to medicate or not to medicate | ADHD Information

If you can get a good child psychiatrist, they can re-check the diagnosis and guide you through your treatment options. ADHD often comes with co-existing issues, so having a good proffessional will be helpful throughout the changes during growing up.

Treatment for ADHD is not just medication and can include social skills, parenting skills (for you), coaching, behavior modification, cognitive training for older kids/adults, etc. These are used as needed, based on the individual.

Also, look at the marble system by Ogram (top of the parent's board) for a positive reinforcement behavior plan.

Hi,

Everyone is giving you good advice. However, a  child psychiatrist (depending on where you live) can be hard to find.  But worth the effort if available.  The next best is probably a developmental ped. The med route is scary but is a real necessity for some children.  For us we decided to medicate after we realized how much ADHD effects a child's social relationships and self-esteem.  In my mind I always thought as long as he was learning in school we would not medicate.  I had not explored the other ramifications of the ADHD (social).  Your child's mental health is as important as his education.  Therefore, be as educated as possible and go with your gut feeling.  Remember meds can be stopped.  Also, the first medication may not be the best and you may need to change. Good luck.

 

 

Hi There "brandnew".  I too have never had to deal with this.

I have been "aware" of my son's situation for 4 years.  He does not do meds. I will admit is takes a lot of patience and understanding to get through without them..Somtimes I wonder why I am doing it. I attended a non drug seminar for ADHD children.  It was targeted at parents who were "on the fence".  After hearing the stories of low or no weight gain to traits  of "zombism" I just could not do it.  Now I am on a quest to try and see if my son will endure the Omega #3 treatment and perhaps neurological brain testing.  There are some places that can help and I have emailed them.  This is all new to me so I will try to update my information and resources and I receive them

Best of luck and remember when the meds wear off, they are still our little problem...I think focusing on the problem and not a "fix" is a better route for me...you may or may not feel the same.

 

Take care,

Becky

 

HI,

I think I read this on this board.  Meds should be like eye glasses.  They should not change their personality just help the child focus, just as eye glasses just help the child see better. Having said that, the wrong med or wrong dose can make your child a zombie.  Both my children are on Ritalin LA and we have no zombie children and after the meds wear off they are the same children I have always had. Regarding the weight and growth, that should be a concern but can easily be monitored.  My son has gained 6 pounds since beginning around January of this year. He is 10 and a tall boy and weights about 81 pounds. My daughter has lost weight (about 4lbs) but was over weight to begin with.  She has been on meds since June. I am closely watching her growth.

If you can get results from methods that are not tradtional ADHD stimulants, go for it. But, please watch your child's mental health in the process. Being socially accepted and understanding social cues, listening in class, doing well in school, not being in "trouble all the time" are so important. Most ADHD kids have these struggles and it really is difficult for them.  Regarding my daughter one person told me "you don't want her getting in the habit of tuning out." Wow, that stuck me hard. 

Also, I do believe some non traditional methods might  help the child (Omegas) but not nearly as much as the correct stimulant at the correct dose. So we do both. I figure it can't hurt and if the Omegas have merit then my child will benefit.  Good luck. Remember to not be fearful and learn as much as possible.

I am dealing with ds getting used to the meds again after the summer.  He told me yesterday that it makes his stomach feel funny.  I told him to give it a week and his body should be used to it.  I am calling the doctor today about the difficulty we are having when he comes down off the meds.  I could use any advice you have on how to help him unwind.  I try to keep things structured and give him projects to do but he gets overwhelmed.It can be something he can't figure out without me doing it for him or something as simple as just watching t.v. and all of a sudden he decides "THERE IS NOTHING TO DO!" It almost turns into a nervous breakdown if I don't respond the way he wants me to.  Then he is up roaming the house two hours after bed time so that makes a scene.

The night time battles are the reason I postponed putting him back on the meds.  It's either he struggles and risk failing 2nd grade and we have peace at home or he does well in school with the normal mishapes and it is a nightmare at home.  I just have to learn how to manage him when he "CRASHES".  Any suggestions?

