Does anybody have children with A.D.H.D. my eldest son has had this all his life and to be frank its hard work, I was wondering if anybody knows of any parent support groups in the crookes area or if there is anyone feeling as isolated as myself who would like to share experiences and advice, feel free to p.m me

If you did need to consider a better schooling environment you could have a look at Ruskin Mill.

http://www.ruskin-mill.org.uk/rmc/rmc_menu1.htm

There will be a centre in Sheffield after new year I believe.

Thanks for the link, my son is only 9 at the moment but I will definatly bear that place in mind when he finally leaves school. hes in a really good school at present and I cant sing thier praises enough St Marys at walkley they have worked wonders for him since I moved him from his previous school (who were unable to cope with his needs and behaviour)

You may have already considered this so I apologise if I am stating the obvious.

I saw something quite remarkable a few years ago on TV. It was a young boy around the age of 8 and his parents were tearing their hair out with him. He had A.D.H.D. The show paid for some private tests doing on him with a respected consultant in the U.S.

The tests that they did were on every mineral, vitamin etc in the human body and their levels. I think they were the equivalent of around £400 for the tests.

Once the results were in it was found that the boys levels of a few minerals (or maybe one) were slightly out of range. After approx. 6 weeks of the mineral replacement he came back to the show and was shown a video of his behaviour. The poor boy cried and was totally shocked .

He and his parents said that they were totally amazed at the change in him.

They explained that something as simple as a lack of Zinc for example can throw you out completely and have other effects.

I suppose it makes sense as people who suffer Bi-polar are lacking in lithium.

I'm not sure if the tests are available here or where you could get them done but it might be worth looking into if you have not already.

There are a couple of support groups for families of children with behavioural/learning difficulties in our area.

There is Ray of Hope and North Sheffield ADHD+ Support Group. Both are run by and for parents of children with such problems.

I have spoken to both groups as I am awaiting my sons Ryegate assesment, hopefully in October. The school etc think that he possibly has Dyspraxia and slight OCD. I haven't been to either group yet as I just haven't had the opportunity but both sound great. If you want contact numbers PM me and I'll pass them on.

If you fancy a chat at anytime with someone else who quite often tears her hair out then PM me anytime!!:thumbsup:

Our 9 year old son also has A.D.H.D and O.D.D, sadly for many years his condition was met with nothing but ignorance.
It is only in the last 12 months that any headway has been made, we too are waiting for Rygate (18 months now).


We found it very difficult to find any usefull advice in relation to the condition, the bulk of the information was gained via the internet.
Sadly a large number of Doctors, Teachers and the like still fail to recognise the condition, I see this as pure Ignorance.

Our son was on Ritalin for a short time, starting with one in a morning, his dose then increased to two per day.
Ritalin has now stopped and he has been given a drug called Concerta XL, this is a slow release drug and is only given once in the morning.

We owe a lot of thanks to Centenary House, The Northern General Hospital, and the school Headmaster and staff.

However we owe no thanks at all to Social Services, whos response during the dark days, can only be described as pathetic.

Times are now getting better, but we still have what we call the dark periods, it has been a very testing 9 nine years with a great deal of strain being put on the family.
The violent outbursts are not as frequent, we now have more good days than bad, and he has now started to progress at school.

At the end of the day these are our children, we must offer all the support we can to them, and not shun them like so many people do.
His condition has even at times caused conflict with neighbours, again through ignorance and at times driven the family unit to near destruction.


However we will come through this, stronger and more determined as time goes on.

There is a ADHD support group in Sheffield but I'm not sure where they're based-their number is 2687750. Also I remember reading that there is a support group for parents of children with challenging behaviour, I think it is based in Hillsborough.

The Ryegate centre has a resource centre where you can drop in for information (SIGN- Sheffield Information Giving Network), I think it's open week day mornings. They will have numbers for local support groups.

My youngest (3 year old) has just been diagnosed with autism, he also has many characterisics of ADHD. He's a handful now, it's scary to think what he will be like in a few years time, when he's bigger and stronger!

Having watched Bob Winston on the beeb, it does seem as if a diet rich in Essential Fatty Acids can really help behavioural problems, including inability to concentrate etc.

Bring back the birch that'll cure the little buggers.

