ADHD & Autism

[Taipan]

As a sort of aside to this, but on topic-ish, when my kids were little in the 90s, there was a big thing about kids being hyper due to having too many E numbers? ISTR there was something in orange squash that was a bit notorious for causing hyper activity trouble? Given how much additives are in our foods, does it have a bearing on behavioural problems?

[Docca]

Tartrazine was one of them- a dye used back in the day to turn squash different colours. Still used in lots of spaces

[MrLongbeard]

Given how much additives are in our foods, does it have a bearing on behavioural problems

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/ ... eractivity

[Count Steer]

E104, Quinoline Yellow is also associated with hyperactivity and is now banned or restricted in food in numerous places eg USA - but can still be used in medicines.

PS E102, Tartrazine - the same.

Both permitted in food products in the UK but products must carry a warning. Why not just bin 'em?

PS my most startling discovery from label reading was what made Sharwood's tandoori powder so fluorescent. Red and yellow azo dyes to produce a deep orangey colour. It went straight in the bin.

[Taipan]

E104, Quinoline Yellow is also associated with hyperactivity and is now banned or restricted in food in numerous places eg USA - but can still be used in medicines.

PS E102, Tartrazine - the same.

Both permitted in food products in the UK but products must carry a warning. Why not just bin 'em?

PS my most startling discovery from label reading was what made Sharwood's tandoori powder so fluorescent. Red and yellow azo dyes to produce a deep orangey colour. It went straight in the bin.

Tartrazine was the one I remember we were warned about!

Yes, label reading is an eye opener for sure!

[Noggin]

Not to do with ADHD et al, but in my late 30's I went through a phase of cutting out sugar

This meant that not only did I cut out sugar, but all additives as you can't buy pre made food without sugar, so I basically made everything myself, just to avoid sugar - with the side benefit of ditching all the additives too

It was a really weird and a bit incredible experience (apart from dropping a lot of weight and finding out that one of the flavours of crisps I liked didn't have an 'ose it them) because it literally felt like my brain was being unwrapped from cotton wool. Took less than a month to feel 100% different - clarity, brain function, general feeling of well being (as opposed to depression).

I didn't stick 100% to the no sugar, but I am very aware of the difference in brain function if I have too much sugar - luckily here, there is less easily available 'easy' food full of additives and I've learnt to cook a lot of the 'easy' food I like from scratch (to put in the freezer for air frying later!)


But I'm sure that additives and sugar affect some people more than others, and some will definitely have a bigger effect on some people than others

[Noggin]

Well this got interesting!!

The person who was reason I was initially asking about this visited me a few weeks ago. We had quite a few chats; actually had had a few before the visit but face to face is always better!

They suggested that I should look into getting tested (always fun when someone so much younger recognises something in you that you've ignored or didn't recognise yourself!!) - we are incredibly similar in SOOOOOO many ways, so it makes sense that they suggested it!

Anyway - not even going to try and get any tests here but have read a lot more about it. I was originally reading because of my friend.

However - DAMN I tick a LOT of boxes for both!!

The "masking" resonated a LOT too as I was always told I was TOO something (loud, chatty, whatever) so always changed to suit a situation (getting a bike and meeting bikers was the first time I was comfortable to just be me!). But also, just general reactions to things. Not "being able" to do some stuff because it's too difficult (it isn't, but my brain can't deal with it - can totally deal with it for someone else, just not for me)


Doesn't actually make a lot of difference to me as I always knew my brain was odd, but in some ways, knowing WHY/HOW has made dealing with stuff quite a lot easier!! Hopefully will give me the chance to see the bad reactions earlier!


Was talking to my SDad about something the other day and then moved on to something he remembers from childhood that I still do - "watch TV whilst doing homework, a knitting pattern or cross stitch" all of which should require full concentration. But for me, if I do anything like that in silence, my brain makes too much noise/disruption/hassle. I need to have something else going on! Which brought me to remembering when I used to be able to touch type an email or copy something from paper into a document but also have a conversation at the same time (can write an email in French on a AZERTY keyboard and talk to someone now too!!)

He thinks that's amazing because if he puts the TV on, he has to totally focus on it or he can't keep up. I often wish I could do that but I never 'just' watch tv or films or anything because i need something else to do to be able to focus on one or both!! In fact he can't do something and have a conversation as it distracts him.
But I often phone him when I'm driving (in the car), especially if I'm tired or the conditions are bad because I need a distraction that leaves the other bit of my brain free to concentrate on the driving (that's weird isn't it??)


