giving my son Caffeine | ADHD Information

Share

HI

I see that this thread is about 2 years old an was wondering if anyone still was using the caffeine method.  I am at a stand still for meds (that is a whole other issue) and need to get my son through school.  He can't attend public all day school so I am trying to home school him and send him to the Sylvan center he has to sit for 1 hour at the Sylvan center and that is almost impossible for him.  So any feedback on the caffeine route would be very helpful. 

I gave my son caffeine for a while, but as time went on, he developed a tolerance for it and we had to increase the dosage.  what I did find out during that time was that he did react drastically to the caffeine.  He went from a Screaming Meamie (as we call him when he's overstimulated) to a calm, well behaved, attentive boy.
this was a HUGE indication that he would respond well to the "medication".
After a couple of heart wrenching months debating weather or not to put my son on ritalin, I finally gave in and did.
It was the best decision I ever made.
in the two years he's been on the medication he's only had one dosage adjustment.
he is now in second grade and getting As and Bs in school.

I hope this helps you.  feel free to email me off list if you would like to talk more.
artsywench at gmail dot com
I would say be careful caffeine can be addictive. I'd be careful too. I've given my daughter caffeine to try to ease rebound or for after meds wore off. Like of she had a school dance and her meds were worn off, rather than a booster, I'd tell her to get coke or Moutnain Dew at the dance, she was gog to buy soda anyway. Occasionally we'd use tea in the mornings for before meds kicked in. You do cuild a tolerance and I'm not sure its the best solution, it's sort of a good temporary tool or bridge. Tons of adults (most) use caffeine daily though..................I also suggest mountain dew or pepsi when we're out with my son.

I think that other parents probably think I am the worst parent in the universe when they hear me push him toward mountain dew....but when my son sits through a whole dinner and never gets spastic I just smile inwardly.


If I'm hearing y'all correctly, you suggest some caffeine to help with rebound or to use if you need something once the meds have worn off?  In the past, DS has had difficulty focusing during soccer practice in the late afternoon/early evening.. Would giving him some caffeine possibly help (currently I NEVER give him caffeine as I was scared it would keep him awake more than his meds already do.)  Does it help with hyperactivity as well?  Diane V you mentioned you used it to help with rebound.  Last week we increased DS Concerta dosage and I'm still trying to figure out what is rebound and what is just stress from school and I'm also not sure when the meds wear off now but once I have things figured out I'm wondering if caffeine might help during these times.

Thanks!

 

I have given DD cafeine to keep her focused, and even after drinking a Vault( 210 mgs cafeine per 20 oz) she falls asleep. yes I did, but not daily. Nothing keeps my daughter awake....................well - I give my son metedate cd.  that gets us through about 7am till 4pm.
when we have therapy, boyscouts, or an evening activity I also have a RX for 5mg methelphenedate pills from our Dr.
caffeine wont completely take away the symptoms (the Stimming behaviors, the hyperactivity,) but if your child responds to the stimulant meds, then caffeine will calm them more than nothing at all.

if you are having problems with behavior, attentiveness or whatever in the after school hours, you ought to talk to your doctor and see if you can supplement with a low dose med.

I really did find out that the meds are much safer to give to the kids than the caffeine pills were.


Jasonsmom, Way to go getting busy looking for alternatives. It is sad that the Dr.s don't even suggest anything alternative, they just don't have the info. or interest.  Glad to hear that your pedi is ok with it. I hope the caffeine keeps on working for you. It's like the law if similiars in homeopathy. Thank you for sharing! It is always a joy to hear of someone's success.

[QUOTE=SmallMom]I'm asking in all seriousness -- what is the difference between giving a child caffeine and Ritalin?  They're both stimulants.[/QUOTE]

Are you serious?  Ritalin is a class 2 narcotin it is in the same class as the most powerfull pain killer on the market oxycontin, oxycodone, morphine sulfate, ms contin.  Caffeine is a stimulant yes!  However it also helps break up fat and it opens our receptors in our body to absorb nutrients.  That is why if you are going to give you child caffeine to help it is best to get it through a source that offers lots of nutrients rather then sugar.  I have an incredible solution for this lady.  YES I SELL IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It is a SUGAR FREE drink taste like Gateraid has caffein in it lots of vitamins and nutrients and cleans off your neuro receptors in your brain allowing you 4 to 5 hours of mental focus.  Send me a private mesage if your intrested.

