What you look for is appropriate engagement in activities. Talk to him when he is quiet. It may be that he is experiencing self reflection for the first time and is enthralled with it. How is he when you or others talk to him?
My little on has trouble expressing herself; it all comes out in a torrent of words, feelings and excitement. On meds, she can slow it down for better communication and less frustration. She can now self entertain for a bit and is not constantly bugging her sister for amusement. She has always invented things, she now just does it with fewer angry outbursts (frustration that it was not going the way she immagined it) and she actually completes more inventions to her liking. It is kind of freaky when the house is quiet. I still can't get used to that some days.
At first it was very disconcerting- my child was sitting quietly and reading a book and it wasn't because he had a raging fever! You do actually get used to your child behaving like other children, but I found that it almost didn't feel "right" at first because I was used to constant chaos. Now, on days I forget to give him his meds, I wonder how we lived without them.
Give it some time and if you are still concerned then you should talk to his doctor. But Vickie's advice was great- just look at how he's engaging in activities.
Noah has been on Adderall XR 10mg since the beginning of school. Lately, he has been increasingly impulsive, so his dr. put him on .5 of Tenex. The differenc is amazing, he is much calmer. But I am wondering if he is too calm, I like the effect of the "edge" being taken off, last night at a funeral viewing, he quietly sat on a chair until we were done. That has NEVER happened. So that leads me to wonder if this is how children without ADHD are, or if he is too suppressed, too somber, too much of a flat affect. I have been trying to watch him in social situations to see how he does. DH took him to TaeKwonDo last night and he did great, was engaged and all, but still I wonder.... Any thoughts?
Alyson and Noah - 6 years - ADHD
Emma Kate - 3 years