Anyone Had Child on ADHD Meds for Awhile?

My child has been on meds since 1st grade. He was first on Adderall XR for 5 years. This was working well however, he started having trouble sleeping. He was changed to Concerta 54 last year and is doing great. He has gained weight and has grown almost 3 in. The meds still help him focus and that was my biggest concern.

My son is ADHD and was on meds in 1st grade. It did stunt his growth unfortunately. He was on Ritalin. He got off meds in high school and is as tall as a weed now.

i can tell you first hand.i stuggled with adhad also and tried a lot of meds.Hands down concerta was the best one I tried.I hated stratera also.Iwas on concerta from 7th grade all the way through my first year of college.i never had a problem with it.I am 5'7 and a normal weight so I wouldnt worry to much.

D.,

My son, who is now 14 1/2, had been on ADHD meds since he was in second grade. We took Concerta for a long time, then when he seemed to 'outgrow' that we moved to Adderall XR. And now we've moved to Vyvanse (within the last 6 months). He does amazingly on all 3 of them. And they have had no long lastnig effects. He eats pretty good, he's super picky, and he sleeps pretty well. He's taller than me, at 5'7" and slim, but he always has been slim. The our pedi is amazing and watches him very closely and is not at all concerned with his stature. My daughter, who is 10, is very slim too, so it seems to run in the family! (Wish it had carried to me!!)

ADHD is an interesting disorder, but with a child on the proper medication they can do and be great things. Good luck with it!

My son comes from "tall stock" as well, and he has been on:
Straterra (not so good, made him worse)
Adderall (works, but causes severe emotionalism (crys a lot over the simple things)
Concerta (gave him migraines)
We are now waiting for the referal appointment to see if he can use something else, they took him off all meds until the appointment (which is not until JUNE!!!!) and now he is failing the third grade and being suspended or put in ISS (in school suspention) on a daily basis.
I had plenty of Adderall left over, so I called his doc to see if we could go back onto the meds at least until school is out, and we were given the go ahead. One day and the affect was amazing!
Yes it causes him to lose weight (men in our family are like string beans, tall and too thin) so is it genetic, or is it the meds? He has been on the meds since first grade and we are nearing the end of third, and he is the same height as his classmates. You really have to push the food though! So this was a long winded way of saying, it all evens out in the end, and he won't be on them forever, right? I also do not agree with people taking them off the meds for the weekend and summers, If others can tell a difference in his behavior, then he needs the meds, and my doc said that there is no truth to them having growth ability during the "off period", so it is not worth it. Feels like I am rambling, but I get so protective of my little man, he is a good boy, he just can't control certain things without his meds, and I am okay with that, I just wish other people were.

I have a son who is 8 and has been on meds for about 3 years. We have tried quite a few. Ritalin, focalin, Concerta nad now Vyvanse. With the first three the results were not very good. With Concerta he had a lot of mental issues. He would talk about hurting himself and that nobody liked him. His counselor pulled it very quickly from use. The studies indicate that Concerta has that side effet more than others. This new medication Vyvanse is very good. We are on the lowest dose and it is working better that the higher doses of the others. I would highly recommend. It is one very much liked by counselors and phycologists in the area. Good luck.

D.,

My son has been on Meds since he was 4 years old. He too has severe ADHD with impulse. We started his on tenex with dextramphetamine. It worked for a while. Now after years of trying meds, we have him on standard adderall. Its a low dose because i didnt like him being a Zombie all the time. The height AND weight issue is a problem that you need to keep an eye on. My main concern is his weight. He is roughly 20 lbs under his strategic weight. He just inst hungey while on meds. I look forward to late afternoon when he gets hungry and I can get him to eat a PB and J sandwich. His height is FINALLY coming along. He has had several growth spurts this year (he is 10.5 yrs.). Just monitor what he eats. His height will come along. Its funny now, he is almost as tall as his 16 year old sister! Good luck.