I'm glad you found something that is helping your child.  However, please read this story also.  It indicates that some people may be harmed by too much caffeine.  Here's the link.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11713660/

My concern when reading about these alternative treatments (not necessarily caffeine) is that "natural" isn't always healthy or safe.  Many parents will give their children "natural" supplements found on the web without hesitation.  Yet a medicine that has been studied for 50 years is considered "dangerous".    Frankly I'm scared that there are parents that will contact the poster above me and order this drink and give it to their kids!   This person developed a treatment for ADHD and yet can't spell??  (sorry, couldn't resist.)

I too struggle with my sons ADHD.  He has tried various medications, with varying degrees of success.  He was under strict medical care by 2 physicians, had multiple blood tests and heart tests, and had a physical every 3 months.

When I decided to stop meds sure I considered natural therapies, and still do.  However, when I read that he should take mega doses of vitamins or herbs or whatever, it scares me.   I can't find any scientific research that says this is safe.  And if I do decide to treat with alternative therapies I will seek out a homeopathic doctor who has studied these treatments and knows the risks.

 

 

bump!!! I'm thinking about trying coffee for my 13-year old 7th grader who has ADHD.  Just not resolute on meds yet.  BUT, I cannot get the image out of my mind of him self-medicating with 10 cups of coffee in college to stay awake, and getting in an addictive routine.  Ever had caffeine withdrawl?  Ain't pretty.  Anyhoo, PUBMED, I found has some interesting articles on studies on caffeine.  Interesting reading.  I feel an imminent troll smackdown coming on... ...Yep, that's what it is alright...I don't think I can hold back.... ...Here goes...

Hey, Josh,

Go away!  No one is listening to what you're saying because you are talking like a butthead and sneering at the people who don't agree with you...So shut up and slink back under the rock from whence you came!!!!!!

...troll smackdown complete...
the thing is - if your child is adHd, the caffeine sedates them, I doubt that these kids would ever go with that whole caffeine to stay awake route.   Incidentally - we dont use coffee.  we use caffeine pills.

the Psychiatrist actually said to us IN FRONT of my kid yesterday  that the ONE problem with Ritalin is that teens and college kids snort the ritalin to get high...
whats to keep your kid from doing that?  I hope that we all teach our kids that weather we're using caffeine, or ritalin,or peanut butter.... there's a right thing to do, and a wrong thing. 

NO ONE ought to have 10 cups of coffee to stay awake, and NO ONE ought to snort their ritalin....but that starts with YOU teaching him or her right from wrong and hoping they listen.

caffeine withdrawl - headaches and shakeyness, irritability - yeah, been there.  done that....and still I prefer it to the alternative at this point in time.

what did you find about caffeine calicorose???? if it's something I havent seen yet, I'd LOVE to read it!!!!!!!!!!!


oh and to the guy with the drink....it sounds just like anything you can get at any walmart.
monster, full throttle, red bull, mt dew even has one now...

incase you havent noticed, we're not interested.
stop hawking your product.  If you wanna talk about success USING something, fine, but stop trying to sell it to people who obviously are NOT interested ok?  You've gotten to be more of an annoyance than an asset because all you wanna talk about is your product.
I'm sorry - jason's been sick the last two days and I havent kept up on the posts very well.
some were asking me about caffeine interaction with other drugs, and how much to give and whatnot.
I dont have any info on any of that.

We started with cafeniated drinks, and then moved on to NOdoze because I could tell more easily how much he was actually ingesting.

Now...I saw the Psychiatrist today - i do NOT like him.
he scoffed at me, he wrote me a script for clonodine (sp?) which I did NOT want, and he wants me to ween jase off the caffeine in the next three weeks so that he can put him on ritalin.

I asked for samples - he would NOT give us any - for anything.  (our drug copay is .00)

He yelled at me rudely when jase would not talk to him and I tried to get him to answer.

He was rude, and he didnt want to talk about anything holistic at all - He also didnt want to keep my son on the caffeine - and contradicted everything the pediatrician had told me last Friday.  I got the feeling that he wants his patients on Ritalin and clonodine, and that's that.  He didnt want to hear that we werent ready to go that route.  He laughed at me for being scared.

I dont like him.  Jason also didnt like him.  He is indian, with dark skin and hair and a thick accent - though, we're FAR from prejudice, jason said he was scared by his eyes.  Jason completely refused to talk to him at all and said he WONT talk to him any other time either.

