ADHD medicine for 5 year old?

Question

my mom says my kid has ADHD, hes only 5 years old. my mom says he acts just like my brother did when he was younger( my brother had adhd). and this explains everything, why hes so annoying hyper and driving me absolutly nuts, i think i might die, its awful, he makes me cry all the time. his father wont let me put him on ridilan. any parents with ADHD kids that are on something different that works great for your kids. i need ideas to speak with his doctor about. any help will be GREATLY appreciated

Answer 1

That is the problem with this country. We live in a country that is quick to diagnose a typical child with a "disease" or "condition". Your son is 5, he is probably acting like a normal 5 year old. He is supposed to be active, and hyper, if he wasn't I am sure they would find a problem with that too. Children need discipline, and something to keep them busy. Let him help you cook, play with him outside, sign him up for a sport, the options are endless, but don't drug your 5 year old with Ritalin, or Stratera, or whatever else they will tell you to put him on. These medications are Psychostimulants and can really harm your young child or become addictive. As a mother, I don't think it is worth it.

You could also try changing his diet. In recent studies, diet choices have been linked to certain behavioral problems. Though most of these studies have focused on children with autism, I am sure they are also applicable to typical children as well.

All in all, I whatever you decide to do I hope it works for you. Just remember, not to let others influence you into making decisions that may not be best for your child. I am sure your sons pediatrician will recommend some form of a Psychostimulant, so before you accept his or her offer i would strongly encourage you to try other unconventional methods, such as a change in his diet, giving him more structure in his activites, or taking advantage of the upcoming beautiful weather.

best of luck to you!!

Answer 2

You can try Concerta or Folcalin there is also Adderal and Welbutran. My son has been placed on each of these including Ritalin. Your Doctor my have to try several before finding one that will work for your son.

Answer 3

Before considering any kind of medication make sure his diet is balanced, reduce sugar and caffiene as much as possible.  Make sure you have a consistent disipline plan in place, make sure your son knows there are consequences to his actions.

Once you have consistently made sure these have been followed...and the behavior has not changed...yes talk to the dr., just remeber that this is the age where kids start making friends...You do not want your child left out of things because of how he acts .

Good Luck

Answer 4

id go to see a dr about this...you need to tell your sons father that if he isnt gonna support you to stay out of it...the dr may want to do testing...my daughter has adhd and aspergers...when she was finally put on meds, shes leveled out really nice...children with hyperactivity issues can become a real problem if you dont get it under control..my daughter takes adderall...

Answer 5

Ritalin isn't recommended for children under 6. You may want to take your child to a doctor, neurologist, or psychologist to get a diagnostic test done to see if he actually has ADHD. I was on ritalin (I have ADD), and while I took it, it helped, but I developed a reaction and had to stop taking it; I recommend looking into it. If he does have ADHD, it may cause an improvement. Depriving him of treatment so he can learn more easily in school (if he has it) is like refusing to let a child who has a hard time seeing have glasses, right? Anyways, get a diagnosis before you do anything, and if it turns out he does have ADHD, try to work on your husband to allow treatment, as he may be at a disadvantage in school if he has no treatment at all ( I am sure that there are now many alternatives to medication, but the medication does what it is supposed to do).

Answer 6

Hi, I am sorry to hear about all the problems you are facing right now. No one likes to be put on meds (medication) for anything, but sometimes it is necessary. However, before you try meds, why not experiment by using common vitamins and minerals? You can learn about it here:

http://www.adhdquestionsandanswers.com/A...

Later, browse the section entitled : "treatment for ADHD" (within the same site) and see whether Dr Scott Saunder's non-drug methods will work for your kid.

Have a nice day. I wish you and family good health and peace of mind.

jasonl

Source(s):

Answer 7

I didn't medicate.  I changed his diet (more wholesome and organic foods, NO processed/packaged c**p), and put him in taekwondo.

world of difference.  and much better than drugging him!

Answer 8

Is your mom a pediatrician?  Maybe he is just being a 5 year old.  You should speak with your pediatrician about your concerns.  Is your child having trouble in school?  Talk to his teacher too.  I am a former teacher and I was dismayed to find that many parents put their children on medication for ADD/ADHD without a formal diagnosis.  At the same time, there are some children who legitimately need medication in order to learn, make friends, and just to get along in the world (I have taught some of these kids and you could see a drastic difference the moment they walked in the classroom without having taken their medicine).  I would try some firmness and consistency wiht some of the less aggressive methods like dietary changes etc first.  If the results are not there, or just not strong enough, I would talk to the doc about medication.  You would not deny your child medication for asthma if he had asthma right?  I also don't think you would medicate your child for a disorder/disease he does not have.

Answer 9

My 5 year also had ADHD. He was so bad I had to put him on meds. they are other ways to treat it. changing diets,

Just do wed search on it..

www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/attention...

here is one site.. good luck. It does get very frustrating. Feel free to write me anytime about it.