Comments on: The scores are in and the progress continues http://yakchick.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/the-scores-are-in-and-the-progress-continues/ It's comfortable here in my little world Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:43:13 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: rowdycowchick http://yakchick.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/the-scores-are-in-and-the-progress-continues/#comment-33 rowdycowchick Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:06:03 +0000 http://yakchick.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-33 I'm sure my brother wishes his mother felt the same way as yours did about Ritalin. Kudos to her for trying something "different" out of the love for her son and not wanting to "medicate" him. My brother would often lie about taking his Ritalin. He hated the numb feeling of being drugged up. It made him abaondon all the things he naturally wanted to do that he was good at. It seems to take something special away from ADHD people. Best of luck to your daughter with the guitar! That's fantastic! I’m sure my brother wishes his mother felt the same way as yours did about Ritalin. Kudos to her for trying something “different” out of the love for her son and not wanting to “medicate” him. My brother would often lie about taking his Ritalin. He hated the numb feeling of being drugged up. It made him abaondon all the things he naturally wanted to do that he was good at. It seems to take something special away from ADHD people.

Best of luck to your daughter with the guitar! That’s fantastic!

]]> By: yakchick http://yakchick.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/the-scores-are-in-and-the-progress-continues/#comment-32 yakchick Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:15:44 +0000 http://yakchick.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-32 Her ADHD is not a disability...you are right. I misused the terminology when writing. We do not let her use her ADHD as an excuse for her actions (or lack there of sometimes) and try to teach her to work through it...more lists for her of things to check off daily. She has her passions and we do try to encourage them. Other than science she really loves music and wanted a guitar. We didn't buy it because we thought like everything else it would get thrown in a corner of her room never to be seen again. A coupel of weeks later purchased herself a little guitar at Wal*Mart. She felt strongly and passionately about it. She has no clue how to play it, but is desperate to learn. I am totally stupid when it comes to musical instruments. I really have difficulty telling different notes depending on the pitch and am just clueless in general on how to play. She is different though...she loves playing and really has a desire to learn. I think she would be just as passionate about her guitar as she is her science IF we could find someone to give her lessons. On another note: My brother grew up with ADHD and my mom was against Ritalin and never put him on it. To compensate she worked with the doctor to rework his daily diet. They took all kinds of foods away from him and then slowly intorduced one at a time back in to his diet to see how they affect him. The biggest culprit they found was not sugar...it was red dye. To be fair to my brother red dye was cut out of all the things we ate or drank in the house...which I protested largely since at that age cherry kool-aid was a favorite of mine! it really did help him though. Also when he was getting "wild" she would make him run around the block until he was tired. Boy...that kid could run. It really helped to control his ups and downs without the course of Ritalin in his system. thanks for your comments though... Her ADHD is not a disability…you are right. I misused the terminology when writing. We do not let her use her ADHD as an excuse for her actions (or lack there of sometimes) and try to teach her to work through it…more lists for her of things to check off daily.
She has her passions and we do try to encourage them. Other than science she really loves music and wanted a guitar. We didn’t buy it because we thought like everything else it would get thrown in a corner of her room never to be seen again. A coupel of weeks later purchased herself a little guitar at Wal*Mart. She felt strongly and passionately about it. She has no clue how to play it, but is desperate to learn. I am totally stupid when it comes to musical instruments. I really have difficulty telling different notes depending on the pitch and am just clueless in general on how to play. She is different though…she loves playing and really has a desire to learn. I think she would be just as passionate about her guitar as she is her science IF we could find someone to give her lessons.
On another note:
My brother grew up with ADHD and my mom was against Ritalin and never put him on it. To compensate she worked with the doctor to rework his daily diet. They took all kinds of foods away from him and then slowly intorduced one at a time back in to his diet to see how they affect him. The biggest culprit they found was not sugar…it was red dye. To be fair to my brother red dye was cut out of all the things we ate or drank in the house…which I protested largely since at that age cherry kool-aid was a favorite of mine! it really did help him though. Also when he was getting “wild” she would make him run around the block until he was tired. Boy…that kid could run. It really helped to control his ups and downs without the course of Ritalin in his system.

