2021
freddie2 May 7, 2013 16:49
Hope the meeting went well today xxx
Edited 17/02/2021
doubletrouble May 7, 2013 23:00
Thanks Freddie for thinking of us. The meeting went as well as could be expected. But we heard some things that she was doing in class that we weren't aware of, so that was a shame.She is obviously leaking ADHD symptoms all over the place but we have been told we have nowhere to go with meds. The bottom line is that if the school don't get any extra help with her then she will have to go back into mainstream and she can't cope with the type of schooling done there mainly from a sensory point of view. the nearest schools who have any specialist units are not in this LA and are at least 30 miles away - 45 miles in the other direction from DS's school!Anyone ever gained any funding for additional help for their child in an independent school from an L.A.?
Edited 17/02/2021
doubletrouble May 8, 2013 11:27
Thanks Garden that's very interesting to know that others have had funding. I think probably my view of the state system is somewhat coloured by our experience of our local school ( supposed to be one of the best in the area!) where DD was marginalised and alienated by the way the staff treated her.
Edited 17/02/2021
freddie2 May 8, 2013 13:23
Hi thereThere was a boy at my ads old private school who struggled academically. He was over three years behind. His parents self funded a TA but also applied for a statement and got one on appeal I think. The la funded the school fees and the TA, but in the end his parents decided to send him to a small private school for children with mild learning difficulties and the la funded this. Apparently he is doing so much better at this new school as they really know what they are doing and the support is specialist. I also know a child who s deaf. He got a statement and hs parents transferred him to a private school. I think his fees and the extra TA support is funded by the la. apparently he is very sporty so his parents wanted him to go to the private school as they have excellent sports facilities.So I think it can be done, but a lot depends on the la I imagine and it may be a fight? But worth fighting I would say if your child needs that level of support.I moved my ad from a private school with very small classes to a state school. She has found the larger classes hard as she too has sensory issues, but it was the right move for her as the new school is very inclusive. The head is kind and inclusive and the flows down to the staff who are wonderful and experienced in dealing with complex children. But for us it was an easier decision as her old school wasn't right for her as they marginalised her like your old school did. I found what really helped me was to visit lots of schools and have candid discussions with the head. Having said that if you think you have already found the right school, then I would fight for a statement.Take care and best of luck xx
Edited 17/02/2021

Archived

This topic is archived. New posts are not allowed.