A mother's story about her infant son with ADHD and autism

Ella Timmermans on her infant son with ADHD and autism

Dear Jochem,

I will share a bit of our experience. Our son is now 8 years old. When he was born (9 pounds), we heard that we had given birth to a healthy son. As a mother, I soon noticed that he was restless. I already had 3 children who were older. This was a new relationship and a love baby. So this was my husband's first child.

I felt he was restless he cried a lot and could also be tantrumy already. Different from my other children.

After years, he entered kindergarten and it was soon clear that things were wrong. Finally I got the feeling huh huh, I am not alone in worrying about our little one. After a small examination at Herlahof, the diagnosis of attachment disorder came. And we were out on the street again. Because nothing else was done with it. I didn't understand it and started reading. And right away I thought: he really doesn't have this.

After long urging for another examination at another institution, we got a referral card. It's easy to say here but a lot of stress preceded that. The paediatrician did a BQ test. And we were then allowed to start medication because a lot of things were visible anyway from ADHD. When he started, a different child was apparent after just a few days. He saw his toys for the first time it seemed and he played and was calmer. Still, he had been put on special education in the meantime. Backpack 4. Now he was doing so much better already small classes less stimuli. We also stopped the medication a couple of times and it showed immediately and he himself asked if he could please have his pills. School football at home everything went wrong. So we knew the methylphenidate Retard was necessary. He has been taking it for almost 2 years now. His appetite is bad though.

We came to mental health services via the paediatrician for his behavioural problems. His tantrums were getting worse. According to my mother's feeling, there was more going on with him. After talking back and forth for a long time, we were finally allowed to see a psychiatrist. Well he soon realised that we had not come for nothing. After a game study of over 2 hours and talking to our son and us, he told us that his ADHD was just a bottom compared to his other disability. He told us he has autism spectrum. That's why that drift and building tents and not being able to look at things properly and walking on his toes and nothing was ever allowed to move. His drift was now also better explained.

Now we will have to take course on how best to deal with him. This story seems long . But if I had to tell everything it would become a book. I don't work anymore. I am his keeper and make sure I am always there for him. I play sports in the afternoon and I am always at home in the evening. He requires a lot of energy in handling. My partner is like him and that clashes quite often. So hence I have most of the tasks with our son at home. At night, I often have to get out for him even though he has melatonin! He demands a lot of attention and has clarity fixed rituals. These are too hard for my husband because he is the same in many things. Our son loves his IPAD and DS. And XBOX. That's where he finds peace. I hope you got something out of my story. Good luck with all the work you are doing on these limitations ADHD.

Kind regards,

Ella Timmermans

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