son thinks he is brain damaged

Why don’t you just explain to him that these things can cause brain damage but don’t always. Give the example of a mother who abuses cocaine who kid comes out normal to explain probabilities. And then explain (again I am sure) that for him at least the most likely explanation for his ADHD is a genetic link. And that there is no evidence of anything else. You can explain whatever you know about ADHD manifests itself in the brain.

Another example is ear infections—my son had them and it appears that they are a cause of his developmental problems. Other kids have them without any ill effects. Some kids have auditory processing disorders because of genetics while for others ear infections play a key role. He is the genetics kind of ADHD!!

Beth

I disagree with giving an illegal drug example. I woul assure your child that he is not brain damaged, and explain the genetic factor. Let him know how many people have ADHD/ADD and all of the positives that go with this diagnosis (explain that some brains work differently, and this is not inferior). Explain that all people have strengths as well as weaknesses and give examples. You might want to list some of his with him. Build his self esteem and show him how to improve on what he would like to. Let him know that he is fine and loved the way he is, and that labels are really unimportant. I would assure him that he does not suffer from brain damage.

You are probably right about the illegal drug example. I was just trying to make the point that even the worst “markers” are not always as they seem. Also, that there are multiple causes for the same symptoms. But you are right it may not be a good example with a young child.

Beth

Well, this teacher is teaching her curriculum. Do you think the curriculum is wrong or that she did something wrong? If you do, then it makes sense to speak to her.

What is brain damage vs. brain difference is the question. You might explain that to your son or ask her to. I’d prefer to handle such things on my own at home without a teacher’s help but others feel differently.

Your son got a part of the lesson but not all of it. She might appreciate knowing the questions her lesson is raising in students’ minds but then again she might not. Teachers can be touchy.

The possibility of him being brain injured shouldn’t be ruled out entirely. I am TBI and I was misdiagnosed for years. It’s interesting to note Soccer players suffer brain injury as a result of heading the ball and collisions with other players. If your son had birth trauma who knows? It’s unlikely but if the possibility exists you may want to look into it.

TBI is extremely complex as many functions and parts of the brain are involved. Certian types of TBI can mimic all kind of disorders like processing problems for example even though different parts of the brain may be involved but add up to the same symptoms. Any diagnoses concerning brain function should be looked at skeptically. could be that kids that don’t respond to ADHD meds may not be ADHD at all. I’ve explained the suspected cause of ADHD in other threads. Not much can be done for TBI patients even though they get drugged too.

Is he upset by this? I find it incredibly intelligent of him to make the connection.

I suppose I am coming from a little different perspective here,but,what is so terrible about him
making the connections?
While I too believe there is a genetic link to ADHD,I also believe that it can also be a factor in
regards to birth injuries,or possible head trauma.
If he is intrigued by the human brain development,I assure you this isn’t just a bad thing. It is an
amazing study,it amazes me.

My oldest was born at 32 weeks,he is most definitely ADHD,but how lucky he is! I ,as you
already know,am a nurse who works with drug addicted babies,( and hell yes,they are addicted,I
wouldn’t hestitate to mention this,personally,because this is reality)premature babies,and head
trauma babies. The most amazing thing, to me,is the degree of trauma. How some kids can be 8
weeks early and still be incredibly intelligent and others, can be incredibly affected. It is all in the
degree of damage.

Yes, all of these disabilities we speak of,LD,ADHD,CAPD whatever, is neurologically based.
Cerebral Palsy for example,is damage to the motor center of the brain,either from birth
injury,chemical impairments,or head trauma before the first year of life,or at least this is the
formal definition. After the 1st year it is called either hypertonia or hypotonia, or closed head
injury. But the intelligence center of the brain is right next store to one of the motor centers,their
are two,and vision is close by also. If this part of the brain was injured then a CP kid could also
be mentally retarded,but if this center wasn’t injured then they can be intelligent but have
physical disabilities, and if the injury was mild,like they had no oxygen for only 20
minutes,instead of 25 minutes,they could only be affected in one hand or one leg,or one side of
the body.Or maybe just have problems learning in school.

