Find the Right ADHD Doctors

8 Responses

1. blank

   2008 Dec 10 1

   Hi my boyfriends 2 are not on ad/hd meds.But I am and have been on meds since the age of 5.I am have been on several.I have had some negative side effects.But mostly not.Sometimes meds do help.I also work in a hospital.
   References :
   me(experences)
   I also work in a hospiatal.

2. jUStPunkin

   2008 Dec 10 2

   Oh, my, I feel your pain. I’ll give you a brief rundown, and then if you want more info, you can email me…

   My son started displaying learning issues in pre-school. His first teacher immediately said “he needs meds”, which annoyed me to no end.

   We ran the gamut of behavior mods, learning assistance, counseling, therapy, etc, etc, etc. He finally started getting better in the 7th grade, but then this year, regressed horribly.

   I think I would have been OK with the problems with the learning (he’s a smart kid, but gets frustrated with the things he can’t do), but he started acting out again, hitting kids and becoming very impulsive.

   Because of this, I decided to talk to my pediatrician, I was concerned that he had ODD. The dr. doesn’t think so, but we decided to put him on Strattera (a non-narcotic ADD med). He is 13 right now.

   The turn around was amazing. He is a happy child again, he’s not angry all the time like he was before (some of which I could attribute to being a teenager, but this was way beyond the normal teenage angst).

   I’ve noticed (as did he) that he was very tired when he was on the medication. We were trying to give it to him in the morning with breakfast, but he would get so tired at school, he could barely stay awake. Now he takes it with dinner. He needs to take it with food, as it was upsetting his stomach, but it isn’t a requirement to take it with food, it just helped him. He says he’s restless at night sometimes. He also tends to crash from it just before the next dose, which can be very frustrating, but once he takes his next pill, he’s back to a happy smiley kid again.

   All I can say to you is you have a very difficult decision to make. 6 is young to start meds, but if you feel that all the behavior mods aren’t working, you can try. I waited as long as I possibly could, and I feel somewhat guilty about it. I wonder if he’d be happier overall (the issues made it difficult to make friends) had I started him earlier.

   And remember, if the meds aren’t working, you can always try something different, or stop completely.

   Good luck!!!
   References :
   Mom of a 13 yo ADD kid

3. The Wizard

   2008 Dec 10 3

   I have 2 sons who are ADHD. The oldest is 14 years old, but not on any meds. He was, but the condition of his is only slight. He cannot tolerate big classroom learning. He needs the small classroom environment.

   The other will be 13 this January. He is a problem. He has Asberger’s. On medication. Is impulsive. Makes noises sitting by himself. Get’s bored fairly quickly. Beed diagnosed that he will be in public school until 21 years old.

   Both boys when they focus on something will do a great job.

   With the right type of medicine and loving atmosphere, I am quite sure that most people who are classified will live productive lives.
   References :
   Experience

4. Queen Musadi

   2008 Dec 10 4

   My 8 year-old son is diagnosed with ADHD. He was prescribed Concerta 18 mg then 27 mg. All the meds did was make him cry, for no reason at all. I was told that you can try fish oil tablets and gluetin and casein free food, alfalfa and kelp to help, holistic meds have been known to help with various conditions. You can go to you local health food store and tell them what you need and they will not only assist you, but they may recommend some things to you.
   Also, you may want to try after-school programs that are very physical like gymnastics, karate, swimming classes sports etc. All of these things ( the casein/gluetin free foods and after-school programs) may be a bit expensive, but it sounds like you really want to help your child and are seeking alternatives to meds. I know I am. I wish you luck.
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5. onejadedgirl

   2008 Dec 10 5

   My son is 12 and has been on Concerta for a year now. Starting in Kindergarten, the teachers always told me that my child was distracted, couldnt focus and things like that. However, I refused to believe them and was totally against medicating him. So, year after year, I got bad reports from every teacher. Finally, last year when he was in sixth grade, and his grades were falling, we talked to the doctor about the problem. He started the medication, and in less than a week, every one of his teachers could tell a significant difference. He started making excellent grades and was so proud of himself! He even scored advanced/advanced on the Benchmark tests, which he had never done well on at all. He still takes the medication during the school year so that he can better focus on his schoolwork. I haven’t noticed any negative side effects from the Concerta and honestly, I wish I had started him on it years ago. It could have seriously changed his elementary school experience. Hindsight is 20/20 though. I can’t tell you what you should do in regard to medicating your child, but I understand your worries. Good luck!
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6. thknuvu

   2008 Dec 10 6

   My daughter was diagnosed in Kindergarten, her father and I both have been diagnosed also, neither of us were medicated during our time in school. My ex-husband was labeled “learning disabled” and sent to those classes, he was diagnosed in his 30’s having not being able to keep a job for any length of time, and developing low self esteem issues, etc. I tried medication for a few months and have found I manage just as well without it. My daughter went through school until she literally flunked
   the 6th grade (which was the first year of middle school here) and was pushed through to the 7th grade anyway. She had always had trouble with her grades, behavior, focus, etc. I took copies of her yearly tests to her doctor and insisted we try medication. She has been on the honor roll ever since. She is now a Junior and attending Vo-Tech besides High School and doing well in both…
   She is on Concerta, the dosage has been changed as she ages and matures, the only side affect she has is she is not hungry at lunch time. If she “forgets” a dose she is hyper and unfocused.
   These children are very smart, just unable to keep their attention from
   wandering to other things, and they don’t think ahead to the consequences of their actions.
   GOOD LUCK
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7. DVD

   2008 Dec 10 7

   None of my children have been diagnosed with ADHD. But, I personally do not agree with medicating a child unless it’s extreme. You mentioned he was well behaved but just behind in school. If he was jumping off the walls 24/7 and never listened to a thing you said, then yes. Some children do poorly in school,and not all of them have ADHD. He could benefit from some tutoring and consequences to not putting effort into his school work. My son is 6 and if I didn’t encourage and pressure him, he would have ADHD too.I think that’s a bit young to be diagnosed anyway. Drugs are certainly not the answer.
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8. ~B~

   2008 Dec 11 8

   My son is 11 and they claim he has ADHD ( i personally don't believe in ADHD), he was on medication cause otherwise the school was kicking him out - but i took him off it without them knowing because his eating habits were horrible, he looked pale, always had bags under his eyes (even after 11 hrs of sleep), and just wasn't himself, he just seemed doped up even on the lowest dosage possible……i prefer for my son to be himself whether that be more hyper then alot of kids but i can manage him just fine. Yes my son's grades are behind and he's on an IEP…he's smart as hell tho just won't commit himself to school work but i've been working really hard with him to keep his grades an average.
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