Sorry, I know that was insensitive!:loopy:

I never noticed this thread before, I have a child that "might" have adhd, but he has already been diagnosed as having VCFS (Velo Cardial Facial Syndrome) also known as De'George syndrome, I have tried to find a support group for people with VCFS, but the only one is miles away in another city, so it is not possible to go to it.

Anyways, that is my two penneth worth.

Originally posted by miniminch
Bring back the birch that'll cure the little buggers.

Sorry, I know that was insensitive!:loopy:


Not at all funny

Originally posted by miniminch
Bring back the birch that'll cure the little buggers.

Sorry, I know that was insensitive!:loopy:

So, why say it ??????

It took us 7 years to get to the stage we are at now with ryegate,
I have visited the SIGN office a few times and have read through the leaflets regarding the various groups, The problem for me is travel and time as the majority of the groups involve a treck across the city, allthough I will try to look into the one at hillsbourgh cheers.I think that the services for children such as ours in sheffield are limited, a few weeks ago my son who is very big and strong for 9 had one of his dark periods wich resulted in a bout of self harm. It happend in the evening so ryegate was closed I had to call the out of hours G.P service as I just could not control him. I had to beg the doctor to come out to him as they were just dismissing him as a naughty child, in the end they did come out but to be honest it was a waste of time the G.P had no idea what to do she talked to him for five minutes then left promising to call the on call workers from social services, They did ring an hour later but the chap who called had really poor spoken english skills and I couldnt understand a word he said, so in the end I said that we would be fine. I did manage to bring him round in the end but he was in mental anguish for at least a week just because pain is mental not physical does not mean it hurts any less but the G.P service dont seem to view it as so.
Anyway I could go on for hours and I am lucky to get 15 mins for myself these days Thank you all for replying and I will look into a few of the groups mentioned and maybe a bit of P.M ing if I get the time its nice to know your not alone :)

Its amazing how these children seem to muster their strength, I have seen our 9 yr old, pin an adult against a wall with great ease.

As far as social services are concerned, useless is the only word to describe them.
We called them during one incident, they said they would call back, give them credit they did a month later.
They dont seem to want to do anything if it involves any form of work, it has be cut and dried before they will act on anything.

They will will then turn round and claim you never asked for help, allthough you have been screaming until your blue in the face.

There are some good people that understand these problems, however there some ignorant people around as well.
I agree when you say they put it down to a child being naughty, this is only because they fail to understand what is going on and a lack of knowledge in relation to the condition.


I feel that even people whos lives are not touched by such conditions, should be educated its all very good reading text books and the like, but this is the real world.

If we are told to read ABC 123 and the Golden Years again I will go mad, been through it all, Naughty Chair, Naughty Corner, Time Outs, Star Charts, god the list is endless.

Hang in there though, there is help (good help as well) out there, its just finding it.

Originally posted by hatter
There is a ADHD support group in Sheffield but I'm not sure where they're based-their number is 2687750. Also I remember reading that there is a support group for parents of children with challenging behaviour, I think it is based in Hillsborough.

The Ryegate centre has a resource centre where you can drop in for information (SIGN- Sheffield Information Giving Network), I think it's open week day mornings. They will have numbers for local support groups.

My youngest (3 year old) has just been diagnosed with autism, he also has many characterisics of ADHD. He's a handful now, it's scary to think what he will be like in a few years time, when he's bigger and stronger!

If you need support for your autistic child, I thoroughly recommend that you get in touch with Thorne House services for Autism, they support me on a regular basis as I suffer from Asperger's syndrome, a condition on the autistic spectrum, was diagnosed in 1999 at age 23.

The number for their Sheffield branch is 0114 2545728 and tell them Rich sent you, they'll know who you mean :)

Hope that helps :)

After speaking to my friend last night he had a lot of good things to say.

His son has A.D.H.D. He has now been at Ruskin Mill for a good few months.

At first he hated it and his behaviour was not changing at all. His father recently went to a parents day to see how his son was doing.

He now says that the change is remarkable. It has been a slow process and is ongoing. The teachers/mentors there work on an informal basis with the students. They seem to put a lot of focus on respect for others and their environment.

My friends son has learned a lot of new skills/craftmanship. He is now becoming proud of his achievements and a lot more proactive.

I think that the state fund this form of unconventional education in extreme cases and it seems that you need to push push push for the help.

I can get you a number of someone who knows quite a lot about getting help with A.D.H.D as she seems to have done a lot in a short space of time.

When i have the number I will PM whoever wants it.

