ADHD Help!!! - Toms River,NJ

the meds made my son hyper when before he had just been ADD. After two days I put my son on half the dosage the Dr prescribed and things are going very well! Have they tried cutting down the dosage?

I've had a wonderful experience with meds, though my child has ADD, not ADHD. He tried concerta, which worked well, but he couldn't learn to swallow that tic-tac sized pill, and it was a fight every morning. He's on Vyvanse now and doing very well.

I have a friend with an ADHD child and vyvanse was not good for him.

I don't want to scare you but it took us well over a year to get the right med and dose for our son. It's frustrating while going through it but worth it when you see the huge difference it makes when you finally get it right. Lots of families I know have had to do the same. Good luck.

Our son will be 6 soon, and we just gave him his first Methylphenidate this morning. We have been working very hard to help him with his behavior, he has a wonderful teacher, aides, goes to social skills groups. We met with his doctor this week, and his doctors feels very strongly that he does have ADHD and that this is what he needs.

We are not taking this lightly at all!!! We have talked to all the right people, and everything is telling us that this is the right thing to try.

I'm very nervous, because yours is the story I've heard so many times - parents who have tried several medications that have not worked. But their story didn't end there. They kept trying and kept working with the doctor and found the right medication and it worked!!! I can't tell you how many parents I've talked to who said that it took 3 or 4 tries before finding the one that helped their child. And everyone one of those parents said that the right medicine has been a Godsend for their child!

I'm scared, because I know this can be a rough road. I know this is probably not going to easy. But I also know that this really could be exactly what my son needs. He is such a great kid! He is doing just fine academically, but he is a huge discipline problem.

His doctor told us that it's like his brain is just working too fast so he has no impulse control, no filter. He just does the first thing his brain tells him to do. His doctor hopes that the medicine will help his brain to slow down and be more in-sync so that he can relax and function. I'm not at all sure I'm explaining this correctly, but I am truly amazed by how well our doctor understands our son. I can't imagine not trusting him and trying out some medication.

I think you have to hang in there. It sounds like your son's doctor is really working hard to find the right fit for your child. You are doing everything right!!! I know it's hard. I know how hard it's been for us, and you are on a more difficult part of the journey, so I can only imagine how much harder this must be for you. But just hang in there! Keep working with your doctor, and you will find a way to help your son.

Medicine can be a great help to kids with ADHD but medicine is only one tool. One of the best things that you can do for your son (and yourself) is to find a therapist that works with children. A therapist can help decipher all of the issues in play and give you and your son the tools needed to help with each component. Make sure to find a therapist that has a frame that works with the parents and is transparent about the work being done with your son. Parents should be learning the tools being taught to their child so that they can help reinforce them.

Since he had such a strong reaction to the first 3 meds he may be very sensitive to meds and need a lower dose. We found that our daughter is super sensitive plus a very SLOW metabolizer. While going off one med, while the doc thought withdrawal side effects would last 2 weeks, our daughter oscillated for close to 6 weeks. The prescribed dose of the new med would give her insomnia. I read up on meds and found that if she started on 1 mg and slowly worked up to the full 10mg for by increasing 1mg per week, the insomnia side effect did not occur. So it may take some time to find a med that works. Vyvanse is the longest acting ADHD med which means it gives a smoother dose all day long, no big ups and downs. Best of luck.

We are going through a similar process. Trying to get the right meds. Everyone tells me it's a "process". Don't be discouraged. You're on the right path.

The only other thing might be to have him allergy tested. My son came back corn and wheat sensitive. The doctor said people can have bizarre reactions to corn.

Hang in there Mama!!!

I don't have experience with meds, but I do have a lot of experience with kids, especially older kids and teens, whom I work with. LOTS of kids, particularly boys, well into middle and high school, call out in class and say whatever comes into their heads.

Your son is only six. You say he does well academically. This medication is obviously harming your son (I'm not saying all medication harms all kids). I would much rather have my six year old call out in class than stutter, have tics, and be angry.

Maybe your son is excited and enthused by what they are doing in class? Why is that a bad thing? Why is the teacher so offended that he calls out? I just can't imagine thinking that a first grade boy calling out was anything unusual or harmful. We have inappropriately high expectations of little boys these days, imo.

If I were offended by the many boys who act up in middle and high school, half of my students would be medicated. I try to use those kids' energy in a productive fashion, by giving them things to do, having them lead the class in activities, etc.

Maybe your son needs a better teacher. He's only 6. When you take a kid off meds suddenly, there are going to be withdrawal symptoms. I think baselining him is a good idea, as well as seeing if he can't get into a class with a teacher who knows how to deal with impulsive boys.

It is certainly a frustrating time to figure out which meds work best. I'm happy to see the supportive posts here, not people trying to make you feel bad. What a great group! I would say keep asking lots of questions and researching, but know- as you probably do- that meds can be such a God-send. It's just hard in the beginning to find the right one. Most of my friends who began this process when their kiddos were in 1st grade needed about 3-4 months, and 2-4 different meds to find a good balance, but once they did it was a lifesaver for them. Their kids are now teenagers and doing fantastic.

