?? about dexedrine | ADHD Information

hello all...my 4 yr old son went to his first assesment today  " it went well,they  put him on 5 mg of dexedrine  ..any one else familair with  it??

just wondering 

Hi.  I am.  My son was on it for a month or two at 4 1/2.  It's the only ADHD drug approved for under 6 -- it's approved at 3 years old.  My son complained of stomach pain, he became very nervous and emotional with it, awoke at night, and his impulse and hyperactivity weren't helped much, so I took him off. 

See how your child reacts to it; Dexedrine may work for him.  Stimulants didn't work for my child.

It really does depend on the individual. My son did not, and does not , have side effects from the dexedrine. If your child has trouble sleeping from it you can take a shorter acting tablet instead of the slower release spansule, or side effects can be from having too high of a dose. Stomach upset might be reduced or eliminated by taking it with food instead of on an empty stomach. Our side effects or lack there of,  don't mean it won't work for your son, and they don't mean it will. The good part is any side effects are immediately fixed by stopping taking it, it is pretty safe to try if that's what you decide. I have never heard of any severe side effects that were life threatening or anything. I remember going through exactly what you are when my son was that age. I will keep you in my prayers. Melissa

I hope the natural remedies work for you.  I give my son fish oil.  In the last several months, I have been able to reduce the medication (Risperdal) he does take.  I also use a reward system, Magic 1-2-3 discipline and take him to play therapy.  He's also in a special program with a small class size, and I recently moved him to an aftercare with a very small group of kids.  Right now, he's doinw well, after a rather rough start to the school year.  My hope is to be able to totally take him off the medication, but the priority is to make sure he's successful and confident and that the other interventions work for him. 

While some schools may have a "medicate and forget it" attitude, I think parents can and do agonize over the medication issue.  But the bottom line is whether you think your child can benefit the most with it or without it.  Do what's best for your child.  If he's in school, stay on the school's back. 

Let us know how the natural remedies are working. 

 

We have used dexedrine on and off for years. My son who is 14 started taking it at 3. We tried all the natural remedies and vitamins and homeopathic remedies and took him to an osteopath, we tried everything. As a result he got kicked out of preschool. Anyway the dexedrine has worked when nothing else would. I also take it as does my 19 year old daughter, but we both take it when we feel we need it to focus, for her that means when she goes to her college classes. We tried adderall, it works on the attention, but had the side effect on all of us of making us very very very angry, for no reason in particular. Ritalin just didn't work for my son, no one else has used it here. Dexedrine has been around for a very very long time, look into it's history. My son did have asthma when he was three and took dexedrine, although he wasn't a preemie. I think it is very safe and effective but that is obviously my opinion, I'm not a doctor. You have to do what you think is best, do try everything you are talking about and see how it goes, and if it isn't helping you can reconsider the dexedrine. You are the parent and ultimately have to make the descision. It's a tough job. Nothing is harder than making choices that effect your childs well being. I would also say be careful with melatonin, it had a negative efect on my son, and try adding one thing at a time so you know what is doing what. Have you heard of 5-htp? I have no idea if it safe for children however, but I'm sure it wouldn't take long on the net to find out.  My son does the best on a low carb/good carb diet with no dairy, no sugar, and plenty of protein, but it is hard to keep a teenager eating that way. If he stays on the diet completely he doesn't need medication.

but was your son a premie  at birth or has cronic asthma?

im just so scared to  put him on anything (drugs)..i wouldnt be able to deal with  it  if anything badd happend to  my son devon age 4

still so  confused about medicating him

 

i just want something that can calm him down at school and  help him focus and behave beter for  others hes already so  effectionate and caring  ,,he loves to  be around other children and  do activities he just needs to  learn how to  turn it down a notch!!

i know every child personality is diffrent but im just not wanting to  take that  risk of the  horrible  sideaffect  ..is that being a selfish mom,dont get me wrong i do want to help my son very much so!!

but with drugs  ,i dont knwo  ive been doing reserach on all of then  for  the  past  three months  now  and its  like  "okay go get then  assest.drug them and  just deal with it

there nothing i have come across that  just helps teachers deal with  adhd children or parents  they  just want to  drug the  kids  and hope for the  best ..its  kinda a catch 22"" it sucks sometimes thinking that  you son or  daughter  are now labeled ...sorry i got off the  subject at  hand its  just so frustrating  i know for all of us  here ..but i just want to  do whats  best for  my son so i wil continue to  go with the  focus and the  brite spark from native remedies .com

also im going to  give  him fish oil and  evening  prime rose oil dailey  and see how he does on that for a while 

thanks  for the input ,,I really dont think im going to  go that route.

im still looking inot  the  homeo-pathic way

have you heard of water soluable vitamins for adhd or  efalex or be calm"d for  children its sopposed to help the  hyperativity/impulse alot..

i thin im going to  just use what i think is best  now  and that  focus vitamins and brite spark

along with melotonin at night and 80% fish oil /20%evening  primrose

will see if any of this  will help calm him down a bit

that dexetrine is  just to risky for  me  as everything else is for  kids with adhd  ....

its  been a rough  day  ..good night its  time  for  bath time now 

i am familiar with this med. My son took it for 2 years and it did wonderful for him.  He never had any side effects what so ever. He started taking it at the age of 5. It help my son do a complete turn around.  He went from a child that was climbing the walls to a child that was able to sit down and actually watch a movie.  It brought out my son sweet side of him.  

did your  son have any of the  side affects the  above person did?

that is what im afraid of  ..i dont want my son to stop eating  or  sleeping at  nights  and  me very emotional ..he"s just now  back on a regular sleep pattter.

thanks again for  your  input

I guess it really depends on the  individual right?  so if what im doing  now doesnt work i will rturn to  the  dexetrine as a last resort for  him...kepp us  in your  thoughts and prayers .

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!

thanks melissa ..... yeah its  hard to go through this  at  his  age

i just  want whats  best  for  him ..hes my only son from my husband and  I and  we are both  adopted so  our medical history"s are both  unknown...i will continue to  use what I think is best  or  i may  give the  dexedrine a shot ..i do want to  see him excel in kindergarden next year thanks 

Good Morning  all.. well todays a new day  and  I have finally decided to  medicate my 4 year old  with  dexedrine as of tommorrow...I am going to  try it  out for  1-2 weeks to  see if he does ok  on it with  no side affects ..if there is noticible  side effects I will take him off and still do the  natruel way. The  doctor proscribed 2.5 ml ..and  im still looking  into  behavior therapy for  him also ..so  keep us  both  in your prayers this  will help him NOT HURT HIM!