Good luck

Thanks Rich for that info:) - I hadn't heard of Thorne House- I'll give them a ring when we get back from our holiday (going tommorrow for a week) :thumbsup:

Originally posted by hatter
Thanks Rich for that info:) - I hadn't heard of Thorne House- I'll give them a ring when we get back from our holiday (going tommorrow for a week) :thumbsup:

They aren't actually based in Sheff, they're originally in Thorne, Doncaster (hence the name), about 10 years ago 3 women decided there was nowhere near enough facilities to support autistic young people in Doncaster, so they set up Thorne House services for Autism from a house in Thorne initially, now they have a Sheffield branch with 2 main day centres, a residential shared house for supported living, and an office on the Manor.

About 1.7 per cent of the UK population, mostly children, have ADD or ADHD. Boys are more likely to be affected.

ADHD often occurs alongside other difficulties and is not the sole cause of problem behaviour. Children may exhibit temper tantrums, sleep disorders, and be clumsy. Other behavioural problems that occur with ADHD include:

confrontational defiant behaviour, which occurs in 60 per cent of children. The child loses their temper, argues and refuses to comply with adults and deliberately annoys others.

conduct disorders occur in at least 25 per cent of children. The child may be destructive or show deceitful behaviour such as lying, breaking rules and stealing.

specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, occur in 25-30 per cent of children.

severe clinical depression occurs in 33 per cent of children.

anxiety disorders occur in 30 per cent of children.

What causes ADHD?

Biological factors

The child's temperament, as this contributes to their attitude and personality.

Studies of twins suggest a genetic link to ADHD. In 80-90 per cent of identical twins where one has ADHD so does the other. Recent research also suggests there is a greater chance of inheriting the condition from male relatives such as grandfathers and uncles.

Brain injuries due to birth trauma or pre-birth problems. The brain structures believed to be linked to the development of ADHD are vulnerable to hypoxic damage during birth. The damage is caused by inadequate oxygen reaching parts of the brain while blood flow is reduced.

Diet

Research suggests that diet is not a significant factor in ADHD for most children. Some children have particular food allergies that need investigation. Dietary changes need to be supervised by a doctor and nutritionist. In this approach all foods suspected of causing behavioural problems are removed from the diet then gradually reintroduced while the child's behaviour is monitored by the psychologist.

Medication

Behavioural management techniques such as those above are always important, and for mild attention deficit problems they are the treatment of choice. US research suggests that medication is the best treatment for true ADHD. The most common and effective medications are amphetamine-like stimulants, mainly Ritalin and Dexedrine. If there are coexisting conditions then these may also require medication.

Ritalin reduces hyperactivity and impulsiveness and helps to focus a child's attention. They become less aggressive, seem to comply with requests, and become less forgetful. Many parents say their child's behaviour has vastly improved as a result of Ritalin.

However, there is growing concern about the use of Ritalin to treat ADHD. Like amphetamines, Ritalin is classified as a class A drug. Many parents and professionals are worried about alleged side effects, including damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Ritalin's manufacturers recommend that it is only used to treat children aged six years and over. If symptoms don't improve after a month's trial it should be discontinued. The manufacturers also recommend that even if Ritalin is effective it should discontinued periodically to assess the child's condition. You should discuss any concerns with your child's doctors, and they may alter the dose prescribed.

Psychological treatments

In addition to the management techniques described, other forms of psychological treatment might include anxiety management, cognitive therapy, individual psychotherapy and social skills training.

Educational management

This includes individual, or group, learning support for coexisting learning difficulties and educational underachievement.

Management techniques for parents and teachers

Create a daily routine for the child, eg homework schedules, bedtime and mealtime routines.

Be specific in your instructions to the child and make clear and reasonable requests, eg instead of telling the child to 'behave' suggest 'play quietly with your Lego for 10 minutes'.

Set clear and easily understood boundaries, eg how much TV they may watch, and that rudeness is unacceptable.

Be consistent in the handling and managing of the child.

Remove disturbing or disruptive elements from their daily routine. For example, remove siblings from the room when they are doing homework or turn off the TV.

Plan structured programmes aimed at gradually lengthening the child's concentration span and ability to focus on tasks.

Communicate with the child on a one-to-one basis and avoid addressing other children at the same time.

Use rewards (eg stickers, tokens or even money) consistently and frequently to reinforce appropriate behaviour such as listening to adults and concentrating.

