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Post by Beckie on Nov 8, 2003 5:49:14 GMT -5
My 8 year old lost a great deal of weight while taking AdderallXr. She is now on Concerta, and mostly eats great at home. But, she tells me what she had for lunch each day and I'm banging my head against the wall. She is hardly eating anything during school!! They are suppose to have lunch monitors to make sure the kids are eating their food, but apparantly, they're letting her eat one or two little things and saying she can go to recess. Would it be too much for me to write a note asking that they make sure she eats at least half of her lunch explaining her 'weight' issues?
I've also thought of sending a few snacks with her and asking her teacher to maybe see that she gets one sometime during her second recess or just before independent work time.
I don't want to seem like I'm asking a lot from them, but she is there all day, and her weight loss was severe enough that she has to pick up some pounds in the next month or there will be no med's until she does. The Concerta has done wonders for her schoolwork, making friends, etc. I don't want to take her off of it, but since she spends so much more time at school than at home, I feel like I need to rely on them to help out a little?
Any suggestions?
Beckie
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Post by AnneM on Nov 8, 2003 12:12:50 GMT -5
Hi Beckie!! .... I definitely understand about the loss of appetite/weight with Concerta .... we especially had this for the first few months .... my son got SO thin for a while. And then his appetite improved and he tells me he NOW eats lunch again ... (he didn't eat lunch at all for at least 6 months and since he is 15 nobody was watching out for this!!) ....
However, at 8 this is a different story and at 8 you CAN still ask the school to be much more involved in what your daughter eats ..... Do you find at home that she is more likely to "snack" rather than eat a good lunch? I am just asking because if that is the case then I would definitely send her to school with some snacks and ask the teacher to keep an eye on her taking them .... I think the trouble is that if you are just "not hungry" (I know myself!) the worst thing someone can do is 'force/persuade' you to eat! .... what I am thinking is that being forced to sit and eat a fair-sized lunch might well be not such a great idea! .... but regular snacks are easier to handle/digest/eat and with some extra reminding encouragement from those at the school this might just work better?
GOOD LUCK !!
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Post by Allanque on Nov 8, 2003 13:19:55 GMT -5
What would she say to foods that don't seem to be "lunch foods"?
I often eat things like a handful of honey nut cheerios or an sliced apple with peanut butter for lunch. I'm also really bad about getting something like a rice krispie treat for lunch, then eating lots of snacks during the rest of the afternoon/evening.
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Post by BBW4EVR1 on Nov 8, 2003 14:56:50 GMT -5
Hey Beckie- Last year our son was not eating in school. It was so bad the school called and asked if I would start sending cold lunch - maybe that would help him eat-you know send his favorite foods. Well, that was to no avail. He was nine-he turned 10 in June weighing a mere 54 lbs. Yipes-he was so skinny and drawn that he looked sick-which he was-basically he was starivng to death. We took him off of all stimulants (he was on Ritalin at the time) and put him on Risperdal. The Risperdal has been a God send for us. Our son (since July 10 when we switched meds) has gained 26 lbs. He looks great and feels great. He is happy and healthy. He even has a belly that shakes when he laughs!! He went from a 10 slim to a size 12. We are all happier. We tried everthing to get him to eat-it just isn't worth the battle-it was so bad that when meal time rolled around he would "freak" out because he wasn't hungry and he was afraid we would force him to eat!! That is not good for anyone. That is when I found a new doc. who switched him to Risperdal-and well the rest is history! Talk to your doc. and your daughter. There are lots of alternatives that may be a better fit for your daughter-don't quit until you find the right thing for her! Prayers to you!  |
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Post by Beckie on Nov 8, 2003 17:36:17 GMT -5
Thank you so much for your replies. I do notice that when she is home she seems to eat constantly, but as someone mentioned, it is more snacking frequently. At dinner, she eats a normal meal, but before that, it's just eat what she can get her hands on and fast.  The doctor had told me when we changed to Concerta that it may not work for weight any better than the AdderallXr did. I'm just so hopeful that we can come up with something that will allow her to eat more often, and gain back some weight. The Concerta is doing wonders for her. She's doing much better in school, she has four friends who her teacher says you can not seperate them from each other now. She seems happier in general, and all of this within less than two months on Concerta. It's such good progress that I hate to pull her off and try something else. It's such a difficult thing. I also admit that I asked the doctor to try the Concerta because I had researched it and knew a bit about it. Other than Adderall and Concerta, I don't know what to ask him about next. I'm sure he would suggest something, but I'm far more comfortable suggesting something to him because if I suggest it, then I know I've done my homework. Anyway, I am rambling here, but I do thank you for your replies. I will write her teacher a note and see what can be worked out as far as snacks through the day. If that's not possible, I guess I will have to give in and see about trying something else. Beckie |
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Post by kellys4babies on Nov 8, 2003 21:37:18 GMT -5
Just a thought Have you tried the ensure or pedicare drinks. When my son is not hungrey he will just drink that and be fine. I feel that he is getting at least some nutrition from it.
Kelly
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Post by eaccae on Nov 8, 2003 21:52:49 GMT -5
DS(8) has been on ritalin for 2.5 years and now metadate CD. I know he just picks at his lunch. Sometimes he eats a snack at school - more often he doesn't. But when he gets home - he makes up for it. He eats practically until the next day. We don't have a lot of "snack" foods in the house - mainly because DS will eat them all in one sitting. So he comes home has an apple or two or three, some spinach soup (he makes this himself), an egg, dinner, more soup . . . the list goes on. He is growing proportionately (he has been in the 10th percentile since birth for weight and height and he is still a peanut - but that is genetic). He eats so much my husband can't stand it. But I don't worry about school as much. If your daughter is eating a lot when she gets home then maybe it won't be a problem. Good luck!
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Post by Beckie on Nov 9, 2003 16:14:42 GMT -5
I should buy some more Carnation Instant Breakfast. I hadn't thought about that. When I was still nursing, I bought that for myself because I desperately needed the extra calories. She would drink it, too.
Since I weaned the baby, I've not picked anymore up. Maybe I will try that.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Beckie
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Post by LitlBaa on Nov 10, 2003 4:36:11 GMT -5
Katie eats better when she grazes rather than sitting down to a meal. She was always too busy talking to eat at lunch and then was starving when she got home. I made trail mix with goldfish crackers, mini pretzels, cheerios, chex, raisins, mini M&Ms, pretty much anything I could throw in the bag to get her to eat. Having something to snack on seemed to help.
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