HELP I am getting Desperate | ADHD Information

I have twin boys that are 4 years old.  I know all kids are different but one of my boys has been more anxious since day 1.

We started seeing a Behavior Peidatrican after our reg Pedi reffered us a year ago.  Cooper was 3 at the time and was evaluated and diagnosed with Hyperactive/Impulsive Disorder and Disruptive Behavior Disorder, NOS.   Basically that was the Dx he was given b/c he is too young for an offical ADHD dx. 

We were dealing with LOTS of aggression and impulse issues.  It was(is) sad b/c he truly can not help himself.  He will just throw things out of the blue. Be sitting playing fine and then get this impulse and toss it.  He will just run and tackle or hit his brother out of the blue. His brother is constantly flinching around him.  Would be playing with the cat or dog one minute just fine and the next minute for no reason kick them :(

The doc put him on Tenex.  He started out 1/4 tablet twice a day. At first it did fine but after a few monts started to ware off. We then went up to 1/2 a tablet once a day and it also quit working. We started seeing lots more extreme tantrums, aggression and impulse issues.  He also started having night terrors that we could not explain and were concerned it was the Tenex.  I was also giving him 1.5mg Melatonin at the time and he went to sleep great but the Night terrors were becoming nightly.

At his last appt she changed him to Dexedrine Spansule.  She put him on the lowest dose possible, 5mg.  It is a capsule and slow release. It is helping a ton during the day but sleep issues are INSANE!  We are going on 2 weeks now and no sleep except for the couple days I didn't give it to him.   We have increased the Melatonin to 6mg a night!!!  He is up until 12am most nights. Says he can't sleep.  Once he does go to sleep he is out like a light and no night terrors?

I called the doc back last week and asked if we needed to change. None of us can keep having these sleepless night.  I was hoping he would adjust to it but it almost seems to be getting worse.  Like I mentioned above I didn't give it to him for a couple of days(fri/sat) b/c we were desperate for sleep. He went to sleep much better Friday and awesome on Sat.  Daytimes were HELL so I gave it to him again on Sunday. He went to sleep very easy that night  but it's almost like the more days in a row he takes it the worse his sleep is.  could it be building up?

His doc said with his age there isn't much he can take.  She really likes this med but I think she must be the only one b/c you can't find it ANYWHERE!  I had to have it ordered after checking several pharmacies.

 

If you read all that thanks.

 

Do you have any suggestions for this frustrated mom?

 

 

 

Welcome Stephanie! 

Sleep is pretty important, both for you and your son! 
Perhaps the regular (short acting) dexedrine would work on his symptoms and wear off sooner, allowing everyone to get a good nights sleep?

Hi Stephe3 and welcome! First, let me say that my son started meds just shy of 4 years old so it's not true that he can't take other meds! Some docs just aren't comfortable with it but I've found that the specialists (pyschiatrists, psychopharacologists etc) are much more comfortable and many times it really isn't even an issue.  If you're not seeing a specialist already I would find one fast!

Each stimulant effects each kid in very different ways.  So one stimulant may cause horrible sleep issues for you but another one may be better.  My son thankfully has never had the sleep issues but my friend's son didn't sleep when he was on Adderall but slept much better on Ritalin.

I also agree with John D that if he's taking a long acting medication that may be the problem.  The short acting type is easier to adjust and get the timing right.  Also, is he still on the Tenex?  Sometimes docs use that to help with the sleep issues.  He may need a higher dose of that. You said 1/2 tablet once a day...I'm assuming they are 1 mg tabs.  That's a very small dose.  My son takes three doses a day. 1/2, 1/2, 1/4 and the doc said this is still a VERY small dose.

Hope you get some rest!  I know nothing seems right through exhausted eyes!  Good luck and hang in there!

Thanks John and Logans Mom

I am going to ask his doctor about taking him off the long acting meds.  It is just not working for us.  No sleep makes it so much worse and I honestly don't see enough "good times" during the day to even justify it.

