Looking for advice - dr’s appt today. | ADHD Information

Hi, my name is Stephanie and I am the mom of four kids, ages 7,6, 4 and 3. Since my 7-year-old started school two years ago, administrators, teachers as well as good old mom have been watching him for signs of ADHD (suspected by daycare providers and doctors when he was smaller). After two years, I notice his antsiness, fidgetiness, daydreaming, distraction and disturbing the other kids has gotten worse. He runs around between mouthfuls of food at lunch. Watched him in class and he can't keep his hands to himself. Grades and tests are always a crap shoot. One day he'll have 100% (he was among the first four in class to test 100% on all 95 Dolch sight words - on the first try!) and other days, 20% and I suspect he's just not on track. He had blood work this week to rule out other problems,and this afternoon he goes back to the doctor for recheck, and I imagine he might start meds. My question is this, what experiences have parents had with medications? Seems like our choices are Ritalin, Concerta, Strattera and Vyvance.... I would love any feedback that parents or professionals could offer. I love my kids to death (doesn't everyone? =) ) and just want Jay to be able to do well in school. Homework at home is a nightmare so I can only imagine how it is inschool. Saw him sitting on a pillow next to the teacher one day so he could be constantly reminded to keep working. One of these days, however, I know we'll get a teacher who doesn't care, so I want to make a good choice while he's younger. Thanks so much in advance for any response.

Steph

Steph,

I'm not an expert by far...my son was only diagnosed in June.  We've been on meds-two different ones.  Not happy with either one of them.  Adderall XR gave us huge meltdowns and focalin xr has his sad all the time.  Both messed with his appetite and gave him the focus he needed for school.

What i"ve learned on this board is that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another.  Each child is different and it is trial and error to figure out what's going to work best for your son.  If you have a good trusting relationship with the doctor, I would suggest asking them what they suggest and moving from there.

Good luck and God bless

Vicky

As hossiermomma2 said, it is individual for each person. THe goal is to find the best treatment plan for your son's needs. The doc will usually suggest the med(s) that he/she has the most experience with. The stims will have the fastest results so you can tell if they are working (correct dose, correct med) pretty fast. Also, if there are side effects, they are out of the system in a matter of hours. Usually the doc will start at a low dose to check for side effects and then work up to an effective dose.

Some kids do well on the first med they try and others take some work to find a good fit. We have tried a few meds and have had success with concerta and focalin, but prefer the concerta for the smooth release and longer effective time. My oldest loves concerta and how it helps with concentrating in school; and she does not have issues with weight loss. We are now trying straterra for the youngest to see if we can get 24/7 coverage and not worry about weight loss and maybe cover her anxiety better. If it does not work, we will go back to concerta with summer breaks for weight gain. We are just trying to get the most out of the treatment.

Good luck, you will find your way through this.