I called another Dr today - and got put on their year long wait list.  One good thing was that the nurse said that this dr DOES do things the way we want, which is why he's so popular.  He's currently seeing 500 kids...but he's supposed to be the best in our area....so we'll see.

in the meantime, I'm going to continue doing what I've been doing, and call the pediatrician tomorrow.  and then talk to his therapist about a second opinion.


oh...another thing - the Psychiatrist said the only monitoring they would do would be to take blood pressure and listen to the heart - but didnt bother to check either before writing the Rx for the Clonodine.  I want the child to have a full physical before he starts on anything and the dr pretty much scoffed at that too.

yeah - I didnt like him at all.....nope.

so - I have my 5 1/2 year old 48 lbs on 400 mg of nodoze (two pills) once a day with a boost from mt dew or dr pepper late in the day around dinner time.
this works for us.  it might not work for everyone....but....it's working for us.

Im very frustrated with the dr!!!
These are adult dosages. If you are going to continue to peddle this you must state this or just post on the Adults with ADHD board.  

First of all I did state that it was the adult version if you want to see the child version click on the link because i dont have the time to copy it all down.

http://www.advocare.com/store/getProductCatalog.do?id=H& start=1

Phytonutrients, SFW/caffeine, Allergie free diet, Depakote er are what is helping our son. HE also has OT and ST from school. He also has his iep.

spark

adult version age 12and up.

Calories 45

Total Carbohydrates 11g

vitamin A ( as beta-carotene) 1000iu

vitamin c (as ascorbic acid) 180mg

vitamin e (as d-alpha tocopheryl acetate) 30iu

thiamine(  as hcl) 3mg

riboflavin 3.4mg

niacin (as niacinamide and niacin) 60mg

vitamin b-6 (as pyridoxine hcl) 15mg

vitamin b-12 (as cyanocobalamin) 45mcg

pantothenic acid (as calcium pantothenate)50mg

zinc (as zinc monomethionine) 3mg

copper (as glycinate) 200mcg

chromiun (as chromium citrate) 24mcg

l-carnitine (as tartate) 10mg

Taurine 200mg

Gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) 50mg

glycine 100mg

l-Tyrosine 500mg

Ribonucleci acid (RNA) 2mg

Coenzyme Q-10 100mcg

choline(as bitartate and citrate) 500mg

Caffeine 120mg

 

does anyone maybe you jasonsmom, have any ideas or thoughts about mgs?  My daughter is 12 and weighs 130lbs.  She seems to metabolise medicine very well as that 130 lbs is solid muscle.  Very athletic, therefore, she has a high tolerance!  I read about the nodoze, how many a day do you give him.  Does he get most of his caffeine from pop or the pills?  josh58, how many mgs of caffeine are in your spark? Since you are intent on someone trying it, why don't you send me some samples?  I would be happy to try it and then buy it!  You can PM me for an address. 

LoL!  Guys I didn't invent Advocare or spark.  I wish I had I would be a billionaire and not wasting my time on a forum.  The guys below invented it.  Lol, you guys!

 

Stanley J. Dudrick, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Chairman, Department of Surgery and Director, Training Program in Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital/Yale Affiliate, Waterbury, CT; Professor of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine; pioneered research and development of intravenous hyperalimentation or total parenteral nutrition (TPN); recipient of more than 95 honors and awards including the AMA Goldberger Award in Clinical Nutrition and the American College of Nutrition Goldsmith Award; more than 12 honorary fellowships; author of more than 600 basic and clinical research publications in nutrition, critical care and surgery; Medical Degree, Internship, Surgical Residency and Research Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Hospital.

As a surgeon, I have researched ways to provide optimal nutrition to my patients. As a member of the board, I work with a world-class group of professionals to develop state-of-the-art, scientifically based nutritional products designed to promote optimal health and performance.

Kenneth Goldberg, M.D.

Kenneth Goldberg, M.D., is a board-certified urologist in private practice in Dallas, Texas. His background includes: founder, Male Health Center; director, Impotence Foundation; Advisory Board, National Men's Health Week; associate member, Society for the Study of Impotence; member, American Urological Association; member, American Medical Association; member, Texas Medical Association; adviser, "Men's Health Newsletter;" clinical investigator, male health; author, nationally syndicated "His Health" column; author, When the Man You Love Won't Take Care of His Health (Golden Books, 1998) and The Men's Health Longevity Program (Rodale, 2001); author and contributor to numerous medical and popular publications; degree in medicine, Case Western Reserve Medical School.

