u/beebopaloopa

Hi ND family,

TLDR: we are really struggling with our AuADHD son. Is it normal for his symptoms to be getting worse. Any tips appreciated!

Our son is 10yo and seems to be getting less and less able to do every day things. We’re feeling exhausted by the increased dysregulation, being called from work to pick him up from school more often and the sensory assault of the screeching at night. Is it normal for things to be getting worse, and for our world to be getting smaller?

He’s on 30mg of Vyvanse and 10 mg of Fluoxetine in the morning. 3mg of Guanfacine in the afternoon. Since starting the Fluoxetine 3 months ago he seems to have increasing episodes of dysregulation throughout the day. He complains of being tired, is talking more and more in a baby voice and says he’s scared more often. We started it as we thought his meltdowns might be a result of anxiety.

He used to be able to go to Jiujitsu twice a week, but now, even if I can convince him to go to the studio he can’t go in the mat because he’s scared. He never knows what it is that makes him scared. I gently sit with him hoping he’ll get used to the space with co-regulation but he’s instant he can’t do it. The lack of exercise I think is making things worse.

We tried a booster stimulant in the afternoon, but the come down is a screaming sometimes violet meltdown for hours and just not worth the benefit. Although when he’s on it he does really well. We try our best to give protein after school, but he’s so often not hungry and particular about food.

Evenings are tough, he can’t join us for dinner and is often screeching in his swing in his room, which is a really unfortunate verbal stim. Anything other that a sweet sing song voice tips him back into meltdown, which is really hard when your cortisol is raised from the constant requirement to be hyper sweet to a kid that’s assaulting our senses and sometimes our person.

The only time he talks in his regular voice is about Zelda, which is the current interest topic, or watching TV. He spends much of the rest of his time talking about when he can have a screen again.

He has lovely little friends, but we can’t do much of an afternoon or evening, and now even mornings he seems morose and hyper negative whenever we do anything, like go to the park or see friends and family.

I want to help support him. I’m exhausted and sad for him that his world is shrinking. Any tips of things we should try would be greatly appreciate.