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Post by EllenR on Nov 21, 2003 9:03:14 GMT -5
dh and I met with 7yo ds' psychologist yesterday. After talking with her, we are considering trying meds. Although his grades have been good, it seems that the hyper side is beginning to affect him. although the hyper is not extreme, he gets called down more often than others and some of his friends are getting upset about it. His teacher and school have been great and apparently his teacher has told the class not to laugh at him because he has a hard time doing certain tasks and so far the other children have been sensitive to this. Plus double digit adding/subtracting are very frustrating for him and he hasn't yet learned how to calm himself down.
We're meeting with the ped. today to talk about possible meds and will meet with his teacher the week after Thanksgiving and then make a final decision. What I would like to know is if the meds change the child's personality? DS is so bright, funny, and loving and has a spark in his eyes I don't want to lose.
Any advice is extremely welcome. Thanks.
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Post by Jorgy on Nov 21, 2003 9:37:53 GMT -5
;D Welcome EllenR! I am assuming that your son has been diagnosed ADHD. Meds should NOT affect your childs personality. If it does in a negative way then you are on the wrong med or dosage. Be aware that meds alone will not help him, behavior mod needs to be added. All meds have side effects. Side effects with stims can include loss of appitite, weight loss, possibly tics and mood changes. The first med tried often doesn't work. My 7 yr old currently is on a comination that is great and for him has no side effects. He says the meds make his head stop spinning, and you can notice when they take effect that he calms down and is able to focas and attend. He is doing things now that I never thought would be possible for him. I'm glad your son is in a good and understanding school. That in itself is great. Good luck and God Bless, Sue
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Post by Dad2Brooke on Nov 21, 2003 9:58:06 GMT -5
EllenR welcome aboard! Great to have you here. You are in the right place. I have found this board to be a Godsend. Jorgy is right. If the medicine is the right one and the right dose, you won't "lose" your child's personality. What you will get is your childs personality with the ability to do the things that he has had trouble with in the past. It isn't easy though, few people find just the right med at the right dose the first time out. Also, not to scare you, but so you will be aware, sometimes the med that your son is on that worked so wonderfully last week, doesn't seem to cut it anymore . Not sure why this happens, metabolism, immunity, whatever but it does. So medicine needs tweaking every once in a while or a change to another. But in the end if it helps your child focus and keeps him from being the object of ridicule and derision, then it is worth it. Good luck on your search and decision. Again welcome aboard. ;D
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Post by EllenR on Nov 21, 2003 9:59:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice. Yes, he was diagnosed this past summer. We'll definitely need to keep track of any side effects. Is it better to try the new drug when they're not in school? Either over the weekend or a holiday break?
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Post by Jorgy on Nov 21, 2003 10:34:07 GMT -5
Start over a weekend or a school break. That way you can see if there are any problems. Don't be discouraged with the first couple of days. You may see some problem areas in the first day or two that will go away. I can't remember what they were as I have lost half my mind in the years! Remember you are learning about this as well as you son so be kind to yourself. Sue
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Post by EllenR on Nov 21, 2003 11:12:13 GMT -5
Thanks to Jorgy and Dad2Brooke. It's nice to have somewhere to go where others have been through the same thing and faced the same decisions. DH and I both have been reluctant to do medication and DS has been going to therapy for the past several months. Unfortunately, transferring what's learned in an office to the outside isn't easy. So I think we'll probably try meds and see what happens.
I got a call from the school a little while ago and DS painted another child's face in art and put a least a stripe on his own. Hey, it's Thanksgiving and didn't the Indians paint their faces!? ;D
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Post by chrismom on Nov 21, 2003 12:55:30 GMT -5
EllenR, you sound just like me a year ago! One of my major concerns about meds was whether my DS personality would be affected. I am glad to say that he is still the same happy, friendly, fun, bright, caring kid he always was. His confidence has grown so much since starting the meds; he completes assignments on time, remembers his homework, and pays attention enough to understand what is being taught. I am convinced that starting him on meds was the right thing to do.
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Post by EllenR on Nov 24, 2003 9:10:11 GMT -5
chrismom, thanks for sharing your experience. I'm still very nervous about this and wondering if we're doing the right thing. I'm also still struggling with the diagnosis even though it's been months since then and he's been in therapy, partly because on he continuum of ADHD from mild to severe, he's on the mild end so sometimes I see the problems very clearly and others it's more blurred. I want to do what's right for my son just as everyone on this list is doing for their children. This group is great and just a tremendous resource. I'm glad I found it
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