My son was diagnosed with ADHD, and anxiety a year ago,he is 7 and in second grade. He seems to also lack the coping skills to deescalate any level of anxiety. He also lacks socialization skills. This is is third year in his elementary school, and he still doesn't seem to have any friends. I'm not sure what else to do, he will be getting counseling and we may be changing his meds..
Q: A child who has been diagnosed with ADHD , will they always lack coping,social skills?
Answers (3)
11/20/08 9:53pm
Hi Tessamil:
Summscott has some very good advice. Please check out CHADD in your area to begin with.
Please don't be discouraged, since coping strategies CAN be learned, but please make sure that your child is accurately diagnosed and doesn't have some other problems in addition to the ADHD. It is well-known that ADD/HD typically carries with it mood disorders such as anxiety and/or depression. I don't wish to alarm you, but it is also not unusual to see processing deficits or autistic spectrum problems in these children, and have it go undiagnosed for many years.
Find a Psychologist, School Psychologist or Neuropsychologist to do your testing and make sure they are well-versed in ADD/HD, as well as the other issues mentioned above.
Best of luck,
Dr. Diana Walcutt
11/20/08 1:01pm
Yes.
Unfortunatly he will be lacking of them for some time. I can tell you that there is hope he will learn them just not as fast as we would like.
you see the new treatment is called multimodal and that is when a theripist helps you at school level and at home level and then you get the medication support.
This is sientificly proven to work.
www.help4adhd.org
www.chadd.org
find a support group and get involved. it will change your life.
1/22/09 5:19pm
No, you child will not always lack socail skills. These must be taught to them. Getting him into counseling should help both of you. He will learn coping skills and you should learn how to help him and how to identfy these dangerous situations. He has only had a year of help, and he has had 7 seven years of negative feedback on his behaviour. Rome was not built in a day, Rome was built brick by brick. You need to help him find his bricks to build his city.
Let me tell you what it is like to be ADHD. It is like living on a fast moving train traveling at full throttle. The rest of the world is a blur as you travel across the country and you can not find the brake to slow you down. There is tremendous guilt for being bad and not like the other children, when it isn't your fault.
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