My son with adhd and anxiety disorder has major behavioral problems at school, should he have a neuropshycological assessment to see if there is anything else going on?

Teresa - posted on 01/27/2009

I agree about the sports, my son who is 12 and in 6th grade wanted to join soccer, so we put him in it and because one of the coaches was great dealing with him he was able to stay in it and had fun most of the time. But he had problems following directions and problems with some of the other kids picking on him because they dont understand how to deal with him. Then he wanted to join basketball, but that only lasted two practices. And it's the same way at school, he wants to have lots of friends but it's so hard for him. I feel so bad for him because he can be a really great kid, but the more people or kids he's around it's crazy. It's like it's too much stimulation for him to deal with. I will ask the doctor about the medicine and other things you talked about. I have heard of Risperidone but only because I work at a hospital for mental retardation and most of the patients are on either that or Abilify. It's so funny how alike a lot of these adhd kids are and I hate labeling like that because my son hates when I talk about it or taking his medicine like it's a disease. Although he knows he is different without it. I will be thankful for warmer weather too because he hates being cooped up in the house all the time, but he does love his DS.

Jenn - posted on 01/27/2009

I was having the same problem with my 6yr old son. He was diagnosed in the fall with ADHD and Anxiety. I was told by our Child Development Specialist that a lot of the behavioural problems come from him having 2 disorders that affect 2 different parts of the brain. The ADHD part tells them to go,go,go while the anxiety part tells them to stop,stop, stop. They are constantly in an internal conflict. We tried 2 types of "ADHD" meds first, Adderall & Biphenten. While both of these helped his concentration, his emotional and behavioural problems escallated to beyond control. he was punching & kicking students & teachers, screaming, trying to run away, just terrible. He is now on Resperidone, lowest dose of .25mg, which is used more to treat all the other issues, as apposed to treating the attention.  Because his behaviour and what not have toned down, he's better able to concentrate in school. He is on the wait list at the school for a psycoeducational assessment, I would definetly recommend getting your son on the list.  My son's first term report card was mostly "R"s. The teacher said most of their focus was just getting my son, first of into the school and dealing with the routines, due to the anxiety, and school work at that point was secondary. He has 2 teachers that are on call just to help deal with him. It would be hard to tell if he had a learning disability because there's nothing to go on. Since being on meds he has been doing much better in school. He's in the remedial class for reading & language, but enjoys science (alot of hands on stuff) and is great it math (mostly done in your head). There's no doubt that's he's very bright, but if it takes concentration then there'll be a struggle. The anxiety really makes it so much harder for them as well. I know my son would love to join a sport, or just join kids playing, but the anxiety just has such a hold on him he can't do it. I'm thankful for the warmer months when he can be on his bike!

Teresa - posted on 01/27/2009

Thanks for the response. Yes my son is on medication. We have been trying different medications for about seven years and two years ago we found Focalin XR the best. He was doing better academically and focusing much better. But he had horrible headaches everyday. But they eventually got better. A year ago he started having horrible panick attacks and was put on Zoloft. Things got really bad in school academically and behavioral wise and he was in the office everyday. In the meantime I had to beg for 2 years for an evaluation to see if he needed an IEP. He was denied because he didn't come close enough to any of the choices. I know he needs one on one help because too much stimulation and noise really makes him more anxious and angry. This school year is even worse. He has been to two different psychiatrist and an excellent psychologist. I even went to an adhd class for 6 weeks for parents. I am trying to homeschool him now just to make sure he learns something. He is very smart just needs extra comprehension time. He was also prescribed Abilify to see if that would be better, but he only took it for two nights because he was very sick and I didn't know if it was related to the medicine. He is on a 504 plan but it has not done anything to help.

Stefanie - posted on 01/27/2009

As a parent of two sons with ADHD and special education teacher, I have seen both sides of this. First of all I would ask, is he on any medication? I know some parents are opposed to medication, but it truely is the best help for ADHD. There are many different kinds out there now. You just have to keep trying different ones until you find the right one for your child. My two boys take different types of medication. The next question I would ask, is your son doing well academically? If not, then he needs an academic evaluation. The school is responsible for providing that if asked. The school is not required to provide any kind of medical evaluation. That part is up to you. 25% of kids with ADHD also have a learning disability and this could be causing him anxiety about his school if he doesn't feel he'll do well. If this is the case, then he may be acting out because of not feeling capable. If no learning disability is present, he could still qualify for services with other health impairment due to his ADHD. If services are provided, then a teacher is required to develop a behavior plan if the team feels it's needed. I encourage you to work closely with your school and make sure there is a lot of communication with the teacher. Just be patient and keep the faith.

Kimberly - posted on 01/27/2009

My son is going on 11 yrs. old and has been diagnosed and classified in school  with ADHD since the age of 5. You didn't mention your son's age,but if he is in public school,ask the school for an evaluation with a neurologist. It is your Parental Right. Additionally, they must classify your son for his classes and you will be required to attend I.E.P (Individualized Educational Program)meetings during the school year. Is he on medication at the present time? I think an exam would be beneficial...but keep in mind also that he is a boy. I often have to remind myself of that! Hope this was helpful!

Stephanie - posted on 01/27/2009

My daughter as ADHD and a slight case of Bi-polar. Have you tried Behavioral Therapy? I currently have my daughter going once a week and it seems to help out. She is also on Focalin XR and Clonidine. She has shown a lot of improvement with this treatment plan. She also has a 504 plan in school which is a GREAT help! Is your son on any meds? What treatments are you using for his needs?