Hi, I'm new to this board, but I can already tell I'm going to be right at home. My son and I both have ADHD. My son has been taking Concerta for about a year and a half, and I can't rave enough about the change in him. But now that school is back in session and we're back to the routine of homework and after school activities, etc. His frustration level has shot up. He just is so emotional and gets angry or tears so easily. I talked to our prescribing nurse and she has suggested we try a half a pill of clonidine. I have been trying to research it on the web and it seems like if we give it time to take affect (2-4 weeks???) we'll be happy with the results on my son's impulsive/frustrated/agressive side in the afternoons. She advised that I give the pill to him around dinnertime or right after school. (Side note....any tips to help his ADHD Mother remember this would be greatly appreciated!!) I am hopeful that this will help. It has been hell here in the evenings since school started. He is a great student, but really struggles with writing....getting thoughts down onto paper, and neatness. So getting him to do quality homework is becoming a huge DREAD-fest for me. I never had to sit with my daughter and watch her write word for word in 3rd grade, but I find that is the only way my son can get his work done, but it isn't to say that it doesn't involve him storming off, or tears, or aggressive erasing, etc. Of course I hope you can relate and understand that when homework goes in this direction with his frustration it only just lights a fire under me (or my husband) and then we're mad and frustrated. Sigh.....please let me know any experience you have about Clonidine. The biggest thing I have read is that there can be sleep issues at first....I of course dread that, but wonder how long that goes on....
Thanks
Anxiety in kids can come out as anger, aggression, and other behaviors that do not look like anxiety to us adults.Thank you. Just read this on one of the links...
suggested that clonidine may be most beneficial in children with ADHD, who are easily emotionally overwhelmed, are anxious, and have a low frustration tolerance.
And although I don't see him as being anxious, everything else is My son.....emotional and frustration are what gets the whole household to almost meltdown in the evenings.
I'm assuming we're getting Clonidine, but it could be one of the other meds you listed. If we get bad results, I will suggest to the dr. the other ones you listed. My fingers are crossed that this could help our evenings! I just don't want it to make him too drowsy because then we'll be fighting that battle cry..."I'm too tired to do my homework!"
Clonidine is in the same med class as guanfacine (Tenex), but can be more sedating. My youngest takes guanfacine in the morning and at night, with the posibility of a booster after school. These meds work for impulsivity, hyperactivity, sleep issues and has been shown to work better in combo with a stimulant than either med alone. Tenex works longer than clonidine, but there is a long acting form of clonidine (Catapres sp?). Here is some information:
http://www.fragilex.org/html/clonidine.htm
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/Antihypertensives-for-attentio n-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder