What did YOU change after diagnosis of gifted, inattentive add and obsessive compulsive disorder?

[Anonymous]

Just met with evaluator who did evaluation of our 9 year old daughter. Looks like she is gifted, with strong anxieties - phobia type and also inattentive add issues... feeling overwhelmed. Already lined her up for weekly counseling and will be in touch with school....

Spent this evening doing creative art to help her get her internal stories about her imaginary friends and heroes out.... they have always been in her head but I think it's good to get them out in a concrete from. we also talked in a light hearted way about disaster plans for what to do if her fears materialize (her fears are weather issues, financial destitution, robbery etc). I also started asking her to rate her anxiety or angry feelings from 1-5. Therapist thinks that will help with self regulation if she learns to monitor and rate her feelings. Plan to help her break her long term projects into steps and will get her a wall calendar with her deadlines. I have the smart but scattered book but don't have the energy to read it....

Tell me what changes you made at home and in your interactions with your child, if any?

[Anonymous]

I got this book....hoping it helps! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/emotional-intensity-in-gifted-students-christine-fonseca/1102303373#/

[Anonymous]

Consider medication.

[Anonymous]

Another good book
https://www.amazon.com/What-When-You-Worry-Much/dp/1591473144

[Anonymous]

I would not focus on gifted aspect right now. Get her anxiety under control with meds, then therapy, possibly stimulants later on if needed. She needs structure and predictability right now.

[Anonymous]

Our DD was recently diagnosed with similar. We started creating lists for daily activities. For example, a dry erase board with all the steps for bedtime routine. Our therapist suggested this book: https://www.amazon.com/Freeing-Anxiety-Revised-Updated-Life-ebook/dp/B00I7696L8/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

[Anonymous]

The thing is, if she is not challenged in school then the ADHD becomes harder to manage. Plus, her self esteem may take a hit. I know it really helped my DC to get into the MCPS GTLD program, as it helped acknowledging that there were both strengths and weaknesses and knowing that there was a program focused on both. After, I was asked "do you think there were other kids like me at [former school]?" So I think there were a lot of years where these thoughts were going through DC's head of feeling different and less than the other "smart" kids but just not knowing how to express it.

That all said, you need to start by working on the biggest challenge right now. Sounds like you've identified that as the OCD/anxiety. I think it is a good plan to work on that, but I'd also take a step back and look at the school setting, perhaps not to make any changes, now but perhaps for middle school? (On the other hand, if you can swing it, a few years in a school like Feynman might not be a bad idea, as generally smaller settings are better for kids with anxiety and inattentive ADHD.)

DC is a few years older, so we've dropped the therapy and are working at home on the executive functioning (the Smart but Scattered book, which I probably bought 4-5 years ago, now seems much more helpful to me). So the game plan is lots of checklists (before school routine, after school routine, rules for electronics, chore lists), but then also knocking off learning all the basic life skills like cleaning a bedroom and cleaning up after making breakfast, etc.

Finally, for me one of the best resources on raising 2E kids is the Tilt Parenting podcasts. I find it so much easier to listen to a 30-40 minute interview than to read book after book after book.

[Anonymous]

Parent of GT/LD & ADHD inattentive child - what did we change? We began to insist the school focus on the gifted side and started to document by email all negative comments and failures to accommodate. If DC approached a teacher and asked for time and a half on an assignment as provided for under the IEP, and if teacher responded by chastising DC as lazy, disorganized, unmotivated or cheating, DC would document with a polite email -- "thank you for the extension under my IEP. Your remark that I asked for extra time because I am trying to cheat was very hurtful. My disability means that I need extra time to do the same things other kids do. I am not cheating......etc.". This approach has virtually shut down the haters and DC's self-esteem is much better. Plus the school has stopped trying to shunt DC out of advanced classes, where he has been getting mostly As and a few Bs.