New To Ritalin | ADHD Information
Keep a daily diary of what he eats and his mood. His body probably needs to acclimate to the ritalin. If you don't see the hyperactivity decreasing, he may need a higher dose. The dosage is not based on weight, it is based on how fast the body metabolizes it--and everyone is different. I remember when dd took her first dose of a stimulant--she sat down and did an entire 20-page workbook for school--entirely unheard of for her!! I was thinking Hallelujah! That phase quickly passed, though.
cr12345mr39006.341099537My 5 y. o. son started Ritalin today and I havent seen any of the
effects that I was expecting.
The first hour of his 5mg dose he seemed high! Giggling a lot, doing
silly things that arent his normal personality and almost obsessively
writing the alphabet. I tried some structured writing, but he just
wanted to write random letters. He also seemed to have a BETTER
appetite than usual. I know it's just the 1st day, but has anyone else
had these effects? is it normal? How long before i should expect to
see the calm, focusing effects?
I'm glad you posted! There is another thread, "Day 3 on meds" of
another child who just started meds (not ritalin) for the first time
and I'm anxious to hear their stories as well. This forum is full of
people with experience and I find their posts helpful, but I think it's
more beneficial to hear about the journey of the families on the
same page as we are.
I've always known my son was ADHD, but we have adapted our life
around it and were able to cope. Once he started school it was a
totally different ballgame. People outside of our family circle don't
have the time to adapt to it and it triggered a huge change in my
son. I'm almost angry that he has to deal with a society that doesnt
understand and love him the way I do. I know it's just the way life is,
but I swear it makes me want to run to the hills and let him just be
who he is!
Until then we are trying. Day after Day.
Good luck and my heart is feeling some of your pain, believe me!
THEY MAYBE WILL NEED MORE TIME OR A SLOW RELEASE RETILIN,OR ANOTHER DOSE IN THE AFTERNOON.I AM ON CONCERTA AND NO CRASH AT ALL BUT I AM AN ADULT AND PROBABLY CAN COPE BETTER WITH IT.
THE CRASHING MUST BE HEATBREAKING,HOPE YOU BOTH FIND ASOLUTION(I KNOW YOU WILL)
GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF YOU
DD also crashed after school. So we added a short-acting dose after school, and it is great for homework.
I'm also a veteran of the homework wars. My humble advice to you is to let him do it his way and don't hover or criticize. He really has been trying super hard to be good in school and he can't help it if he can't focus on the homework. He is only 5, homework just isn't that important at this age. Do whatever you can to help him love school and love learning. If you can't let the homework go, maybe do it in the morning after his med has taken effect. 
I've always known my son was ADHD, but we have adapted our life
around it and were able to cope. I'm almost angry that he has to deal with a society that doesnt understand and love him the way I do.[/QUOTE]
Wow, I wonder if we are alot alike, you and I.
I've said since Brenna was IN UTERO that she had ADHD. Of course, it was all a big joke, but she's truely been different since the moment she was born. She hit all her milestones WAY early. She was running, not walking, by 8 months. She's just always been like this, but now that she's getting older and has more interaction with other children and adults, I can't expect everyone to conform to her the way we've been comforming to her for 5 years. I wish I had a remote control, like Adam Sandler in Click, where I could just make everyone around her understand and appreciate her for the child she is, not who they think she should be, or who they want her to be.
But, even still... she's exhausting to me. Though, I can certainly appreciate her ability to empathyze, her care and concern for others is so much stronger than my "non-adhd" child. She's a much "sweeter" child than my older son. But GEEZ!
She's not in school yet. She has other health concerns that kept her out this year (celiac disease/gluten intolerance - newly diagnosed, peanut allergies, as well as other severe food allergies, and an unusually tiny stature. She's the size of a normal 3 year old). But, she does go to one class, once a week for 90 minutes, and we are TRYING to do homeschool stuff this year. But, so far.... no luck.
