Autism and ADHD

Autism and ADHD

Summarizing the whatsapp discussion on ADHD as comorbidity with Asd,- Parents perspective

Dated 20/6/18 to 26/6/16

ADHD characterised by hyperactivity,inattention and impulsivity was the wide sought topic for discussion from the parents.
Discussion started off by sharing problems many parents faced in dealing with their adhd kids.They shared their apprehensions on self talk (cartoon dialogues or ads) and mood swings when left unmonitored and unoccupied.They noticed that adhd medications like methyl phenidate in controlling the core issues with adhd was ineffective after the effect of medicine subsided.Parents pointed out that there was a noticeable increase in aggression and irritation which could be a sign of child reaching tolerance levels.

Many parents doubted if core adhd management practises like swimming and trampoline exercises make them more hyperactive by arousing the brain beyond a level, than making them calm.Parents suggested the necessity to differentiate 'primarily hyperactive' from sensory processing disorders.They suggested that the activities should be age appropriate and time bound considering individual differences and aptitude.

The common adhd medications prescribed by doctors are
Addwise
Adderal
Dexedrine
Ritalin
Modafinil and so on..

Though the 'controlled meds' are taken only on prescription of a licensed medical practitioner ,parents cautioned on its side effects.Some of the side effects included..
_Vocal tics
_Abdominal pain
_Restlessness
_Drowsiness
_Loss of appetite and sleep
_Involuntary muscle movements and so on.

Parents discussed on dealing with the above mentioned side effects especially for a nonverbal autistic child with adhd.It was advised to discontinue the medication on persistence of the aforesaid symptoms.

Long term side effects of Adhd medicines

Many adhd meds were claimed to be neurotoxic in the long run(damages dopaminergic nerve endings).
Though the tolerance level reached can be reversed by taking breaks;the developmental effects on young children are irreversible

Parents criticized on some of the educational institutions demand to medicate the child for receiving services.However it's imperative that no educational or training institute have the right to impose such a demand though the choice to medicate or not is purely with the parent.

ADHD management practises

In addition to trampoline and swimming ..parents suggested therapy ball exercises,bilateral co ordination activities,midline crossing activities,slow swinging and bouncing,yoga,meditation,reflex integration and MORO exercises to be integrated in an ADHD's life. But some parents concerned that physical activities have no positive role in controlling adhd symptoms.

The fine line distinguishing being hyperactive and having spd remained unanswered since the symptoms overlapped to a great extend.Hence many parents advice was to move forward focusing on the remedies for specific symptoms.
Parents analysed that ADHD is overdiagnosed and be careful with the implications of labelling.(as L.D,ADHD,OCD...) Apprehension was mostly on the functional impairments in self esteem,academic/job/parenting difficulties,poor peer relations etc when they reached adulthood.

According to homeopathy ADHD's pathology is related to lungs.They are more prone to lung infections.The homeo remedies for Adhd are:-
Tuberculinum
Carcinocin
Sepia
Phosphorus
Sulphur
Calcarea phosphoricum
Camomila
Arsenic album
Tarentula hispanica
Apis
Reference :-Materia Medica

Parents claimed that comparatively the side effects with homeo medications was less ,but at the same time quite difficult to find a competent homeopath.

Many suggested the effectiveness of power point presentations as a teaching strategy for kids with adhd,autism and apraxia.Its important to identify the learner as visual,auditory,kinesthetic and so on for effective learning.

Discussion revealed that those with adhd tends to be obese since they can't control their impulse to resist overeating.Contributing factors included increased corticoids ,ghrelin,leptin resistance and vagus nerve stimulation issues.

As parents,though we need to deal with a lot of issues with adhd most parents dint forget to focus on the positive traits of adhd as well.

Discussion was augmented by notes on

School accomodations for adhd
Behaviour manageme t schedule for adhd
Tackling adhd and spd at home
CBT
www.vitallinks.com

*Suggested experts
Dr Sheshadri ,Nimhans
Dr Rajan Sankaran,Homeopathy

Active participants

Sona Raghavan
Beena Balakrishnan
Jayalakshmi
Geena C.S
Rifana rasheed
Chitra Paul
Swaminathan Rajan
Devyna Lembard
Priya Koundinya
Litty George
Zahi-r- Ibrahim
Sanjay
Simi Babu
Lakshmi Jayakrishnan
Renu. S

Thank you all for participating.

(The discussion is in no way conclusive or decisive.Medicines should be given only on prescription from a licenced medical practitioner)

#Asd Parents and Therapists Group,Kerala