I was curious if any parents had this problem and have some helpful advice. My 8 year old son has AdHd with some pdd. We are currently experimenting for the right medication. He was on concerta, aderal , ritalin and faucolin which did not work well. So the doctor recomended a new drug called Vyvase which is suppose to be good but then again so where the others.
Today we had a talk with his teacher who told us that all day in class he refused to do his classwork, was humming and other parts of the day was in a daze. It seems this year so far has been his worst which is the 3 grade. Is this a common thing?
As the class emphasis goes from short instruction and lots of hands on, to more lengthy instruction is when ADHD is most often identified and starts and becomes more of an issue.
You might look at the marble system by Ogram for a positive reinforcement behavior plan. If you use tickets, the teacher can give him tickets for the behavior(s) you and the teacher decide to work on. Ultimately a good behavior plan is an important part of the treatment for ADHD, with meds, social skills coaching or other things the person needs to be successful in life.
You might also ask the doc about a low dose of tenex (guanfacine) which is a blood pressure med used off-label for ADHD and is effective for defiance, impulsivity, hyperactivity, sleep issues, and sometimes weight issues caused by the stimulants. Look for the very long Tenex thread on the medication board.
Oh yeah sounds like my girl she is stubborn and has ODD my child. What works for her is a behavior plan where she can earn daily and weekly rewards. For your child it may be the medication issue just finding the right one and dosage but you can try a reward system in the process to see.School really starts with the third grade so if there is a problem it really shows up there.
ADHD and PDD is a tough combination but dealable. If you can find one a therapist who is familiar with both of these can be of great help in helping your child. The trick is finding one. It may take checking out several before locating one that can help both the child and the parents. It needs to be a team effort between the child, the parents and the therapist. A play therapist would be a logical choice at his age.
You can find a roster of play therapists at www.a4pt.org. If you live in a large community there are often support groups, If this the case then I strongly suggest getting involved. Other parents have been through this and can give you lots of help. Again in large communities, universities and children's hospitals either have help or can tell you where to get it.
It is pretty tough working with this combination alone. Groups like this can help. Keep trying and keep plugging. Remember, raising a child is not a destination but a journey. It never ends nor would it want it to. Now my grown children teach me more than I teach them.
Dizfriz
Well today is the first day we have my son on Vyvanse a 30mg pill which is equivalent to 20 mg of Aderol. Already to my surprise my son is very calm but too calm and sleepy. Is that normal with medicine?
This can happen while the body adjusts. If it does not settle out in a few days let the doc know. Also, if it really seems bothersom (severe lethargy) which interferes at school (falling asleep in class), let the doc know right away.
One of the comments about stimulant meds and ADHD is that people with ADHD can sleep while on a stimulant, while normaltypics start bouncing off the walls.