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Post by slins00 on Nov 3, 2003 14:52:45 GMT -5
Just found out that my 4 yr old son has ADHD. the psych has told me he feels the only thing that really is going to help him is meds. He said he doesnt want to force us it is our decision. I guess personnally i feel the same way too. I am totally scared about meds. You here bad things about meds and good things. My son is a very hyper kid. He cannot sit in preschool for more then 5 minutes. He is very hard to control in stores and u can holler at him and it seems to not faze him a bit. While we were waiting to get him tested we tried the coffee in the morning. the teachers said what a difference it made he could sit a little bit longer but after a few hours he went back to his same old ways. I am tottally scared i will lose my sons personnality he is lots of fun to be with and listen to. I would like to here others opinions and see if u went through the same thing and if anyone knows where i can get info on all the different drugs. Thanks and God Bless you Sarah
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Post by eaccae on Nov 3, 2003 15:10:26 GMT -5
Our son was diagonsed at 5 and we were, at that time, both anti-medication and were terrified. But we had such a terrible year in Kindergarten and my son's personality - from his experiences with the teacher alone - had changed drastically. We went on 5 mg of ritalin in the am and at noon. We were lucky - because it worked so well. His personality was the same - but not as hyper and he was able to focus! He was like a "normal" kid. (I hate that word normal, by the way) It has made a huge difference in school and I think he feels more in control. The hardest part was the "come down" period at the end of the day when it was wearing off. But our pediatrician warned us in advance and we were extra sensitive to him at that time. After a little while it wasn't a big problem. We just knew that was when to give him his space, etc. I don't have experiences with other meds - but our pediatrican did inform us that if he was listless or his personality changed - then the dosage was too high. Luckily we never went through that. He was on 5 mgs twice a day for 2.5 years and then we just went to 10 mgs twice a day. That worked out well so we tried 20 mgs metadate CD once a day (one of the time released ritalins) and that is working out great. (The biggest bonus - the "come down" period is not as bad). Coffee - when our son is not on meds - helps him a lot as well - the caffeine is a stimulant. If he is reacting well with the coffee you may want to try the ritalin. But because I have had no experiences with other meds I can only speak to the ritalin. I will tell you that as terrifying as it was at the time - we are so happy with the decision we made.
Good luck!
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Post by LitlBaa on Nov 3, 2003 17:12:02 GMT -5
My daughter was 9 when she was dx'd. We started with Ritalin twice a day (10 mg I think) and when it started wearing off in 2 hours instead of 4-5 hours we switched her to Concerta (72 mg) because it lasts all day. About 9 months ago we switched her to Strattera because she wasn't eating/sleeping well with Concerta. I like Strattera, she eats and sleeps now, there was some anger issues the first few weeks but they smoothed out somewhat, don't know if it's meds or hormones since she's 12. Strattera has to be eased into, you ramp up the dosage over a period of time; with Ritalin you can tell that day if it's working or not.
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Post by Dakotah on Nov 3, 2003 18:40:08 GMT -5
Hello Sarah. Our son was diagnosed at four and we cried for days trying to figure out what to do. We had already been working on behavior modification for two years and nothing was helping him. We were nervous about putting a four year old on meds but knew it was the right thing to do. He is five now and on Concerta. We have not lost our son in the search for a "perfect" med. He is the same nut he has always been but quieter  Good luck and remember you are not alone. These forums are a great source for support! |
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Post by jachkldavis on Nov 3, 2003 19:51:43 GMT -5
Hi Sara, my son will be 5 in 2 weeks was diagnosed a week ago. I cried about the whole thing. I was and still am scared about the meds. Your son sounds just like mine. What we did was sit down and decide if it was effecting our quality of life and his self esteem. It was! He was always in trouble! My son has been on Focalin for 5 days. I havent noticed a diff but his Sunday School teacher said he was better than normal last Sun. The thing that I have learned (from these boards) about meds is that it does take time. One med might work and anothe wont and the dose will have to be adjusted. I have to remind myself that I am doing what I think is best for him. I hope to have the meds worked out before school starts. Good Luck! Christine  |
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Post by Jorgy on Nov 3, 2003 20:17:11 GMT -5
 slins00, everyone is scared to try meds at first. You are not alone. That is the first problem everyone comes here to find out about. You need to research meds and alternative meds and make your decision on what is best for your child and you. No matter what you decide to try you can always change your mind or try something else if that doesn't work. With ADHD every kid is different on what works for them. Don't only look at the possible "bad" parts of meds. Also know that they can cause your child to focus and pay attention. He may be able to accomplish tasks you never thought possible. Our son, when not on meds can't dress himself. He is 7 yrs old! I felt he was lost to me emotionally. I got him back due to meds and he is still the happy, caring little boy he was before meds. Good luck and God Bless, Sue Also, meds with behavior mod works better than meds alone.
