Anyone else with a child on medications for ADD/ADHD?????

Question

Child recently diagnosed with ADD, and some learning disabilities. Psychologist and some others think medication for the ADD is worth a try because it she can focus, she will get more benefit from the other therapies.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the medications??????? I am NOT a big fan of sticking kids on meds, but I don't want to feel that I withheld something that could have made a difference with the other things they are going to work on.

Answer 1

I have similar reservations with meds.  I used to babysit a child.  Her mom generally just gave the meds for while she was in school and I was used to seeing her without them.  She gave her the meds the first time I babysat.  There was such a change in her, I requested her mom not give them while I babysat.  This was 10 years ago.  I now have a nine year old I had to start meds with this past May.  I think the most important think is to research (be informed) the meds you know are commonly used.  Talk at lenghth with her physiciatrist on what you want the meds to help, the side affects, and the fact you don't want her to be zombied out.  I was lucky that his first med worked great.  I'm aware that usually it is very much trial and error and can take some time to find the right one.  It is a very long road.  It is imperative that you feel comfortable with her therapist (that she does too) and her phyciatrist.  We have found a wonderful therapist for my son, however we are still searching for the right phyciatrist.  His teacher commented on how much better he was doing within the first week of starting his meds.  It did make a big difference with his school work.  The therapy has made a big difference in his behavior, the meds helped some, but I feel the therapy helped most in that area.  I don't think therapy alone would have made such a big difference in his school work.  Just educate yourself as much as you can and be prepared prior to going to her next appointment.  I just had to give in to the fact of using a sleeping med I hoped we wouldn't have to.  I had to admit that routine, ect just wasn't enough.  It's only been a few days and I've even seen an improvement in behavior.  Makes sense, but I hadn't really expected that.

Answer 2

This sounds like my daughter at age 8 (now 15). PLease give the medications a try. I was a mom who was in denial for years and resisted medication. I didn't want my child drugged for no reason. She has CAP-D as well , ADD (no hyperactivity) and learning diabilites (reading most of all). She has been on Concerta for 6 months now and it has changed her life in so many ways; I can't begin to express!!

I am a reading tutor now because of my daughter's problems. Please get her some help with Phonological Auditory Processing. Keep her away ffom Whole Language methodology used by most schools even if they claim to be "Balanced".

Your daughter must go back to learn the 44 sounds of the English language and that these sounds make up words. She also has to learn the symbols (letters or letter combinations that represent these sounds).

Due to the CAP-D, she most likely has problems with certain sounds of English that are commonly confused (p/b, d/t, k/g, f/v, etc). If you can't find or afford professional help, there is a program called "Ear Aerobics" for the CAP-D and processing problems. Professional help is best, but this is better than nothing.

Also look into a Phonics Program for your daughter. MAke sure it starts off with simple sounds of English and breaking words into those smaller unis of speech (Phonemic Awareness). This is the foundation she needs to become an effective reader.

Don't allow her to memorize thousands of 'Sight Words:. This is the worst thing you can do as well as Reading Recovery (another Whole Language approach only concentrated...overlaod of a bad thing), My daughter did Reading Recovery and she learned to read pictures, guess at words, and memorize books well enough to be  'discontinued'.

Don't be afraid to try the medication. Start off slowly and work up to the proper dose. Give it an adequate trial and if it doesn't work, discotinue it. This way you know you have done the best for your child. As I said, I was a huge skeptic where medication was concerned. We wouldn't hesitate to give our children insulin if they had Diabetes, so why wouldn't we give them medication for ADD.

My child certainly has a problem, not just the regular inattentiveness of a young child (she is 15). The medication has made a huge difference and she is the one who notices it the most. She wonders why we didn't try it a long time ago....that would be my fault!!

I wish you luck with your child. Follow your heart and gut. In the end, we all want what's best for our children no matter what decisions we make.

Answer 3

My son was diagnosed at age 4, he's now 13.  We tried EVERYTHING prior to starting medication.  He's now on Daytrana patches which is wonderful.  I like them to because I can regulate them better.  If he wakes up late on the weekends I can still have him wear the patch and take it off in time for dinner.  (He's a terrible eater and when taking pills you have no choice but to wait until it's out of their system).  It can also affect their sleep.  Concerta gave him headaches,  Strattera upset his stomach and Adderall made him moody and "zombie like".  I researched the meds each time and the Daytrana patch does not seem to have the side effects that the others have.  

Their self esteem gets much better when they can function more on a level with other children their age.

EDIT:  Most dr's will include a behavior modification plan with treatment.  That is key!  My son understands that the medication helps him but will not do it for him.  We discuss everything because he acts on impulse and discussing better options for how to act has helped alot.