 

I am with you w/luv.  My decision always  had to do with my sons self esteem.  He came home from 1st grade saying his brain was over reacting and he couldn't control it.  He said he wanted to die.  I got him on meds the next week.  It was a miracle. His grades improved he was not in trouble daily.  Occasionally but not daily.  I made my self a promise I would leave not stone unturned to find another way.  I am still working on it.  He is now in the 4th grade and taking tenex and strattera.  It is working well for him and he is eating well too.  I am waiting for the results of his amino acid plasma test and I am hopeful that this may be the "thing" I have been looking for.
The thing is if you start meds you can always stop...
I just wanted to reply and show you that you are not alone.  I am new to this board but not new to the struggles with ADHD.  I have tried to educate myself on diffrent ways to handle my sons ADHD.  When we made the decision to put him on medication (Concerta) it was a last resort.  He was already failing 1st grade, we had been to the psychologist, ds was always in trouble and depressed.  I know how can a first grader be depressed but he would say things like "I hate my life" and "I just want to die" that was scarry.  I talked untill I was blue in the face trying to reason it all out.  When he got on the meds it did not make him a diffrent person it made him a better more productive person.  He was able to get his thoughts organized.  All of the things that he couldn't focus on long enough to understand where standing still for him.  He was a little sick like dizzie and didn't want to eat at first.  He didn't have to much trouble sleeping just needed to unwind (like a spinning top) when the meds where out of his system for the day.  The sickness was gonge after about a week and I had his teacher moniter him closely for the "Zombie" look.  He took the med's for almost two years and I was concerned about his lack of weight gain and took him off for the summer.  The doctor did not see any cause for concern over his growth but I just felt it was time for a break.  I kept him active all summer and he put on some weight.  We had a great busy summer.  Then back to school with out the meds.....that is another long story....so lets just say the reason for him being on the meds did not disappear over the summer, he just didn't have to sit still long enough to be dragged down by them.  He is back on his meds.  It is still hard to accept as a parent that my child needs to be medicated in order to be successfull but everyone tells me that he's chemical's in his body need to be stabilized with the meds just like if I needed Insulin for Diabitees.  Sorry this is so long but I hope it helps.  You are not alone with your worries.Ever since my 7 year old son was diagnosed as ADHD last week I have been plagued with the question to medicate or not. there are some real horror stories of ADHD medication which really terrifies me. On the other hand medication has some rave reviews too! My doctor is against and my son's teacher and psychologist are for. I just don't want to do anything that will harm my boy. Please help.

First welcome.

The decision to medicate is very personal. No one can make that choice for your son and your family, but you. The BEST thing you can do is exactly what you are doing........learn, learn, learn. Gather as much advice and information as you can. Throw out the garbage (you'll get a lot) and sort throught he valid advice and decide what seems best for your family.

That said, why is your childs doctor against it? What kind of doctor is this? Who made his diagnosis?

Many children have GREAT success using alternative methods, and many, many children succeed with the help of prescription meds. Either way, you will not know what will work or how he will react until you start trying. Believe me none of has ever wanted to do single thing to harm our children. We all hjve the same goal, to provide them with the tools needed to do their best. For many kids this is not possible without medication.

Thanks for the welcome, its so good to know that there are others out there who have and are going through what I am experiencing now.

My doctor is a medical practioner, the psychologist and teacher have made the diagnosis. The doctor has done all the medical and blood tests to rule out any medical problems which could seem like ADHD.

You're right, I need to start trying something, it's all just so terrifying! I feel as if one wrong choice or decision will harm my child irrepairably. I saw one article on a website that says Ritilan killed a 14 year old! It's very overwhelming and scary!!!

nothing prescribed by a professional should cause "irreperable damage". Stimulant medications are in and out of your system within hours. You would know fairly quickly whetehr a med is working or not and whether or not it is oging to cause any kind of side effects. The most common side effects are decreased appetite and/or insomnia. Any kind of medication (even Tylenol) has the risk of side effects. Keep researching and hang in there. It is very scary.

Can I make a suggestion, that you get a referral to a pediatrics psychiatrtst? They are the most experienced in childhood meds.

