** This is a L-O-N-G post, but I need to get it out. You've been warned. **
K has been seeing a Psychologist once a week since the beginning of this year. I've seen differences in her since the therapy has started, but we still have a LOT of issues to work out. Last month, Jessica indicated to me that she thought K showed very basic symptoms of ADHD, and that K confirmed for Jessica that she can't sit still in class, she's very fidgety, she gets in trouble at school a lot, etc. Jessica asked that we make an appointment with one of their Psychiatrists, Dr. Scott, to have K tested for ADHD.
This is where I start to say to myself "Yeah, right. This kid is playing you like a violin." That's the thing with K. She is very crafty when she wants to be. If K's answer to a question is A but she thinks you want to hear B then B becomes her answer. I think Jessica asked her questions and K gave her the answer she thought Jessica wanted to hear. Regardless I went ahead and made the appointment which we went to yesterday. K had to have some blood-work done prior to the appointment to rule out any medical things that could cause her problems. After talking to K for a few minutes, while leading K into the answers I thought, the Psychiatrist decided that she did show symptoms of typical ADHD and prescribed both a nighttime antidepressant (which will help with her sleeping) and a daytime medication to help with her ADHD. (There was a lot more things than just a 5 minute conversation that happened at this appointment, but this was the basis of the diagnosis.)
I'm torn. On the one hand I think K is giving them the answers she thinks they want to hear because taking medication is a way of getting attention in her eyes. I also think the way they were wording their questions was giving K and indication of how the answer would be if she were ADHD. For example, the Psychiatrist asked her "How do your thoughts go around in your head? Do your thoughts jump from one thing to another, are they all over the place, do your thoughts confuse you?" To me, that's like saying "if you really are ADHD this is how your thoughts are in your head" and therefore leading K into the answers.
On the other hand, I've thought that K was beyond just being your average hyper kid for YEARS, but every time her school would do the Connors Test on her (a test schools use to determine ADD/ADHD. The first step in getting a diagnosis through a pediatrician) she'd pass with flying colors which would mean her pediatrician would basically laugh at me when I'd come in with these results. Like "what the hell is wrong with you, Lady? You just wanna drug up your kid."
Depression runs in my family on my dad's side. His mother was Bipolar, my aunt is, my dad has suffered from depression, and so have I. ADD/ADHD runs in my family on my mom's side. My uncle was diagnosed with something like ADHD - probably not ADHD as we know it today seeing as it was 1950/60 something, but I do know he was put on medication that turned him into a zombie until my grandmother refused to give it to him anymore, and I have three cousins all with varying levels of ADD/ADHD. I know depression can be inherited like alcoholism or addiction, but can ADD/ADHD be inherited?
My mother asked me if any of SFB's (Shit For Brains = Ex-husband and DNA Supplier) family has ADD/ADHD. That question with those people is about as good as... I don't know what but it's useless because they're the BIGGEST group of hypochondriac's I've even had the displeasure of knowing. Let me tell you! If there's a rare disease or illness I guarantee someone in that family has had it or currently suffers from it. They're a bunch of brainless idiots. They've been telling L that she's got ADD simply because she jiggles her knee up and down when she's bored and fidgeting. Duh... Her dad does the same thing. It's not an indication of ADD, Morons. Get a clue.
I picked up K's medication today that Dr. Scott prescribed for her last night. We'll start giving it to her tonight. She's got two prescriptions - one is for nighttime because she's got a lot of trouble falling asleep. She's like me that way. If I'm not DEAD tired I will lay awake all night long. That's why I have the Ambien. This medication is also a anti-depressant so we'll see how that works out. The other is for the ADHD and should help her focus and filter. We'll see how well it works. I have to watch out for her though. Dr. Scott said that this medication is similar to the Ritalin they used to prescribe in that it can amplify her moods instead of focusing her. If she's angry she could be angrier than normal, if she's hyper she could become more hyper than normal... I let her social worker at school know so that if there's an issue at school she is in the loop. Also because I need the teachers to fill out a questionnaire and fax it back to Dr. Scott.
The questionnaire is where I place my trust honestly. If K is faking anything, she won't be able to fake it for 2-3 weeks. The questionnaire will be filled out by her teachers this week and then again in 2-3. It asks the teachers to rate things like
- Restless in the 'squirmy' sense
- Acts 'smart' (impudent or sassy)
- Disturbs other children
- Mood changes quickly and drastically
- Excessive demands for teacher's attention
- No sense of fair play
- Denies mistakes or blames others
- Easily frustrated in efforts
They then have to rate them on a scale of 1 to 5. K won't be able to fake that stuff for too long.
I guess this is enough ranting for one day. If you've made it this far - pat yourself on the back. (Or get a hobby!) That was a lot of babble to go through, but I just needed to vent...