Anyway, no idea if I'd register, but from what I've read up since posting this, there's a good chance I'm AuDHD

Apparently that's been obvious to some of my friends - totally wasn't to me

[Spartacus]

It's not a badge of honour or something you might wish for.

Having seen the devastation it can cause, it's not something you'd wish on anyone, let alone for yourself.

"I've got autismADHD, you should see the state of my sock drawer". Seen that sort of thing a lot too. "It's a spectrum dontcha know.We've all got it".

Sorry but having seen the lives ruined by actual undiagnosed sufferers, I have a lot less time for self diagnosed wannabees.

[weeksy]

It's not a badge of honour or something you might wish for.

Having seen the devastation it can cause, it's not something you'd wish on anyone, let alone for yourself.

"I've got autismADHD, you should see the state of my sock drawer". Seen that sort of thing a lot too. "It's a spectrum dontcha know.We've all got it".

Sorry but having seen the lives ruined by actual undiagnosed sufferers, I have a lot less time for self diagnosed wannabees.

Not sure any of us were saying anything like that.

[Noggin]

It's not a badge of honour or something you might wish for.

Having seen the devastation it can cause, it's not something you'd wish on anyone, let alone for yourself.

"I've got autismADHD, you should see the state of my sock drawer". Seen that sort of thing a lot too. "It's a spectrum dontcha know.We've all got it".

Sorry but having seen the lives ruined by actual undiagnosed sufferers, I have a lot less time for self diagnosed wannabees.

I'm not looking for a label or an excuse.

HOWEVER - and that's in capitials because it's important to me - what I've read has explained so very much about me and my life.

It will never be a case of "oh I can't because I have"

But with hindsight I can see patterns that other people didnt have and that made me feel wrong - now I can see that there's a good chance my brain is just wired a bit differently and actually it's helping me manage some difficult situations a lot better than has been my track record! Probably because I'm mid 50's so can see a benefit and process it differently now.


I've seen the negative with my friend, who has basically been told they can't do much because they have a shit brain - so I'm a bit glad no one else did know before. But if I can show that I am a similar brain to my friend and have survived (succeeded at some things) and enjoyed a lot of my life, maybe that will help my friend find some balance as they are at the start of their adult life so they know 35+ years in advance of me.
With luck they will see possibilities not just hear the negatives they are hearing at the moment

[Docca]

So my executive functioning is fucked. Whilst I am pleased more is known about ADHD and we can explain our brains a bit better- I do agree with the caution raised by Spartacus.

People with ADHD tend to have higher levels of depression and be generally riskier and especially at risk of isolation. I'm watching this with one of my children.

There are extremes and we typically can't throw all ADHD/Autism experiences under the same umbrella

[Noggin]

So my executive functioning is fucked. Whilst I am pleased more is known about ADHD and we can explain our brains a bit better- I do agree with the caution raised by Spartacus.

People with ADHD tend to have higher levels of depression and be generally riskier and especially at risk of isolation. I'm watching this with one of my children.

There are extremes and we typically can't throw all ADHD/Autism experiences under the same umbrella

Absolutely - there are so very many different ways a brain can be in either camp that no one person is the same. But a lot of people don't see that as yet.

But for some people, knowing helps - for others I can see it doesn't.

TBF, most health things should be taken "on balance" and "with caution" - not everyone can tho

[wull]

I’ve only just seen this thread.

Our son Guy is 4 years old and has autism but to what extent we still aren’t sure, he is non verbal. The waiting list for a proper diagnosis is 3 years long and I think we are maybe 2 years into that.

It’s not easy, and at times I struggle as he’s a proper handful, I don’t mean in a physical can’t control him way but more of a can’t work out what is wrong with him because he is non verbal and is losing his shit over fuck knows what, you have to guess and if you’re lucky you suss it out but sometimes he’s already worked up and it’s too late, the meltdown continues for a good while regardless.

There’s much more to it and I ain’t going to go into it all but that’s life, he’s a happy boy and that’s all that matters.

[ZRX61]

I’ve only just seen this thread.

Our son Guy is 4 years old and has autism but to what extent we still aren’t sure, he is non verbal. The waiting list for a proper diagnosis is 3 years long and I think we are maybe 2 years into that.

