Feelings on ADD/ADHD Medications

If your child was diabetic would you even question the use of medication to manage it??? What about a mental health issue like depression or a different issue like seizures. Sometimes an illness needs medication to manage it.

True ADHD is a biological illness. The brain is firing off signals so rapidly that none of them are connecting to the points they are intended to go to. They fire off at will and do not function.

The meds make the brain start clicking off like it's supposed to. The impulses and signals start going where they are supposed to, the brain starts working like the fine tuned machine it is supposed to be.

Some people with ADHD may have to take meds for the rest of their lives, some only need to take medications while they are in school. If they choose careers that don't need intense concentration skills they may not need to take them after graduation.

If a psychologist has evaluated your child and a psychiatrist has prescribed the meds then your insurance will cover it. A lot of insurance companies will NOT cover any meds until the less expensive Ritalin has been tried and found to not work.

Your child will need to see the Psychiatrist at least monthly to start off. That way they can be on top of any issues and change the meds if needed. Close supervision is paramount. That way your child will be on the correct dose and have the desired outcome.

I would go into this knowing that some meds do work differently in different people. My grandson's dad has recently started taking Ritalin and is doing so much better as a person and having the ability to hold down a job. It does not even mean that because the med works in dad very well that it will work in my grandson too. It may be one of those that does not work. Or it may be a miracle in a bottle.

I think going into the with your eyes wide open and knowing what signs to watch for so you can evaluate if it is working or not working is a great idea too.

I do take everything into consideration when deciding for my kids or grandchildren.

Do not take any one person's or docs advice unless you have researched and feel it is the right choice for your child.

My friend wrote a book about living with ADHD. You can get it on Amazon or might be able to borrow it from the local library through the inner library loan program.

She grew up with it when meds were not available. She is a good writer that has some good advice.
http://www.amazon.com/Straight-Talk-about-ADD-ADHD/dp/055...

We just started our daughter (7) on them last month. We are on our second one (first one had bad side effects - she got MEAN). We are adjusting the dosage. As much as I didn't ever want to try meds (I tried diet changes and behavior therapy first) I now realize that some kids are going to need them to be able to function normally in, not only a school environment but at home. While we don't have a "perfect" child now, most days are so much more pleasant. You will probably get a lot of nasty, negative responses from people that are anti-meds. Those are people that don't know you or your situation and if there kid "got better" without the meds, then it probably wasn't ADHD in the first place. Just don't take anything they say personally. Good luck. It's a long road, but I can already see a little light at the end of the tunnel!

my now 15 year old has been on meds for ADHD since 3rd grade. we have had our ups and downs with the meds. it takes some effort to find the right meds and right dose that works, but when you do, it is an amazing change in the child. :)

on the other hand, some children can not take the meds because of side effects. My nephew that is a few years younger than my daughter can not take the meds because he seems to get all the negative side effects and none of the benefits.

Good luck!

Dear J.,

Actually there is a connection with this and drug addiction but it is well hidden like so many things. What happens to a lot of these children that are put on these drugs is they get about 21 and start to go psychotic, a proven fact. I know there are extreme cases and maybe meds are the only answer or a temporary answer, but basically speaking it is hardly ever the truest answer.

There is a lot of research and evidence out there you need to find it. If it were me (and I know it's not), I would in the very least, wait, it is something you can do later if you really feel the need. Most of the time when hesitant it's best to wait. Don't let the system pressure you and they will if you say you want to wait. This is your choice.

My son was diagnosed too at a very young age (around 5) and we were always going to the school psy. and all the other constant testing and everything else. At first I went along with everything and did everything they told me to do. Then at a certain point when he was about 11 they said, "he thinks too much and so we want to put him on medication". I said, "absolutely not, he thinks too much, you mean because he's drawing jets and machines and figuring math formulas and building machines and figuring things out." He had no behavior problems - all the teachers said they wish all kids were as sweet as he was, even other parents came up to me and told me how kind he was to their child. All the school did was put a box around him and want him to go by their list. They did not help him they made him worse. He could hardly read yet, but math was far beyond his age according to their tests.

