I worked with one kid for a couple of years that a Neuropsyche referred to me for eduacational therapy. He had a history of Epilepsy but I had a sneaking suspicion that he was ADHD. He was too impulsive and inattentive for it to just be Epilepsy but I helped him the best I could. Over the course of time he saw the same Neurologist who was affiliated with the same Neuropsyche that knew me…and as he got older the same Neurologist adjusted his meds for Epilepsy accordingly, but just like Brenda’s son his EKG was not showing any seizures…Eventually he started middle school and his parent decided to take him to a different Neurologist at UCLA who did testing which showed that he wasn’t epileptic, he was ADHD. The Neurologist at UCLA felt that he could be weaned off the Tegretol and he started him on Adderall. What a difference this made in his learning and behavior.and he is just about off Tegretol now and doing much better in school.
Take your son to Fresno State and talk with the Supervisor at the Speech and Hearing Clinic, get some unbiased and good testing on his language by graduate students who are well supervised and will be able to help him and help you undertstand how to help him.
Contact me if I can be of more assistance…I can help via e-mail.
Re: To Brenda...Epilepsy and ADHD
Yes that is what I am saying…He may be taking Tegretol for something he has outgrown and yes, drugs like that can interfere with learning…and language. I saw it with my own eyes…it just floored me too..
Re: To Brenda...Epilepsy and ADHD
Have you read up on Tegretol? I have a friend who has a daughter with epilepsy. At least one med. did cause a deterioration in her cignitive functioning. Can’t recall if it was tegretol.
Re: To Brenda...Epilepsy and ADHD
As I have been studying about Neurology for my Speech comps I have read that people who have MS and take tegretol that it decreases their cognitive functioning, they have trouble with word recall and they don’t think as fast as they used to. I have seen it as I have treated people with Epilepsy as well.
Take some and see...
…no don’t, I’m kidding. The typical complaint I’ve heard working as a rehabilitation counselor and vocational evaluator over the years is drowsiness. Serious drowsiness. The kind that makes it hard to work, study or follow a long movie.
From a quick Google search on Tegretol…
“Since dizziness and drowsiness may occur while taking Tegretol, you should refrain from operating machinery or driving an automobile or participating in any high-risk activity that requires full mental alertness until you know how this drug affects you.”
John
Hi, I don’t know how I missed this message….but I did.
Anyway, are you saying that by being taken of meds (Tegratol) that it may help in learning? I’ve been asking this question ever since they started talking about weaning him off his med. I’ve asked his neurologist if we take him off his meds, and his EEG’s remain normal…….is it possible that learning ability could be improved. She’s always told me that she didn’t think his meds affected his learning ability, we’d have to wait and see. Again, I know it’s probably reaching, but this summer if his EEG is normal again, he’ll be weaned off his meds and I guess I’ll get my answer.