Are your kids off meds for the summer?

Nancy - posted 3 days ago

Can a 19 yr old that took ADD meds & Stopped at age 16, start looking to other drugs,to make himself feel better? Would going back on ADD meds help deture him from using Drugs ?

Susie - posted on 08/31/2009

Our psychologist told us that he doesn't recommend summers off. He said that the medication is not to make their grades better, it is to make their LIFE better.

Renee - posted on 08/30/2009

When my son first when on ADHD medication, the doctor wanted to take him off of them during the summer. It is simply so they can gain some weight. The stimulants they take during school, takes away some of their ability to gain weight or even eat very much. My son is 13 and still doesn't weigh much more than 100 lbs. But I have not taken him off the medication because he would literally bounce from the walls if we did. He would not be able to do very much. With church camps and weekends at friends or grandparents houses, he has to be able to function and not drive everyone crazy with is hyperactivity. So my solution is to just decrease his medication during the summer. During school he gets 72mg of concerta to help him concentrate and sit during class. But during the summer he only takes 54mg of concerta. This helps him to not be bouncing from the walls and driving others crazy, he does not need to sit and concentrate as much as when he is in school, but yet he can gain a little weight too. That has worked for us anyway. Hope this helps.

Pauline - posted on 08/30/2009

I don't medicate during summer or weekends. The medication seems to zombie him out and his appetite is very low while on medication. once it wears off all he wants to do is eat. so we give him a balance on weekends and summers. It works great for us.

Carrie - posted on 08/28/2009

My 8 yo daughter has ADHD. We've tried "days off" the meds but all end up stressed out. She will ask me for her pill if I've forgotten because she feels better on it. At her last height/weight check, she hadn't grown in the previous 6 months, so I worry that we may have to stop for awhile. With school starting, we will have to wait to stop until June.

Theresa - posted on 08/27/2009

This was our first year with the meds and we took our daughter off for the summer. We explained to her what was expected of her... ie. try to controll her behaviour and to listen. We remind her often and since it is summer we ask very little of her. She still has bad moments during the day and we just remind her to try to concentrate. She has done very well. Again it is summer time and she can pretty much do whatever she wants. It's been good.

Heather - posted on 08/27/2009

Hello Alison,

My boys don't take their med's during the weekends, any school days off or summer vacation. I really monitor they're sugar intake, that seems to help!! Hope this helps! I mainly use the meds to help them in school.

Warmly, :)
Heather

Angela - posted on 08/27/2009

i took my son off meds this summer so i can see how he acks off the meds and i thought i was going to go crazy and i don't think I'll do it again even though his dr thanks it's a good idea...she's not the one who has to deal with my son jumping all over the place and running around i had trouble getting the child to sit long enough to eat...my son loves to read and he was having trouble reading this summer because he couldn't concentrate and sit down long enough to read but i put him back on meds 2 weeks before school started and he finished his book that has 317 pages and has started book 2 that has 260 pages and he reads 2 chapters a night and he's 8 years old and in the gifted program so no i don't regret him being on meds it's a life saver for him....

Alison - posted on 08/26/2009

The reason I am asking the question is because apparantly it is essential to the efficacy of the medication. My husband is a nightmare when he is off his meds (the first 2 years of our marriage were really tough!), but I am trying to figure out how to manage the breaks and maintain sanity.

Blanaid - posted on 08/24/2009

My son is taking his Concerta XL 36mg and Strattera 40mg in the morning and his Equasym 7.5mg in the afternoon, we didn't stop his meds in the summer. We went away for a day trip and decided to stay over, not having intended to so we left his meds at home - OMG - nightmare!!

Tessa - posted on 08/22/2009

Hi all, my son was only diagnosed and put on meds last october so this is the first summer he has had diagnosed. At the same time he was diagnosed with tourettes. While reading the blurb that came with his meds i saw that it advocated a med break, no way could this be done term time as he needs to focus in school as he is 2 years behind. So the only option was the summer hols. He has been up and down but i had to handle it for the last 8 years prior to diagnosis so i just handle it as before. Through having him med free for the best part of the hols i have been able to see that the meds are making his touretts worse, his tics are nowhere near as severe when he's not on his meds. So for us having him med free has been a helpful exercise, and hopefully when we next see his psych we will be able to alter his meds. ADHD comes in so many forms and severities so it is all about what works best for each inividual child. I personally would rather not give my son such powerful drugs when he doesn't need to be on them, but for school they are a must. He feels better when he is not on them, his head doesn't "feel funny". It is hard especially as he has 3 other siblings but i will continue to have him me free for school hols.

Christa - posted on 08/21/2009

Up for debate I know....but have any of you thought about the possibility that the chemicals found in your cleaning products could be aggravating the behavior of your child with ADHD. Someone of you may/or may not have ever heard of this. But they do think that the chemicals affect the children and their behavior. If you message me I will give you the links to several info sites that discuss this very issue.

