ADHD or ODD

[Tina Fry]

I am new to the bulletin board - hoping that someone can shed some light for me.

I have a 7 year old son who was diagnosed with NF1 at the tender age of 3 months old. My husband was diagnosed at that exact time.

We've endured MRIs every 6 months and a wide array of other tests. My son has a plexiform neurofibroma on the left side of his face. He will undergo surgery in March to debulk it in his gumline and remove 2 teeth. I'm terrified!!

The reason for my post today is because I'm looking for advice on ADHD and/or Oppositional Defiance Disorder. My son's behavioral has become quite violent. We're 99% sure he has ADHD (we're awaiting test results) - but I'm also concerned he has ODD. He throws temper tantrums, kicking and punching things and screams/cries when he's frustrated.

I feel like I'm going insane! Is this familiar to anyone??

<small>[ February 02, 2003, 05:34 PM: Message edited by: Tina Fry ]</small>

[Brendansmom]

Tina..........You may get more replies if you post on NF and children or NF and learning disabilities threads. Anyway, does your son have problems communicating because of the plexiform? I know sometimes if children have problems communicating, they can becaome frustrated and lash out because they can't convey their needs or wants. If so there are many ways to deal with communication issues. The first one that comes to my mind is using pictures to help with communication. Anyway, I hope you find some answers. Good luck to you and yours.

[Kyle's mom]

Hi Tina,
I know it's been a couple of weeks since you posted this, but I'm somewhat new to this forum, too. I have a 10yo son with NF1, also diagnosed w/ ADHD, and now we're suspecting Asperger's Syndrome. He,too, can be very explosive. He needs to have a specific schedule, etc. or the smallest thing can throw him totally out of whack. We don't think he has ODD because he seems to be able to control himself with authority figures in school, church, etc. But with his parents (us!) he can really lose it. It can be so frustrating. Any change really sets him off (time-change, season changes, vacations and holidays, etc are very difficult for him). We didn't always realize that. But now that we do, it's somewhat easier to deal with and be more understanding. He just can't help the frustration he feels. It's also extremely important that he eats on time and gets enough sleep (difficult, because he has pronounced sleep issues.)
I just ordered the book "The Explosive Child" by Dr. Ross Greene. It's supposed to give a practical, comprehensive approach to parenting a child with behavior challenges. You can go to www.explosivekids.org or www.explosivechild.com for more information.
Hang in there...you're not alone!
Bev