Good grade card! 3rd in a row!! | ADHD Information

Chase brought home his grade card and he has:
93% in Social Studies92% in English93% in Math85% in Reading (the subject he had late assignments in)96% in ScienceHe did get checkmarks in several Academic and one Personal Behavior areas(improvement needed):
takes responsibility for materials, works independently, works cooperatively with others, uses time appropriately, completes tasks in a given time, completes and returns assignments on time, and the personal behavior one is..practices ways to express feelings appropriately.

These are all issues that I already knew about, so no big surprises there!  It is the main reason that I was switching meds...the Concerta wasn't working so great anymore in the late afternoon...the last class is reading...and he had several late/missing assignments that he turned in for half credit in the last weeks.

Not too bad though.  I am waiting to get Jake's on the mail, and then we will plan an outing to celebrate 2 good grade cards!

Chase has been on honor roll every grade card since beginning meds.  Before that, he rarely made it and usually only the first grading period when everything is review and he skated through somehow....

Now if we could just get rid of some checkmarks......but I just realized that he USED to get marks in following directions, uses active listening, completes assignments neatly and legibly, demonstrates organizational skills, waits for his turn to talk, exhibits self control...and this time he didn't!

Baby steps....just gotta keep on plugging along....

Sounds like good progress. Have a good celibration.

  

dolphinjen

There is another forum member named 'chasesmom'...maybe you have me confused?  Chase has never taken daytrana, though I did ask a question or two about it I think....

We had to switch from the concerta because the patient assistance program that was providing it booted Chase from the program...long story...makes me mad to think about it...we have major medical insurance (self employed) but it has very crappy prescription coverage, and we all know how much these drugs for ADHD cost!

We started ritalin LA today....I am worried about it lasting for the whole school day, but I can get a short acting one for the afternoon if I have to...I am not worried about the stigma of him taking a pillat school, I worry that he will totally forget to go to the office and get it!  Our school district shares one nurse and she has to get to 3 different schools throughout the week, so she is not there each day and the secretary is an idiot....sad but true...she can't even get notes to him when I need him to not ride the bus because I have decided to pick him up!

On the concerta, Chases eating/appetite did not improve, and believe me, I tried all the tricks.  Finally, I discovered a post about Periactin (Cyproheptadine), and researched it, then called the ped and she agreed (over the phone!) to put chase on it.  It made him hungry after about 3 days...he had a normal appetite for about 5-6 weeks, then I noticed that he was slacking, and during my research, i had seen posts from moms who said that they had to take breaks from it for a day or two every couple months, then the effectiveness comes back, so we are on a break this weekend.

He has had a normal appetite today on the ritalin LA, so I hope that this med works well enough for school, and the appetite stays good!

As for sleep, Chase also had a lot of trouble falling asleep on the concerta.  I used melatonin with good success.  You can buy it at health food stores and even dollar general.  Chase said that it made him "cozy and drowsy".  I would give it to him about an hour before bed and he would normally go straight to sleep.  If I forgot a night, that is how I would remember...I would go to bed at 11 and he would still be quietly awake in his room!  So I know that it worked.  Now he is on guanfacine for aggression issues, and it helps him sleep, so I no longer use the melatonin.< id="message" src="http://www.adhdnews.com/forum/RTE_text.asp?mode=reply&POID=281090&ID=1623" ="hideColourPallete()" height="200" width="490">
Good luck and ask any more questions that you may have...I will try to answer them.

Thanks so much for the reply and the information!  It's so nice to get support.  YOu are the person whose post I read, b/c I read about how you called Shire to see if they had a pt assistance program b/c your husband is self employed.  Thanks again,

 

Jenny

Congratulations!!!  That must be such a great feeling!  That's awesome.  After so often hearing negative things, to get such good grades...both of you should be very proud. 

You mentioned you switched from Concerta.  I saw one of your posts on the Daytrana thread on the Medications board, where you said your son was taking Daytrana.  Is that what he is on now?  You mentioned his lack of appetite.  I worry so much about my daughter.  She has severe ADHD, is now on 72mg of Concerta.  School is getting better, more focus but still distactible.  ANyway, how is the weight going with Chase?  Also does he stay awake late?  Sometimes Grace is awake until the wee hours of the morning (literally!)  Same side effects with lower doses of Concerta.  Any advice?

Congratulations!!

I am so happy for you and your family. Excellent way to start the new year!!. And it will keep that way for sure!!