-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2003 7:00 PM
Subject: ADD, Bi-Polar, ODD Confusion
There is a growing school of thought that bipolar disorder and oppositional defiance disorder are closely linked to certain types of ADD (and may, in fact, be misdiagnosed ADD). I'd have your friends check out www.brainplace.com and www.amenclinic.com for more information. The Amen Clinic has been doing groundbreaking work on diagnosis of various brain disorders through 3-D brain scans while both resting and sleeping. It may be that your friends will find an answer--or at least a lead--there. Amen's books are eye-opening, too.
One theory I've read about the high incidence of ADD in this country is that people with ADD tend to be risk-takers--as in people who seek out new frontiers, head for new worlds, or get shipped there because they got in trouble ... Also, lots of girls who get pregnant have ADD. Some make adoption plans for their babies, many of whom inherit the condition (it is definitely passed down).
The good news is that there are lots of ways to deal with it, usually in combination, and new drug therapies that have fewer side effects.
Lithium
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 4:17 PM
Subject: Re: Question about lithium
** Does lithium have the "disinhibition" effect that other mood stabilizers do? We've tried Thomas on Depakote and Trileptal. In both cases, raising the dosage made his behavior so bad we couldn't stand it; we never got to a therapeutic He's also on Seroquel, which helps significantly, but doesn't completely control his mood swings***
What I know about Lithium is this, it is and was the first effective chemical/drug that stabilizes bipolar/schizo type patients. Depakote, Trileptal are more recent meds, some say more effective in certain cases.
Lithium still remains to be the gold standard for bipolar. My experience has been if one doesn't work try a different one. Every persons bio-chemical/nero-receptor chemistry is different. Each drug has slight variations in the chemistry. One that works for some may not for others. I have also found that it is usually a combination that works for more complex kids. Generally if their brain chemistry is screwed up it will be in more ways than just one.
As far as the stomach problems are concerned, make sure from your doctor that they are valid. I had my daughter back and forth to doctors for stomach concerns. Her stomach was always messed up. Over time we have realized a lot of it is anxiety related and/or psychosomatic which is normal for these kids. She does have a sensitive stomach but we have to be very careful about "playing into " her constant body concerns. This may be true for you and your son, or not, but something to consider.
Mental Health
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 8:51 PM
Subject: [older-child] good info on parenting adopted children
There are a couple of articles on the IAA website I thought were really excellent.
http://www.i-a-a.org
Go to "Adoption Articles" in the left column, there are many good articles, but the two new ones are so accurate to what we are experiencing with our 6 1/2 yr old who just came home 2 months ago. I thought some of you might be interested in reading them:
1) Proactive Parenting in Adoptive Families: Why is my child so angry, depressed, anxious?
2) Going and Growing through Grief and Loss: Parenting Traumatized Adopted Children
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