ADHD - running in families?

desertmom · **ADHD - running in families?**

If you have a child with ADHD, are you and/or your spouse also suffering from some form of it? I honestly think both dh and I have some, and I know it's in my family, while I know for a fact DH's brother has it and Aspergers.

I do think genetics play a huge part. Do any of you have ADHD in a child, but it's nowhere else in the family? Do any of you have an ADHD child, but the siblings show no signs of it whatsoever?

aliadam · 04-15-2008, 11:02 PM

My pediatrician told me it does tend to run in families.

TommysMommy · 04-15-2008, 11:32 PM

Yes, I know for a fact it runs in families! My husband, his mother, one of her sisters, her brother AND her father all have a dx of ADHD! Our 9 year old is ADHD as well, but my DH is not his biological father. He just happens to fit in nicely with our little slightly cracked family! So far, our biological 4 year old and 18 month old do not show any signs of ADHD, but our 4 year old does have some serious anger/impulse issues and his doctor is monitoring him closely for ADHD as a possibility in the future. Not that we wish him to have it, we just know it's likely.

stxmom · 04-16-2008, 09:09 AM

My brother and my oldest son both have ADHD and I think my Mom also has ADHD but she would never admit it. None of my other children have any signs yet.

Tiger87 · 04-21-2008, 07:41 PM

My son who is 6 is being screened for it now, and we don't have anyone in either of our familes diagnosed with it. Although, I swear my brother who is now 32 has symptoms of it....

MissLucie · 04-21-2008, 07:55 PM

Its funny you bring this up. Ds has some behavioral problems, though it isn't asperengers. He lacks concentration and is having a hard time with his gross motor skills. He's also a leftie. He's 4 and he's in a pre-k that offers therapy to an extent, without drugs and its once a week. Mostly for his gross skills and for speech development. Well, he's doing fabulously on both of them. He's able to write letters and color better, nothing he was able to do before. He talks thoroughly, completing sentences and well, the like. However, however, hoooweverrr. His teacher asked me if he's been evaluated by his ped for ADHD. I said that his ped said he looked like a normal boy from his immediate interaction while in the office. Of course, ten to fifteen mins of "doctor" time isn't enough to experience the talked about. I feel very, very bad for ds. I don't know if its just him being a boy or if its something I have to follow through. He has energy outbursts, he at times bounces off the walls and is very easily distracted. Even if he is ADHD, I don't think I will put him on drugs for it. I don't know, I guess time will tell.

lizer3 · 04-22-2008, 09:48 AM

My oldest DS has ADHD, I have bi-polar type II and wondering if 5 year old my have ADHD.

desertmom · 04-22-2008, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissLucie

Its funny you bring this up. Ds has some behavioral problems, though it isn't asperengers. He lacks concentration and is having a hard time with his gross motor skills. He's also a leftie. He's 4 and he's in a pre-k that offers therapy to an extent, without drugs and its once a week. Mostly for his gross skills and for speech development. Well, he's doing fabulously on both of them. He's able to write letters and color better, nothing he was able to do before. He talks thoroughly, completing sentences and well, the like. However, however, hoooweverrr. His teacher asked me if he's been evaluated by his ped for ADHD. I said that his ped said he looked like a normal boy from his immediate interaction while in the office. Of course, ten to fifteen mins of "doctor" time isn't enough to experience the talked about. I feel very, very bad for ds. I don't know if its just him being a boy or if its something I have to follow through. He has energy outbursts, he at times bounces off the walls and is very easily distracted. Even if he is ADHD, I don't think I will put him on drugs for it. I don't know, I guess time will tell.

Your school district can't/won't "diagnose" ADHD, but they can do testing at no cost to you to see if there is a need for special accommodations or other issues w/delays, especially w/motor skills. And you're right - the short time in the ped. office isn't enough. Our ped also didn't see any issues. It wasn't until I had school testing and feedback that could see what added up. The school can also have the psychologist do some testing, again at no cost to you, to help place him best with the right resources, if necessary. I was like you, and didn't want to medicate - I only gave in now, a few months ago, and he just turned 8. I'm glad I held off, though. It was just the right time for us, as he was struggling so.

phenomemom · 04-22-2008, 11:31 AM

I was finally diagnosed with ADD (not ADHD) when I was in my mid-20's.

I see signs of it in my son, who is 9, but not in my daughter at all. Neither of my parents have it, but my older brother does as well.

I have learned some coping skills through the years and choose to see it as just part of who I am. I don't medicate myself for it, as I am on a couple other meds for other things, and the ADD meds are just too much, and I don't need them as much as the other meds, in my opinion.

My son does struggle in school with being reprimanded consistently for "talking too much", not staying on task, etc. etc. If it's something that doesn't seem to get better over the last few months of school, I am thinking of having him evaluated over the summer. It's hard to see your kids struggle.