It sounds like you need to nail down a diagnosis first.
I would get a complete battery of neuro-psyche testing from a doctor who will provide you with a diagnosis and extensive report outlining the findings PLUS recommendations for managing your child at school and at home. You usually have to wait a while to get the testing but you should be able to do it this summer. I would get a psychiatric eval immediately following.
Have you considered just stopping the meds and dumping the doc for the rest of the school year? Neither are helping. Are the side effects of the meds worse than his symptoms without? Can you have him exercise before school? Can you spend time in the classroom?
the neuro wanted us to come there 3 times a month and twice a month for counseling all of which was to be paid for by me,i could'nt do it. i asked the peds to send him to a specialist about his weight and i was told that his weight is not medical but caused somewhat by concerta,so when he went on focalin he did gain 2 lbs but since he's lost 1,at first he seemed really happy on focalin,on concerta he was angry and sad,scared of air. so i'm really losing it,there are'nt many psych. around here that will see kids,so i thought a psychologist could help us work on behavior but i can't even get him in to one of those.What state do you like in? If your son is having all those mood issues on meds, he needs to be seen by a child psychiatrist. Honestly, I wouldn't go to a psychologist until you straighten out the dx and the meds -- you can't do behavior mod on a child who is not stable. JMHO.
i took him to a neuro psych which i had to pay for he would'nt give a dx but he wanted to give him focain and strattera but his dr said no strattera, i always thought that the drs could manage his meds and his weight. i could every psychologist around just to see if i could get him in somewhere next week for spring break and i can't even do that.Not psychologist -- psychiatrist with an MD. You need someone with more skill than a pediatrician to manage your son's meds. I seem to remember we advised you to see an endocrinologist and/or gastroentereologist about your son's weight issues.
Why wouldn't the neuropsych give a dx -- they do testing to figure out what's going on.
SmallMom38804.3640162037well my son josh is 61/2.he is very skinny around 40 lbs,he started on ritlin than went on concerta 54,after awhile of not eating good on concerta and behavior,the dr switched him to focalin,he's on 15 now. he does eat great on focalin but behavior is not great,the teacher sent home a letter yesterday stating that when he gets to school at 8:30 he usually chases kids around the class for an hour,that he calms down,then after lunch he starts again,which disrupts math class, she also said he has been bad with name calling and nose picking and trying to wipe his finger on the kids and taking the kids things. also at home aroound dinner when he wears off he is horrible, last night he bite his baby sister in the ear. i'm at my wits end i don't know what to do. he does'nt care if i ground him off tv and games, i tried to do the rewards with chips when good and take away when bad,did'nt matter to him. any suggestions or med suggestions that might still let him eat please i'm almost at my end of my rope.Although FocalinXR may not end up being the med for you, you might use the short acting focalin with his after school snack. That should last 2-3 hours. Definitely get back to the doctor. Maybe he needs a higher dose or a different med. Doctors often prescribe the short acting for after school or evening.joshsmom, let us know where you are at. Someone here may be able to recommend a good neuropsychiatrist in your area. After 3 years of beating my head against the behavior mod wall without meds, I can tell you for sure that you have to get meds straightened out before behavior mod or counceling will really be effective. My DS did not give a hoot about stars or money, or any other reward. We gave up on spanking and such pretty early on because he would be upset for 1-3 minutes and then go right back to doing what got him in trouble.
Also, go back to the neuropsych you saw and get a copy of their report if you don't already have one. Their whole purpose is to provide a comprehensive diagnosis, so I'd be extremly concerned if you shelled out good money and didn't get one. Regardless, if what's inside the report is credible, it's good to keep to track your kid's history and a good reference point for dealing with new pdocs.
I have to say i dont agree.If you get a good peds or family dr ,then you dont need anyone else.Maybe we got lucky.Our son has been seeing our family dr now for 5yrs(since we moved)His dr knows alot about add/adhd,he himself along with his son have ADHD,he knows of all the "new" meds,what side effects to look for.Our son at 1 point was'nt gaining weight,but that passed,he is now 14 and is 145lbs,almost 6foot tall.i live in indiana,the neuropsych we saw was one of only two that there are in the whole state. i am disabled so the only insurance josh has is medicaid and i cannot just make appts without a referral. i really don't don't know what else to do. life should'nt be this bad,i mean everyday is bad not just once in awhile,it is everyday.i am so worried that if i don't get a handle on things that he will be so out of control as he gets older and he really can be a sweet boy,its just that now he does'nt care about much.Hello, I just moved to Washington state and am looking to have my son seen by someone. He was tested by a psychiatrist about 2 years ago and we have tried concerta for that time. We are starting Adderall today, 20 mgs. Hopefully we get better results.
We are on the Eastside, I can drive anywhere really if anyone has a great Doctor in the Seattle area.
Thanks