Well, this gave me the courage to say enough and I took him out of school. That's when I really realized who my son was and at what level academically he was. At first, not knowing any better, I did the flash cards and all the other stuff they did and told me to do. And the sweet kid he was, he put up with it. Then one day I saw his face, I mean really saw his face and the life draining from it, there was no delight or happiness. So I put the flash cards down and said," enough of this, what do you want to do, if given anything you want to do what would it be?' He was taken aback for a moment and then said, "I want to build a motorcycle." So I bought him some motorcycle mechanical magazines, went to the library and we began to read. It was amazing how in just a few short weeks he was reading at a "normal" level. He found a frame to buy and parts all himself and he built a motorcycle piece by piece and three more through his teens. He did all other academics so much better and gradually I learned more about learning/teaching. Got a good curriculum. You see the school was dumbing him down. He couldn't have cared less about their reading lessons, there was nothing interesting in them. They were draining the life from him. He is now a computer designer for jets and such, speaks three languages, has traveled extensively, was the head of the student body at school, the first to do many things at his school and was in the papers, etc., has a masters degree is a good man and father and husband - and those jets and machines he use to draw so technically as a kid even as young as 6 and 7 have all been invented since, but then they hadn't been invented yet. And he's still inventing.

This from a guy they said would be lucky if he could go to become a mechanic (as if mechanics are dumb - see how our world thinks). I told them he's already a mechanic and then some. Also, as we don't have the $, he put himself through school working full time the first few years and then part time and received many scholarships to continue.

Read the evidence - most of the children being diagnose as ADD and ADHD are a product of this dumbing and pushing academics before they're naturally ready. It's also from tv, computer and games and the like. It interfers with the wiring in the brain. When they're older these things are fine within reason. But really, if one were really following the way the human brain grows, one would wait till they were 12-14. It's also from additives in the foods and many people have cured it from simpifying their home and changing the diet to no chemicals and dyes and such. For example, at seven years it's a perfect time to learn to knit with two wooden needles. (boy and girl) Handwork like sewing with felt - making bean bags, little purses, little dolls, etc. make a great difference to balance the brain. And lots of play time outside, hiking, discovering, building things outside like forts and such and a lot of climbing and walking on balance beams and or logs, etc. And lots of imaginary play is imperative. When children don't get these natural things in their lives it up sets the natural rythms of the brain to just say one thing. You might want to look into the left and right sides of the brain research too.

Please invesitgate this before doing it. I've seen the results of it and it's not pretty. I can hardly believe "they're" still doing this to children after all the studies and evidence. But it's big business for ya.

You may take this as you will (obviously) but please know it is in the best interest I write this and with all good intent. I am an advocate for children and for our world at large. Obviously, I don't know your whole story or your son and I am no expert, but I do know something and I've been through a lot with a lot of people throughout my life. Really, the dr is no expert either, he knows what he's been trained to do (for lack of true education with few exceptions). The educational system and medical society aren't out to do what's best for your child (I use to think they were) they do what pays. The school gets paid by the federal government for every child they have in special programs for this and for the drugs. I was just shocked when I found this out. - I know you love your son and want the best for him, this is why I write this as unconventional as it may seem.

This is very long and I hope it's not too much. I send all good thoughts for you and your son and prayers for health and well being and happiness.

I want to start by saying that people really shouldn't have opinions about medications for this condition. They may have personal experiences, but opinions makes it sound too light (and it tends to invite input from people with no first-hand knowledge of ADHD). Please make this decision in conjunction with the medical specialists and take the feedback here with a grain of salt.

That said, our son has been on ADHD medication five years now. Completely transformed his world. It allows him to live a normal life. The big downside is that medication, even the long-acting form, doesn't last all day, so mornings and evenings when it's not working can still be a nightmare. Be sure to supplement medication with therapy so you're addressing it all. It can also take a lot of trial and error to find just the right medication for your child.

Medication for ADHD is NOT addictive to those with the condition. They get no high from it; it just connects the dots in their brains to make up for what's not functioning properly due to the ADHD. It's out of the system by the end of the day. There are no withdrawl symptoms going off of it.

Also, on the addiction note, research has found that untreated kids with ADHD are far more likely to have addiction problems with alcohol and drugs as teens because they try to "fix" themselves. There's a very high addiction rate in kids with ADHD who aren't treated. I'm sure your specialist can give you the exact statistics there because it's well publicized in the ADHD community.

As you get started in dealing with ADHD, I do recommend joining CHADD and subscribing to ADDitude magazine. They're very useful resources and more importantly, reliable sources of information.

