ADD and Dyslexia

Parents Forum Learning Differences and Challenges - LD, ADHD
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<p>We are gearing up because my niece is about to have a baby. She has ADD (and her only sibling--a brother--has ADHD).
My niece's hubby claims he has dyslexia and trouble reading.</p>

<p>So this baby is at risk for some pretty big problems.</p>

<p>How did you raise your kids to overcome these problems, should this baby have them?</p>

<p>My niece was raised quite poorly. She read tons (just hours and hours) as a kid (as I did), but this doesn't teach you to cope well with the world.
She never did sports, which is where you learn so much, I now realize.
She didn't play a musical instrument, which forces you to focus early on, I'll bet.</p>

<p>In fact, my niece is quite overweight and was raised not to pick up after herself, and the house is a shambles. My niece is clearly lazy. She struggled to get thru high school, because while she is intelligent, she has so many ADD deficits: extremely slow (3rd percentile) motor skills (that pegboard test), very low average in math and all the usual ADD problems. She works in a daycare center making minimum wage because she 'loves babies'.</p>

<p>I see others with ADD making an effort and being successful, so I know that having ADD doesn't have to make a person collapse so far down as my niece has done. </p>

<p>What can be done for this baby right from birth to offset that double whammy of ADD and dyslexia? Does anyone have any ideas, or stories of how you were raised that made you competitive?</p>

<p>I knew a girl, ADD and severe anxiety disorder to the point where she nearly killed herself in high school but medication saved her. This girl played soccer growing up, and her dad was encouraging and always told her she could do it, and so she tried and yes, she was successful. So she has a history of pushing herself. She is now starting out in college and going for special ed teacher, and if someone says she can't (and this has happened), she works extra hard to prove them wrong. That is what I want my niece's baby to grow up with, although I despair that if she is around her mom (and the dad is pretty useless too), any efforts will not work.</p>

<p>Any advice?</p>

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<p>I tend to agree with TransitionSucces's observation that it is difficult to discern whether your niece has ADD or is modeling after the mother. Is the mother your sister? Did she or you also have these issues?</p>

<p>I think the issue here is more help fix the niece rather than be concerned as to whether the baby might have ADD, ADHD, dyslexia or any other disability. Niece will doubtless stop working once she has the baby, and it sure sounds like both she and hubby should be taking parenting classes, pronto. Most health care facilities offer them for free or low cost. My other advice is if she can do it (even in the night time), for your niece to enroll in a CC class (there's plenty going on this summer, for example, in L.A.) teaching her organizational, time management, and coping skills. I know a lot of my son's friends who have ADD, ADHD, and LD have taken or are taking this type of class.</p>

<p>Yes, music does help one to focus. Generally one with ADD can stay focused for long periods of time without medication, so long as it's something they are really interested in, but to a somewhat obsessive, compulsive degree.</p>

<p>About meds -- they are absolutely necessary for some kids and adults, yes. Our son was on meds for 2 years but they had little effect other than to make him have constant melt-downs. I guess he's one of the 15% where it has minimal effect. It finally dawned on me that he was having a constant adverse reaction to the medication (as he does with many prescription drugs), so it was bad physiologically and psychologically. Once he was off, the melt-downs ceased, he became a happier person and did even better in school. So, he couldn't play team sports -- he didn't like doing that so much anyway. Instead, he swam and biked and took tennis lessons to keep him active.</p>

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<p>I would wonder if your niece has other conditions besides ADD
Dyspraxia affects motor skills as well as ability to perform everyday tasks</p>

<p>NCLD</a> - Dyspraxia</p>

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<p>Never mind.</p>

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<p>Oh, my niece definitely has ADD. She was tested twice by a psychologist who specialized in this kind of testing, and her scores and IQ scores were highly suggestive for ADD. It was during the IQ testing that the peg board test showing such motor impairment was done.
She also has dysgraphia, but I don't know about dysphaxia--is that the word?</p>

<p>Regarding medication, my nephew, but never my niece, was on Ritalin for years because he had ADHD,and he's so passive now, it makes you wonder about drugs for years and years (since age 4). He never slept (5 hours max) as a baby, and was always ready to play. Exhausting. </p>

<p>My niece doesn't have the will to make the effort, I think. she's so used to being taken care of by someone, certainly her parents have spoiled her. I also think it would require such an effort that she just won't be successful at the community college. My sister really wants her daughter to go, although what would be the best thing to major in, given these handicaps that she has? A teacher assistant doesn't make much money, and all she wants to do is daycare work.</p>

<p>A shame. It just serves as a reminder that if you don't keep kids active and engaged, rather than just sitting around reading or being idle, they won't be active/engaged adults.</p>

<p>Thank you, emeraldkity, for that interesting suggestion. My niece did crash a couple of cars before finally learning to drive,and she isn't a great driver, but passable. There may be some motor problem like this, just a couple of problems, not serious enough to interfere with teethbrushing, etc.</p>

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<p>Look into nutrition recommendations for ADD kids, or autistic kids. Getting optimal nutrition into those kids early on could make a huge difference. And avoiding the foods that can cause problems, especially additives, is important. Good luck!</p>