Observations of the ADHD child on summer break

Man, oh, man.  

Just when I thought I had the hang of this thing called ADHD, wouldn't ya know it......

SUMMER BREAK comes along.

I mean, we've got a good handle on working with medication, Intuniv, new to us in January.

When I began reading everywhere that a change in diet could POSSIBLY give even better results in managing his behavior and responses to everything in the world around him, I began dropping certain ingredients from our diet.

BINGO!!

What a dramatic improvement.

So much so, that I even consulted with his doctor about scaling back a bit on his dose of Intuniv

(we're up to 3 mg. now.)

But then the weather changed....it got REALLY hot.

Schoolwork was completed.

A more relaxed summer schedule full of fun activity indoors and out has been implemented.

I'm LOVIN' it!!

We're having so much fun.

But WOW, has my son's hyperactivity ramped UP!!
Have you noticed that in the last bunch of pictures you didn't see ANY of my oldest son?
That's because I can't find him still enough for long enough to snap a picture of him!!

I forgot that with Vacation Bible School every day comes highly processed snacks.

Snacks full of Red #40 (Hawaiian Punch, doritos, cheetos, skittles, candy).

Snacks full of Yellow #5.

Snacks full of high fructose corn syrup.

Snacks full of MSG.

So, not only have we a CHANGE in activity and daily routine,

but we have a CHANGE in diet (and not in a great way.)

Change + processed food = Super extreme hyperactive son

I've noticed that in the last week and a half he wakes up and hits the floor running.....every morning.

He runs and slams into someone's bed.

He runs into another room.

He runs around the schoolroom table.

He is jumping on the unsuspecting sibling and wrestling them to the ground (which of course they LOVE.....not!)

He has diarrhea of the mouth when he is reprimanded for this constant running around,

and is responding very disrespectfully and inappropriately to my husband and I. 

BUT, he is still able to play with his friends without getting upset and crying,

and he is doing fine in making new friends at each new VBS he is attending.

I'm so thankful that we didn't change the dose of his medication,

because I'm sure we wouldn't be seeing ANYTHING positive in his behavior AT ALL

with all the new stuff going on.

And actually, some of that has even calmed down a tiny bit since we're a couple weeks into our summer.

I'm hoping that after another week or two, 

he'll take less time to settle down in the morning,

and we'll see even less of this craziness as it feels more normal to him.

Of course, by then it will be time to get the school schedule up and going again.....