My son is ADHD and my dtr is ADD. Son is on meds, and has made a HUGE difference for him. He is finally able to focus enough during school to get good grades and not drive the teacher batty. Dtr is very mello, needs help focusing but has so far done well without meds. A strict schedule really helps her to stay on task. If you do decide to do meds, be aware that not everything may work for your son. We tried 4 different meds and doses before we finally found one that works. Good luck!

If your son starts a trial with them, just know that stimulants are SPEED to a child without ADHD. If he seems like he is going to jump out of his skin, THAT'S an indicator that he does NOT have ADHD. And then you stop having him on the drug.

I learned the hard way that just because a doctor says your child has ADHD (or ADD, whatever the "new name" is that I see people here bicker about) doesn't mean that they are right. It's not like there is a blood test that says "This child has it!". So you have to be the judge of whether or not your child has a WOW from using the medication. If he doesn't, then take him off.

Really and truly, don't dicker around. Speed makes a child feel terrible and you don't want to put him through that. If the medicine makes him happy and able to focus and think before he leaps, then you know you are on the right track.

Dawn

My 10 year old son has been on meds for ADHD the last 3 years, since he was 7. I really didn't want to put him on meds until I started studying ADHD and the drug connection. I found that children with ADD/ADHD are MORE likely to do drugs as teenagers if they are NOT medicated. The thought behind this is that they self-medicate with the illegal drugs.

Honestly, my son's meds have made a world of difference for him. If we forget to give him a pill one day the teachers can definitely tell. It's like he just can't stop his body or brain without the medication. He even does things like walk in circles and says that he just "can't" stop his body. The pills have made the difference between him succeeding at school and being disruptive and difficult at school.

Just be sure you get a good doctor that knows the meds well. Finding the right medication and the right dosage is very important. I know what you are going through, I've been there. But remember, you can always get him off the medication if it doesn't work for him.

Good luck!

I have two boys on meds.

My 15yr old has ADD and is on strerra. This he has to take every evening to let it build up in his system. If he misses a day it makes a huge difference. This has been the best choice for him and it does make a difference.

My 11 yr old has ADHD he is on concerta. He doesn't take it on the weekends unless he has something going on that he will have to pay attention.. like if he has a game or if he is bouncing off the walls before even 9am. It does make a huge difference with him also. He doesn't like going to school with out it, for him he can tell the difference and he has a bad day not being able to sit still or pay attention at all. This is out of his system by the afternoons, it does not stay in your system.

We have had to go through many different types of meds and dosages before we found out what one works best for my boys. You know your son best and know if meds will help him. If your worried about being on meds then put him on them for a trial basis ( after you found the one that works best) and see what you think and your son things. If you and your son notices it is helping then you know to stay with it. If you don't notice a good change in your son then you can go off of it. Remember that the first try of meds may not be the one that works best.

I can see a difference with my boys and I know this is the best choice for them. More importantly my kids can feel the difference in themselves and are glad they are on the meds.

Please read Does Your Child Really Have ADHD by Dr. Stephen Guffanti. He is a doctor who has lived with ADHD challenges his whole life. He explains what effect medications for ADHD have in boys. And also how to effectively help your child to cope with ADHD in non medical ways. http://www.adhdoractivechild.com/products

My son was struggling severely in 4th grade and was diagnosed with ADD. I reluctantly, and without my husbands approval, put him on meds. It was life changing for him! When I finally fessed up to hubby, he was upset, but the advantages were and have continued to be astounding! He's now completing 8th grade, entered the TAG program after 5th grade and continues to flourish. We've tweaked & have had hit and misses with meds as he's grown, puberty, etc. but the guilt I have from looking back at his struggles pre-diagnosis and difference in performance I observe when he's off meds on weekends or vacations affirms our decision to keep him medicated. Doctor calls it his cup of coffee - I like that analogy.
Although he doesn't love taking drugs, he sees the classroom advantages. At 14, he's on 60mg Vyvanse and it works well. Again, after many hit & misses. He's become a VERY good student, almost all A's in TAG, and is much less compulsive.
Good luck!

