Child psychiatrist?

Question

My 5 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD at the beginning of the school year. I agreed on a medication and am completely unsatisfied with it! It makes my son a completely different child, a blank child. When he takes it he doesn't laugh, talk, eat, play, or even smile. Other days that he takes it, it doesn't even seem to phase him. He has done better in school since starting the medication, but his teacher has expressed concerns with the severe ups/downs that he has on it also.

I went to his pediatrician to voice my concerns and her answer was to up his dosage!!! Which I refused due to the zombie-like effect it has on him most of the time as it is on a low dose. She referred him to a psychiatrist which we will see on March 26th and stated that he will decide what meds are appropriate if any.

Has anyone had experience with taking their child to a psychiatrist? Can they teach coping skills both for parents and the child? I just need to find a happy medium for my child...

Answer 1

Please do not take your kid to a psychiatrist or give them these drugs.  You are hurting them.  These doctors have absolutelyb no idea what they are doing.  Look over the website nacd.org   They know what they are doing and you may be able to get some instruction tapes like I did.  PLease for your childs sake.  NO MIND DRUGS.  Watch this video to see part of the reason why...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcI48arUp...

Answer 2

Please get another opinion.  I almost died after being put on anti-depressants as a teen by a well meaning doctor.

I went from having some issues with my sister to a full blown thing of depression that is now linked to the black box from the FDA and am in the middle of litigation with the anti-depressant company.

Its not a science its a guessing game.  While I fully admit I need the medication now, there were significant life style changes that probably would have helped me more when I was 13.

Things like getting tonsils out, better sleep cycles, switching from enriched wheat to whole grain may actually be more beneficial.  Find a REALLY REALLY good psychiatrist, it took me 4 before I found one whose theory was less is more.

Answer 3

Your doctor is wrong.  A psychiatrist will not decide what meds are appropriate.  You will.  You are the parent and you can choose what your child takes or doesn't take.  I would be weary of a pediatrician who listened to your concerns and responded with "Let's up the meds."  It's true, medications for ADHD will have side-effects and it's up to you to decide if the side effects are worth the positive changes in behavior you're seeing at school.  Sure, the psychiatrist can try different meds and different dosages, but still, there will be side-effects.  At 5 years old, I would consider some alternatives to medicine....such as a very structured behavior plan.  It will be a longer, slower, more labor intensive process, but at least you'll have your son back.  I'm not saying I'm against all medication, but in my experience, there are some alternatives to meds that seem to work just as well, if not better.  Good luck.

Answer 4

In my opinion the best answer for young children diagnosed with ADHD is EXERCISE and lots of it.

Children, especially boys, need to get out and run, run, run, run.  They don't pay attention in school and are fidgity or "active" because they have a lot of energy that they need to use  up.  You'll be suprised at how well he will pay attention after a little exercise.  You need to teach him to exercise before he goes in the classroom.

Fire your pediatrician and get him off of the drugs ASAP.

Answer 5

My son has ADHD, and it took awhile to find the right dosage for him....... I too had a pediatrician with that attitude, so I found a child psychologist who could also right prescriptions. He changed my child's meds and dosages. Now I have my mischievous, bright eyed, curious son back.

Answer 6

A big, huge "yahoo" for 'Flutter".  Though I have never been on medication nor have a child that is ADD/ADHD I would agree with her.  

I do, however, have a 5 year old boy (my middle child) who drives the whole, entire family crazy because he is so rambunctious.  I know he is NOT ADD/ADHD and all doctors he has been seen by say the same.  That he isn't.  We just went to a psychologist, who, after a 50 minute session for $160.00 gave us the first step of putting him on "time-outs" when he is just plain crazy, I said "whatever" and we have decided to read as much as we can on how to deal with a child who is soooo full of energy.

Diet does play apart on behavior.  Until your meeting with a psychiatrist, do research on changing his diet.  If he has a hard time sleeping, give him a nice, warm bath with some lavender oil (you can find this at health food stores) and put him to bed with some soft lullaby music.  Maybe this will help?

Good luck to you.  I wish your son a proper diagnosis.

mb

Answer 7

Well, normal doctors won't diagnose a child with ADHD under the age of 8, so your doctor is full of BS. ADHD medications have been proven to cause kidney and liver damage, as well as effects the growth hormone, resulting in a smaller child and later a smaller adult. Most doctors in the past two or three years aren't prescribing medication for kids under the age of 12 for those reasons. Take him to a therapist/psychiatrist and they'll suggest alternatives. It will help you, him, and his teachers to find a medium and ways for him to cope. The medication is actually changing his brain. Yuck! Try eliminating dyes from his foods and limit sugar intake--including breads and fruits. This will help exponentially with his behavior.

Answer 8

My 12 year old was diagnosed at the age of four.  The particular medicine that he was put on had horrible side effects.  But after many different medications his doctor finally found ones that worked for him.  

He is now a very well adjusted p*****n with very good behavior.  Hang in there and always trust your judgment.  You'll both get through this hard time.

Answer 9

I think you need to do some more research, mom.

Read Dr. Frank Lawlis' book

http://www.franklawlis.com/theaddanswer....

http://www.drphil.com/articles/article/1...

Answer 10

I can give you advice from the child's perspective as I was diagnosed with ADD as a child and placed on Ritalin. If you thing what you are seeing in your son is bad let me tell you how it FEELS. I was beyond zombie, I would zone out to the point where my mother would stand next to me and yell my name and I would not even hear her, I was always tired but could not sleep, I had no appetite, no desire to function. It felt as if all the life was drained out of me. It made my body feel heavy as if gravity just got 10 times stronger. I did not want to play with my friends or do any of the things I used to love. I told my mother this and we went to a psychiatrist, I talked to her for a while, they gave me an IQ test, and a few other "tests". They also decided to up my dosage. It was actually doubled. After taking it for 3 days I felt like I was dead, like a ghost, not really there just kind of floating along. I had had enough. I stopped taking it. I would hide it in my cheek pretend to take it and then spit it out. I could not handle what it was doing to me. Did you know that ADD medications contain amphetamines, as in Methamphetamine, the super dangerous street drug? I still suffer from issues due to that medication.  I find it hard to enjoy life as I should. My husband says it turned me into an emotional zombie. I don't laugh at funny movies or cry at sad times, sometimes I don't want to do anything but sit there. You need to find out exactly why they think your son has ADHD. I mean at 5 kids are supposed to be wild and rambunctious. He just started school, maybe the transition was not easy on him and this is how he is expressing his anxiety. You need to sit down with your son and talk to him. Find out what is going on in his head. If he has a hard time verbalizing ask him to draw pictures. Please explore all other options before continuing with the medication. See a new pediatrician, see a behavioral therapist, do whatever it takes to find a way to help your son without these meds. Trust me they do more damage than good.