AdvoCare products work and are the best available. The corporate staff and Members are outstanding, and the board members inform and uplift me.

Robert Hackman, Ph.D.

Research Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of California at Davis; fellow, American College of Nutrition; member, American Society for Nutritional Sciences and American Society for Clinical Nutrition; international lecturer and consultant in nutrition, phytochemicals and human performance; author, numerous research papers; doctorate in nutrition, University of California at Davis.

Values are what got me here and what keep me here. AdvoCare products are distinct for their innovative formulations, use of top quality ingredients and high amounts of active ingredients. We value putting great science into great products.

Carl Keen, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition, University of California at Davis; former National Institute of Dental Research postdoctoral fellow, Proctor and Gamble postdoctoral fellow; member, California¹s Scientific Advisory Board for the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment; reviewer, USDA Human Nutrient Requirements Study Section; member, EPA Environmental Health Grant Review Panels; member, numerous NIH panels; past president, California Nutrition Council.

The full value of science is only realized when the best research is translated into new public policies, education campaigns, or products that improve the health and wellness of the population. AdvoCare is committed to developing products that are scientifically sound, and it is my responsibility to help the company translate good research into great products.

Brian Keller, Pharm.D.

First associate member of the Scientific & Medical Advisory Board; developer of the revolutionary QuSomeTM technology for the ADVOCARE Definite Difference® skincare line; doctorate in pharmacy from the University of California at San Francisco; former clinical professor at the University of California at San Francisco.

Translating high science into high quality products is a challenge, and AdvoCare has always been a leader in this pursuit. I choose to dedicate my expertise and inventions to help people look and feel better.

Harry Preuss, M.D., M.A.C.N., C.N.S.

Professor of Physiology, Medicine & Pathology, Georgetown University Medical Center; President, Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists (CNS); member, Board of Directors American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF); past president and ninth Master of the American College of Nutrition (ACN); former Established Investigator of the American Heart Association; past member three NIH councils; member, National Cholesterol Education Program; author of more than 600 medical publications, the nutrition section of the Encyclopedia Americana and eight books including "The Prostate Cure," "Maitake Magic" and the upcoming "Phytopharmaceuticals in Cancer Chemoprevention;" Degree in Medicine from Cornell Medical College with special research and clinical training at Vanderbilt University, Georgetown University, and the NIH. Recipient of the James Lind Award for excellence in research on dietary supplements and the William B. Peck Award for excellence in research.


I was impressed with AdvoCare since attending my first Success School in 1997. The product line is outstanding, as is the integrity of the company. The world of nutrition is rapidly advancing, and AdvoCare continues to advance with it and lead the field.

Sidney Stohs, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President of Research and Development, ADVOCARE; former Dean, School of Pharmacy, Creighton University; professor of pharmacology and toxicology; holder of the Gilbert F. Taffe Jr. Endowed Chair in Research; fellow, American College of Nutrition; fellow, Academy of Toxicological Sciences; author, more than 300 research and educational publications; doctorate in biochemistry and microbiology, University of Wisconsin.

AdvoCare has offered me the opportunity to impact the lives of many people. I am truly proud of the outstanding quality of AdvoCare products because of the high quality ingredients, the science behind each and every product, the high standards of manufacturing quality, and the AdvoCare scientific and corporate integrity.

Betty Wedman-St. Louis, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.

Clinical dietician in private practice; Registered Dietician and Licensed Nutritionist; Certified Nutrition Specialist; nutrition supplement consultant with expertise in nutritional bars and beverages; author of eight books related to diabetes, food allergies and cooking; author of numerous nutrition guides, teaching aids and other publications; degree in foods and nutrition from the University of Minnesota, a master's in food and nutrition from Northern Illinois University and a doctorate in nutrition and environmental health from the Union Institute.


I educate individuals about the benefits of eating healthy foods and using nutritional supplements to enhance their quality of life. AdvoCare formulations are superior science and give proven results, which motivates people towards healthy lifestyles.

Me invent Advocare.  Lol!  You guys kill me


As a mother of a 12yr old that was dxed at age 7, with ADD, no hyperactivity, I'm glad to share with you after trying every drug, ritalin,methylphenidate er,sr,concerta,strattera,adderdall, we are now ... he is now on caffeine. If I can offer any advice it is this. All of the prescribed drugs had such negative side effects and they changed my son's personality.  He says the Caffeine works.. to make him focus in the classroom and not daydream, the teachers, once they found out he was off the ritalin... "oh he's nt focused" the grades are no better on the ritalin. My husband and I struggled and fought the medication, he was off and on for two years; we had to call it quits- he tells the pediatrician at his last visit " it feels like my heart is going to pop out of my chest" two days later the news reports all the scuttlebut with the fda advisory board about the ritalin deaths.

