6 year old with ADHD | ADHD Information

My son is quick to cry - you would be too if your mind was buzzing all
the time. I'm amazed he can function at all. I would be a complete
basket case.

As far as the meds go, there are medications that are in capsule form that
can be opened and sprinkled on foods and ingested that way.

But don't accept a medication that sort of works just because of the form
it comes in. My son is terrible about taking pills. I place his pill in his
throat - I put it between my first and second finger and put it as far into
his mouth as I can go. Then he can't pop it up out of his mouth - he
doesn't even need water to swallow it down.

There are also pill shooters. Vets have them for animals, but as long as
you take care with the release, you can use them too.

There are ways around the pill issue. But it sounds like her meds aren't
working as well as they should anyway, so if I were you I'd definitely get it
revisited.

Good luck!Hello!  I am a 49 year-old father who has a 6 year-old daughter with ADHD.  She has recently been diagnosed with Autism (High Functioning).  Her behaviors are odd and we (my wife and I) are very stressed out concerning them.  She cries for no reason every morning when she wakes up.  She cries if you tell her to go to the bathroom.  She cries when she comes home from school after collapsing on the floor. 

She currently takes Risperidone for the ADHD (very small amount .25mg) and was recently prescribed Strattera to take with the Risperdone but she is unable to take it because she can't swallow a pill.  So, we are off to the doctor AGAIN to try and come up with a possible alternative.  Why aren't these medications available in a form that children can take?  Why not a liquid form?  The doctors all act surprised when you tell them that she unable to swallow a pill...seems like she's the only one in the world that can't, I guess?

So, to make a long story EXTREMELY short, does anyone else see this type of behavior in their children and/or does anyone know of a medication that is like Strattera that is liquid?  The pharmacist said that it could cause serious eye inflammation (strattera) if we break them up. My daughter is constently putting her fingers in her mouth so we don't want to risk any more problems for the fact that she may rub her eyes afterwards.

She has many more problems but I'd like to start with these first...any suggestions/help?
How about the Daytrana patch? I used it with my ds and put it on before he
woke up in the morning. Or try putting the pill in applesauce or ice cream
on a spoon.I am wondering why your daughter was prescribed Strattera, which is a nonstimulant. Is this the first medication that has been suggested? Stimulants seem to ususally be the first line of treatment for ADHD and there are several that do not require pill swallowing....in addition to the ones mentioned in the previous posts there are also methylin chewable tablets (also available in a liquid form) and the one my son takes, focalin xr, which can be opened and taken with yogurt, ice cream, applesauce, etc. Are you seeing a doctor that is familiar and experienced with ADHD medications?  I can relate to your situation because our son has ADHD along with high functioning autism as well, and that complicates the situation. Even though the hyperactivity and impulsivity can be controlled when you find the right medication, there are still going to be odd behaviors that medicine will not correct. In time, we have come to not only accept our son's "quirkiness", but to embrace it. It is who he is, it is what makes him special, it is now what we love most about him. Good luck, and I am glad you found this forum because it is filled with tons of information, support, understanding, and most importantly, a place to vent when you are feeling overwhelmed! Keep us posted!My son used to take Adderall and it comes in capsule form.  We would open the capsule and put it in apple sauce, ice cream, pudding etc.  When he started taking Tenex (it comes in a very small pill and he took 1/2 at a time) we put it in a small piece of canned peach.  It was slippery enough that he would swallow it without chewing.