I had a close friend who tried meds for her child and then went to DORE Achievement Centers - non drug solution - she has a healthy successful child that is NOT on meds!!! She went to the location in Grapevine

My son was dx with ADHA and with dyslexia in 3rd grade, he had strugled thru Kindergarten, two yrs of 1st grade and 2nd grade before all this came to light. He was failing 3rd grade, his best grade was a 30. He went on Adderall and in just over a week he was making stright a's. in 3rd grade he was 4'6" and 130lbs, now in 6th grade he is 5'6" and 127lbs, he had dropped down to 98lbs as he got tall but now he is back in the 95% of his age. He also doesn't take meds on weekends, school holidays and summer break. Sometimes he his difficult but some of the behavior issues are normal for an almost 13 yr old boy.

D.,
Have you considered looking into alternative therapies? My daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia, ADD and auditory processing disorder in Feb. 07. She has been on the Dore program ( movement based program that stimulates the cerebellum to create more pathways and permanently improve child's brain function) for just over a year. She was really beginning to struggle last year in first grade. Now in second grade she is holding her own. Her social skills have also greatly improved. I respond because I know that the program has been very helpful with ADHD kids and even Aspergers syndrome. If interested you can google Dore Acheivement Centers. There are only 7 in the US with one of them here in Grapevine.

Hi D.,

Sorry for the late response but I wanted you to know that we have had wonderful success with Concerta for my son who is now in 7th grade and almost 14. We started him on it in the 1st grade with the same fears you're having and once we made "the leap" it's been great. He isn't a hyper child but just had a difficult time focusing in a classroom environment. Since then, he's been a stellar student with A's and B's all the way and all of his teachers have had nothing but great things to say about him! He just made the National Junior Honor Society! About the growth issue, I was worried about that too because his dad and I both are on the small side anyway (I'm 5 ft. and dad is about 5'8") but he is already taller than me and closing the gap on his dad! My own father was a "short" man but was 10 feet tall in my eyes! And my son-in-law is a small guy but looks mighty in his Marine uniform so I just keep telling myself that it's not the size of the person but the quality of their character that shines through!

You did the right thing by putting your son on medication now. You will soon see his self-confidence soar and he will grow because of it!

Dear D.,

The whole realm of ADHD is quite a journey. There is so much information out there, it's often hard to navigate.

I have a 10 year old girl with ADD on Metadate son (8) with milder ADHD symptoms. You will find you have to monitor your child and be your child's advocate. Our first pediatrician didn't look beyond medication and I now see that perspective as too limited. As you will see below, we are pursuing a dual nutrition/medication approach in our household.

3 years into the ADHD/medication journey, I'm starting to see that while I like benefits of the medication, but I don't want it to be the long-term answer for either of my children.

We started exclusively in the medication realm because it work well for my daughter when she was first diagnosed in 2nd grade. She is small for her age, but I was too at her age. I have been concerned about the growth, but we knew she needed medication to get through school Initiall she was on Strattera all the time. Now she is only on meds on school days. Also, I just took her off for 3 weeks this January to test how she would do. She started eating like crazy and went through a big growth spurt.

We have not put my son on medication because his issues were more mild. We have recently moved to the area and have been seeing Dr. Bain as well. She made some diet and supplement recommendations which we followed with both kids and have noticed a significant difference. Coicidentally, my son was having some persistent digestion problems, so we took him of all wheat gluten and dairy at Dr. Bain's suggestion (I know it sounds insane). We are starting to see some improvement in his attention as well a reversal of the digestion issues. We are still mid-journey, so I don't know if the gluten free / dairy free diet will ultimately work for us permanently. However, I have seen enough to know that I like the nutrition/diet options alot and will continue to work in those areas to see where we go. I like the idea of solving the underlying issues rather than just managing the symptoms.

I would just encourage you to keep asking questions and investigating options.

I have a friend whose son the school diagnosed as severe ADHD. She had an outside eval who diagnosed the same child as moderately autistic. I'm not saying that is your case. I have an autistic son and I treat autistic kids as well. Look into the Feingold diet and consider reading Dr. Kenneth Bock's book - Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies. You will find all these things can be treated similarly by determining what is happening in the child's body using blood, urine and stool tests. You have to find either an open-minded traditional doctor or a DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) doctor to guide you.

