You describe my son when he was young. My son is a great kid with alot of energy. He is now 12 I just started him on strattera. I have delt with him and all the negative daycares and schools up untill now. Its not easy! After every teacher conference for the last 7 years have been the same crap. I would leave disaapointed and very upset wondering if I was doing the right thing. I had the same problems when I was his age. I knew in my heart he was just like me and I was not doing anything about it. My son and I worked very hard togeather every night for hours to keep his grades up and of course weekends, all holiday breaks and everyday during the summer. I dont work outside the home no more and part of that is because of him. Its wasnt untill this year I felt I was doing more harm to him. He cant focus at school and we togeather cant keep up. I knew the day would come when I would have to do the meds. I am however thankful I worked with him up untill this point. We are still going to have to work hard but I am praying the meds will help him focus and sit still so he can learn and have the choice of going to college and doing what ever he wants in life. He is smart,very funny and kids,teachers adults love him. They say he brings so much life to there class rooms. If only we could get his problems worked out. I guess you will have to decide what you think would be best for your child. It is a very hard decision to make. It is a whole lot of work, alot of trips back and fourth to school to get all the books to study. He cant remember books, papers,or some times even the directions of what to do. The older they get the harder it is. They start changing rooms here in the 5th grade every hour so you dont just have one teacher to deal with. Also you have to be educated to help him. If you decide to do it, read alot of books to get ideas to help yourself so you can help him . Make sure he feels good about himself and he thinks he is a great kid. Most teachers wont do that. That is you main job. You both have to be the type person that wont give up. It is not easy! We sometimes work five hours every night plus do all the sports. Sometimes I feel so happy to have all that evergy! My son was in football 2 hours every night, soccer two days a week a hour and a half, games on weekends, karate two nights a week for a hour and a half and volleyball one night a week for a hour. Five hours of home work. He still didnt go to bed untill 10:00. He gets up at 6:30. School from 7:30 untill 2:30. So you have to know how to channel that energy. He thinks everyone is like him. Good luck! (sorry so long)
OKAY, AFTER READING THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHERS EXPERIENCES WITH THESE MEDICINES I AM REALLY SCARED FOR MY 4 YR OLD SON. HE IS ON 2 30MG DOSES OF METADATE CD A DAY BUT I READ ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE MEDICATION THAT YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN PRESCRIBE THIS MEDICINE TO CHILDREN UNDER 6 AND MY SON HAS TAKEN IT FOR A YEAR. I HAVE HAD MY UPS AN DOWNS WITH THIS MED. AND WITH MY EMOTIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE NEEDS IT. WHILE HE IS ON THE MED. HE DOESN'T EAT GOOD, CAN BE MOODY OR SAD ACTING, BUT MORE HIMSELF THAT ON OTHER MEDS WE HAVE TRIED IF THAT MAKES ANY SINCE. WHEN HE IS NOT ON THE MEDICINE HE IS SO HAPPY HE PLAYS AND LAUGHS AND EATS LIKE A HORSE, YOU CAN REALLY TELL THE DIFFERENCE AND I FEEL SO BAD FOR GIVING IT TO HIM WHEN HE IS SO HAPPY OFF OF IT. HIS DAYCARE AND ABOUT 3 DOCTORS SEEM TO THINK THAT HE NEEDS THE MEDS BECAUSE HE IS VERY VERY FULL OF ENERGY AND THE DAYCARE CAN'T REALLY GET HIM TO FOCUS ON HIS WORK AND HE DISRUPTS THE CLASS SOMETIMES, BUT IS THAT JUST LAZINESS ON THE PART OF HIS TEACHERS TO MAKE HIM MIND AND THE DOCTORS JUST BEING QUICK TO PUT HIM ON MEDS. (NONE OF THE DOCTORS SPENT MORE THAN 20 MIN. WITH HIM) MY SON WILL MIND AND CONTROL HIS BEHAVIOR WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE WHEN HE IS NOT ON THE MEDICINE (LIKE HIS DAD) I GUESS I AM JUST WONDERING IF IT IS MORE OF HIM KNOWING WHAT HE CAN AND CAN'T GET AWAY WITH, WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE RATHER THAT REALLY NEEDING MEDS. DON'T GET ME WRONG HE IS VERY HYPER AND VERY HARD TO HANDLE AT TIMES, BUT MORE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS LIKE CROWDS OR PARTIES THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE AROUND, WHEN IT IS JUST ME AND HIM AT HOME DURING THE NIGHT HE WILL MOST OF THE TIME BE REALLY NORMAL , PLAYING AND WATCHING CARTOONS, AND MINDING ME, BUT IF I HAVE A FRIEND OVER HE BEGINS TO SHOW OUT ALMOST LIKE HE IS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE HE GETS ALL OF MY ATTENTION, THAT IS REALLY WHAT IS SEEMS LIKE TO ME (IT HAS JUST BEEN ME AND HIM FOR 3 YRS) SO I GUESS I FEEL LIKE I AM GIVING HIM THESE MEDS WITH ALL OF THE SIDE EFFECTS AND I AM JUST AFRAID OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN LATER ON IN HIS LIFE. SO SHOULD I JUST BITE THE BULLET AND TAKE HIM OFF THE MEDS AND LET HIM BE HAPPY AND JUST BE A STRICKTER PARENT OR ARE THE MEDS. THE RIGHT THING. I AM SO CONFUSED AND THIS QUESTION BOTHERS ME SO MUCH THAT I CAN BARELY STOP THINKING ABOUT IT WHICH MAKES ME THINK THAT I AM DOING THE WRONG THING BECAUSE IF IT WERE RIGHT IT WOULDN'T BOTHER ME SO BAD!! I HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN UNDERSTAND ALL OF MY RAMBLING BUT PLEASE OFFER YOUR ADVICE. THANKS.