ADD: In response to your additional details,  ADD does not mean they cannot focus it means they cannot stay focused.  You can test her by having her do homework where it's quiet and introducing low sounds around her (where she can't see you of course).  See if she notices it then see how long it takes her to get back on task.  Once my son got distracted he would have to be redirected over and over again!  

We've learned so many tricks to test my son in addition to learning ways to help him.  Everything has to be done in moderation and then increased.  There are MANY ways to help your child compensate for this problem. You're welcomed to IM me with any questions.  As they get older,  you need to find different ways of helping them.

Hope this helps!  Good Luck

Answer 4

I gave my son 3 kinds of meds . Trying one at time. The one that he seemed to  have better reaction was concerta but I was not willing to give him more than 27mg. Oh God I was so worry. And like you that was my last option.   He lost his appetite. Could not sleep. Became more aggressive. abdominal pain. And  did not see any good result the overpower the side effects of medications.

And he did not seem to grow. I just took it out of meds.

Answer 5

If you would like an alternative to medication there is hope!  You should read The Gift of Learning by Ron Davis.  

You can learn more at http://www.dyslexia.com

Don't let the dyslexia keep you from researching the site.

Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, and even CAPD are products of a learning style.  Children and adults with these labels are visual learners.

They can use their learning style to learn how to focus on their own. They can learn methods that will allow them to take control of their learning.

Answer 6

At the moment there are a lot of different medications around for children with ADD/ADHD. Some children improve dramatically on medication while others show no improvement or can get worse. It does seem very hit and miss finding the right meds for your child. I do think it is worth giving medication a try but you must ensure your child is closely monitored by a paediatrician at all times, also keep a diary of your child's behaviour whilst on the medication. If you find the right meds then you have done your child a big favour. If you don't find the right meds you have the option to try something else or to take your child of the medication but at least you will have tried. You know your child better than anyone else and you know what is best for them. Good luck.

Answer 7

I had 3 kids with ADD/ADHD, and worked with lots more in public schools, who took meds & got benefit from them.

I'd recommend following the advice of the school staff.  They know how your child behaves in the school setting, which may be different from at home.

If the meds don't work, you haven't lost anything.  The worst that could happen is that stimulant medications could bring on tics, but only if your child already is about to get tics anyway (according to the research on it).

Answer 8

Well personally I don't think that ADD is a real disorder.  There is no proof that it really exists, no brain disorder that show up on any test is what I mean.  When my son was 4 I was not a very good mom (worried about myself more than I should have) and he mis behaved a lot at preschool.  Well the teachers really pressured me into taking him to seek help.  I took him to dr and they put him on Add meds.  Ritalin and some others, I dont remember what they were, but he quit eating, lost weight, and was totally not himself.  I felt really bad and took him off and took him out of the school and told all the teachers what I thought of them!  Point is...he is now 12 and he outgrew his behavior, and he obviously didn't have ADD.  He was improperly diagnosed, by more than 1 dr.  I think the whole ADD thing is over used and a cop out for bad parenting and lazy teachers.  I'm not saying that you are a bad parent, but maybe you could look at some things and change them to see if it modifies the behavior.  I decided to quit work and devote myself to kids and it has absolutely turned them around 100%.  If your child has other disabilities, then that may be legit, but I don't think ADD is.  good luck.

Answer 9

My daughter was diagnosed at 7 (2nd grade) she also had some learning disabilities and couldn't read.  I believe that the medication was part of the reason that she learned to read, along with a strong RSP teacher.  Since then I have become a Special Education Teacher and it is hard to see a student who can learn if they could focus but continues to fail because they can't.  Is medication always the answer?  No.  But do your research and hopefully you have a good doctor to monitor your childs response.

My daughter also had a diagnosis of dyslexia and our doctor recommended we start with Adderol which had been shown in research to also improve dyslexia.  She stayed on medication through elementary and worked with the doctor to adjust her medication in middle school,(exited from Special ed services) and discontinue in high school.  She is a senior now and while she says that it is harder without her medication, and she knows she could do better academically with it, she has made the choice not to continue.  But I believe she would not have been successful academically without it.  The world is hers now and she can be anything, when she was 7 I thought she would never be able to have this future.  Now the choice is yours.

Answer 10

Not my own but my nephew was as a child they put him on so many different things.One time we  came to visit and he was just skin and bones. Almost died twice before he told his mom no more.Now he is 17 and with out meds. All he really needed was very strict rules and for them to be followed though with. But not all children have such a hard time with it but my advise would be to see your local natural food center they have different vitamins  that can help.I have also heard great hings about blue green algae. Good luck with your litte girl hope it al works out for you :)

Answer 11

My 8 year old son was a total non achiever at school due to ADHD. He had no chance to learn as he spent most of his time in the office due to his behaviour. After 3 terms of school he also couldn't retain 3 letter words. We put him on Ritalin, and the difference was amazing. It gave him the opportunity to sit and learn to read. Belive it or not, he now reads at an 11 year old plus level (often he'll sit with the World of Warcraft manual for a read before breakfast). However, a lot of the behavioural issues stayed, as I think he still needs to unlearn the behaviour.