Yes. After long term use it keeps the brain small in comparison to normal kids. Have you tried food allergies before medicating? Many web sites to assist. He could be consuming something that makes him over active. Wouldn't hurt to have him tested by an allergist then if no allergies, possibly a child specialist in the area of ADHD and autism to follow up with your doctor. Don't forget ADHD children are the explorers, risk takers (jet pilots), hunters, adventure seekers, sales persons. They are hard to live with but can be successful as adults in these fields. In todays society they are expected to sit in class and behave like the bankers, office workers, etc. classmates. He may learn better hands on. Why the development delay? Is it because of his lack of concentration and loss of learning or are their other issues like immunizations or birth problems? Sorry to ask - I'll pray for you tonight. I know it is exhausting. They demand ALL of your time but your love and support will make them strong. My daughter is now a teen - she had ADHD like a boy and we were always exhausted but now she is braver and stronger than almost any girl her age and has no fear when it comes to peer pressure. We had decided against medicating and did home school for a while. Now her Hyper activeness has subsided and just recently now that she is back in public school -we have started the medicine again. She is older now and can tell us if it is making a difference or not and how she feels. We have planned for this as a temporary medicine to help her concentrate only through the school year. We did have her food allergy tested and she passed with flying colors. (She grew out of her allergy to sweet potatoes - that's why those holidays were so horrible!) :) Take care.

My daughter will be 18 this Summer. She was on ADHD drugs off and on from age 6 un till age 15. She wouldn't take them on weekends or during Summer vacation. Also,thru the years we would try to do without them but always had to go back to taking them.
I do believe it stunted her growth a little bit. When she was younger,like in grade school,she was always one of the tallest kids in her class. Now today,she is barely 5 foot 4 inches. My heighth. Her Dad is 6 foot 1 inch
I think its because when she was taking the drugs,especially when she was younger,she didn't have an appetite at all. Thats my take on it. She finally was able to stop taking them when she reached high school. She is much better, though still has trouble focusing and taking test.

My son is 13 and he has been on stratera(now 65mg) and concerta 56mg since he was in 2nd grade. We found through this method that it controls his hyperactivity and his compulsiveness enough for him to learn at school and function normally with other kids. About the growth stunting, don't worry about that cus my son is 5'9 now and I am sure he will grow taller since his dad is 6'1. It's a blessing to see how this medication works. I myself have recently gotten on 80mg of stratera to help with work and college so I can focus since I am ADHD as well. Never thought there was meds out for adults til my doctor told me I could take what he was taking. So if you have any questions just hollar and email me ____@____.com.

Hi D.,

Be sure your son is getting plenty of fresh, raw fruits and veggies in his diet every day. This can really help improve the condition. Here's a link that may give you some good information on how dietary changes may have an impact: http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/nutritional.htm.

If you'd like info on an easy way to majorly increase your family's fruit and veggie intake, just let me know.

Good luck!

M.
"My son eats all his veggies now. Even the green ones."
Check out my coupon here on Mamasource: http://www.mamasource.com/perk/print/13984576398333837313

My 3 sons were on Ritalin and or adderall for 8 to 10 years and all are over 6 foot or over. My doctor said the stunting growth had to do with the lack of appetite and if they ate properly it would not happen. He cautioned me to make sure that when they ate it was not junk food, but good healthy food.
I highly recommend joining Children and Adult with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD). You can join on line. It has lots of answers and will help weed out what is fact and what is myth.
I used to get a lot of advice from friends, but most was not factual, just something someone told them or read. Most of the time, what I saw on TV, especially 60 minutes was not true. Just something to keep in mind.

Wow this hits close to home! I had ADHD as a child and now have adult ADD. I was diagnosed at age 12. I was on several different medications and found that adderall worked best for me... To answer your question... I am '5"2.... So yes I believe the meds. probably had a hand in it! I have very mixed feelings about medication... It made a night and day difference for me and I can truly not function with out. However, on top of the growth issue I am now having heart problems (at 28!) and I believe without a doubt that it is because of the medication, as it is essentially pharmaceutical speed. I can tell you that you need to cut out red dye #25. I am not sure why but it makes us crazy! I would also try a nutritionist as I have heard it can work like magic with ADHD kids, and see if that works. My best advise is, be understanding, he is going through such a constant battle and when you think he is being "bad" he really just can't help it. So, be patient! Good luck! It's gonna be a long ride! You're in my prayers.

