Help for 23 year old

What about some sort of halfway house? I’m not quite clear on what’s going on. I havn’t ever heard of someone having ADD needing to be cared for quite that much before, so I’m a bit confused about this.

Hi Mary,

What else is going on with your daughter besides the ADD. Has she ever been on medication does she accept the fact that she has ADD. There are alot of factors that you don’t report. Depending on when you found out she was ADD can make a difference as well. I have worked with children and adolescents withADD/ADHD. The later you find out some times the harder it is to treat. Another question is has her behavior caused any legal problems for her. In my experience I have dealt with alot of clients who never had treatment and ended up in the legal system due to impulsive behavior and poor judgement for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong kind of people. Please know I make no assumptions about your daughter. You just need to give a little more information. The other thing is that you can only do what you are capable of to help her and then it will be in hers and gods hands. I have a daughter as well with ADD. She is now nine. We found out when she was five and have worked very hard to give her a good foundation for learning and continue to help her work on her behavior and self control. I do not look forward to puberty as she already thinks like a wise old soul, but all I can do is give her the tools to be a successful adult and the rest will be up to her. Take care and good luck.

Gina

My heart goes out to you, you really sound like you’re struggling. Can you help us understand more of what’s going on with your daughter. Lots of people now believe that ADD is on the Autistic Spectrum. Is your daughter further along the spectrum in the PDD or Autism range? Why does she need assisted living?

Just so you know, my ADHD son had lots of symptoms of Autism. He likes to show symptoms from across the entire spectrum - making it hard to classify him anywhere. There is no doubt in my mind (or that of our pediatrician) that he would be a full blown autistic child if not for the intervention we’ve done with him. I also have an Autistic nephew who has not been so lucky (symptoms more severe and not as responsive). Is this what you are dealing with.

I know this may seem “off topic,” but with the new research linking ADD/ADHD with the Autistic Spectrum, it may not be. It’s the only thing I can think of that would make ADD so severe that a patient would need to be institutionalized.At any rate, Mary, if you think this is what Laura is dealing with, feel free to contact me directly by e-mail. I have lots of info that could help.

Also, in terms of paying for services, have you looked into a Katie Beckett waiver? This is called different things in different states, but from what I understand, might offer financial support (from social security) for Laura’s services if the alternative is being sent to an institution.

I do hope this helps.
Laurie

Dear LAS,
I would also be interested in the research linking ADD and Autism. I have done a lot of research on Aspergers, and quite frankly believe that my ADHD could be a mild to moderate Asperger Syndrome. I find this area very interesting.
Georgia

Hi Georgia,
The more I read the more I understand the ADD/ADHD attachment to the Autistic Spectrum. I’m no scientist, so let me see if I can direct you to some places to find more information. One place that has some information is at www.parentsofallergicchildren.ort/autism.htm

I have a daughter with ADHD and my son is ADHD with autistic symptoms… that is we back-doored the autism diagnosis because he was atypical and because we began dietary intervention with him very early pretty much by accident (we took out dairy at about 11 months due to his sister’s asthma!). My son has symptoms ranging from ADD through Autism and if anyone can stand as an example of ADHD being included on the Autism Spectrum, my little guy is IT!

The above website has a lot of information on autism and spectrum disorders, but there was one specific article that spoke of ADD/ADHD as part of that continuum. If you look at the very young children with autism, you don’t always see a “rain man” type of person. Mostly you see hyperactive, raging, stimmy kids. But they’re up on their toes and walking in circles and needing sameness and all the other ADHD things right along with their more severe symptoms. They’re not sure why some kids just have ADD and others have PDD, Aspbergers, or Autism but some people think these are diseases of the immune and metabolic symptoms and not “brain” problems. The type of metabolic malfunction and the degree of damage to the gut/immune system determine where you end up on that spectrum. My husband and I believe the reason we have one with ADHD and one that went to autism is that my son was innoculated for rabies (a series of five innoculations) on top of the regular shots a kid gets.

There is also a total load theory where the onset of autism and spectrum disorders is linked to colic, ear infections, allergies, asthma, sleep disorders, eczema, seizures, reactions from immunizations, etc.

There is an Autism Intolerance and Allergy Network which may help you also, but I don’t have a website for you. Maybe you could do a search.

If you look at the red flag factors for autism in the first year… colic, cows milk allergy, projectile vomiting, reflux, eczema, chronic ear infection, antibiotic use, immunization reactions and sensory deprivation you hit on a lot of the risk factors for ADHD also.

When searching for other information you might want to check under Attention Behavior Continuum or MultiSystem of Developmental Delays. You may also find more information at the Developmental Delay Registry.

There is pretty much enough information out there linking ADHD with Autism and PDD that it makes sense for most of us with ADHD to keep a watch on the Autism research for new information. Not all of it relates, but it can help some people.

Let me know if I can help you find more sources for your research.
Laurie