Every situation is so unique and different.
My ADHD daughter struggles with focusing at school and staying organized, but she does not have behavioral or social issues, so I have decided not to medicate her...yet. As of right now she gets by with resource support and a LOT of exercise. She's a B/C student (7th grade.)
I may decide to try medication when she starts high school because I think she will really NEED it at that point. High school requires SO much more focus and attention.
So I think you need to ask yourself, is my son doing ok, or is he really struggling? does he have such a hard time at school that he hates going? does his behavior affect our family and home life?
I truly believe it should be a choice based on what's best for your SON. I know the idea of medicating our children is scary but a lot of children's lives have been drastically improved with these medications. Go over your concerns with your doctor and keep an open mind.

Being a wife of a husband with Adult ADHD I am a believer of medication. I am not telling you what you should do just sharing my experiences.

My husband was diagnosed early, age 7 and randomly took his medication and after 8 years of random medicating he completely stopped taking his medications. Now in our 30s he is back on the medication and learning that he lost many years due to his inability to focus long enough to read anything from instructions to street signs to a book. He has recognized that he struggled so much in life because he did not take the meds and had he done so, he could have learned skills needed in his primary training years instead of now trying to re-learn these skills and the proper way instead of just utilizing his coping skills.

With that there is a level of responsibility to your son's future by giving him all the possible tools to be a successful adult. Now while he is learning he needs to learn everything he possibly can the right way and not have to feel that he lost or wasted years having to do the same things over again and constantly questioning what he thought he knew about himself.

I wish you the best of luck with your son and what you decide to do. Trust me when I saw, I do know this decision is a tough one and I understand why parents have the hesitation (I have helped my sister make the same decision). All I can share is the problems that can happen when medication is NOT taken but prescribed.

My daughter has been diagnosed with multiple autoimmune illneeses over the last seven years (she will be 8 this summer). Each doctor wants her on a different drug with long-term side effects that no one knows because the meds are so new. Short-term, they can cause cancer and fatal infections. I started doing research into dietary changes and found a diet that has helped my daughter tremendously. She is off all the potentially dangerous medications.

While learning about different diets, I came across the GAPS diet. I am fairly sure it has been used to help those diagnosed with ADHD. One of the websites is www.gaps.me. You can also see portions of Dr. Campbell-McBride's presentations on YouTube (search for her name, WAPF conference and GAPs program).

Making dietary changes is difficult especially because you have to give up a lot of the grab n go convenience of packaged food, but I think it is totally worth trying to see if it will help before putting a child on medication that may be needed for the rest of his/her life (I was told my daughter would be giving herself weekly injections for the rest of her life). If it doesn't work, there are always the medications to fall back to, but if it does work and the gut issues are addressed at an early age, the kids may be able to go back to eating a less restrictive diet as they become teens/adults. The idea being that the gut and brain are tightly connected and bad gut flora is the cause of the ADHD. Fix the gut issues (which includes good quality probiotics too) and the ADHD will disappear.

I often wonder why so many kids are being diagnosed with autoimmune illnesses, food allergies, asthma, ADD/ADHD, Autism, etc. these days. Even though these have all been around for decades or longer, it sure seems like there are more cases in the last 10 years. I have to believe there is some connection to what is in our food supply...not just all the junk in processed food, but GMO produce, hormones/antibiotics in meat, red dyes etc in ground beef, fewer nutrients in our produce because the farm soil is being depleted due to pesticide use, etc.

J.,
I have a son that is nine years old and as a matter of fact he has his 1st psych appt tomarrow.He has been seeing a counsuler for a couple months now bc the school sent home with him a "Conner Scale"for me to fill out,if you are unfamiliar,that is a score sheet to rate the degree of does your child.......????never..sometimes...always...When I filled it out,I couldnt believe how much it really was "real".Ive always said"well,hes just being a kid"or "maybe its a faise"but Ive really come to see my child is suffering,with friend-ships,his family,school work,organization and sense of worth all together.He had to take the P.S.S.A's by himself in a room to concentrate.(school tests).Im scared to death to put him on medication as well,I always felt that ADD/ADHD was a label for "bad kids"(not true)Research as much as possible and when you meet with the doctor,question him as much as you like.when he prescribes,review the medications,sideeffects ect..Psych drugs are nothing to fool with,but I know for me punishing,long talks,avoiding get togethers and most of all seeing my son this way has to stop.I have a girl-friend who's son has benefitted so much from his medicine,he is like another child now(hand in hand with counseling)and support from his family.Nobody wants to medicate their child,but my opinion is that ADD is very real and in our case medicine is neccessary.Good Luck to you.Oh...when he starts the medicine I plan to keep a journal of progress and change..along with continuing his therepy. :)