Hi D., I have a son who was on concerta 36mg from first grade thru 9th grade. We started on Ritalin (which was a nightmare for us) but switched during the summer. He is now almost 17 and is 6'2 and strong healthy and taught him self how to control his learning process. I know alot of people think ADHD meds are not good, but those people either dont have children with those problems or dont understand the difference it makes in the children's lives when on and off it. In 7th grade my son asked to quit taking the meds so we tried he came back to me in 60 days and said he was not ready to stop taking the meds so his doctor cut the does back a few times, each time making him a little more in control. She was awesome and understood him, she and her son both have ADHD so she just got him. The only problem we had was his eating patterns. He was never hungry and now at 6'2 only weights 160lbs but is solid muscle he has 5% body fat and is very physically fit. He plays football, basketball, track (pole vaulting) and soccer. So work with him (your son) on the eating. We used ensure alot for vitamins and endurance. I also made sure he always had snacks available in the classroom because when it hit his body that he was hungry had HAD to eat THEN or he would pass out. The teachers were hesitant at first until he passed out then everyone was cooperative. I hope this helps calm your fears. There are alot of bad stories out there just listen to your son and you will do right by him.

Hi, I have a 5 year old son with severe ADHD and Sensory integration disorder and very mild Aspergers and he has been on Trileptol (mood stableizer)for about 6 months and Ritilin for a about 3 months. He is to young yet for any other ADHD meds but he is doing well. the ritilin does not help him as much as I would like but its enough for now.

I will also say that I was on Ritilin from the age of 6-13 and I have no ill effects... I also never tried ill-leagle drugs. infact I have always had a healthy fear of and respect for medications. (i just added that because there is some myth that people who take ADHD meds are more likely to use drugs as adults and that is not true in my case)

If he needs it he needs it. He does not like being out of controll as much as you dont like him being out of controll. I always hated being unable to controll myself and had bad self esteem because if I did not take my meds, people could tell. I no longer need any meds because I pretty much grew out of the hyperactivity, but I do have the ADD still it just does not affect me much.

My son has been on ADHD meds since he was 6 years old, now he is 11. I worry about the same thing. He too tried Strattra but changed meds because of side affects. He started the Daytrana patch, he had no side affects and was even eating a lot and growing but his Dr. felt like it wasn't lasting enough throughout the day, now he takes Vyvanse. I'm not sure I like it.
Anyway, we are tracking his growth as well. The last time he went in for a visit he lost 11 pounds, but the doctor said he is still growing like he should for his age.(I make him show me the chart that he goes by.) I did take him off meds for a year just to see if maybe he out grew his ADHD, but all that did was cause him to almost fail 4th grade and get into a lot of trouble, plus gain a lot of weight. As far as his height goes, he seems to be growing like all the other boys. I really noticed a growth spurt when he was on Daytrana. I may even have him switched back.

My 18 yr old has been on ADHD meds (stimulants only) since he was 5 years old. He started out in the 85-95th percentile on the growth charts.

He is now over 6 feet tall and weighs about 170. The meds have never affected his growth or development.

Blessings!
L. M.
Dallas

My son is 11 he was diagnosed with ADD and ADHD in kindergarten was on meds until this June of last year. I took him..he had been on addreall, concerta, and some others along with a sleeping pill. He too had the loss of appetitie wasn't growing. He also has little to no hearing in his right ear he has a hearing aide and he had to have eye surgery on his left eye.

well i took him off the meds and purchased natural stimulants from natures sunshine.
I purchase focus attention
brain protex
ginkgo gotu kola
stress j
b-complex
and cq10 from the local pharmacy for his hearing loss
if you go to nature's sunshine website they have a list items specifically for add/adhd

Also, he started growing once I took him off the meds and he has no problem going to sleep he is sleep with in 5 minutes of going to bed.

