http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22881407/

That's the link to a news story about apnea and hyperactivity! It was pretty interesting...I think pretty much everyone on here knows whether their child has apnea or not, but you might know someone who could stand to read this..

Tiffany

Good morning, I'm new to the forum and actually joined because of this article.  My 6 yr old son has been treated for ADHD since last March and no one ever evaluated him for sleep apnea.  He does not fit the "typical model", he's tall and gangly just like the boy in the article.  I've called my pediatrician and we have an appointment now for the 14th to discuss this...I'd like to know if there are any others out there that have had their children misdiagnosed w/ ADHD when in fact it was OSA all along.  Thanks

Hi, Tiffany,

I have been lurking on the board for a couple of months now, and finally registered.

My son, 11, was finally diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea at the end of last year. He had been told he had ADHD  since 1st grade. There are other health issues that we are dealing with now (not sure if they are related to sleep apnea or not), but I know I fought the ADHD craze all the way. We even had to try a "six" month trial on an ADHD meds (stopped after two months. Behaviorial problems were changing and he wasn't sleeping at all!).

I am glad you are getting your dr. to look into it. My son snored (like an old man) since he was a baby and no one thought anything of it. He was hyper from moment one, so I believe he had this problem from the beginning.

There is more to tell, but I just wanted to let you know that there is someone else who went down that road. In fact, my other son was "diagnosed" with ADHD, until he was fully examined and found to have high functioning autism and Asperger's. Again, they wanted meds. He lost so much weight and changed so much, I pulled him off too!

I believe that there was (and in some areas, still is) a kneejerk decision to lable ADHD as the final disorder, instead of a symptom.

How did your appointment go?

Judi

Judi,

I'm actually not Tiffany (who posted the original message), I'm Ellon and I was writing about my son Petey.  We did see our pediatrician on the 14th and she gave him an extremely thorough exam.  She does not believe that he has OSA.  His tonsils were unremarkable and he's never been a snorer.  She has changed his ADHD meds and we'll see how this goes for now.  I, too, believe that docs are sometimes quick to dx ADHD and did not want to just give in.  If I could only find a med that didn't affect his appetite so much and make it difficult for him to go to sleep at night.

Thanks for responding,
Ellon

I want to begin by saying, that I am not a specialist of any kind. I am am simply a mom and childcare provider, who has worked with kids of all ages and abilities for over 13 years. I wanted to address the meds and ADHD. I know it doesn't technically have anything to do with the apnea, at least not yet...but felt you could use some wisdom and encouragement!

Meds: You can pull even an Asperger's kid off of meds. Simply replace it with a super structured routine/schedule from day to day and do not waver for at least the first few months. After they settle into it, you can alter it a bit here and there without sending them into a tailspin. There are several great books out there about diet and autism and ADHD. I highly recommend trying them. I don't remember titles off the top of my head, but if I think of them I'll let you know! There are a couple of meds that I have had experience with that did not affect appetite too much. The favorite was Concerta (which is a ADHD med), especially when combined with Fluvoxatine (spelling??), which is an anti-depressant.

Persistence pays off. I know that I negotiate with our pediatrician all the time about things. For instance, my son has VERY slow growth. He wants us to see a specialist, I asked to wait to see if he has an up curve at his 2 year check-up. He agreed. I suspected Isaac's apnea had returned, he wasn't so sure. I asked at what point, he would give me a referral (we have an HMO). He said when Isaac's sleeping habits start to hinder his "typical" day and we can't sleep at night. It didn't take two weeks for Isaac to start sleeping fully like a newborn (at age 16 months), so we went back to pulmonology. It's okay for your doc to say "no", but negotiate the "yes" point. It's your child and you are the customer in his office. Put your foot down if you are certain there is a sleep issue. Take a copy of the news article and ask questions...Draw parallels to your son's behavior and the ones mentioned in the story.

ADHD: As someone with ADHD, I can tell you I thrive on predictability and lots of stimulus. I like to know what my day is going to look like and if it goes too much off the plan I can have meltdowns. While I am writing this, I am listening to music, listening for my hubby to turn on the shower, and watching the news. ADHD brains thrive on multi-tasking and getting lots of stimulus. Try putting on music in the house, it doesn't have to be loud, and leave it on all the time, even when doing homework! I know it sounds crazy, but I even used to do my homework (as a high school student) in front of the TV. This drove my mom nuts, we tried to do homework without it for a week and my grades slipped 3 letter grades! She let me do it at the TV from then on...

I would also ask your pediatrician to let you see a pulmonologist, not an ENT. Pulmonology or neurology is usually responsible for diagnosing apnea and the causes and telling you where you need to go from there. Just a thought..