Tonya - posted on 08/21/2009

We took our daughter off her meds for the past 2 summers. I have to remind myself that she is not on her meds(which we didnt want to put her on at first) and that she is just being herself.This summer she was good for most of it. She has recently started getting mouthy and argumentative. School starts in a week and I had already scheduled her apt with her dr for her script. Some days I thought "What was I thinking?" But then Id focus her on something different and shed calm down. It was all about being creative!! We had more good days then bad so yeah Id do it again next summer!!

Cheryl - posted on 08/19/2009

I don't take my children off their meds for the summer and should they miss, I can see the difference (they are more argumentative and don't concentrate on tasks). It's like the devil took over when not on their meds. My children take it 7 days a week.

Vanessa - posted on 08/19/2009

Oh NO our kids stay on their medication ALL year. With out them, they are really hard to handel.

Rebekki - posted on 08/19/2009

Quoting Meesha:

We spent our summer med free and it was great! Fortunate thing about summers is there are not a lot of times when he needs to be focused on one thing for a long period of time, but I think the biggest change that happened this summer was in me. Joey is Joey...on meds he is calmer more focused and less impulsive Joey, off meds he is Joey without the ability to always keep himself in check, so over the past year and especially the summer, I have learned that just because his behavior is not the same as during the school year does not mean that he is giving me trouble on purpose. I've learned that I have to give him more time to do things and that having to remind a few times to do something isn't the end of the world! Our house is so much more relaxed now and everyone is happy. He will be returning to meds for school, but weekends and school breaks he will be med free!

I think you have a great point.  I think a lot of our childrens progress has to do with our efforts as well.  Granted this is not always the case, I do still believe it.  Our responses and reactions often have strong effet on how our children act. So when we have more patience and knowledge it in turn helps our children.  The way we deal with their actions, the concequence we give them and how we give it, and our over all demeanor during situations.  Every good change we make in ourselves also make positive changes in our children.

Ann - posted on 08/19/2009

Alison we do meds only for school and concentration. My son has been on meds 2 years and the summer camp he attends do not want him on meds, because he does not need to focus. So we do meds only when he has too. My son will tell me if he thinks he needs it to focus. I wish I could get my husband on something! Lucky that yours is willing to take meds! I think my son takes meds more when he is with my husband, than me, because I help him focus and understand the way he feels. So he says his dad can't understand that his mind is racing, and spanks him. I talk him through it and try to help him find alternative methods to deal with it.

Cidalia - posted on 08/19/2009

I take my son off his meds during the summer, but he has ADD without the hyperactivity component, so it's more manageable than is the case with my stepson, who is very, very active.

Meesha - posted on 08/19/2009

We spent our summer med free and it was great! Fortunate thing about summers is there are not a lot of times when he needs to be focused on one thing for a long period of time, but I think the biggest change that happened this summer was in me. Joey is Joey...on meds he is calmer more focused and less impulsive Joey, off meds he is Joey without the ability to always keep himself in check, so over the past year and especially the summer, I have learned that just because his behavior is not the same as during the school year does not mean that he is giving me trouble on purpose. I've learned that I have to give him more time to do things and that having to remind a few times to do something isn't the end of the world! Our house is so much more relaxed now and everyone is happy. He will be returning to meds for school, but weekends and school breaks he will be med free!

Gwen - posted on 08/19/2009

Quoting Rebekki:

Quoting Brenda:

ADHD doesn't go away just because it is summer.

Amen, it doesn't take a day off ever.

I double that...when my son's meds wear off for the evening it can be a total battle getting him to bed!  I can't imagine taking him off for the summer! 

Rebekki - posted on 08/17/2009

Quoting Brenda:

ADHD doesn't go away just because it is summer.

Amen, it doesn't take a day off ever.

Rebekki - posted on 08/17/2009

My 10 year old son stays on his medication all year round! He was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 5, and Aspergers Syndrome this past year. Because of the ADHD, I keep him medicated. This helps him group this thoughts, think through his actions (what little bit he can anyways), and regroup himself when necessary. It is easier on him and everyone in the household for him to stay on his medication because it keeps his mood in check as well. It is hard enough for him to figure out the world and other people, he doesn't need to be all aggrevated and agressive on top of it because his mind is on a rampage.

Melissa - posted on 08/17/2009

Can a person with high blood pressure stop taking their meds when there's nothing around to raise it? Can anyone taking meds to maintain any disorder or disease still maintain a healthy life even if they take a break in their meds? I let my 16 yr old stop his meds for the summer and boy was that a mistake!! He became emotional, defiant, and very depressed! The meds keep the chemical imbalance balanced. I don't recommend stopping meds at anytime, not even for the wkends.

