My son is in 2nd grade and just turned 7. We started Concerta 18mg and just went up to 27 mg recently after being at 18mg for a month. He is borderline ADHD with auditory processing issues and significant social concerns in the classroom. Since starting Concerta, he has done really well with his social skills (intiating more with teacher and friends, participating in class and group discussions) but eventually started having problems with following directions, work accuracy, etc., so we upped the meds. He is a smart kid and does very well in school academically. We have had to use a behavior chart for work completion, staying seated, etc. since Kindergarten. It always takes him twice as long (4-6 weeks) to get used to school and the routine every fall. He is a kid that seems not to be listening and frequently entertaining himself when he should be working....
He has been sick since last week (only a few days after increasing the meds) (upper respiratory stuff), but my mother in law noted last week that he seems more negative at the higher dosage (which I understand is not that high and that with 18 mg there is supposed to be a placebo effect after a while). I took him off the meds this weekend because he was sick, and he seemed happier, although sick. I am battling with myself over these meds. I know he is young for his grade and immature, but I hate giving something that makes him negative and short tempered. I should probably give him a little more time on it since he just started with the higher dosage last week and has been sick. I just have to remind myself what a dramatic change I saw in him the first month on the medicine. Where he tuned out others, he was all of sudden more "there". He was ready to do homework or anything else I asked of him. He does experience some emtional lability in the evenings, which makes paino practice for him (and me) a bear.
Any comments or advice is welcome.
Also, I am wondering how many of you do not give meds on the weekend so your child will eat/sleep normally? And, do you notice with Concerta that it does not last 12 hours???
Maybe it is not the med for him and he needs a change? I do not give meds on the weekends or holidays, but many do.
I wonder if the negativity was just him beginning to feel bad- you know how sometimes you can feel yourself coming down with something before it really hits you?
It could also be that it's not the right med for him. Personally, I'd probably give it another shot after he's well, but you should definetely go with whatever your instinct tells you to do- it's usually right.
As for meds on weekends/holidays, we don't ever skip days. My son gets into trouble because of impulsivity, so if we skip a day it's a not good for anyone and not really fair to him. If we forget and he notices that he's getting yelled at or sent to his room then he'll remind me that he hasn't had his pill- then of course I feel bad and usually "downgrade" the consequence, assuming it wasn't for something too serious.
I would give it some more time as it takes a while for kids to adjust, as long as the side effects are not dramatic.
We do not take med breaks on weeeknds or holidays, my daughter really does not function well off meds.
IMO if eating and sleeping are affected THAT much by the med, I would try something else.
We don't do med breaks or holidays either...I will give it some more time. I think that is only fair. Typically, we only skip on Sundays since it is generally a very low key, family day. His behavior is manageable at home (or at least I just do my best to manage it). I like to watch him on Saturdays to see how the meds are affecting him. It can be so hard to watch him eat so little during the day. He will eat a big breakfast and then after school he will want to snack and eat dinner. Lunch is the problem, he will eat a few grapes and crackers at best. I work at his school so I am able to check up on this. At night he falls asleep between 9-9:30. Before meds, he would be asleep by 8:45ish.
I have read alot of postings on this website and feel more confused and unsure of what I am doing. I read so many conflicting comments about the medicine we are using (Concerta) and how others are using multiple medications. I admit I can see where he has issues doing what is asked of him (related to school or practicing piano) after 5pm (he takes his meds around 6:45am with breakfast). He will fall apart if he is corrected or asked to do something over again. I try to get him to do his homework earlier and he does much better. I would hate to give him more meds in the afternoon. I can't imagine how that would affect his sleeping and eating.
hi, i have a 6yo daughter. she has been on meds for a little over a year. i know what you mean by feeling unsure. i think that many of us feel unsure every once in a while about what we are doing, esp when they are so young. we don't skip days, but i think that my daughter functions better when every day is like the next. this weekend i wanted to give her a bit of a break. which i think just made monday and tuesday worse for her, kinda of a shock, it effects her sleep pattern.
re food, for breakfast and lunch i only give her the food she likes. yo-go's, chicken nugets, sprite, juice, gatorade, chips, cookies, apples, carrots. she doesn't eat a lot of everything but she does eat a little of everything, and that works for me. we also do some of her homework in the morning, she wakes up about 30 min earlier, but it cuts down on the frustration in the pm.
also don't get too attached to any med. if it isn't working, it's ok, there are lots of other options out there.