Sorry this is long. I just wanted to let you know that you can do this. You are the parent your child needs, God wouldn't have blessed you with them if not! Enjoy it and have fun...It does get better and try some of the more natural remedies for the behavior issues, and have a great time learning all about your son's quirks!

Tiffany

I want to begin by saying, that I am not a specialist of any kind. I am am simply a mom and childcare provider, who has worked with kids of all ages and abilities for over 13 years. I wanted to address the meds and ADHD. I know it doesn't technically have anything to do with the apnea, at least not yet...but felt you could use some wisdom and encouragement!

Meds: You can pull even an Asperger's kid off of meds. Simply replace it with a super structured routine/schedule from day to day and do not waver for at least the first few months. After they settle into it, you can alter it a bit here and there without sending them into a tailspin. There are several great books out there about diet and autism and ADHD. I highly recommend trying them. I don't remember titles off the top of my head, but if I think of them I'll let you know! There are a couple of meds that I have had experience with that did not affect appetite too much. The favorite was Concerta (which is a ADHD med), especially when combined with Fluvoxatine (spelling??), which is an anti-depressant.

Persistence pays off. I know that I negotiate with our pediatrician all the time about things. For instance, my son has VERY slow growth. He wants us to see a specialist, I asked to wait to see if he has an up curve at his 2 year check-up. He agreed. I suspected Isaac's apnea had returned, he wasn't so sure. I asked at what point, he would give me a referral (we have an HMO). He said when Isaac's sleeping habits start to hinder his "typical" day and we can't sleep at night. It didn't take two weeks for Isaac to start sleeping fully like a newborn (at age 16 months), so we went back to pulmonology. It's okay for your doc to say "no", but negotiate the "yes" point. It's your child and you are the customer in his office. Put your foot down if you are certain there is a sleep issue. Take a copy of the news article and ask questions...Draw parallels to your son's behavior and the ones mentioned in the story.

ADHD: As someone with ADHD, I can tell you I thrive on predictability and lots of stimulus. I like to know what my day is going to look like and if it goes too much off the plan I can have meltdowns. While I am writing this, I am listening to music, listening for my hubby to turn on the shower, and watching the news. ADHD brains thrive on multi-tasking and getting lots of stimulus. Try putting on music in the house, it doesn't have to be loud, and leave it on all the time, even when doing homework! I know it sounds crazy, but I even used to do my homework (as a high school student) in front of the TV. This drove my mom nuts, we tried to do homework without it for a week and my grades slipped 3 letter grades! She let me do it at the TV from then on...

I would also ask your pediatrician to let you see a pulmonologist, not an ENT. Pulmonology or neurology is usually responsible for diagnosing apnea and the causes and telling you where you need to go from there. Just a thought..

Sorry this is long. I just wanted to let you know that you can do this. You are the parent your child needs, God wouldn't have blessed you with them if not! Enjoy it and have fun...It does get better and try some of the more natural remedies for the behavior issues, and have a great time learning all about your son's quirks!

Tiffany

Sorry, Ellon, for the name mix up!! Sometimes I move and type too fast.

I don't have a lot of experience with ADHD drugs. The ones we were given during the trials were Adderall and Concerta. I do have a friend who son is on Strattera, who seems to be having success with that. It can seem like trial and error finding the right med that works. I think everyone's body is different and responds differently to medications, even kids.

I can also vouch that dietary changes helps. My two biggest enemies are High Fructose Corn Syrup and Partially Hydrogenated Olls.  They are practically in everything, and I try to limit them. This is not always easy or cheap. I just do what I can. Also, I hate a lot of fast food and processed foods.

I also agree with Tiffany about the noise. My son thrives on that and movement. We have found a comfortable medium, but that took awhile. Having one child with autism (order, quiet and routine) and another with ADHD like symptoms (noise, "chaos" and change) is like living with and raising The Odd Couple. Some days, it is never right for either one, esp. if my younger one does not use his CPAP all night!!

But I have stressed routine so much (so I can have a break) that after so many years (they are 11 and 15 now), both of them pretty much stick to it, though the younger one breaks out regularly!!

If the med change doesn't help the sleep issue, ask your dr. about melatonin. I am not sure if a 6 yr old can take it, but even with the CPAP, my ENT prescribed it. Besides sleep apnea, my son seems to have something called "delayed sleep phase syndrome." The melatonin is a doctor approved naturally remedy for sleeplessness. It can be bought over the counter at any drugstore. I say see the dr. first since your son is so young. I have even seen it online in a liquid form. Let me know what your dr. says.

Take care,

Judi

Tiffany and Judi,

Thanks so much for your replys.  I'm waiting to see if the med change works.  I'll see about the melatonin too.

Ellon