thanks for your comments though…

]]> By: rowdycowchick http://yakchick.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/the-scores-are-in-and-the-progress-continues/#comment-29 rowdycowchick Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:36:53 +0000 http://yakchick.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-29 No doubt about it...dark room = more restful sleep. We installed the darkening shades as well...trouble is...it's so dark at 9 am...it's hard to get up out of bed. My little bro grew up with ADHD as well. Only, in the 80's...it was still very rarely heard of and he did the ritalin thing. Then of course, the doctors treated him like an experiment and tried him on all kinds of drugs that made him batty at times, lacking in appetite or the contrary, sleepy or bouncing off the walls. Man...I don't miss those days. Something you said about ADHD being a "disability". I don't consider it that at all. Yeah, sure, some subjects may be outrageously challenging for her...but something about her passion for science is not normal either...in a GOOD WAY! It's something positive for her to really focus her energies on...and it's so wonderful that you note it and encourage it. Keep at it! Kids and adults with ADHD learn to work with their condition (not disability) by finding that one niche that sparks their creativity and interest. They can be geniuses one day by learning to lunge in that direction. Yes, of course, she needs to pass elementary school to graduate to junior high to graduate to high school and then college. But...being able to focus on that one thing when other things are of lesser focus and lead to distraction...is actually truly a gift! And many geniuses who've gone down in history have been believed to have been ADHD. I know that you're not worried if whether or not your daughter will be labelled a genius one day...you'd like her to do her best now. But one of the ways in which my parents ruined my brother's life was by not showing appreciation for his true gifts. So he felt guilty persuing his natural abilities/interests. Today, he is an unhappy young man. Frustrated, working in a profession that doesn't allow him fulfillment. I wish he'd get back into the creative arts...because it's the only time I saw my brother actually FOCUS on something for long enough, so deeply that no one could sway his attention away. And he was soooo good at it. To me...natural talent/gifts is the remedy in a sense for ADHD. No doubt about it…dark room = more restful sleep. We installed the darkening shades as well…trouble is…it’s so dark at 9 am…it’s hard to get up out of bed.

My little bro grew up with ADHD as well. Only, in the 80’s…it was still very rarely heard of and he did the ritalin thing. Then of course, the doctors treated him like an experiment and tried him on all kinds of drugs that made him batty at times, lacking in appetite or the contrary, sleepy or bouncing off the walls. Man…I don’t miss those days.

Something you said about ADHD being a “disability”. I don’t consider it that at all. Yeah, sure, some subjects may be outrageously challenging for her…but something about her passion for science is not normal either…in a GOOD WAY! It’s something positive for her to really focus her energies on…and it’s so wonderful that you note it and encourage it. Keep at it!

Kids and adults with ADHD learn to work with their condition (not disability) by finding that one niche that sparks their creativity and interest. They can be geniuses one day by learning to lunge in that direction. Yes, of course, she needs to pass elementary school to graduate to junior high to graduate to high school and then college. But…being able to focus on that one thing when other things are of lesser focus and lead to distraction…is actually truly a gift! And many geniuses who’ve gone down in history have been believed to have been ADHD. I know that you’re not worried if whether or not your daughter will be labelled a genius one day…you’d like her to do her best now. But one of the ways in which my parents ruined my brother’s life was by not showing appreciation for his true gifts. So he felt guilty persuing his natural abilities/interests. Today, he is an unhappy young man. Frustrated, working in a profession that doesn’t allow him fulfillment. I wish he’d get back into the creative arts…because it’s the only time I saw my brother actually FOCUS on something for long enough, so deeply that no one could sway his attention away. And he was soooo good at it. To me…natural talent/gifts is the remedy in a sense for ADHD.

]]> By: ADHD Report» Blog Archive » The scores are in and the progress continues http://yakchick.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/the-scores-are-in-and-the-progress-continues/#comment-26 ADHD Report» Blog Archive » The scores are in and the progress continues Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:46:03 +0000 http://yakchick.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-26 [...] unknownReally interesting read I found today:I think part of her increased grades and attention at school has been the higher dosage in her ADHD medicine as well as her increased sleep at night. (Insomnia is an unfortunate side effect of the medicine in some children. … [...] [...] unknownReally interesting read I found today:I think part of her increased grades and attention at school has been the higher dosage in her ADHD medicine as well as her increased sleep at night. (Insomnia is an unfortunate side effect of the medicine in some children. … [...]

]]> By: www.treatsleepingdisorders.info » Blog Archive » The scores are in and the progress continues http://yakchick.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/the-scores-are-in-and-the-progress-continues/#comment-25 www.treatsleepingdisorders.info » Blog Archive » The scores are in and the progress continues Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:32:56 +0000 http://yakchick.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-25 [...] yakchick wrote a fantastic post today on The scores are in and the progress continuesHere’s a quick extract(Insomnia is an unfortunate side effect of the medicine in some children.) Not only did the change in dosage help, but her doctor suggested that we begin giving her Melatonin at night to aid her sleep. Her doctor is against prescribing … [...] [...] yakchick wrote a fantastic post today on The scores are in and the progress continuesHere’s a quick extract(Insomnia is an unfortunate side effect of the medicine in some children.) Not only did the change in dosage help, but her doctor suggested that we begin giving her Melatonin at night to aid her sleep. Her doctor is against prescribing … [...]

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