Use sanctions (eg loss of privileges, being sent to their room) for unacceptable behaviour or 'overstepping' of boundaries.

Discuss your child with their school or nursery and see if you can work together.


How is ADHD diagnosed?

ADHD requires a medical diagnosis by a doctor, usually a child or adolescent psychiatrist, a paediatrician or paediatric neurologist or a GP.

It will often be appropriate for other professionals such as psychologists, speech therapists, teachers and health visitors to contribute their observations to the assessment of a child with possible ADHD. There is no single diagnostic test for ADHD so different sorts of information needs to be gathered, such as the following:


History of symptoms

The precise nature of the difficulties, when they were first noticed, in what situations they occur, factors that exacerbate or relieve them.

Medical history

Risk factors that could predispose the child to ADHD include difficulties and risks in pregnancy and during birth, for example if the mother was in poor health, very young or drank alcohol or smoked or had an extended or complicated labour.

Several medical conditions are known to be associated with ADHD. These include fragile-X syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, G6PD deficiency, phenylketonuria and generalised resistance to thyroid hormone.

Accidents, operations and chronic medical conditions such as epilepsy, asthma and heart, liver and kidney disorders all need to be taken in to account. Also of possible relevance is any medication the child is taking, as well as any adverse reactions they have had to medication in the past.

Past psychiatric history

Enquiring about any mental health problems the child has had can help rule out depression or anxiety being behind the symptoms.

Educational history

This means the level of their ability and what specific difficulties they have, how they function within their peer group and get on with teachers, and any behaviour difficulties such as suspensions or exclusions. A more detailed evaluation of the child's learning by a psychologist may be necessary.

Evaluation of the child's temperament and personality

The child's temperament and personality, those of other family members and the nature of relationships within the family may need to be assessed. This will include discussion of the methods used by the parents to manage the child's behaviour and how successful they have been. Although this seems intrusive, the assessor will remain neutral and parents should not feel the disorder is 'their fault'.


What is the likely outcome?

Many children simply outgrow ADHD. About half of those affected appear to function normally by young adulthood, but a significant number will have problems that persist into adult life. These may take the form of depression, irritability, antisocial behaviour and attention problems.


By Dr Helen Likierman and Valerie Muter, chartered clinical psychologists

I myself suffer from ADHD, and so does my brother.

I know i was a real PITA when I was younger, but you do seem to grow out of it.

I'm no longer hyperactive, maybe a little strange but all I seem to be left with is a short attention span and a poor memory.

I'm 22 and very easy going.

I also suffered from ADHD as a child, my attention span was never that great anyway and I had serious difficulties in sitting still for any amount of time, I dont think I was ever physically violent towards anyone but I was destructive, I drew on walls, found a tube of paint and smeared it all over my sister's duvet, for no reason at all I dotted tippex all over a door which had just been painted and once I sliced lines into the arm of a char with a pair of scissors, and Im making no excuse for this behaviour but each time I did something like that I was in something like a trance, I had no idea why I did those things, and didnt realise I had until I was being yelled at.
In school they were convinced I was deaf because I rarely listened to what the teacher was saying, but I was such a bright student.
The most worrying instance was when I would get violent but it would be with my self, I dont remember it but I was overly hyper and banged my head repeatedly against the wall till I drew blood. My mum found out that a lot of my symptoms were due to an allergic reaction, or reaction at least to specific E numbers, mainly food colourants so she cut them out of my diet and I got better, not cured but better.
The only thing that did work with me, as being yelled at and other disciplinary actions much frowned upon these days didnt work, was being made to stand in a corner and not move or do anything for an hour while I would be checked up on every so often, and if I moved or tried to sneak to my room Id be made to stand there longer.
Im 21 now and I still have my moments, I still have some problems in sitting still I need to fiddle with something constantly and I have "restless legs", I also have spasms if I stay still for too long, my attention span is slightly better but I am very easily distrated, or on the flip side I can be very obssessively focused on something and nothing will interupt me. Thankfully the destructive nature has ended.

My nephew had some comparatively minor, compared to what you folks experience, behavioural problems when he was a toddler: tantrums, chucking his weight about, aggression which virtually disappeared when coloured drinks were removed from his diet.
It shows the powerful effects our diets can have.
Good luck to all you parents dealing with what must be very tiring and emotionally draining disorders.