Kids,or babies,are incredibly resilent,I see everyday,kids come out of severe brain injury. Or go
through things,and have NO brain damage at all. Amazing,really. I knew a kid,very
intelligent,great sense of humor. He was put under general anesthesia for orthopedic surgery.
Yes,he was CP,we were doing surgery on his legs. He stopped breathing and was coded. The
Doctors,refused to give up,they worked on this kid for over one hour, ONE HOUR,without
sufficent oxygen to the brain. Within minutes or pronouncing this awsome kid dead,he decided to
take a breath on his own. All his nurses waited to see how he would recover,would he be the
same wonderful self? Would he be impaired? Was it wise for the Doc’s to keep at it,and not give
up on him? Well let me tell you,he is still telling jokes,he is still the same ol kiddo he was before
it happened. God, how coool is that? His last day at the hospital he called his orthopedic surgeon
over to take his picture,I sat there looking at him,I knew the joke,I remember thinking,you know
what,there is a god. Well here comes the doc. a little egocentric to say the least,all puffed up and
ready for the kid to snap his picture. Well he got a face full of water,when the kid,took his
camera/watergun,and said thanks, his way.

Okay,I know,got off task again. I guess what I am saying,is yes,he could have brain damage,so
what? Maybe it amazes him how lucky he really is. Maybe he will be a neurologist? I suppose
the correct term might be brain injured,but again,it is all in the degree of injury. Only god,I
suppose, can decide how damaged one will be.

Let him know,on monday I will get a hug from a loving,smart, Baaad to the bone, two year
old,who survived being born at 22 weeks. Only to turn around and have to threaten my 13 year
old ADHD/LD kid who doesn’t want to do his homework,oh well,the joys of motherhood.Your
kid is smart,let him investigate the possibilities,it won’t change anything,all he will understand is
how very lucky he is.

Socks, your post was so cool. Thanks all for replying. He doesn’t sound especially upset, although the next day we find out that in one week he went from a C in math to an F(we get to correct the test and turn it back in so his grade will go up). When I was discussing that he needed to ask for help when he isn’t getting a concept (typical, doesn’t want anyone to know he doesn’t get it) and that we might get him some extra help, he asked me if he should go get some prozac. I was talking about academic help. Mostly he was being a bit of a smart aleck. Learned from the math teacher that there is a kid in their class who has issues and isn’t shy about talking about shrinks and stuff. My son says this kid is really funny and the kids like him. The teacher thinks that may be where the prozac reference came from.

The possibility of his add being a result of birth injury occurred to me when his doc first said the diagnosis. In addition to the grief process of ‘my kid isn’t going to breeze through school’ (now really how many of us did?) I had the whole birth experience flash through my head and got the guilts (not that it was any my fault, I was a smaller than average mom trying to push out an average size baby). Whether it is brain injury or genetic, there isn’t anything I can do to make the add go away. Anyway, I have come to the conclusion after reading a post from another mom a while back on this bb, however it happened, it is the past and I have to deal with the present (and try not to worry too much about the future).

My son is a really smart guy, I know that like other folks around here, if I can get him through school, he’ll be fine. He’s pretty level headed and when he isn’t picking on his brother or me, he and I have really cool conversations. He can be so grownup sometimes. Ain’t 13 a fun age? Occasionally anyway.

Thanks again y’all.

Ahh,those wonderful 13 year olds… They worry so much about peers. Try to fit in and be cool. Which by the way he should of learned while listening to the home EC lesson in child development!

Interesting that he is witnessing another kid,possibly advocating for themselves.Maybe some of this will wear off on him? Aside from the prozac comment,which was probably for Ma to freak out over. They love the old shock theory don’t they?

My 13 year old has a friend who is the class clown. Very disrespectful and unmotivated to do any work what so ever. Mom,kind of doesn’t help,but this is none of my business. What is my business is whether this kid will rub off on my kid. My son thinks he is sooo cool,so funny,talks about him a lot. It worried me,because I didn’t want my son to think it was better to be like this kid,and not do his best etc.

I told him last week,”I don’t appreciate your friend”,He starts off saying,”of course you don’t, your a MOM!”,I said,”no,I mean,I don’t like how disrespectful he is,and how he doesn’t try in the least at school,and he rather joke around then do any work”.He told me,”well,he is my friend”. I then told mad the worse Mother mistake I suppose I could make,and said.” well once it starts effecting your grade in class,he won’t be”. He rolled his eyes,and that was that.

Last week ,I was speaking to the teacher about science. Both of the boys,did really well on their test,both had studied hard and got A’s. ( I could have taken this test on Crustacea,and gotten an A,as much as I studied, as well!) I mentioned to the teacher how happy I was,because I was worried that my oldest was so into his peers to study and work in class lately. I mentioned the particular friend.The teacher then tells me,”well did your son happen to mention the consequence for his friends actions?”,”nope”,”well he won’t be coming back next year,and he won’t be going on the class summer trip”.

