when to give a booster dose? | ADHD Information

I've never done a booster dose, so I can't answer that question that you posed.  However, I'll ask a follow-up question to what you wrote.  Why is 20 mg the max. dose of Focalin that he can take?  My child's dr. told me that they don't make a capsule that's more than 20 mg, but FDA studies actually showed that doses higher than 20 mg were the most effective for a lot of people, and they didn't have side effects from going so "high."  My child doesn't take this med. anymore, but he used to take higher than 20 mg.  I forget how high we went before switching to Metadate CD.  The more even delivery of that medicine is better for him, but everyone is different, of course. Mom2ADHDboy39737.8501273148My 9 yr old son is doing great on 10 mg of focalin XR.  On the days he has chess club and extended day care, he takes a 5 mg of focalin.  It really helps.  But now I am noticing and hearing about behavior issues when I don't administer the booster dose.  His coach at flag football, who has known him for years through daycamp at the Y, told me last week that my son was out of control.  Flag football is from 6-7.  I see the same behavior at home but have learned to handle it.  Not a picnic.  My question is how often do parents give the kid a smaller dose?  Only when after school activities occur?  Everyday to aid homework?  If their child has something going on?  I really liked having him take the booster only one day a week.  By not having him take it when he is home with me, the family life is much harder, but I really hate to make him take a pill to make my life easier.  I would like him to pretty much stay on 10 mg.  20 mg is considered a max dose, and I feel like we are creeping towards that when he has a booster dose.  And just last week, the pediactric neurologist suggested dropping the weekend daily dose to see how he reacts.  He also takes 1.5 clonodine at night.  We are also seeing an emergence of tics late in the day (twirling, oral noises).  Boy, it feels so much better just to sit down and write about this.My son takes a 12 hour stimulant, but on days when he gets home late, or
has a lot of homework, I give him a booster dose (10 mg) around 4 p.m. It
usually wears off about 7 or so. I don't give it every day, because he isn't
that hungry for dinner when I give it, but sometimes it it necessary.

Hope that helps! Good question!!

My own son (also 9yo!) is on 10mg of Focalin XR; taken at 6:45am. He's on the bus at 7:00am. We're waiting for the script to be filled (stupid med didn't come in today like the pharmacy expected it to) but are adding a 5mg dose of Focalin (short-acting) for the afternoons my son has therapy (speech and OT) and also on the evenings that my other son has soccer practice (so that my 9yo is not out of control hyper when I take him with me....)

Our INTENTIONS are to only give it to him on the afternoons as needed (he'll be taking the booster dose @ 2:30pm; immediately upon getting home from school).

Not much help but I'm right there with ya!
When we were using Ritalin LA,  we did an afternoon dose before we switched to Concerta.   We first started doing it on an as need basis and then pretty much used it on a regular basis - so we switched her to Concerta to get the extra coverage without an other dose.
We use Ritalin LA and give a booster of methlyin everyday.  It seems that we either  have an activity or homework everyday.  I don't like giving him the meds but I do it for our family.  If he is unmedicated homework is a nightmare, scouts is embarrasing and sports practice turns into a circus.   For us it is just a part of our daily routine.