Good luck with the Caffeine. Fight those narcotics... been there.

Hawks, you make a lot of sense.  Thanks for posting.

 

 Caffeine is not a psychotropic drug. The narcotics are, even the nonstimulant strattera is a psychotropic. These drugs work directly on the brain chemistry. The brain chemistry of a 5 yr old boy is still maturing, changing constantly. To "mess" with his brain chemistry if you dont have to is surely adverse. Caffeine does not cross the blood brain barrier and inhibit the reuptake of serotinin or dopamine like these other drugs do.  yes, both stimulants, but one fairly safe, one really not safe at all.I'm asking in all seriousness -- what is the difference between giving a child caffeine and Ritalin?  They're both stimulants.Ok so, after they officially said adhd about my 5 1/2 year old boy, they said medicate.
with the list of possible drugs in hand, I hit the internet.
I found a small obscure study that was done who knows where or when, that said that with no conclusive results, caffeine therapy helped, or didnt help, some adhd kids.

I tried it....first with starbucks frappachinos (and leme tell you - it was SAD when he refused to drink momma's favorite stuff and it went down the drain) and then finally with nodoze pills (yes my son has been taking swallow pills since he was 3.)

OHH MY GAWD can I just tell you how much different he's been!!!!!!!
its a godsend!!!!!!!

My son did a complete 180 on caffeine therapy!  he's no longer having issues at school, he's having GOOD reports sent home instead of bad behavior "blue notes".
He's doing his homework, he's drawing, painting, he's not argumentative, he does what he's told when he's told....and he can even do puzzles now!!!

all these things he's never been able to do because he said, there was like a cloudy fog there, and he couldnt.

It's simply amazing how well this worked for him.
I talked at length with his pediatrician, who told me that giving him 400 - 600 mgs of caffeine shouldnt be anything at all to worry about, certianly, watch for side effects - which the only one we've seen is appetite loss - OH, and he is going to sleep about 2 hours later now but able to get UP in the morning with no problem, and not tired through the days. - Dr said that there would be nothing to worry about until he's been doing this for several years.

We go to see the Psychiatrist on Wednesday, and will set up some routine lab work to keep everything in check, but.....I, My son, and My Husband are all thrilled that we've found something like this that helps so much!!!!!!

It may not work forever, but - if it keeps us from using the Class 2 narcotic meds for just another day - I for one will TAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

I post this info not to gloat, but to maybe help another mom dealing with the same issues.

if anyone would like to talk to me more about it, I'd be happy to elaborate on everything!!!!!!!!
Happy Monday!!!!!!
Jasonsmom that is great   I am so glad you were able to find a route that worked fo you without using the narcotics.  I know that there are several parents that have used caffeine before.  I think I may attempt this in the summer as my son is already on meds.  I mean really I can't imagine caffeine doing any more damage than the meds I give.kristyolk,
Id be careful messing around with things if you're already on meds and things are working....  and I certainly would NOT stop the meds without talking to your child's doctor first. 

and to smallmom - I cant recite the exact difference - but in my own mind ....giving my 5 year old son a class2 narcotic medication, or giving him some nodoze that I can get over the counter at any gas station - One's gotta be more dangerous than the other doncha think?

honestly - all kidding a side I dont know.  We're seeing appetite loss, and he's not very tired at bedtime and is staying up about 2 hours later than we'd like...but other than that, so far there are no other side effects.  the pediatrician said it's relatively safe to give him the caffeine up to the equal of 10 cans of soda per day and after that there might be problems for him...MIGHT - because they dont know for sure.
there have not been any "real studies" done on this age group.

If I get any feedback from the Psyche on Wednesday worth sharing, I will be sure to post it!!!!!!!

In the meantime, my son is sitting in my lap with his hands folded, reading!
(something we have NOT been able to get him to do without a huge fight!)