We were also concerned about long term medication, so we tried Neuro Feedback with a psychologist. They put little electrodes on his head, and he had to concentrate to make the pacman game play. The first few times he couldn't get through one in a 30 min session, after about 10 weeks (2 visits a week) they took about 2 1/2 minutes.

I don't think either by itself is the answer, and he's still challenging (but very excited by life), but I believe the meds gave him a good start. They don't forget to read and such once they've learnt. I also found after the diagnosis the school was much happier to ignore some of the behaviour he'd have been disciplined for. One example is a teacher telling me if he's standing on his head on the mat, and he can answer her question, who cares if he's on his head(as long as he's not touching anyone else. ) Before that would have been a trip to the office. Good luck, and be aware that he'll always get something different out of life than us NORMAL people.

Answer 12

I have ADHD and have been on a few different medications for it. They help so much! If I skip a day, everyone around and I can tell. I feel that I am able to concentrate and settle down and my maturity level is definitely higher with meds. As I mentioned, I have tried a few and I like Concerta best. It is like Ritalin but lasts much longer.

My brother has ADD and feels the same way about medication. It makes life better for everyone.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me here through e-mail.

Answer 13

my step son is on meds (focalin)

he was diagnosed around age 7 and both of his parents allowed him to act like a 3 year old because it was 2 difficult for them to teach him how to deal with, well anything- mother couldn't be bothered and father was working all the time

when i came into his life he was soo far behind his peers! I had to push to have him diagnosed and after the diagnosis his mother still refused to accept that she would have to step up and help-

my husb and i now have custody (since august) and my step son has come soooo far! he is doing well in school and making friends

we tried concerta and adderall but they had weird affects on him- made him tired or thirsty and he lost his appetite and started losing weight- the focalin works great and he brought home his report card with almost all A's this semester

I am against meds if you don't need them but we had to use them to deal with the fact that when he is with his mother, she refuses to help him with anything so it was better for him to have the meds

try anything you can for the child- it's hard- and we still struggle with little things every day- but in the end, you need to do whats best for the child

Answer 14

You did not mention her age.  I have an ADD son (not ADHD).  He was diagnosed at age 11.  The doctor was ready to prescribe Ridilan.  Becasue of my son's age (pre-teen), and because I had recently discovered other methods of treatment/control I declined.  (Also at that time this drug was under great scrutiny.)  I spoke to my son and told him about my concern about the drug.  I also told him I didn't want him to turn to drugs first as a solution in the midst of problems.  However, if he thought such treatment might help him study, I was willing to give it a try because his education was VERY important.  His reply was that he did NOT want to try the drug therapy.  As far as I know, (late 20's) he has never chosen that route for treatment.  Even so, there were some teen problems that had to be addressed.

These are the alternatives.  

1.  Get informed.  Read the book written by two adult ADD authors, "Driven to Distraction"-Hallowell. There are others.

2.  Realize the urgent importance of a daily schedule and adhere to it rigiorously.

3.  Teach her to find a way to take notes.

4.  Organize, organize, organize.

5.  Music can be therapeutic and helpful for concentration without drugs.

6.  Continue to be a strong voice of support in her life.

7.  A summer spent at a Youth Military Academy had a strong positive influence.

Answer 15

My son is on meds for ADD. He has been on and off meds for some time. I do believe that the Stratera works. He has a heart condition which makes Ritalin too risky. He is not hyper just extremely inattentive. He just can't stay focused. Meds can be a life saver for a childs education.

Answer 16

I have a kid with adhd that is not on meds. It's been a tough road, and he's only six. However, we chose to homeschool so that we could work on those issues that would make school hard, and he's just about caught up. It has required consistency and most importantly, love and respect for who he is. His brain works differently, but he is a great person with lots of passion for life.

What our psych said was that when you are looking at meds, it is important to look at quality of life. Can she function without meds? Is she capable of learning? Have positive behavioral supports been utilized for at least two months, with consistent reward system? It is a tradeoff. Medication does not just work on one part of your brain, it floods your entire body, so what is the smallest dose possible, and is it worth the affects on the rest of the body? And many parents often think that medication is the end-all, it's not. Medication does not replace, as you said, all the therapy that is necessary, all the behavioral training, etc, that will make her a successful person.

Good luck, and God bless. Adhd can be hard, but there are many positive traits that come out of it, attention to detail (My son can see the smallest difference in fossils, samples, etc), great sensitivity and compassion, and so on. I do know children who could NOT function without medication, so I do believe that it is important for many children. But I would not recommend it to a friend unless they have visited with at least two PSYCHIATRISTS, who have experience with adhd.