I would also suggest seeing a Child Psychiatrist for meds management. A teacher cannot diagnose, and a Psychologist cannot prescribe meds. Meds are a personal choice, but a decision that will have to be made one way or the other eventually.

Thanks for the advice guys I think that seeing a child psychiatrist is a really good idea

I felt like I was being railroaded into giving my boy meds, scary or not I cant jump into this blinfolded. But I am feeling much better about my situation. ADHD is not the end of the world!

If you feel like you are being railroaded into medicating, a child psychiatrist is not who you should see. This is who you see when you have decided to medicate and need a professional to manage the medication.

If you do not want to be pushed to medicate, you might want to seek out another psychologist, neuropsychologist, or a child behavior center that takes a "whole" approach for recommendations. They should specialize in ADHD.

Or you could do your own research for awhile. IMHO you can pretty much find what you need to know about alternative treatments on this board: occupational therapy, ADHD parenting classes, play therapy, supplements, caffeine, biofeedback, Interactive Metronome, social skills classes, reward programs like the marble system, the Magic 1-2-3 book, classroom accommodations, homeopathy, reminder bracelets, brain scans....it's all here.

NoTellin39323.5810648148w/luv it sounds like you are happy with the meds, but he is suffering rebound when coming off the meds? Do I have this right? If so you could try a different med. All meds are different. Quite a few people here are using Guanfacine along with a small dose of stimulant too and this helps with the hyperactivity and rebound. There is a very long thread here on the Guanfacine. Sometimes it's juts a matter of a different stimulant or different delivery method. Did you say he was taking Concerta?Yes he takes Concerta and I had no problems with it for the almost 2years he was on it before the summer break.  Although the evenings have always been difficult I am normally able to get a handle on it.  This first week starting the meds again has been very difficult with the "rebound" and I am afraid that it will always be like this.  I know the sick feeling he has is just his body getting adjusted but is the "rebound" being magnified by the adjustment period or do I really need to look into other meds?  I can't get into see the Doctor untill 9/20/07.

It may get better, if not better by the time you see the doc you may want to think about a change.

In the meantime some people give caffeine or chocolate around the rebound time. Sometimes this will smooth out that "crash". I'm not sure how feel about that, but may be worth a try as it is only temporary unitl you see the docotr. I wouldnt think anyone would want to do this every day, but a few cokes wont him.

Diane V39324.3019907407

Hi there

thanks for sharing your experience with me. I am leaning towards the alternative route but will get in touch with a psychiatrist/adhd specialist and get another opinion. 

I sometimes get the feel that there are lots of people/companies out there who want to jump on the bandwagon and make money out of the ADHD situation. Thats why I am so grateful for this forum, it helps you to seperate the wheat from the chaff.

 

Wow thanks that explains why the Hot Chocolate helped last night.  It has caffeine in it!  I tried sleepy time tea first and he didn't like it so I thought the warm hot chocolate would help him settle in for the night after bath time, it did help....he watched a little t.v. and feel right to sleep.  I am going to make Hot chocolate every night!!!  Thanks again!

Hi,

I have a 7 yo on concerta and a 11 yo who is going to start something (we have an appointment today)  Anyway, I went the diet route for 2 years.  It helped my 11 yo enough that we did not need to medicate but my 7 yo (adhd impulsive and hyperactive) could not cope.  It helped his hyperactivity but not his impulsiveness).  My 11 yo dd (adhd inattentive) was okay in elementary school with a 504 plan and on the Feingold Diet and omegas but in Middle school she is having some problems.  Mostly with the social thing. We are going to try meds and see what happens.  I think it will help with homework. She is in honors but spent between 2-3 hours on homework all last year and  can distract herself by playing with her hair or looking at the ceiling. 

Anyway, my advice is go with your gut.  I gave the alternative stuff 2 years and it was very hard to give up the dream of no meds but it is actually much less stressful now since I don't have to worry about everything they put into their mouths (even toothpaste!).

 

good luck!

L.

 

My opinion is wait and see behavior modification may be good enough alone and if that works for you than great.  As for meds they can help and yes I was terrified too and still am at times especially now after drug training from work.  My girl does good on meds as well as behavior mod so that is what I go with each child is different so before putting yourself through this wait and see.