Trish-

I read about your 30 y.o son and it made me think about my son's future. My son is 14y.o and started meds for his ADD when he was 7 as well. I have learned from my son's neuropsychiatrist that long term ADD meds often don't work. Have you asked an educated professional about the use of Provigil for your son's ADD. It is not a typical ADD med and it is actually also used for Narcolepsy. It sounds that your son may need a sleep study and lab work such as a ferritin level as well. He seems to have symptoms of a sleep disorder that could be preventing him from getting restorative sleep at night. Just a few ideas to optimize your sons functioning capacity to help him want to participate more.

Good luck!!!!

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I agree with Beth. Currently I teach young children with special needs. When other teachers ask me about a particular child in their class that appears hyper, unfocused, clumsy, and is struggling socially, before I suggest the teacher refer the student for evaluation, I ask the teacher to check in with the parents. These are common signs of sleeplessness. The kids hype themselves up to prevent falling asleep.

A sleep study would probably provide a lot of good information.

Good luck.

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Trish - You did not say how your son was diagnosed or if his narcolepsy includes cataplexy. If he did not undergo a sleep study under the auspices of a qualified sleep specialist, I would be skeptical of the diagnosis. Provigil can be a useful medication for narcolepsy in conjunction with ADD medication for ADD (prescribed by whomever is treating him for the ADD), if the correct balance is achieved. There is also a new medication, Nuvigil, that is supposed to be a longer lasting Provigil (I have no idea if it is a good product or not). I would recommend that your son look carefully at whether he wants medication to keep him from falling asleep during the day (ex: Provigil) or one that puts him to sleep at night. It takes much effort to change the circadian rhythm, though it can be done. Good doctors, aware of what each is doing, are vital to diagnosing and managing both narcolepsy and ADD.

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The re-checking of health and sleep issues sounds very wise. I am adding some impossible old advice: Don't become the "mother" to your spouse! Marriage is between 2 adults. The relationship between mother and child is or should be very different from that between husband and wife. Changing from "wife into mother" is likely to kill off any sexual desire for both parties. And yet it is for us ladies almost impossible not to take on that roll of mothering our spouses, it becomes part of the natural nurturing roll. It is worth disucssing quietly over lunch when all are calm and awake. You are meant to be sharing the task of maintaining a home, and raising children, not becoming one of them.

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Read some of the information from Daniel Amen. Craving video games has to do with the "pleasure neurotransmitter", dopamine. Playing video games increases dopamine release, depletes available dopamine, then leaves the person short on it when they stop. Some of his behavior sounds like immaturity (which often comes with ADHD) and may be a situation where his wife needs to insist on couples therapy.

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Hello,

My son is an ADHD 8 years old and we have decided go med free. It is TOUGH parenting him but I'm trying alternatives treatments to try to help him out. Currently he is undergoing a Neurofeedback training, I praying to see results. A dear friend of mine sent to me the following links to review them and I was shocked with the info in there. Take a look and you'll might be as shocked as I was.

My best wishes for you and your family,

Ana

www.ritalindeath.com Offers information about the risks of ADHD medication.

www.adhdfraud.org essays and articles on possible misdiagnosis of adhd. A neurologist presents emerging trends in adhd treatment,informative alternative treatment

Attention Deficit Disorder Help Center: Support for parents, and new ideas. www.add-adhd-help-center.com

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