It’s not easy, and at times I struggle as he’s a proper handful, I don’t mean in a physical can’t control him way but more of a can’t work out what is wrong with him because he is non verbal and is losing his shit over fuck knows what, you have to guess and if you’re lucky you suss it out but sometimes he’s already worked up and it’s too late, the meltdown continues for a good while regardless.

There’s much more to it and I ain’t going to go into it all but that’s life, he’s a happy boy and that’s all that matters.

Friend has one exactly like that, same age. Rated 3 on the 1 to 3 scale. They finally got her into a place that mostly works one on one with the kids all day. The change has been remarkable, she's now talking & discovered that telling people what boiled her piss instead of throwing a strop works better for everyone involved.
Maybe take him to one of places that puts the kids with horses as that gets good results.

[Taipan]

My wife used to work in the speach & language unit at her school. It' was when she was happiest in her work as the results were amazing at times. That was with kids that were mostly verbal but couldn't actually pronounce or say anything. She had one totally non verbal who said absolutely nothing the whole of reception year but then slowly started talking the following year.

Sadly they shut the S&L unit through some inclusion bollox. My wife ended up being a 1-2-1 for 2 days a week with a kid that said one (sort of) word and he used the word for everything whether he was happy or sad and if he was frustrated and then you had to look out as he was a biter and had given a couple of people a nasty bite!

I couldn't help but feel his frustration must have been made worse by being put in a class where everyone else could communicate and he couldn't! When he kicked off he'd have to be removed from the class as he disrupted it and then his 1-2-1 would have to try and calm him by playing whatever game he wanted. As my wife said it doesn't take a kid long to learn that kicking off would get you out of lessons and playing games instead. So the poor little sod is gtting no education whereas if they'd kept the dedicated S&L unit he may have got the help he needed?

Anyway, fwiw wull, in my wifes little snapshot, most do come right through time and behviours modify with it. Hope it goes that way for your lad.

[Buckaroo]

Our, soon to be four, granddaughter, has speech therapy each week and my son and his wife are going through the motions of getting a statement as she is not achieving on any of the measures against her peers. No diagnosis as such, but the signs are sadly there to see. She's an extremely bright kid, but doesn't socialise and is in her own world. Both her parents are teachers, are familiar with working with kids like this, but when it's your own it's tough. I wonder if they will home school in the end. Bizarrely, her uncle was very similar. Didn't speak until four and went on to Cambridge and achieved a first in mathematics. You never can tell the outcome. Just love and support them as best you can.

[Bobzilla]

It's not a badge of honour or something you might wish for.

Having seen the devastation it can cause, it's not something you'd wish on anyone, let alone for yourself.

"I've got autismADHD, you should see the state of my sock drawer". Seen that sort of thing a lot too. "It's a spectrum dontcha know.We've all got it".

Sorry but having seen the lives ruined by actual undiagnosed sufferers, I have a lot less time for self diagnosed wannabees.

I have a lot of sympathy for this perspective, but I will say that every diagnosis starts from somewhere. As information about traits gets more available as people like me speak up about what we experience, more people will recognise themselves in what we describe. When so many hurdles exist for diagnosis (none of which are clinical in nature) you have to start thinking in terms of self diagnosis being valid. Clearly not all self diagnosis is valid, and the idea that "we're all on the spectrum" is deeply offensive (thanks SBC).

I work in professional services, and I see a number of people whose experience of the world chimes with mine, and whose career paths also match mine in terms of problems pre diagnosis. The equality act applies regardless of diagnosis - it applies to long term conditions which affect day to day life. I first walked into my psych's office as an autistic person, even though my diagnosis didn't happen until months later.

So yes, we need to be careful about stopping everyone from claiming the label because then it weakens the label, but we cannot guard the door so zealously that people that need help are denied simply because the system cannot see them for another 2 years.

[Bobzilla]

Bizarrely, her uncle was very similar. Didn't speak until four and went on to Cambridge and achieved a first in mathematics. You never can tell the outcome. Just love and support them as best you can.

There's no 'bizarrely' about that, at all. And if there is, it's that he got the support to reach his potential rather than being consigned to the rubbish heap.

But on the finale, yes, absolutely. As the autistic parent of an autistic child, it is tough being the parent. It will seem like you're constantly fighting the system in some places. In others, you have the support every step of the way. My experience is that North Hampshire is shit, but Wigan was so much better.