Sara - posted on 08/16/2009

My son has been on meds since very young its only because of those that we have got as far as we have.No way would i take him off for the summer, he gets very uncontrollable without to the point where he is a danger to himself,running across busy roads without looking,pulling a knife on his brother and nearly breaking his sisters arm just a few of the things hes done. Im not saying hes perfect on them but they make life more manageable for him and everyone around him.

Leanne - posted on 08/16/2009

Hi Dawn! My 4 year old is on Contera for ADHD. It seems to be working well for him, and our Doctor told us that he should have it everyday no matter what. My husband and I also have ADD, so I can understand the glue that keeps a marriage together!! I can tell you from personal experience that when my medicine wears off I have a terrible time focusing, or even thinking straight sometimes! It can be very frustrating at times. For me personally I wouldn't take my son off his meds. now that they are starting to work so well. Unfortunately our son has pretty much been austrisized by the other children in our apartment complex. Joe is now known as the bad kid, and it just breaks my heart because he is such a sweet kid! Kids can be cruel, and Joe is finding that out way too young. My advise....once you do start meds. keep them on them 24/7 365 days! Take care of you and your family, and good luck!

Jessica - posted on 08/15/2009

Our family has only became familiar with ADHD meds in the last year. Our now 8 year old started them when school started last year, and it was an absolute have to. I had fought with the teachers personally since Pre k because I didn't want to accept it. We have to visit the doc every 3 months in Alabama to get our scripts for 3 months. When school got out for summer in May I called about a week later to make an appointment to get our next 3 months. The nurse informed me then that they don't medicate during the summer. I was shocked. We fought a hard battle with our son for a month, and I made an appointment to see the doctor because our son couldn't even handle himself. I know that may sound crazy, but I am honest. I do not recommend taking the children off for any reason. I feel it messes with their brain function.

Zenobria - posted on 08/15/2009

Yes I take my daughter off her meds over the summer, that way she can gain more weight during the summer, because with the meds she tends to lose a lot of weight, so really that is the only reason I take her off, I just end up having to deal more with her, which is worth it, cause my baby looks more healthy, and then during school, I just give her Ensure Plus to maintain the weight but she still ends up losing some, but thank God it's the only side effect she gets, plus she doing way better than before with grades, she's more focused.

Maria - posted on 08/14/2009

I have 2 sons(14 abd 8) with ADHD: They both have problems with growing while they are on their ADHD meds so the doctor's have requested that they take them as little as possible. Therefore, they take the meds on school days and any other day that they needs to focus.

Brenda - posted on 08/13/2009

We medicate all year long, including during the summer and weekends. ADHD doesn't go away just because it is summer and my son feels better when he is taking it. He likes being more focused.

Tammy - posted on 08/13/2009

I have a 14 yeaqr old son who is on medication for ADHD and has been since he was in second grade. I really fought against medicating him, but the medication makes his life so much easier. I changed doctors recently and the new doctor suggested giving him a summer off from meds. It was a nightmare. before the summer was out, he had been diagnosed with bi-polar, but after we started him on his normal meds again, they backed off on the other diagnosis. It is unfair to him and our whole family to take him off his meds. He doesn't like himself when he forgets to take his medication. Each case may be different, but for my son no meds spells disaster.

Good luck!

Marilyn - posted on 08/13/2009

Quoting Alison:

Are your kids off meds for the summer?

My children are still quite young and are not on any medication. I was curious to know how many parents take their kids of meds for the summer.

My husband takes Concerta, and his doctor wanted him to go off it for the weekends, but when I visited the doctor with him, he understood that this medication is the glue that is keeping our marriage together.

I know some parents have shared about their struggle with non-medicated summers and I was curious to know if that is what most of you are doing and experiencing.

We have been on the med-roller coaster for over a year now with my 16 year old son. Just when he decides they are working, he stops taking them, and, at his age, there are just so many ways to "force" the issue. Out of frustration over paying LOTS of money for meds that he was flushing or hiding or taking only occasionaly, and out of exhaustion over arguing over the benefits of Focalin, I let him go off of them this summer for about a month (at his request) and he has been unmotivated, unable to do work of any kind, depressed and really out of it (even more than a "normal" teenager). He came to me yesterday in utter frustration over schoolwork and asked me to refill his prescription. The ups and downs that occur when he is not on them, and when he is coming off/going back on, is definitely not a good thing for him or me! We will see how he does back on them. . .

Kristy - posted on 08/13/2009

We do not medicate my 13 year old step son during the summer,

Barbara - posted on 08/13/2009

we tried everything before resulting to meds but i dont regret medicating my step-son for a second... it really helps him cope with everyday life. we tried taking him off his meds this summer and i finally broke and took him back to the dr! its not fair to me or him or anyone around him! i strongly dont recomend it! i think they get use to feeling "normal" in their meds... to take that away is just cruel!!!