We are seeing a Developmental Pediatrican right now. They specialize in just behavior and developmental issues.  We are seeing a younger doc right now but the one above her that sees the pre-teens and teens has an awesome reputation.  She does get advice from him from time to time.

I haven't given him any meds in the past 5 days and sleep is back to normal and good.  I also haven't seen a any horrible behaviors. He can't sit still and is wide open, still has some of the aggression but the major tantrums are gone right now.  I just don't know what to do. Some days I feel like I am throwing a dart at a dart board blindfolded and just trying to figure it all out.

Logans Mom we stopped the Tenex when we started the Dexedrine.  We thought that might have been causing the night terrors.  He has had only a few since then(had one last night) but now I don't think it was the Tenex and may go back to it until our next appt.  I was just hesitant to give him both at the same time and so young.  I just want whats best for my baby and want us all to be happy but feel like what if I am being a lazy parent by depending on meds?  Is that a normal feeling? 

 

 

Yes it's an absolutely normal feeling!  I felt the same way at first and I think most parents do.  But that feeling went away completely when I saw the difference with my son.  When the medications are right there is NO doubt in ANYONE'S mind that he needs those meds! A child with ADHD has a brain that just doesn't function the way "normal" brains do. If the problem is mild then maybe they can get by without meds.  But if it's not mild (or sever like my son) then forget it! It's my opinion that nothing else really works until you let the medication do it's job.  Only then can your child start to learn the very basic lessons of life.  Lessons that many parents think just come naturally to all kids!  Whewwww are they niave!

"....what if I am being a lazy parent by depending on meds?  Is that a normal feeling? ..."

You can't be inside your son's head all the time... or at any time, for that matter! That is why medicine works for ADHD like nothing else...including a loving, supportive, and untiring  mother like you Stephanie!

The medication works where coaching, teaching, cajoling, threatening, bribing and rewarding (unless the reward is immediate) give only inconsistent results.  That's because ADD traits are neurological, rather than cognitive, in origin.   That's why these traits persist, despite even your son's best efforts and intentions to control them.  He can't control the levels of the neurotransmitters available in his brain's synapses.  But medication can. 

If your son had only one good leg, you wouldn't wonder if you were lazy if you offered him crutches or a wheelchair to help him get around....if he needed glasses to improve his vision, you'd likely feel lazy if you didn't get him corrective eyeglasses!  Well, medication is to ADHD what eyeglasses are for someone who needs assistance seeing clearly.



Besides, the fact that you even ask yourself the question is an indication that you are not a lazy parent. :)Hi.

I know this is a total shot in the dark, but it really did work for us. My son is ADD+Aspergers but a little older than yours....

http://www.adhd-rescue.com/

It's chemical free. One can only try...

Good luck!

I just wanted to say that I completely understand your frustration over your son's behavior and your apprehension about giving him medication.  I tried everything: behavioral modification, brush and press, sensory diet, social skills intervention, exposure therapy for his anxiety.  In spite of everything we did, my home life got to the point where we couldn't take my son's hyperactivity, impulsivity, and lashing out.  I cried the first time I gave him medication.  I was so afraid that something bad would happen to him that I couldn't sleep that night. 

I think that the media perpetuates a huge myth that doctors are prescribing medication to children because we parents are raising a bunch of brats.  And that teachers just want to have classrooms full of easily controlled little zombies.  Our friends and family don't help, by telling us parents of adhd'rs things like "give him/her one day in my house and I'll fix your problems."  I say, give those people one day in my house. 

My son has been on a few different meds over the past few months.  Currently he's on to Adderall and Risperdal, which seems to be working well.  There are a wide range of pharmaceuticals that your doctor can use.  My son's developmental pediatrician referred him to a child psychiatrist because she felt that type of doctor would have a better grasp on medication. 

Good luck!