Wow, that's a long wait to see the ped - is it a developmental ped? Or a ped that specializes in ADHD? Just curious due to the long wait, and also wondering if in the meantime you have other options re pursuing ADHD eval? Our regular ped does a screening... I'm guessing you've already been through that route?
Yeah, we had two recommendations, and both had about a 6 month waiting list. It is a developmental paed, and supposed to be very good with ADHD management. We are working with the psychologist in the mean time, who has done a screening with us from which she determined ADHD to be quite likely. And we have other reports from previous assessments with a paediatrician and psychologists, so we will have plenty to provide the paediatrician with when we get there.
Thanks TigerM, KnittingMama, and blackcat for sharing your stories. I was happy to hear that you found your DD was able to better handle her emotions with medication, TigerM, as I have my fingers crossed that will be the case for DS. He is really having trouble with melting down, and I think he just gets overwhelmed with everything and can't cope, so I am hoping that getting the impulsivity and hyperactivity under control will help with that. We did try fish oil in the past, and I don't know if it was coincidence or not, but both my kids seemed to go extra hyper and emotional with it. Maybe we should give it another try.
KnittingMama, thanks for sharing that medication did not work out for your family, and its great that you are able to provide a homeschool environment that is flexible enough to help.
blackcat, I can definitely relate to the shouting and not getting through. Sometimes it really is as if DS is in a bubble. I am not looking forward to the fiddly bit of finding the right medication and the right dose, but if it helps in the end, I can see it might be a huge thing for DS. His biggest issues at the moment are probably social, although there is academic stuff that would improve with better attention, less impulsivity, he is at a very good fit school that has great support and accommodations, but the school can't make the kids be socially accommodating. And so self-esteem gets affected too.
Hopefully before the end of the year I will be able to come back on here with our own story of improvements.