Kids with Heart problems probably should not take stimulant meds, but there are other options that are not stims available, have you tried one of them?
If you have only tried Ritalin, I would look into other meds.
Wow, sounds like your son must be having quite a time in school! I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for both him and his teacher.
Does he have an IEP or 504 plan? Sound like the school maybe needs to offer some assistance other than videotaping and asking you to medicate. Obviously he can't be on the stimulants because of the heart problem. I'm assuming he's in a gen. ed. class- he may need a smaller setting and/or aide to help him stay on track.
Have you talked to your docotr about any of the non-stimulant meds like strattera? Some antidepressant are also used to treat adhd. There are also some other meds like tenex (a blood pressure med) that are used off- label, I beleive, to treat adhd.
He has an IEP. We also found out today that he has some special vision problems that causes him to fall behind in class as well as get poor grades on things he really knows. Example: When math is given horizontally and blocked into sections he misses the middle section. His muscles in his eyes are not strong enough to move them side to side. He begins to get dizzy and his vision blurs. Initially we thought it was his heart. All tests were good until I took him to a developmental vision center. The results were dramatically different. His vision (20/20) is perfect. But his ability to see without gross motor help (from his hand to guide him horizontally) he literally gets lost. Can there be anymore.
We have tried anti depressents with no help too. Instead of calming they turned him into a drone which believe it our not effected his breathing and his heart. It slowed his body functions down instead of just his brain. Gos love my little man but sometimes I feel as though ,as far as meds ,until he is older and stronger there isn't any help.
Our school only offers aids for children with physical limitations. He does get behavioral minutes so that he can go to the special education room and calm himself instead of constantly going to the principals office. He also does get help with work when the teacher can't.
Thanks for listening AGAIN.
Is that vision therapy? If so, red flag! Have they suggested very costly treatment? Take him to a pediatric opthamologist for any vision issues.
Have you tried Strattera? Prescribed by a child psychiatrist so that it gets a legitimate try? You need an EEG to check the QT rate after one month of usage. The only bodily function it might slow down is digestion. Are you sure about all of these comments about anti depressants affecting breathing, heart and bodily functions?? I have a CHD child, and well, I kinda doubt these sweeping statements.
As far as the school only offering aids for children with physical limitations when you already have an IEP , nope. You get what you ask for. You don't ask, you don't get. Use the video tape. Send a certified letter requesting a Functional Behavioral Assessment performed by a certified behaviorist. And note that you look forward to receiving the Assessment Plan in fifteen days. I suggest that you become your son's advocate for services. If he is rolling around on the floor and banging his head on the ground, he clearly needs one. And a good one. Start reading the Special Education Code.
I am a mother of 5 with two of my children having ADHD. The one I am having a time with is my 8 year old son. He is very small only weighing in at 46 pounds. He has had congestive heart failure in the past. Medications are our issue. They tried ritalyn and that didn't work at all it caused problems with his heart because they could never get his dosage right. His metabolism is so high that he burns away any amount of meds they have tried to fast. School is an entire different issue because he is unmedicated. They think and tell me can't you just give him a pill. NO I can't. He literally bounces off the wall. They video taped him in class with my permission and he would roll around on the ground as well as bang his head on the doors...out of pure frustation because the teacher has no idea how to listen to him.
Sorry I suppose I am just rambling but I am at my wits end along with the rest of us. Thanks for listening!