Adhd/aspergers

You don't choose a path. You meet with specialists and have an evaluation done to determine what's going on. It's not about labeling a child; it's about helping a child. A child may be labeled diabetic, but it's not a bad thing when it means that child is going to get the right treatment.

Don't rush to make a decision about medication based on preconceived notions or misinformation about it. Talk to the experts when and if you get a diagnosis and make an educated decision about the best treatment options then. If it's ADHD, medication is only one component that will be discussed. There's no quick fix for any brain disorder, so enter this entire process with an open mind.

Best of luck to you!

Your son should be evaluated by a developmental pediatrician. If your physicians are mentioning aspergers/high functioning autism they should refer you to a doctor that can make a diagnosis after a full eval. Best of luck.

You don't "choose" a path. Whatever the issue is, it is. You get him assessed, find out what's wrong, and deal with it. It's not about labeling. A diagnosis is a diagnosis - you can't treat something without a diagnosis. Once you know what's going on, you can figure out ways to treat it.

My son has high functioning autism with a bit of sensory processing issues. He is not medicated at all. Because we know what is going on, he is able to participate fully in regular kindergarten. Because the teacher and the OT are working together to understand how his brain works, he is having an easier time adjusting to the challenges of school. I don't care what the issue is called, as long as it helps him get the services he needs to help him function at his best in society and for himself.

You say lots of physicians and close friends have mentioned .......... You need to go to one specialist and get a diagnosis. It's not labeling. It's finding out what is causing his behavior and then finding a way to treat it. Would you say you don't want to label your child if he had diabetes? It's the same thing only in the mental health field.

You said you're being evaluated. By whom? Why are you taking him to lots of physicians? I suggest that you need one physician who can co-ordinate his evaluations and care.

I suggest you to take him to a developmental pediatrician who will then have additional specialists test him to find possible causes for his behavioral issues if he has more behavioral issues than not doing what you ask. My grandson, who is diagnosed as having Aspergers as high functioning autism as well as apraxia of speech and processing disorder and ADHD, saw an occupational physical therapist, a regular physical therapist, a speech therapist at the direction of the developmental pediatrician. Notice I said he was diagnosed. He is not labeled. A matter of semantics but I suggest it's a more useable use of words.

This was thru his insurance. You can find a developmental pediatrician thru his regular pediatrician or call his insurance customer service office and ask for a list of developmental pediatricians on his plan.

Or if you don't have insurance that will cover it then call your school district office and ask for the number for the office who does evaluations. Federal law requires that all school districts provide evaluations and treatment if needed for all children who have conditions that my prevent success in school. In our county it's called the Education Service District. It's a free service.

Only after your son has been evaluated can you choose a path. You first have to know what is happening with him before you'll know what to do. The decision on medication is down the line of things to do. Get started with an evaluation.

My grandson has ADHD and is now on medication. My daughter did not want to medicate him at first and didn't do so. After awhile she decided to try it and medication has helped him.

Perhaps the pediatrician you're seeing is suggest that he only has ADHD and wants to focus on just that. That's OK if that's all there is but if the pediatrician is suggesting autism then I suggest a developmental pediatrician is the way to go.

You will need to get him evulated. Start with school and they can point you in the right direction. It could be ADHD, Sensory ... something else.

The professionals are the ones who find the right direction. Just make sure you start with someone who is versed in sensory and adhd. so you get the right direction from them.

Not eating meat could just be sensory, he does not like the texture.

Good luck

find a GOOD developmental pediatrician or pediatric psychiatrist. They are the ones who have the best knowledge on these issues. They will know how to diagnose them, treat them and what options are available.

Be aware that the right meds in the right dosages along with behavior modification and other therapies have shown to have the highest success rates in studies. That neither alone (behavior mod/therapy or medications) is as effective as combining the two.

I have a child with ADHD, anxiety and aspergers ... and the meds he takes aren't "optional" ... they are as needed as insulin is for most children diagnosed with diabetes.

Good luck with finding a doctor to evaluate your son.

Oh and for the record, for us, changing his diet ... didn't do squat for his issues. We tried (and it cost us a fortune).

...are you thinking being Vegan has something to do with this? I can assure you it's not. Other than food allergies that trigger ADHD/Autism-like symptoms, and usually it's good old fashioned processed grains like wheat and corn that does that...though there's a few that will disagree with me on that.

My son is on the spectrum(evaluated through SELF, and attended there before going into his regular school). His school has a lovely blend of children, a good portion of which went through the SELF school, not that all of them needed it, but going there and being EVALUATED helped the parents narrow down things that needed looking into. Medicating children? SELF won't even suggest it. That's for professionals. They evaluate what can be taken care of with EDUCATION, and guide the parents to look at medical professionals if this isn't enough. "Choosing a path" isn't that difficult with the right information, which is with evaluation, not labeling.

The hitting his head for asking to do anything? Attention. My friends then four year old did that because she had a three year old sister getting more attention.
She quit when I told her that the only thing grabbing attention like that was getting her was an extra helping of (insert food of the week she didn't like), and a headache, followed by nap/bed without dessert. She quit rather quickly, as she was fond of her pudding.
Mind you he doesn't have to be a sibling for this to occur. Anything could be taking attention from him(Phone, TV, MamaPedia, even the pets). At that age, they NEED us and only US...until they make friends at school or on the playground, WE are their #1 bestest pals in the whole world. They need 1,000% of the attention.

How recent has this head banging issue gone on? Other than a non-important factor(I don't see dietary preference as important versus things around him happening), and some head-banging, we don't have much information.

Take it with a grain of salt, as this is all...

Just my 2cp.

You get testing , you find out what's up , you meet with people that are specialized in that area and they lay it out on the table for you. About what is best for your child's situation.
And not eating meat has nothing to do with your question.

A behavioral therapist or Behavior Center such as the 'Brain Balance Center'. I spent years knowing that there was something 'different' about my son, that he had some special 'issues' and that he wasn't a bad kid, but he did things differently than others. The Brain Balance Center spent several hours (spread over 2 days) evaluating him and they were wonderful. He falls under the Asperger's spectrum, and just sees the world differently and deals with things differently. But now that I know what it is, it is SO much easier to deal with him and help him face his challenges. There is a lot of information about Asperger's online, and lots of questionnaires that you can print for yourself to see if your son falls under any of the areas. Getting a diagnosis (even without 'labeling' him or medicating him) will be a HUGE step in helping him, and yourself, better understand the issues he may be having. Good Luck!!