I took him off the meds b/c he had got to the point where he was always asking for medicine or saying he needed his medicine which is a key signal if he can recgonize his problem then he correct them hisself w/out medicine mind over matter thing. Also he needs to learn how to adjust and adapt to different situations w/out it being so tramatic b/c real world isn't going to be as peachy as we try to fix it for them.

He is adjusting well the biggest factor we had to work on was him following rules and directions once he got that understood that he wasn't the boss it's been smooth selling. It's taken almost a full year for the transition and for the past 2 months he hasn't been taken the meds from nature sunshine either. I could tell the difference now it's m/w/f. The goal is ultimately no meds.

D.,
I have 2 children who are ADHD and have been on meds for 6+ years.They are my grandsons who we have been raising for the last 11 years. My 15 year old has been on everything possible as he seems to develop a immunity after a time to all of the meds. He is also PDD which is a form of Autism. He is now on Daytrana and I really like it, It is a patch that I apply each day to his hip area. He takes it off after school. He is doing great now in school(A-B honor roll.)Both boys are taller than either of their parents. Their doctor has always watched to make sure they were growing, Yes, they are on the slender side but so is their father. One thing their doctor said I could do to increase their caloric intake was to offer them Carnation Instant Breakfast drinks at each meal instead of juice or milk.I even let them have them for a snack.Dr. Banner even sent a note explaining why for the school and they have let me send the drinks for their lunches. They keep them in the refrigerator at the cafeteria for them. Just watch your little ones sugar intake, red dye and make sure he gets his vitamins everyday. I'm sure his doctor will monitor his height and weight to make sure he's alright.It's not easy being the parent of a dynamo but hang in there. Follow your instincts and enjoy your child.

D., Good questions and understandable you need reassurance. My son was diagnosed as ADHD at age 6, not an extreme case. We ended up with Concerta after a few years of ritalin, then Stratera (yes - complete nightmare), finally Concerta which I loved. My son has been off the med's since he was 13, he's now 15. He's 5'11" and still growing. During the course of the meds, I never noticed him not growing or developing like the others. If there is any growth stunting, it was minimal. Also, you have to think about the trade off. Without the med's, your son will have a horrible school career and have a hard time making friends and gaining social skills, and that will affect the rest of his life. From my point of view, you are doing what is best for him.

I have a soon to be 10 year old grandson that has been on Concerta since he was 6 years old. He is now on 75 mgs per day. He goes to the doctor once a year to make sure he is growing at the expected growth rate for his age. His only issue is his weight. He is very thin but that is pretty normal for the men in our family (until they reach 35 or so) My son has him on a high fat diet to help encourage weight gain and it helps a little. The Concerta has helped him progress so well in everything. He was way out of control prior to the medication and I feel as long as the pediatrician monitors him that he should be able to continue with the medication for a couple more years. By then, he will try to wean him off of the medication and see if he can manage his ADHD as a teen.

My 10 yo daughter has been on ADHD meds for almost 2 1/2 years. I will be honest, we have had to switch meds several times, it can be very frustrating. I believe it was the concerta that made her loose a lot of weight. She right now wears a 8 when she was a 10 when we started. As far as her height, she is still growing. Her Dr. is watching her weight very close, she is thin, but not too thin and said that as long as she is still growing, she is ok. The thing with these meds, is that they can be really tricky. Some will keep her up at night, some make her loose weight, some dont work at all. It is just finding the right combination that works right for your child. It is a hard decision to make to know that your baby has to take a pill every day just to get thru the day, but in the long run, if he has it pretty bad, then it is so worth it. And just remember that it is something that they can eventually grow out of. Good luck and just keep an eye on him. You and your Dr. will be able to figure out what works best

My son is 9 he was on concerta for 3 years and we switched him to daytrauna (its a patch) We did this because the side effects witch for him really curved his appetite and he had sleep problems. This problem was keeping him from growing properly. With the new meds he doesnt have those side effects he has gained weight, sleeping well, and his growing. To make sure he is getting all the nutrients for proper growth I give him an ensure with protein with breakfast, (it is a little expensive) a multi vitamin and I do try and stay away from red dyes, and processed foods If at all possible. I would just say keep an eye on him and be patient with him at the end of the day as his meds are wearing off. I agree with you the benifits for us have far out weight the bad and their are so many meds out that can help so if after a period of time if it doesnt work try and try again.