My son was 8 when he was diagnosed with ADD. I was so scared to put him on medication. I felt guilty like we were trying to alter his personality. After tons of research, we did decide to try Concerta. We were lucky and the first medication we tried worked well. We are all so much happier now. First off, he is doing so much better in school. Second, we have noticed that he is able to sit down and have a conversation with us or is able to sit and eat a meal without needed to get out of his seat. I really do feel that he is happier as well. The days he has not taken the concerta all he does is argue with us and just seems out of sorts. With the meds, he is calm and just seems to enjoy life more! He needs to take the medicine every day now. Without it, he is totally out of control. His doctor said that is normal, his body relies on the medicine now. I do feel this was the best decision we have ever made for our son, and would not change a thing!

Stimulant not a narcotic. Not all are stimulants either but they tend to work the best. It is a controlled substance so getting scrips is a pain and no refills.

There is nothing about stimulant meds that is addictive. My kids have been on them off them on them. They leave your system within 24 hours so if you want you don't have to give them on weekends and it doesn't effect their effectiveness.

I was not medicated as a child and I can assure you that was 20 levels of hell. It is a wonder I turned out as well as I did. I used Adderall when I went back to college, my god that made life so much easier.

We decided on the no meds route for my son age 9. Ritalin is not a narcotic so much as a stimulant, so our doctor told us instead of meds we could try other stimulants first like caffiene. It has made a bit of difference, but not huge. I give him tea in the mornings, and a coke zero or two during the day

No no no. Please do not medicate your child. Seek a second opinion. Look for natural remedies. He is a child! Children are hyper. Medication is being prescribed way too much these days and it's really taking a toll on our overall health. There are plenty of parents with ADD children who have never touched medication and their kids thrive. Medication should be a last resort. Good luck!

First I've never had any issues getting meds covered by my insurance even with as off lable as they are...my son has been on intuniv,Focalin,concentra and now he takes clonodine. It's not really a ADHD med but in his case the stimulants made him sooooo agressive due to him being bipolar that it didn't matter what med or the does we gave him to treat his bipolar the stimulants over powered it. But my nephew takes Focalin and is a different child. He does better in school and can sit and behave in public. He's never been like a zombie either, you have to do what you feel is best for your child.
Added: my son is perfect example that diets don't alway work. My son RARLEY eats anything processed and still he's very extream. Like another poster said you would treat your child for any other issue with meds if it helped this is no different. And I took ADHD meds up til a few years ago from a young age and I've never done street drugs. Neither has anyone I know whose taken them.

It really depends on your situation.
There's a lot of grey area here.
I've seen kids who were literally climbing the walls and the parents are still determined not to do any medications.
When it gets to a point where they are beating up on the kids around them, it's really time for the parents to realize the 'no meds' approach is not doing their kid any favors.
Some kids do need some help.

My son's teacher wanted him to be tested for ADHD when he was 5 and I resisted. I read and researched and have been trying different things for the last 4 years because I did not want to put my kid on medication. I cut out high-fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes, even gluten. I added Omega 3 fish oils with DHA. I have him on a very good multi-vitamin and juice-plus. I have him taking chlorella and cilantro (good for heavy metal detoxing).

I also spoke to a woman named Sara at The Cerebellum Center and she gave me hope that if all these things I was doing didn't help, their center could help him. She will meet with you for free and talk to you about your child's issues and what other options you have. It would be well worth your time. Her number is ###-###-#### and website: www.cerebellumcenter.com
I've also heard very good things from a friend about The Learning RX: www.learningrx.com

Fortunately I did not have to go through the program, because during this past year (my son is 9 now) everything has clicked. He is not getting as distracted at school, no notes home from his teacher, and he isn't complaining that his 'brain is broken' anymore. I don't know what one single thing I did that worked, but I think it was the combination of things that I have done. So don't give up...

For some it is simply easier to just hand out a pill, and it does have results... but at what expense? It's truly hard to quantify and that's why it's not an easy decision. The other routes are more difficult, take more time and often more resources. Just go with your heart and gut feeling, because that's usually the best guide.