help

Tanya - posted on 12/19/2009

My daughter, too, has ADHD and she says that she can tel when her meds wear off, usually right after school. Since she is 15 now, diagnosed at 8, she is very familiar with how she is with and without meds. If she needs to concentrate at night, what she will do is drink an energy drink or soda, something with a lot of caffeine because in her system is isn't a stimulant but depressant and it helps her slow down enough to concentrate. It may not work the same in all kids, but it might be something to experiment with to see if that, too, works in the same manner with your child. It's a better alternative to another med if it does work...and a lot cheaper than another pill added to the bills. Good luck and it does getter better with age.

Mira - posted on 12/18/2009

No, medicating is not parenting. But neither is letting your child suffer without doing anything. Medicating is supporting your child's abilities, giving them strength to do their best! I applaud your decision to do what you can. Any help, any action, is better than no action. Would those same people who advocate not medicating deny their child glasses to help them see better? We who choose to medicate are simply helping our children control themselves better. We are not doping, I would never accept a medication that has a negative side effect (like the zombies you hear about so often). Every child is different, every parent is different, every family is different. And, who am I to judge what works for any one else's family. I support anyone who is trying no matter what method they choose. Good luck and positive thoughts in the new year!

Brandi - posted on 12/18/2009

Thanks for the support, girls, it is something we are sorely lacking right now. In this "adventure" we have heard everything from "Are you sure you want to medicate her?" all the way down to "Prescriptions are not an acceptable form of parenting." So the support found here means the world to us as we are struggling to do what is best for our daughter. We ended up upping our meds for this time ... next we will try an afternoon booster if this doesn't work.

Mira - posted on 12/18/2009

I hear you, the doctor calls the anger when my son is coming off the meds "rebound". It is tough to deal with. After school, he needs a break - from responsibility, from interacting with people "properly" - he has been holding it together for the last 7+ hours and needs to be able to relax. I usually have a snack waiting in the car at pick up and give him a half hour at home to do what he wants (TV, playing games, listening to music) without interuption from me or his sister before I start homework, etc. This seems to help him decompress.

Since every child reacts to meds differently, whose to say about the 2x's per day med. My son was on Ritalin in the a.m. and at lunch and had the reboud effect. Now on Adderall XR (time release) and it is a little bit better. My personal opinion, if a side effect is disrupting your lives - it is not worth it. Repeat your concerns to your dr. and demand a change, or change dr's. Changing a med to find the right one does not constitute "drugging" your child up. It is simply finding peace for your baby! I'd bet she doesn't like it either. Good luck.

Suzanne - posted on 12/14/2009

Hi Jeanetta!
I know what you mean! What I've learned recently, is that kids with ADHD (medicated or not) oftenly do their best in school. It's not always easy for them. They have to learn, interact with adults and other kids,etc. When they come home, they have to release all that pressure and stress... and they are confident and trust us, the parents, that we'll love no matter what... So they explose. We have to see that they do that with us because they are secure enough that we can handle it (on the contrary of adults and kids at school), that we will still love them. So when my kid does that, I try to have him out of his tantrums and talk to me... I sometime even just hold him and tell him that it's ok, i pet him and tell him that he can cry... Then he feels better!
So if you see it as a proof of confidence from your kid toward you, it might get easier on you! Good luck!

Autumn - posted on 12/14/2009

I had that problem when my son tried his first med - Concerta. We switched and he's been fine since. My other son is on Concerta with no problem. Every kid is different. Check with your doctor. It sounds like a side effect of coming off of the medicine.

Brandi - posted on 12/14/2009

I think a large part of it is her meds not being quite right. I feel that she would be better off with a morning/afternoon medication instead of a morning-only time-release medicine. It seems like it is just wearing off really fast, but my pediatrician seem to think that if things are ok at school, we should just struggle to deal with things at home. How do I go about telling them that we are going crazy at home without coming off like I am just trying to "drug her up"? We love our daughter and don't want her drugged into a daze ... but we just want her to be able to settle down enough to be taught new behaviors, we want to be able to enjoy parenting her. Is this so wrong, to want to change things and try to get them working right?

Beckie - posted on 12/14/2009

Look up what side effects there are on her medication, That was a huge thing for my daughter and talk to your doctor.

Jenny - posted on 12/13/2009

Routine, Routine, Routine, My 9 year old was diagnosed at 6, had alot of the same problems at home, setting a routine helped, started seeing a psychiatrist who also changed some of the meds to morning and afternoon and started him on a mood stabilizer, all seemed to help. Really talk it over with your doctor and see what he suggests.

Dawn - posted on 12/13/2009

its very hard an i know 100% what you are talking about, i found that a set routine helps. like after school snack homework, tv time supper bath book bed, set time limits for each thing. i found that helps my son, as for the fighting w me and others in the home we work on that every day i have to tell him its not acceptable and there is a punisment, loss of tv time or whatever he wants to do.

Brandi - posted on 12/12/2009

I can't give you a lot of advice, but I can reassure you that you are not alone. My situation is almost identical to yours ... My daughter is five too, and with her meds she is an angel at school, but she is like a different child at home. Very much wanting to argue, and almost always finding something insignificant to cry about. Do you have any sort of behavior system (like chore charts and reward charts, etc) set up in your house? Message me and I will tell you more in detail about what we are doing in our family that seems to be helping, then you can pick and choose what might work for you. Good luck!