D.,

You might try taking him to Dr. D. Bain, a pediatrician in Frisco who specializes in non-drug treatment of ADD/ADHD. She heals 80% of cases without any meds at all.

www.healthykidspediatrics.com

Good luck!

hey. well i have an 8 yr pretty much exact same as oyurs. we finally started her on medication in january, adderall sucked!! she then went to Vyvanse 50 mg for about 2 months and it seemed to help in school alot, but at home she was crazy, even more hyper and aggressive. so now we are trying dexedrine i just started it today actually so well see.. but i have the same concerns as you... let me know how his med is doing i was wanting to try that too, but they said she was so extremely hyper and impulsive it wouldnt work.... ehh

My son will turn 13 this week. He has been on various ADHD medications since he was 7 years old. He is healthy, never misses a day of school and is growing like a weed! He does not take the medication on weekends, school holidays and during the summer. This has been hard on us at times and when we seem to be having real difficulties, he will take medication during these times, but never for the entire summer. I am sure that your doctor will also suggest that your child have a medication vacation. This can be very traumatic, but it does give their body a chance to catch up. I find that the first few weeks of summer, I don't think I can make it, but either he adjusts or I do, because we have survived.

We started will Adderall, which worked fine. We also tried Strattera with terrible results. The summer before he began middle school, we had him retested and decided to try Focalin. He performed even better on the tests with Focalin than he did with Adderall. It was easier for him to swallow and did not leave a taste in his mouth and can be taken in lower doses. It has been great and has not had as many side effects. Every child is different and you will have to find the right medication for your son, through trial and error.

Our biggest problem was the loss of appetite. He will not eat lunch at school. So be prepared for a loss of weight especially the first year. I began sending him a variety of healthy snacks that he likes, like yogurt, granola bars, cheese sticks, grapes, etc. I explained to him that his medicine was telling him he was not hungry, but his body needs fuel. I encourage him to try to eat at least two of the choices in his lunch box, but he did not have to eat every thing. He has gotten used to the medicine and is more able to eat during the day, but still does not eat much lunch. He eats a good breakfast and a good dinner. He usually gains a little weight in the summer and then slims down during the school year. But this was his normal growth pattern, even before medication - he would beef up, then shoot up.

He is showing a great deal of maturity this past year and we are having less behavioral problems than when he was younger. He still struggles to keep on track at school, but the medicine has been a life saver. Our doctor warned us that as they get older they can rebel against the medicine. So, at least once a year since 4th grade (usually towards the end of the year, when there is not much going on) I have given him the option to not take medicine. He tries it for a few days and then realizes that he needs the medicine. This has really helped to not make it a battle to take it. He takes medicine every day for school, but I give him the choice on the weekend depending on how much homework he has. He usually decides to take it if he has a large assignment.

It was very difficult for us to make the decision to put our child on medication. My husband was VERY against it. But our doctor explained that the side effects of medicine are not as harmful as low self esteem, poor school performance, trouble with classmates, drug abuse, alcohol abuse and suicide - which are all common among kids that are not treated for their ADHD. Just think - would you deny your child insulin if he was a diabetic or asthma medication, allergy medicine? Unfortunately, our society is not as accepting of "brain disorders" as they are of "body disorders."

Good luck and I hope that you will find what is best for your son.

Hi, D.,

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We integrated a number of techniques, one of them is NAET and may be the dietary and nutritional modification.

Dr I. Lim Peck LAc.,Dipl.Ac( NCCAOM);RN;RMT;CAAPM;CSAS
Integrated Center For Oriental Medicine
5924 W.Parker Rd., #100
Plano, TX 75093
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