Meds or Behavior Mod | ADHD Information

Hi and welcome. Sounds like you are on the right path! You may want to rethink the no meds at home. The combination of meds AND behavior modification has the most success.

[QUOTE=Diane V]

You may want to rethink the no meds at home. The combination of meds AND behavior modification has the most success.

[/QUOTE]

Yeah-- we are early in the process, but the idea of no meds at home kind of scares me. (I exaggerate only a little here). I am willing to try behavior mod, but I don't know if she has enough self-control (yet?) to get the most out of that alone at home. *deep breath* After we are back from Christmas vacation and back to a normal schedule, I am looking forward to moving ahead on this.

No advice, I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.. My 8.5 year old cut the fool out of his hair last week and I've been beyond stressed ever since. I will say that this has been the worst two weeks of my parenting life.

But it will get better, I know. Hang in there and try to have a Merry Christmas. Easier said than done, I know. I lost it several times already today.

I don't really mean them to be opposed to each other like that; it was hard to succinctly put my meaning in a subject line...

We are at the beginning stages of getting an ADD diagnosis for my 5-year old daughter. She started kindergarten this year; it was a little rough at the beginning and the teacher has this chart set up for her where she can get "Smilies" or "Frownies" depending on her behavior. She has responded very well to it... in school.

On days where she has a lot of smilies from school, she "loses it" almost as soon as she walks in the door at home-- like she's been holding herself together all day and just can't do it anymore. At home, she does things like cut her hair, trash her room, call us names, scream at us-- things that probably sound familiar from what I've read on this board. We have two older children that typical discipline like time-outs worked with-- although I suppose I don't have to defend my parenting on a board like this, eh?

Anyway, the psychologist suggested that we do a trial of medication at school, and further recommends that we don't give her any meds on weekends or vacations, but that he would work with us on behavior modification. I am actually a special education teacher, so I fully understand how vital it is to make sure her behavior is controlled at school, but school behavior is not what brought us to him. She has no impulse control, and I can't watch her 24/7. Things that we think are out of reach-- aren't. For example, she cut a bunch of her hair today when all the scissors have been put away since the last time she cut her hair. I am feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, and it is obviously impacting everyone in the family. How effective is behavior modification at controlling impulses-- like, "I wonder what would happen if I stuck this knife through the window screen?"

I realize that all this is something that I should be talking about with the psychologist, but we don't have another appointment for a few weeks, and I am having trouble reminding myself that we are just at the beginning and that things aren't going to be all fixed by magic.

It sounds like a sound plan for your daughter. ADHD treatment includes more than just meds. If behavior is an issue than behavior modification is essential. School modifications and accomodations can help with school issues. If social issues exist then social coaching is important. If you think that she is experiencing anxiety keeping up with school and then letting her emotions out at home where it is safe, a trial of meds would help you sort out her pressing issues. The behavior modification will help her learn long term proper behavior.

My youngest can keep it together at school by shutting down at school and then raging at home. Unsuccessfully dealing with ADHD on her own took a great toll on her and added anxiety and depression to her issues. We got her accomodations in school, meds and worked on behavior modification. She now does well in school, makes and keeps friends and no longer has rages. She is happy and progressing very nicely, not perfect but very nicely.

The physciatrist also prescribed medication each day for my granddaughter...She

is also 8.6 years old....and her behavior has been improving since her

kindergarden days....where she would terrorize the school children and

teachers...a very wild child....it took a lot of firm behavior control and lot of

time outs, no t.v, ect to respond. In a small school it helped where everyone knew

of her nature and impulses.....5 years is a hard year for little ones...starting in

school. But the impulses should lessen for your child...like cutting hair, my gdd

also did this several times...also had to keep all objects of harm hidden...ect.

Which is very hard to do...for you don't know what the little mind will think of

next to play with or find interesting.......

I agree that you'd probably want to try meds at home too. The behavior mod. does help, but meds do soooooo much for impulse control.

My son's therapist recommended we use meds everyday because his social/emotional well-being is just as important as his education. It wouldn't do much good to have him doing great in school, but still constantly in trouble at home. Not to mention the impact it has on the parent/child relationship and on the family as a whole.

[QUOTE=jaderock54]

[/QUOTE]

I think you have hit it on the nail jaderock54...this is exactly what I believe. A child doen't need to be on a roller coaster and most importantly I think the child/parent relationship is key to a successful and healthy individual for everyone concerned.

I also don't believe in med breaks unless it is weight related. It seems that most meds take a couple of weeks to get used to and if you take them away for the week end you are starting all over again. Also I agree with the rollercoaster theory, the combination of meds and behavioral therapy works the BEST! Good Luck with your decision.

Five is a hard age for impulse control! It gets better with time.

NoTellin39449.4026967593Behavior mod is always the way to start and each child is different. My child does better with behavior mod combined with a low dose of medication. Hello! My son is just a little older; he's in first grade this year. We got his dx last year when he was in kindergarten. We did some behavior modification therapy and it has been wonderful! We are still meds-free. I think the most challenging aspect of our therapy has been on the parental end; staying consistent and maintaining positive dialog and ignoring those minor negative behaviors. I have noticed that the more we yell or react to negative behaviors the more they occur. A lot of the problems we've seen seem to be cyclic or triggered by an event or situation (like five days of hell following a move to a new home or a change in school or therapists followed by weeks of somewhat mild exhibitions of ahdh behaviors).

I'm finding though, that what works for one kid is not necessarily going to work for another. We have been very hesitant to try meds over here; but I know lots of kids who are trying them and seem to be responding very well.