My son's 1/2 brother was diagnosed with ADHD, and his parents don't want to put him on meds. Any suggestions?

Question

For everyone that's saying it's not my choice...............I realize that. They asked for my opinioin, so I thought I would ask the question...........Would the answers be any different if I hadn't put who the people were?

Answer 1

I was put on meds for ADHD when I was in fourth grade.  I hated it, I couldn't sleep well, I felt like a zombie and it decreased my appitite big time.  By the time I was in high school, I would throw my meds away instead of taking them.  

Answer 2

In grade school I, too, was diagnosed with ADHD.  My mom didn't want me on meds, either... I never took a single pill.

Today, I'm an Air Force lieutenant with an undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering and Russian.

My suggestion, therefore, is to leave the kid to his own devices.  ADHD isn't some kind of symptom of braindeath, you know.

Answer 3

i wouldnt want to either...my cousin has ADHD and they put him on medication and he wasnt himself in fact he started behaving really weird almost zombie like it was really strange behavior.

Answer 4

just keep saying, "hey Dude!"

Answer 5

Well I'm not sure of the family dynamic, but my son's half sister (also my stepdaughter) also has ADHD and all of the parents involved sat down and discussed everything and worked together on a plan. Meds are NOT always the solution for ADHD but being united as parents definitely helps.  

Answer 6

The Dore Institute, helps with ADD and ADHD for children in a drug-free way.

Here is the web address and an article

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9042...

www.dore.com

Its not your choice how the parents decide to help their son, so the best thing you can do is be supportive of their decisions and maybe ask them if they need help to research alternatives.

Answer 7

well take it from a parent that has had two on meds , it works wonders the grades go up the kids actually listen and pay attention to what you say. i know of no other substitute but do encourage them to try it

Answer 8

The concentration should be on behavioural therapy and cognition. Drugs only deal with chemical differences. When he has trouble concentrating, break the task down in to smaller proportions. Make a point of getting his attention and sustaining it. Have quiet time, or 'sit down time' when things get a little hyper.  

Learning how to adapt and manage the condition will help him deal in the future as well.  

Answer 9

It will depend on the severity of his condition aswell as other factors.  Those with a mild or borderline cane of the condition can generally get by without medication if they are in a supportive home and school environment with a lot of structure and tight boundaries.

If he has moderate ADHD then medication is generally nessesary for him to achieve to his potential in school and life even with a supportive environment.  If he has severe ADHD then he really needs to be medicated and is a risk to himself and his family if he is not.

It can be hard to tell how severe his condition is.  Ask yourself,

1. Were you surprised with the diagnosis?  Or in fact skeptical of whether or not he had the condition?  If yes, it is probably mild.

2. Are you pleased that he has now been diagnosed and always felt there was something problematic there.  And now can start working on improving?  If yes, then he is probably moderate.

3. Were you relieved when he was finally diagnosed, as he has been suffering severe problems in all area's of his life.  If yes then probably severe.

It is important to remember that ADHD is a medical condition, it is a chemical problem in the brain and it needs to be treated medically.  Just as a diabetic cant just learn to control his insulin levels, or an asthmatic can;t just learn to breathe.  An ADHD child can't just learn to fix his behaviour without the help of medication.

There are many good behaviour programs available but most are innedfective on an ADHD child who is not being treated with medication.  Once they are on the medication, it can slow them down enough to make the behaviour therapy work.

Without meds an ADHD child will be severely disadvataged at school, struggling to learn and achieve to their potential.  They will suffer socially, which can destroy their self esteem and lead to them becoming victoms of more serious behaviour problems such as crime and drugs.  They may be at risk of being expelled from school and they will make their familiy lives difficult for all family members.  Is it really fair to leave their condition untreated?

ADHD meds do not turn kids into zombies.  Some people are saying that they do, this is because they are on the wrong dosage or wrong medication.  If the medication has a sedating effect then they can return to the doctor and have it changed.  In most cases this means that the doasge is too high.  There are many medications on the market for ADHD and if one does tend to turn him into a zombie, then it is the wrong medication.  That is not the way they are suppossed to work

I would urge anyone who is having this negative effect from their ADHD medication to revisit their doctor.

Answer 10

well its not your kid you really cant do anything about it

Answer 11

Mind your own business and let him DEAL with it!