Im happpy!!!!!!!
I never said she did I was just warning her of the side effect from monster!Here's a link to a post in which josh encourages a parent to lie to his son in order to teach the kid that lying is bad.  Troll?

http://kpx.sytes.net/servlet/redirect.srv/p5.p1.pbcd.pjnspas li.puhg/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17143&PN=1&TPN=1
Josh,
let me  be very clear -

I AM NOT INTERESTED IN YOUR PRODUCT.

ok? got it. 

do NOT solicit me again please.

I dont want to try it, I dont want free samples, and I dont want to hear about it anymore.

I

am

not

interested.


and that is the last time I will respond to anything you say on the subject.
Period.

cant be much more clear than that right?

H
let me be very clear..I am NOT saying that you should ALL stop taking your drugs and switch!!

I just wanted to post a small moment of happiness that occured for me and my son!

I am sure you all know what a stigma there is with the adhd drugs...with any drugs and a young child for that matter - your friends find out you're drugging your kid and instantly you're a bad mom - or worse yet, NOT your friends.

I am fortunate - most of my friends work with kids in IEPs or have some sort of Psychological training, and so I dont get much of that terrified "you're doing what" response when I tell them about something new we've tried.

as a society - parents who give their "problem child" a drug are often looked at as trying to find a miracle pill instead of actually practicing good parenting.

WE know this is not the case (in most cases anyway), but, there IS that stigma.

when the doctor told me the last thing to try with Jason was ritalin and that class of drug...I cried - perhaps you remember my first post about that....
Im not ready to go that route yet.

yes....caffeine HAS side effects.  YES...we're watching him very closely.
YES I am worried.  YES I know it wont last forever...

but also

YES....now I see that he DOES benefit from taking the caffeine.



It is entirely possible that my hesitation to put him on the controlled class of drugs stems from a time when they told me I had depression and screwed with my brain by putting me on several antidepressants at one time causing me to become suicidal and take a huge bottle of pills. (well before I ever thought about getting married and having my son)...I had trouble in my life at the time, and rather than council me through it, they (they beign the blasted doctors in that town) chose to throw pill after pill at me sending my brain all sorts of mixed messages.

I think that I am a little worried about giving my darling son a drug thats only function is to mess with his little brain's chemicals....and yes, maybe Im not totally informed yet as to how the drugs work, and the difference between just giving him caffeine, and giving him ritalin, but in MY mind, and the opinion of my friends and family - giving him the caffeine is the right choice for us for the time being.


wow - this turned into a very long post.
I hope that you all understand now - I had a victory with caffeine.  It doesnt mean I am never going to turn to the controled drugs.  it doesnt mean I think you who have your kids ON the drugs are wrong.  It just means I am happy with our results with what we're doing and I wanted to share.

happy Tuesday to all!!!
happy tuesday to you!  and why not, it's a beautiful day again...... what luck!   I'm glad you had good luck with the no-doz but I would suggest that you ask a health  professional about whether there are any side effects you should watch for.  Welcome!  Any kind of win is valuable. 

jasonsmom--I thought you might find this interesting. If you scroll down a bit there is a table of drinks with the caffeine amount, and then another table of food with the caffeine amount.

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/caff.html

If you read my post through, you will see that I discussed AT LENGTH the fact that I talked to the Pediatrician about the dosage and side effects.

further - we talked about long and short term dependance, about how soon the effects will wear off, about what tests should be done routinely to be sure we're not HURTING any of his internal systems, and what is a comfortable dosage for someone his age and size.

Believe me....I'm not going into this blind.  I've got the pediatrician, the psychologist and the psychiatrist all involved and following closely.

I also keep a DAILY livejournal log of his dosage, food intake, behavioral issues, sleep times and day to day dealings on live journal that I not only print weekly and take to our appointments, but also provide access to his teacher, his psycologist, family and other friends.  I have Dr.s, teachers, family, and friends all on the same page, all aware of all the issues, all providing feedback.

we have created a very strong support network, and when I have a question, it gets answered or someone finds the answer.


no tellin,
thanks for that info on the caffeine!!
I'm going to put that link in our journal.

I also liked the info in another post about blinks.
Found out that my husband thinks he blinks.  never even thought he was add.
Just a side note, caffeine may work on some individuals but if you're sensitive towards it, it will do the exact opposite of what you're hoping to accomplish (ie: flared tempers, irritability, impulsiveness..) Ds cam home with a "good" note from his teacher the day I gave him Sudafed (stimulant) and sent him to school. She said he was like a different child.  That seemed to provide more evidence that yes this kid is ADD. 