I am so sorry that the crashing has been so tough - but, just remember, all kids seem to let it all hang out with mom. I think that it is because they feel the safest with mom...so after a whole day of trying to make everyone happy, it gets to be too much, and all comes out where they know that they are safe. We went through a lot of that during the first two weeks of school - when I got home M would get very defiant, then angry, then when I took him in my arms he would just melt into a crying puddle. Very heartbreaking, but on the other hand, I am so happy that I can help him release all that frustration.
I would check with your dr on the slow release afternoon med - I have heard a lot of people doing that.
Also, maybe a quick break after school to do something fun to release all the pent up school frustrations, then start homework.
From what I understand, it does take a while for their little bodies to get accustomed to the meds, so hopefully things will smooth out for you.
I have notice my son wanted to play his V Smile video game more since being on meds??? Not sure if it is just a coincidence since he kind of comes and goes on being interested in it?
Good luck, keep us posted!!
We tried all three kinds of ritalin over the summer and ealry fall. DS 7, was a mess when he came down from it. I was hated, he tried to run away, as we upped the dose or went to long acting his behavior at home and at night got worse.. homework was ripped up.. etc.. he always would end up in a ball on our laps crying...
Be sure and watch to see if there behavior gets worse.... He is on strattera now. We had his weekly appoitment today.. and I was told some kids with compulsive behaviors get worse on stimulent... Our guy is one of those.. DS, will tell you though he can think better on any one of the meds.. it is finding the right combo... be patient... take lots of deep breaths.. Yes, there are lots of us out here going through the same thing... I read the posts here all the time.. it so puts my mind at ease... 
May I jump in on your thread? My 5 year old daughter just started Ritalin today. I won't say it made her a different child, because it didn't. But, it did make her more attentive, easily. I usually spend my afternoons chasing her around the house, getting her down off the top of the couch, climbing chairs, running in and out of the yard, performing dangerous leaps off her "loft" bed, etc. Today, she played quietly in her room for 45 minutes, and then came out and just sat and chatted with me.
She's usually mildly violent with her baby brother...and that just didn't happen at all today.
When we grocery shop, it's TERRIBLE. Today it was very enjoyable. She wasn't super loud, boisterous, and over-bearing.
But, then the medication wore off. And, now we are a sobbing mess of tears, punching the air, smacking her BIG brother, stomping, whining, yelling, running like a maniac - and the list goes on. She looks SO confused, like she has no idea what is happening to her, or why.
I am physically and mentally exhausted, and my heart is breaking for her.
So how's it going today?Day 2 was about the same as day 1. VERY focused on his letters for
almost 2 hours. Not zombie like but waaay more attentive then I've
ever seen him.
Today, Day 3, he went to school on the meds. The teacher saw a
huge difference as far as staying in his seat and following directions
better. Yay for the positive!
However.... The meltdown this afternoon was heartbreaking. The Dr.
suggested we do homework right after school to see if we could still
catch some of the noon dose. Homework is always tough for both of
us as I'm a perfectionist and well...he has ADHD! It started out
typical. Him wanting to rush through and doing sloppy work, Me
making him do it the correct way and take his time. He then calmly
told me that he hated me and didnt want to live with me anymore.
My child has never said anything like this to me before...and there
wasnt any rage in the way he said it, but very serious.
He called his grandma and demanded to be picked up and was
denied of course. I tried not to but I broke down into tears and that
didnt even stop him from repeating it no matter what I said to him.
Finally I pulled him into my arms and he sobbed for a good 5
minutes saying he was sorry and loved me etc and that he was upset
because he had been such a good boy at school, but now he couldnt
do what he was supposed to do.He also complained of a headache.
After the meltdown we got back into homework and it went
smoothly.
I'm thinking we may just need to wait for a while on the homework
so that he can get out whatever tension has built up from being
"good" at school all day.This whole journey is exhausting me so I
know this has to be completely overwhelming for his little body,
mind and spirit.
We'll see if it goes any better tomorrow. I sure do hope so.