I'm not sure if I go here..

[mrsbuttinski]

Feb 22, 2015 19:40:36 GMT -5 owlie said:

We were referred to them but his insurance paid for it. The baby has a check up on Wednesday, I'm having my H ask the ped about it when they go to see what they would recommend that we do. I'm at a lost. Honestly, around here people use the DX to try to get SS and because they can't control their kids, so no one really takes it seriously around here. I'm hoping his ped can send us in the right direction:

The bolded is a little judgemental.

I've heard of this SS phenomenon in very distressed communities. But it's not something I've actually seen. It's pretty difficult to get SSI based on ADHD alone. Hell, it's pretty damned difficult to get SSI for ASD and ADHD together.

I know some single moms who have tried. It seems more likely in instances where the child has a mental illness and/or ID. Some states require a parent to apply for SSI in order to start the process of obtaining a Katie Becket Waiver or nonmeans-tested Medicaid which sometimes also brings TSS services and/or respite care. The application for SSI might be an attempt to get medical insurance or support services.

Controlling ones kids feels a little harsh to my ears. Some kids are just really difficult to parent and discipline effectively. Some parents don't have the same supports others have in terms of things like being a SAHM, or having a DH on the same page and proactively advocating for their child, or even having a set of nearby grandparents willing to babysit for a couple hours.

[olivegoose]

Feb 22, 2015 19:40:36 GMT -5 owlie said:

Honestly, around here people use the DX to try to get SS and because they can't control their kids, so no one really takes it seriously around here. I'm hoping his ped can send us in the right direction:

Ouch. I've had people suggest that about me and my DD, and it isn't a nice feeling.

[owlie]

Sorry if it sounds judgemental. I don't judge parents who get their children the help they need. Most of what I've seen is actually experience. I've worked with kids in a daycare setting that have parents that have admitted it, I have had family members do the same. I wasn't meaning it as being judgemental at all. It is just unfortunately how things go where I live. It's a rural area with a lot of drug use. I'm not one to judge a book by its cover.

[mrsbuttinski]

Feb 23, 2015 21:54:15 GMT -5 owlie said:

Sorry if it sounds judgemental. I don't judge parents who get their children the help they need. Most of what I've seen is actually experience. I've worked with kids in a daycare setting that have parents that have admitted it, I have had family members do the same. I wasn't meaning it as being judgemental at all. It is just unfortunately how things go where I live. It's a rural area with a lot of drug use. I'm not one to judge a book by its cover.

I live in a pretty affluent area, and my state doesn't require an SSI application for Teddybear Coverage (non-means tested Medicaid), so this isn't something I actually see.

Are these parents successful getting SSI for a standalone ADHD dx or does the child have ID or mental illness as well? 

[owlie]

I don't know many details about the ones I'm not related to, but my relatives have been. I know a few more people who get it for their adhd child as well. Both of my children are on medical cards because im the only one working in my house right now (my husband has seizures and hasn't been released to go back to work yet), not because of the DX. Their medical cards are what is helping us get him the help we need or else we couldn't afford it. Again, I didn't mean anything judgemental by what I said, I'm not judgemental at all, I was just speaking from experience.

[mrsbuttinski]

Feb 24, 2015 19:39:51 GMT -5 owlie said:

I don't know many details about the ones I'm not related to, but my relatives have been. I know a few more people who get it for their adhd child as well. Both of my children are on medical cards because im the only one working in my house right now (my husband has seizures and hasn't been released to go back to work yet), not because of the DX. Their medical cards are what is helping us get him the help we need or else we couldn't afford it. Again, I didn't mean anything judgemental by what I said, I'm not judgemental at all, I was just speaking from experience.

I'm confused.

SSI is Supplemental Security Income- a cash benefit from the Social Security Administration for individuals who are disabled but haven't earned access to SSDI benefits. It's hard to qualify for in terms of income and assets which are based on the parents' until age 18. The income limit is $733/month for an individual or $1,100/month for a couple. General asset limit is about $2000/$3000 with a few specific exclusions.

Medicaid is a different program, though some states do require applying for but not necessarily qualifying for SSI. 

It is difficult to qualify a child for SSI even with economic hardship. The definition of Disability for SSI is very strict-

WHAT DOES “DISABLED” MEAN FOR A CHILD?

If you are under age 18 we may consider you “disabled” if you have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, (including an emotional or learning problem) that:



results marked and severe functional limitations; and



can be expected to result in death; or



has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

[leroybrown]

Feb 19, 2015 9:19:56 GMT -5 akafred said:

Hi! My 5.5 year old has ADHD combined type as well as SPD. Her age has definitely been an issue when it comes to diagnosis.

Anyway, I am one who believes that food eyes, specifically red 40, has a huge impact on my daughter's behavior. A little isn't the end of the world (think 2 red M&Ms), but if she has a lot, she really gets more impulsive and hyperactive. I can usually tell when she has had red dye and sometimes find evidence; for example last summer when she came home from camp acting wild, I unpacked her backpack to find a bottle of pink Gatorade someone must have bought for her at the camp store. Other popular "avoid" foods, like sugar itself and gluten, don't seem to affect her. She can have 3 chocolate chip cookies, but can't have any cake with red frosting.

OT has helped a lot. Making sure she gets a LOT of quality exercise and sensory input has also helped a lot. The last few days we've been stuck at home so I made sure she got to go sledding each day and we played rough inside a lot. We have tried essential oils (vetiver, lavender, cedar wood) and I can't really tell much difference, maybe a tad bit better focus, but she likes it so I put it on the back of her neck (diluted) most days when I remember. I also give her magnesium supplementation, which I believe makes a small difference. And finally, we practice. Honestly I think this has made the biggest difference and is probably at least half of why OT has helped. So practicing seat work at home and practicing sitting still to listen when read to helps her (as long as it isn't highly pressured) to do it at school. The progress she's made just this school year has been pretty good. There is still trouble, but much less.

This is us too. She's always wild, but I can tell a big difference if she's been given dyes. She is so completely out of control.