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Post by Linda on Nov 3, 2003 20:42:03 GMT -5
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Post by mommy007 on Nov 3, 2003 21:09:05 GMT -5
I was scared when my son started meds after first grade. He will soon be 11 and I am still scared of meds. He has taken several different kinds, some work for a while, other cause undesired side effects. I also suggest a lot of positive reinforment during the good times, encouraging the positives it's soooo important. A theripist can work with your child as well. In time they do learn how to adapt a bit. Its an onging struggle to find the right "fit" of treatment. Involve the school now and get all the extra help he deserves. If you find things that work to keep him on task share it with everyone involved.
Good luck and let us know how it's going. We are all hear for you!
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Kymn
Member
Posts: 75
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Post by Kymn on Nov 4, 2003 9:33:41 GMT -5
Hi slims00 we know how scary it is to put your child on meds just make sure to do your research because knowledge is power.Also when some one comes at you with the anti drug attitude you are armed and ready to let them know which information is false and what is truth because there is alot of false info out there.My son is 7 and is on ritalin and we are extremely happy with the results now he is able to focus on behaviour management and have the info sink in where as before it just seemed to go in one ear and out the other.He was diagnosed at 6 although we susspected it earlier.I wish we had gotten him diagnosed earlier because preschool,kindergarten and grade 1 where hard on my poor little man.He tried so hard to sit still pay attention stop poking the other kids not cry but to no avail now he is in much better control of his body and he is a happier boy for it with confidence growing daily.What ever med you choose it takes some time and some tweaking of dosages to get it just right for your child.Good luck and were always here to help
Have a great day
Kymn
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Post by AnneM on Nov 4, 2003 13:36:47 GMT -5
...and in addition to what the others say always remember that "meds" are reversible....i.e. if they DON'T give your son a better quality of life then you can stop them ..... (there is no point in meds if they don't "help")...
I so much feel for you though - I went through exactly the same thing when it my son was diagnosed and it was suggested he take meds ..... and he was 13 !! ... (now 15).
A huge GOOD LUCK in whatever you decide .... Anne
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Post by mskris on Nov 4, 2003 16:24:52 GMT -5
Medications to treat adhd/add have been around for years (ritalin especially - decades!) and have proven safety profiles. While all subjects react differently to medications, and all medication have adverse effects, it does not mean they are unsafe.
Stimulant medications (and strattera, a non-stimulant) will not change your child's personality. These are not psychotropic or mood enhancing medications in this adhd patient population. THey have been extensively tested and approved by the federal government (FDA), which has rigorous guidelines for drug testing/approval.
I'm not advocating medication if you're against it, just trying to reassure you. However, I would caution against herbal remedies, as these are not regulated by the government and you never know what's in them, the correct dosages, or the possible adverse effects. Herbals can be especially dangerous in children.
If you type any of the medication names into your browser, you should be given sites with information. Every approved prescription medication must have information for patients accompanying the prescription (package insert). These documents describe the compound, list the indication, doses, and possible adverse effects. You can ask your doctor, too. Many of the adhd/add medications have not been studied in children under age 6, though (I'm sure ritalin has). I'd hesitate to give them to a child younger than that.
You will not LOSE your son's personality. It may be more important to consider his self esteem when contemplating medications...intervening before he has behavioral problems in school, social issues, and poor academic performance may be more important than your fear of the medications. That's why we decided to medicate ds in first grade - what a difference! He now has friends, is an A/B student, and is reaching his potential, with his self-esteem basically intact.
Good luck with whatever you decide. If you have specific questions about particular medications, I can probably help with info. I do work in the pharmaceutical industry, but I'm NOT in SALES - I'm in research! ;D
Kris
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Post by Dad2Brooke on Nov 4, 2003 16:36:21 GMT -5
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Post by EllenR on Nov 5, 2003 14:59:19 GMT -5
My 7-year old son was diagnosed with ADHD this past summer. I also don't want to go to drugs (at least not now). He doesn't have a severe form, he's able to focus for 20 minutes and was on the A/B honor roll for his first grading period this fall. I do use games to get him up and going in the morning when necessary. He sometimes gets up before me and gets dressed and ready to take our dog (a Jack Russell) out! Has anyone else dealt with a mild form and been able to avoid the drugs?
He has a great teacher this year and is also seeing a therapist. She seems to be helping him some and is helping us as well.
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