Ds is very sensitive to stimulants and needs to watch how much caffeine if any he can take without getting sleepy..
Recently he tried a cup of coffee at school during the time that Ritalin LA seems to dip in effectiveness causing more difficulty in math.  The one cup seemed to do the trick at that time of day.

I don't see why one would avoid meds and prefer coffee.  In the meds, you know exactly how much of a stiulant you are getting.


jfla238782.7757986111[QUOTE=SmallMom]I'm asking in all seriousness -- what is the difference between giving a child caffeine and Ritalin?  They're both stimulants.[/QUOTE]

The difference is NO SIDE EFFECTS with caffeine.

Bailey, wrong.  If you read the thread, the poster said her son had loss of appetite and trouble falling asleep.  Those are the same side effects you can have on a stimulant like Ritalin or Adderall.  And by the way, don't fool yourself into thinking that caffeine can't affect your heart.  It can.

 

Caffeine is addictive (stop taking all caffeine and you'll have headaches for a few days), can make you irritable, keep you up, lessen you appetite, and cause heart palpitations, indigestion, and lots of other things.  Sounds about like the stimulant meds to me.  I am not saying caffeine is bad.  I drink my coffee every morning.  I am saying it isn't 100% safe, though. And I do think there have been fewer studies about caffeine use in children than ritalin. I give my son caffeine, when his medicine wears off, it does help him to stay calm until it is bed time. But  i don't think  he would do well at all without his medicine. I'm glad it has worked for your son.this is interesting. 

i am sorry for being completely stupid but what makes a drug.  what is it that would lead a substance to be clarified as a drug...

a carrot, a pea, an apple - these would not be clarified as drugs but a cocoa leaf, a tobacco plant, betel, a coffee bean, a marijuana leaf these are - right? 

because they somehow alter the chemical balance of the brain? or not.  fish oil alters the chemical balance of the brain too - does it not? perhaps it doesn't. 

doesn't all food/lack of food have some small direct effect on the chemical balance of the brain/body - sugar or lack of vitamins etc.

i know it sound a really stupid question - but what is it - at the most basic level that makes a substance be termed a drug. 

what property does a substance have to have in order for it to be termed a drug?

well i looked up on wikipedia:

A drug is a substance which is taken into the body. Some drugs are taken for illnesses and some are taken for fun. Usually a doctor will give you a drug for an illness to make you well. People take drugs for fun because they affect their body or thoughts in unusual ways. Fun drugs are called "recreational" and drugs for illnesses are called "therapeutic".

Drugs can be taken by eating, smoking or injecting them. Drugs nearly always have negative effects as well as the therapeutic effect - these are called side-effects.


which doesn't seem clear at all.  because that means anything you eat or drink (a substance which is taken into the body) could be classified as a drug.  which doesn't seem right somehow.



IMac38946.4499305556IMac38946.450150463Our meds do not work well to begin with.  They barely get him through school and by the time he is home nothing.  We have tried Ritalin La, adderall and adderall xr in the stimulant class and the best is the adderall xr but he is on a huge dosage of it.  40 mg for a 38 lb 7 year old.  So honestly considereing that a med that is suppossed to last 12 hours is only lasting a little over 9 and then there is just craziness for the rest of the day.....   I would not pull him completely off his meds and I have atually had a psych suggest that I start coffee for him but I do not want to do this when I can not observe how it is affecting him.  I just want to clarify this.  A narcotic is something that makes you sleepy, a stimulant is something that keeps you awake.  Ritalin, adderall are stimulants. Sounds great, please keep us informed.  My 15 year old forgot his med.s today, hes acting about 8 years old right now.  I wish I had some caffeine pills in the house.  Doesn't too much caffiene cause jitteriness???, and heart palpatations.  My hubbie had to be taken to the doc. because his heart was beating really fast, it was because he was drinking about 10 diet coke a day.  It was pretty scary.  what do I do in my spare time -

well....I am a work at home mom.  Im an artist, and a seamstress.  I paint, sculpt, and do henna body art and face painting.  I make my own cards for every holiday and I do machine embroidery.  I also make historic costumes for actors and participants at Renaissance Faires.  I am learning to work with sterling sliver art clay, and I have an extensive bead collection from the time I spend making beaded jewelry and beaded embroidery.  I also work extensively with herbs and essential oils.  I make a pain relief lotion for friends, and I make custom incense for friends and family.  I also have a complete stained glass workshop in my basement. 

