hello to everyone!!!! i am in need of help
my 4 1/2 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD and we started his adderall xr 2 days ago. i was wondering if it was normal to seem more hyper at first. i really do not want him on meds and was curious if behavioral therapy maybe enough. there is just too many side effects. he is also experiencing insomnia which in turn the doctor says he can take a med for that too. this just doesnt seem right to me. i am so afraid for my son........please if anyone has any advice for me on this i would greatly appreciate it.
Hi jaesmom,
I know it's scary and it seems overwhelming. I don't know about Adderall so I can't offer any help on that. I would, however, trust your instinct and if something doesn't seem right, take your son back to the doctor. If you don't feel comfortable with that doctor, take him to another doctor. I've been dealing with this for about 10 years and I wish I knew back then what I know now, I wouldn't have let the doctors made me feel like I didn't know anything. I would have made them do their job. Anyway, if something doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Good luck and tell us how it's going.
My son was diagnosed at 3, but I was dead set against meds. We tried diet and red dyes etc. I went straight from 1st IEP meeting to doc appt. Our PCP knew I was all for behavior mod and anti-med so he told me to try giving my son the meds as an experiment. We never stopped the experiment. It made SUCH a difference. We did try Concerta at age 6, but he started hiding the pills!!! It absolutely did not work.
My point is that there are different types of med compounds out there and you shouldn't be afraid to tell your doc what isn't working. Besides, meds are never the "only" answer. There is always the need for behavior mod.
Our PCP always has another rule to ALWAYS listen to "mother instincts" -- he is a firm believer that mom's know their kids best and absolutely have to be 100% on board if any treatment plan is to work.
Go with your gut!!!
WELL LET ME GIVE THE FULL YEAR AND A HALF STORY OF MY SON SO I CAN GET AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE.
IT ALL STARTED WHEN HE TURNED 3, HE STRATED THROWING THESE HORRIBLE SCREAMING FITS. HE CHANGED 3 SCHOOLS IN A MATTER OF A FEW MONTHS. HE SEEMED ANTI SOCIAL WHEN IT CAME TO FRIENDS AND TEACHERS. HE DIDNT EVER REALLY RESPOND WHEN SPOKEN TO BY OTHERS EXCEPT MYSELF. WELL I HAVE HAD MEDS PRESCRIBED TO ME SINCE HE WAS 3 AND I NEVER GAVE THEM TO HIM. I HAVE SEEN HIM MATURE AND THE FITS HAVE LESSENED TREMENDOUSLY AND HE IS MUCH EASIER TO TALK TO AND REASON WITH. THE TEACHER GIVES ME DAILY REPORTS WITH MOST OF HIS DAYS BEING GOOD. EXCEPT FOR SOMETIMES A TIME OUT OR PUSHING A CHILD OR THROWING A TOY DOWN. WELL WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR HER TO FILL OUT THE TEACHER QUESTIONAIRE SHE SAID HE NEVER SITS DOWN, HE ALWAYS INTERUPTS, HE RUNS WHEN HE ISNT SUPPOSE TO, ETC. THAT WAS THE FIRST I EVER HEARD OF THAT. I TOOK HIM TO A LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER AT OUR CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND THE DID "TESTING" FOR 30 MINUTES AND DECIDED HE SHOULD DO BEHAVIORAL THERAPY WITH MEDS. I ASKED IF WE COULD TRY THE THERAPY FIRST WITHOUT THE MEDS AND I WAS TOLD IT WOULDN'T BE AS EFFECTIVE. I JUST WANT TO TRY HIM IN BEHAVIORAL, SPEECH, AND PLAY THERAPY BEFORE THE MEDS. HE DOES MUCH BETTER THAN HE DID A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WITH THE HYPERNESS IN PUBLIC PLACES. WE CAN GO TO THE MOVIES NOW!!!! IF THERE IS PROGRESS IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, IS MEDICATION NECESSARY????? ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE GREAT!!!!
my son is also 4,here the doctors refuse to medicate until 5/6 years old.we are trying behavioral therapy and it is driving me nuts i spend my days fighting with him but in the long run maybe it is going to work,we just started so we'll have to see.we are also waiting for an appointement with an homeopath.we are not too keen on medicating him either when the times comes so we are hoping it will work.
good luck and as for diets,jude has no sugar,no preservatives(e numbers)diet.it is very hard to implement but you get used to it.some children have a dairy intolerance ,like puckbunny advice have him tested.
[QUOTE=jaesmom]well like i said he has been on the meds two days and today was the worst. he couldnt even sit down for 1 min...no nap and was only working with 6 1/2 hours of sleep when he usually gets 10-12 and a nap. then tonight he was really moody and mean. i thought 5mg was the smallest? [/QUOTE]You are his mom, and you get to decide. If you don't want him on medication, then it is your right to take him off.
Just make sure that you do your research, on anything you try. Make sure you know his disorder well. That you know meds well. That you know herbal supplements well, vitamins well, diets well. Even natural things can be harmful if not given properly. What ever you decide is best for him, just make sure you do your homework first. The alternative message board here is great place to start to get idea's for what you might want to research.
There are many many people that try other routes first, and sometimes forever. IMO, there is no harm in trying that first. If it's not working, you can go back to medication at any time.
Many times younger children can do okay without meds. Of course some definitely can't. Some children do okay until around 2nd/3rd grade when the work is more challenging and they just can't keep up any longer. Sometimes the decision is easier then when the benefits of meds outweigh the negatives of them. When you face flunking 3rd grade, or not sleeping well, the decision is easier. In a small child that is functioning okay, sometimes the benefits of medication aren't apparent enough for parents to be comfortable with them. Understandable.
Also, keep in mind that all the medications are different, and all children react differently to them. While one medication may not work at all for a child, the next medication may make drastic improvements. It really is trial and error.
Anyway, like I said, just do your homework and do what you feel best. He is your child. No one knows him better then you do, and you are the only one that can make the medication decision. You have the right to try other things first (or forever) if you feel that is what is best for him.
Good luck!
[QUOTE=jaesmom]well like i said he has been on the meds two days and today was the worst. he couldnt even sit down for 1 min...no nap and was only working with 6 1/2 hours of sleep when he usually gets 10-12 and a nap. then tonight he was really moody and mean. i thought 5mg was the smallest? [/QUOTE]
If you "do" want to try meds, call your doctor and tell him what is going on. That doesn't really sound like a typical reaction to me. The not sleeping well is normal, but medication should calm him, not make him more hyper. Like I said in the previous post...some children just don't do well with some medications, but will do great with others.
my mind is going in so many directions. i absolutely do not want him on meds. i am so torn up about this, it will never feel right to me. i want to try him on behavioral therapy and some natural remedies first. definitely a change in diet. he is only 4 1/2 and what i have seen in the past two days....i just cant do this. i have to try everything else first. he can behave at school when he is rewarded and his behavior has improved over the last year, is this a child with adhd? should i wait till he is in school? i just dont know what to do....but i will not give him that medicine in the morning!My son is 4 and has been diagnosed since he was three. We use supplements and other alternative methods to help control the symptoms. There is a good resource on this board -- the Alternatives and Complementary Meds section that you may want to check out. Welcome.Hi Jaesmom,