Q: I have a ten-year-old son with ADHD and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The ADHD medication exacerbates the fear and panic he experiences during the day and at night ... it actually caused more trouble than it was worth. Yes we did try three different ones and received some modest success until we found it exacerbated fear-based thinking.
We have worked with two different psychologists in two years ... one focused on ADD the next one focused more on the PTSD. PTSD may always be in the background and is now somewhat managed. However ... we are currently dealing with the battles associated with ADHD. What else can we do? Homework organization and classroom behaviors are a constant struggle. Alex is an exceptionally bright child so he is indeed working teacher against parent. We do have some school support. The teacher and I are trying to work through this. What other types of therapy/diet might be helpful? Currently, medication is not an option. We have just started golf and Alex has been in Tae Kwan Do for two years.
A: Yes, this is a difficult combination of conditions. My best suggestion is a combination of counseling and a well trained “neuro-psychiatrist” to tease out these disorders and assess the need of concomitant medications. Also, you may want to read “ADHD—A Complete and Authoritative Guide,” published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). It is a great overview of all key issues with this condition.
All the best,
Mitch
*Editor’s Note: You may be interested in reading a current article regarding how diet and routines can affect ADHD: Good-bye Additives, Hello Routine
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