Well,at lunch today,I mentioned his friend.”wow,I heard about your friend,it a real shame he wouldn’t get his act together”. He said,”he’s nuts”. Of course my curiousity got the better of me,” I thought he was your friend?”,”of course he is! but he is crazy for not working in class”. Sigh…

AMYF,
I would like to apologize for your son’s teacher non-professionalism. She was totally outside of her profession.
Yes, you should speak with his teacher. You should let her know that she needs to be more sensitive of childrens who acts or looks different from other children. Also, you should continue reassuring your son that he’s not brain damaged.
Continue to thank her for her efforts. But let her know that the both of you were insulted.
My recommendation to your son’s teacher would be for her to ask for assistance from other professionals within or outside of her field in aiding her . Especially,
when she’s instructing students with ADHD.
Additionally, I would recommend that his teacher reads ADHD,Chapter 6, “Exceptional Lives ” or visit the website hhp://www.prenhall.com/turnbull.

I understand that you may be a little upset but teachers have a job to do also. The teacher probably never to insinuate any negative ideas. I would just simply thank her for giving your son information. Her main objective is to educate therefore, she can not take full responsibility about the way her information is perceived. Teaching is a hard job but, someone has to do it. Also, you have something to thank the teacher for because she was the one that started your son to eating breakfast.

Well, y’all, not so much upset with the teacher per se, I know the dots connected by my son were not necessarily the ones she was trying to teach. Like I mentioned, he is a pretty smart guy, unfortunately also sensitive to being different. However, he hasn’t mentioned it since and I haven’t brought it up. I think it was a short lived thing, thank goodness sometimes for that add short attention span! I knew it would come in handy for something!

Well, I thought I’d mention this, he’s been on concerta since March, about a week ago, I noticed he is missing half an eyebrow. He says he pulls the hairs when he is thinking, in other words it is an unconcious thing. I got some opinions about trichotillomania, ocd on a different board, what do y’all think?
He has always had a thing about neatness but it isn’t interfering with life or anything. An couple of examples, he straightened all the magazines in the doc’s office, and would frequently clean his friends’ rooms while they were playing outside. He also rearranges my kitchen cabinets and will clean my room if he is left at home during the day and he is bored. Predictably his room is the cleanest in the house. I really just put this down to keeping outer chaos at bay since his mind is probably chaotic by itself. He isn’t hyper so his add is mostly internalized I think. He has a saying he got from Chuckie on the rugrats. ‘A clean room is a happy room’.

Thanks for your replies. Best wishes to all.

A frank answer: not all of ADHD is 100% genetic in nature; the other non-genetic ADHD may be closer to very subtle brain damage or dysfunction due to a variety of causes. A few years ago the term for ADHD was MBDamage - later changed to MBDysfunction.

The term ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) replaced the term Hyperkinetic Syndrome of Childhood/Hyperactivity. The term ADHD replaced the previous term ADD.

Any physician or psychologist today - year 2002 - who says there is no underlying brain damage or dysfunction with some of those with classic ADHD - attention deficit - is fibbing. Behind some of ADHD is the idea of a spotty neuron (a microscopic injury point) which is very real and the reason behind neurological ADHD. What makes ADHD quite different for some people is that occasionally the right ADHD medicine can temporarily reduce ADHD symptoms (for a few hours/as long as the med work) - which makes some aspects of ADHD temporarily correctable. Many other types of brain injuries or damage especially with progressive known diseases like Parkinson’s (cells gradually die off) or Multiple Sclerosis (lesions tend to increase/progress) respond far less well to medicines because those diseases are viewed as being progressive (vs ADHD which ~ is stable/non-progressive).

There is a reason that the word deficit is used with ADHD - ADD. My own feeling is that honesty is the best policy in the short, medium, and long term so persons with ADHD must be told the truth. If the cause is known to be genetic, then they have the right to know the truth (genetics); if the cause is known not to be genetic but something else, they also need to be aware of that.

The same question for two different ADHD children will be answered differently, that is, the answer for a child whose is ADHD is positively known to be due to genetics will be an answer different than for a child whose ADHD is known to be caused by something else. That’s my view.

Agree 100%. Some causes of some types of ADHD - attention deficit - are known to be the result of brain injury. Brain damage can result from TBI and ABI (acquired brain injury).

Study Links Damage to a Specific Brain Structure Following Closed-Head Injury With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Released: October 21, 1999

http://jol.rsna.org/pr/target.cfm?ID=28

The whole area of TBI/ABI is often completely overlooked for some reason in too many discussions about ADHD - ADD which is, my view today - year 2002, essentially a form of professional negligence and disservice to all patients and all those concerned about ADHD - ADD - attention deficit.

http://www.biausa.org/

Sounds like Concerta induced OCD