I do all this, but I dont start a thing until after my son goes to school at 12:30 pm.
Mornings are OUR time. 
joemom,
jason started with starbucks drinks...though 3 - 4.oo a pop, he was OK with that for a while.
have you tried pepsi? 

the nodoze pills are great - but it'll only work if your son can swallow them.

isnt there caffinated water that you could try too?


Again, please keep us updated on how its going for you.  I'm really interested.  Thanks for the information.

my son won't drink soda  he likes fruit punch and power aid....and of course not coffee...too yucky for a 6 year old...I would love to try him on a small mountian dew but he said it smelled yuck....

the caffeine would be a nice alternative especially during a drug holiday

From what my son's doc said Strattera is frequently helpful except many find it doesn't help them focus...and that Ritalin could be given simultaneously.  If you have concerns you could get a quick answer from a pharmacist. Doesn't help them focus?  Why give it?  My understanding was that Straterra is not ideal for the child that is hyperactive only the innattentive.  All we need is to focus!  I'm really confused now!  We don't have the hyperactivity only the innattentive!  My daughter takes straterra.  Will the caffeine hurt if they are already on meds?  Straterra is a non stimulant.  We don't have the hyperactivity but we do have a lot of trouble focusing on school work.  We also had a hard time goin gto sleep until we started the straterra.  We still have a hard time waking up.
jasonsmom~Congrats!  I don't think it is fair of anyone to blast you for this.  I can't think of many things I wouldn't be willing to try if I thought they may work.  If they did, I would be yelling it from the rooftop if I could take her off of meds!!!  IMac38946.4700347222NoTellin,
thanks for the link to caffeinated drinks.  My son is super sensitive to caffeine.

jasonsmom and others interested in how caffeine can help some

My younger cousin was off the wall ADHHHHHHHHHHHD and as we all know you do not outgrow that.  About the time he went into high school he being refusing to take the drugs (I believe if I remember right it was ritalin in two doses a day) He didn't like them and as he was getting older made his point clear.  He also did not like being so out of control.  So what he did with his docs permission was drink A LOT of caffeine.  He survived high school not an easy feat and graduated two years ago on time.  He works full time at his job now and still drinks a lot of caffeine.  It works for him.  May not work for everyone.  I don't suggest that anyone do anything without some type of doc coperation but jasonsmom has that with her pediatrician.  Bravo for her. 

 

On another note I have seen psychatrists like the one that you saw jasonsmom and they scare me.  Too quick to prescribe and honestly there are definite blood tests that need to be done in regards to the liver and other organs to make sure that nodamage is occurring with the drugs.  I am glad you are seeking someone else even though it is a year long wait list. 

As some of you know my 40 pound child is on 40 mg of adderall xr and still out of control a lot of the time.  He metabolizes so quickly that he is coming down when he gets home from school.  A suppossed to be 12 hour drug is only yielding us about 8 at best.  So this is why I am going to try to give him caffeine in the afternoon.  I do not want to give him any more drugs at that hour of the day because then we will be battling the drug at bed time.  I figure that honestly a cup of coffee or two is not going to do any more harm that the drugs I give him to cope with school.  I have given him coffee in the AM before so that while he is waiting for the drugs to kick in he has a little more control.  We are all looking for the best way to treat our individual children and as well all know ADHD is different in each kid.  This is why there is no magic pill to fix it. 

 

Again Bravo to jasonsmom

 

Calms people in this family. Does caffeine work for inattentive ADD?  Does it make them more alert or what?
Caffeine makes me sluggish if I drink a lot.
My son doesn't get soda pop or anything else with caffeine so it would be interesting to see what would happen.
He is not hyperactive, just has a hard time focusing.

Jasonsmom,

I am going to tell you this not because I want to sell you my product but concerned with you Childs well being.  Monster is bad and has potentially harmful Side affect to your heart.  Look it up.  Also I would be more then willing to send you a free sample, more so then most other people on this site.  I was drinking 5cups of coffee a day trying to stay focused and awake.  It got to the point where I would start falling asleep from drinking coffee.  I don't even drink coffee anymore.  I don't drink cokes.  I stopped smoking.  I know you would absolutely love this product.  Plus it is half the price as monster, red bull, or full throttle.  It will also give him a mental focus rather then a caffeine fix.  His tolerance will rise for caffeine and so will the dosages you are going to have to give him to help.  This product has a lot more in it to help with focus other then caffeine.  Please send me a shipping address pm and I will be more then willing to send you a free sample.