All alone .

Im a single mother of 33 diagnosed with m.s 10 years ago.with a son with ADHD and possible other problems.my son is 5 starting school next week, and im scared to death for him.
He has to have my attention all the time.which is hard as he has a 2 year old brother too.
and im not to well at the moment.i have a good mum, careers and nanny which with out i would be in trouble.
just haveing trouble with my son and trying to get him to listen.all these naughty steps dont seem to work wondered if there was any mums out there with tips on contoling a child with adhd

Hi Embery, and welcome to IAN.

It sounds like you are concerned both about ADHD and the potential for something more... Are you worried about the possibility of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), too? (I am assuming that, since you are visiting our autism research site.)

I think there may be nothing harder that being worried and having no answers. Often, it feels better to get an evaluation and have more information than to remain in a state of uncertainty. You might want to ask your pediatrician about having an evaluation done. Often, he or she can refer you to a developmental pediatrician, a psychiatrist, or other specialist who has special knowledge about ADHD and ASD. Pediatricians are being told by the American Academy of Pediatrics NOT to dismiss the fears of any parent, but to listen, assess, and send for evaluation. (Unfortunately, in the past it was somewhat common for them to reassure without really understanding the more subtle signs of, for example, autism, especially in verbal, higher functioning children.)

If your pediatrician is not able to help, you might also contact the Autism Speaks' Autism Response Team for assistance with finding out where to get an evaluation in your area: http://www.autismspeaks.org/docs/family_services_docs/d_200903_fsoverview.pdf

Part of the reason that a good evaluation is so important is that a child's status under the law governing special education depends on it. See our recent article, "Back to School 2009," for some information on this topic: http://www.iancommunity.org/cs/ian_research_reports/back_to_school_2009

Even before you have a diagnosis, however, you can share your concerns with the school and ask their help in observing your child's behaviors. An autism spectrum disorder is, in many ways, a social disability, and the behavior of children interacting with their typical peers reveals much more about their ability to navigate the social world in a natural way than their behavior at home, or with adults. You can also ask the school to conduct an evaluation, although they do not generally diagnose, but try to figure out what program or techniques will best suit a certain student.

I am so sorry to hear of all you are going through, and hope this information proves helpful.