My son is 5 1/2. He is about to start kindergarden in August. I am just so upset
He was diagnoised with ADHD about a year ago. At first the Doc was giving him Concerta which seemed to real good. He was back to being normal everyday happy kid. The doctor he was going to didnt give me any techinques. Didnt advise me he could become immune to the medicine. Didnt re-evaluate or anything. When I notice is behavior had gone back to the way he was and eve worse. I took him back. The doctor sais she could do no more for him. So I changed doctors and now he see a pychartrist.
They started him on Focaline, very lose doses. Mys on was on 36 mg of Concerta. Then they up his dose to 20 mg of Focaline which he still is on today. No change in anything. She started giving him that on top of Ritalin .5 in the afternoon. That did nothing. Nothing has worked for the hyperactiveness.
The focalin does allow him to work better and concentrate. But he cannot sit down in his seat, he constantly interrupts. He talks back to me. He repeats himself 20 times after already being asnwered. He even hit some kid the other day. He isnt an unhappy child. They started giving him this clonindine twice a day. Which seemed to work. Half a pill in the am and half in the afternoon. For two days he actually sat down. Then The doc said I could up thei pill if he was still active to much, So I upped to one whole one in the morning. .1 mg. Which that did nothing. He seems to be so active again. He doesnt even takea nap at nap time. As soon as he gets in teh car though Mind you he takes that afternoon pill at 3. I pick him up about 5 he almost falls asleep in the car.
The org. Doc he was seeing went on maternity leave and he saw a new doc that had prescribed him the clonindine. We are going to see the doctor again tommorow. Cause he said we should see improvement very fast. Yep for two days. I am on the waiting list for indv. Theapry. Im just out of my mind. Poor son is onyl 30 lbs. Becuase he is very small anyway. I ground him for being bad in school. I take away his TV. Because I cant just say your bad. but its ok to have fun. He was being seated at a table by himself. Which he started saying that was his favorite table. No its the bad boy table. The focaline does a little bit, because one am I forgot to give it to him and he was really out of control. On the weekends he seems to be undercontrol. But its when he is at school.
Help Advise, antyhing reassuring. I have tried to even get him to color for like 30 minutes a day with a distracting background so he can learn. He cant even do that. When we sit at home and watch a movie, he cannot sit down/ He bites his fingernails so low. No blood. Just biting them.
Im so worried about kindergarten and everything. I miss my good little boy. I miss the kid that was good. He is so smart. He is very very smart. But I feel its goign to waste.
Welcome,
You will find help and support here.
It can take time to find the best med regimen for an individual, but it will be worth it. There may be further adjustments as your son's needs change as well (after school activities, homework, puberty, etc), so do not be discouraged if there are further adjustments with time.
Clonidine can be too sedating for some and you can ask to switch to guanfacine (Tenex) if your son keeps showing the sleepiness with the clonidine.
Look at ogram's marble thread for a positive reinforcement behaviour plan. For a 5 year old, start with just 2 or 3 behaviours you want to change. This can be used for school behaviors (with a cooperative teacher) as well as home behaviors.
Early treatment can be a real advantage for these kids, so hang in there. It will get better.
Since the school year is almost done you will have the summer to get him where he needs to be. I don't have advice on meds but I do want to tell you to hang in there! It will get better! Change doctor again of you have to and "start over". He obviously has a loving mother so have faith that you can get through this! Some meds or wrong dose of meds can increase anxiety and exacerbate ADHD symptoms. Keep on the doctor. I am going through a med adjustment with my daughter right now too. It is heartbreaking. But with experience I know eventually it will get better. It doesnt always help them, or us, in the here and now though.