I read a book called Kids in the Syndrome Mix. It was awesome- talked about ADHD, and also things like tourettes/tics, anxiety, sensitivity, etc. All of the things that seem to overlap for so many. It helps to understand where there may be overlap to make sure you are barking up the right tree, and also helps you clarify so you know what questions to ask. I read it a few years ago, so perhaps it has been updated. But even if not, it was very enlightening.

Good luck and stay strong!!

I have a good friend who medicated her daughter for ADHD from 1st-10th grade.
Turns out she was misdiagnosed.
It was anxiety disorder.
Lots could be going on.
Research, research, research and get MANY opinions!
Good luck!

Does he have an IEP? If not, I would get that going ASAP with the school. There should be a behavior plan in place for your little guy.

My grandson is calmer and better able to focus using fidgets. He's in special ed and they encourage this. He chews gum, squeezes a soft ball, draws. There are several options. When he went with his streamlined class to a concert he wore headphones that filtered the sound. I know that it's recommended to limit electronics use. However being an the computer or tablet helps keep him calm. He does educational things as well as watch short clips about his current interests of cartoon characters and beyblades. He can tell you when ther cartoon first aired, what actor was their voice, when it was taken off the air, etc. In class they use computer time to help kids calm down.

My grandson, in addition to ADHD, has speech and sensory processing disorder. What helps him may not work for your son but it's worth considering.

Later: my granddaughter has been diagnosed wit ADD. she's now in the 9th grade. She had an IEP since 5the or 6th grade. She is now in the 9th grade. She has extra help with writing. Find out if an IEP might help him. Call the school districts main office and ask for the pepole who work in Early Intervention. There is a program that helps children age 3 and younger an other programs to help with older children. This office connects with schools to proved extra support.

Consider trying the Feingold diet. Feingold.org

It eliminates some petroleum based food additives and a few other things that provoke ADD/ADHD in some people. It may look like a lot of trouble, but for us, it was a lot more trouble to having a hyperactive kid off the diet!

My son had a lot of the things you're describing. When he was age 5, I was desperate to find something to help. For my son, the diet alone brought his F type behavior up to about a C. After additional allergies were identified that were individual to him, it brought his behavior up to about a B. ADHD medicine brought it up to an A, which was wonderful! However, the medicine was of no use at all when he ate something off the diet. Medicine only refined things for him when the problem substances were avoided.

It could be that something like this is interfering with the effectiveness of your son's medicine.

My once extremely hyper son, who was kicked out of several preschools, ended up graduating with honors from an accelerated high school as an SAT Commended Scholar. Then, he graduated from Rice University with a double major. He's now earning straight A's on the med-school track. He's a self-controlled, even-tempered, kind, and compassionate person. His goal is to become a neurologist and help find better treatments for people with ADD/ADHD and autism. There is light at the end of the tunnel for your son, and perhaps this difficult time will have a purpose in his life, too.

Please contact me if I can be of any help.

My son's 2nd grade teacher is hinting at drugs for my 8 yr old son. She says he's very bright but can't focus. She doesn't have any suggestions other than changing his diet and she wants him medicated. I am torn. A kid down the street was medicated for ADHD and he became obese and grew breasts. I think it made his hyperactivity go away but now all he does is sit home and play video games. His mom says his vitamin D levels were low according to the doctor and the medication has not improved his grades at all. My older son's friend is also medicated. He frequently is in detention.

My older son was diagnosed with ADHD. He's a calm kid but does daydream. We chose not to medicate him and he does fine. He has a 504. This has made teachers back off. They just figure out what works for him like sitting in front of the class or taking his tests in a quiet room. I give him vitamins and supplements when possible. He scores high on tests and is in advanced classes.

I believe diet and certain vitamins, supplements help. Exercise is also a big one.

Good luck.

It's too bad the Ritalin didn't help. It was a miracle drug for our kiddo. He took it at school when he got there then took a half pill at lunch time. When he got home it was out of his system and yes, it was challenging but at school he was able to focus and be okay.

I don't know what to say except sometimes it's a challenge to find the right med. I hope you'll stick with it and keep trying even if this one isn't the right one.

I don't have anything to add about meds. I was diagnosed when I was in college and I took meds for a while. I have just recently read an article about essential oils helping kids with ADD and ADHD. I've just bought myself mixture of essential oils from the DoTerra brand that are for focus. I'm not sure the exact name. I don't know how well they work but I figure it can't hurt. I don't have the article but I imagine if you search ADD and essential oils you would find something. Good luck!

Has he been tested for Tourette's Syndrom? This sounds more like Tourette's than ADHD.

I would look into his diet more. Dairy and MSG would concern me more than gluten. I have read MSG and Dairy products react on the brain in kids with learning disabilities and make them fire in all the wrong places. It can cause violent outbursts and meltdowns.

It took about 2 years for us to find a medication that worked well for my son. Most seemed to help somewhat, but it took a few different ones before we found something that truly helped a lot. He started Vyvanse at the beginning of this school year, and for the first time ever when I met with his teachers they hadn't even realized he had any issues! His grades have gone up, and he's so much happier. Unfortunately with ADD/ADHD meds, and most psych meds for that matter, it can take a while to find what works for your specific brain. Best of luck in getting there soon!

I would suggest : Try a second opinion and a third one before changing meds, and listen to your child, he is the one who is experiencing the back and forth of different medicines and their "adjustments". Try also to be very well informed about this matter, read and read and ask as many questions as possible to the specialists.