Navigating the Journey with Our ADHD Child

self insemination kit

Updated: Oct. 7, 2023

Originally Published: Oct. 7, 2023

During my son’s first week of kindergarten, he attempted to bolt from the classroom. He resisted teachers who tried to guide him indoors and flat-out refused to comply with their requests. His meltdowns were beyond anything I had ever witnessed.

Naturally, the school reached out and organized meetings with us. Feeling bewildered by their concerns, we attended. Prior to kindergarten, we had observed some unusual behaviors. At the age of 2, he would become completely absorbed in the spinning wheels of his Matchbox cars, often crying if we suggested any other activity. He needed help with delayed speech and fine motor skills, but until kindergarten, we had never encountered significant behavioral challenges. In pre-K, he made friends easily, adored his teachers, and appeared to be an ordinary child.

However, we took the kindergarten staff’s concerns seriously. Something was clearly amiss. A couple of months later, after numerous meetings, assessments, and questionnaires, our son was diagnosed with ADHD.

Fast forward to third grade, and many of the same challenges persist: incomplete schoolwork, lack of compliance with instructions, zoning out, distancing himself from peers, and getting lost in his thoughts. Despite our best efforts—and his—we’ve explored a multitude of strategies.

Here’s a quick overview of what we’ve tried:

• Love
• Consistency
• Structure
• Limiting screen time
• Reward systems, both daily and weekly
• Diet adjustments (sugar, gluten, dairy)
• Setting firm boundaries
• Time-outs
• Counting to three (or two)
• Therapies: talk, behavioral, and physical
• Various tests: eye, hearing, and autism spectrum assessments
• An Individualized Education Program (IEP) at school
• Advocating for IEP implementation across all subjects
• Hiring an in-class aide
• Engaging a social worker at school
• Allowing him to choose his summer camp classes
• Reading books about parenting spirited children
• And most importantly, showering him with love and reassurance every day.

Things We Haven’t Tried Yet:

• Medication

Next Week’s Plan:

We’ll continue to love him fiercely, and we’ll explore medication. If it doesn’t yield results, it might simply join the ever-growing list of our attempts to support him. But for now, we’re optimistic about this next step.

Parenthood is an unpredictable adventure, full of surprises and challenges. Whatever lies ahead, we’re ready to tackle it together. Who’s with me on this journey? Let’s dive in!

For more insights on this topic, you can check out this excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination at News Medical. And if you’re interested in learning about the journey of couples through home insemination, visit Make a Mom for valuable guidance. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination!

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Summary:

In this piece, we share our experiences parenting a child with ADHD, detailing the struggles and strategies we’ve employed. From behavioral approaches to therapies, we’ve tried it all. With a recent decision to explore medication, we remain hopeful and ready for whatever challenges come our way.