ADHD MEDICINE

Riva Bettina - posted on 01/01/2013

My son is adHd and is so bright and smart. He is so loving and will do anything for anyone. He is very hyper and doesnt always like to follow rules because he gets so distracted. We have put him on medicine and I am so torn about it. I feel he is to young to be on this kind of medicine. The thing I like least about it is finding the right med. without side affects or very little. Everyone I talked to said natural doesnt work but I still might try it. The thing that convinced me to try it was he was always in trouble at school. My pediatrician said do you want to be in trouble all the time. But I do wish they would come up with something safe.

Misty Dawn - posted on 12/31/2012

I know what you mean about putting your boys on meds for there ADHD . But the meds do help for school. I am ADD myself and my mom never put me on meds . I did very bad in school. I never could pay attention. I failed alot. But now im 26 and are on meds. It has changed my life . I can actually sit down and read a whole book. Just check into it. They might seem like total different kids at first till the meds get in there system,. this could change there lifes for the good.... :]

Trishia - posted on 08/27/2012

My twin son has ADHD too. He was diagnosed at the age of 5 in kindergarten. We first listened to the doctors and put him on Adderall. He still got into trouble at least 2-3 times a week. The medicine did seem to "control" him that he did not lose focus, but homework time was always a battle, everyone hated him (so he said), he was very anxious (he bite his lip until it bled, he would scratch his finger until there was no skin & it was bleeding, etc), his growing seemed to have stopped and it was a fight to get him to eat anything. I was telling my chiropractor about this and she recommended natural supplements for him instead of the narcotic. She stated that several of her clients have used it on their children with ADHD with great success. I added the natural supplements to his diet along with the Adderall. It seemed to help some, but not 100%. Earlier this year while he was in 1st grade due to my employer changing our prescription insurance company he went without his Adderall for almost a month (he remained on the natural supplements). Boy did he change...he was eating, he did not get in trouble at school, & the fighting to complete homework was over. He was back to the little boy I knew. We put him on Standard Process (the company) - Bacopa, OPC Synergy, and Melatonin.

Wendy - posted on 11/25/2011

No you are not a failure, there is nothing you did wrong. I found out my son had ADHD when he was 7. He got suspended from kindergarten twice and once in the first grade. i thought i was the most horrible mother ever, that there was something i could have done differently, but then the more i read up on it, the more i realized is that it isn't my fault nor was it my sons. you see, i too have ADHD and i felt like somehow i had passed it onto my son. He is now 12 and doing alot better but trust me we still have our little episodes. we went through counseling, i've read books, i've researched alot of different subjects on parenting and i just had to get to know my child and know what worked for him.

Melody - posted on 11/20/2011

So very true...dont ever feel as if you are ever failing your children if they have a condition you can't help. Asking questions and getting advice and stories from other moms will help.

Becky - posted on 03/06/2011

I have talked to other mom's where I live and they have said don't do the medicine until you are absolutely possitive it is ADD.
I have also learned that Hypoglysemia can also have the same symptoms as ADD.

Brigette - posted on 01/30/2010

Hello and I am sorry that you are dealing with this. I myself have dealt with this but not with twins. My two boys have been diagnosed as well. They were not having school issue yet but it was hard for them to sit still and focus. I was very much against the idea of placing them on medication. The doctors all use big words and I had them dumb it down so understood exactly what I was dealing with. You have not failed your children. You have taken steps to get them tested and it is difficult to here the things they say when diagnosing them but you have not failed them. My doctor told me this. People with ADHD have so many things going on in thier heads at once it is hard for them too focus. They have the circus, school, playing, video games, and much more all happening at once that is why they cant focus on one thing at a time. Well mine are on stratera and it is like night and day. it allows them to still be active and still be able to focus on one task at a time and they are able to complete and accomplish tasks. My third grade son is on the Honor role and my second grader is just as smart. Kids with ADHD are actually quite brilliant they just need a little extra help to shine through. I wish you luck with your decision and hope it works out for you.

Helena - posted on 01/22/2010

My step daugther turned 12 today!!! She has ADD/ADHD, My husband tried all sorts of medicenes which did not work.... He did so much research on this and found that the right diet did wonders. Steamed food was on her daily menu. Spices ect makes her more hiper. Sugar, coulorants, preservatives is the worst. Fizzers (sweet) is the worst for her as it takes 72 hours to get out of her system. In his research he found a product called Melotone (made by Sportron) which is basically Omega 3, 6 and 9 oils. He started giving her 10ml a day and that made a world of difference. It breaks down sugar and all the other efects of everything that makes her hiper. She uses ADD Vance as well during exams. (vitimans and minirals) She is doing so well in school and we are proud of her achievements. There is certain coulorants that we keep away from her like anything orange for example. For each child this is different. It takes time to adjust for you and your children. BUT you will get thru this and there is ways to help your child. You can give the melotone and vitamins with medication if you choose to go this rout. My daughter is 8 years old and is alergic to coulorants and preservatives. Melotone helps to cancell the alergic reaction within about 10 minutes. You will get a lot of advice but use your mother's instinct. Try to get to a quiet place pray and ask for wisdom and ask what you should do that is the best for your twins.

Danielle - posted on 01/21/2010

Amber first of all you are not a failure to your children, they have unconditional love for you and like everything else it's trial and error. I work for a wellness company that is all natural and would love for you to see what they have to help you out. Visit me at livetotalwellness.com/believegreen or ser3fass@ptd.net would love to give you more info. You are a good mom Just believe that you will find something to help them and it will be ok Danielle

Maya LeComte - posted on 01/21/2010

when my son begin to go to preschool when he was 3 years old, his teacher and I found that he love to move, move and move. sit down nicely and focus for him is so difficult. this situation trough until he is in kindergarten. his teacher and I recognize that there is something special to him. Although he is always moving around, but he listened well and could answer anything explained before by teacher. when he was 6th years old and I prepare to bring him to primary school, he followed psychology assesment and we found my son had ADHD. He has to do some exercise everyday to loose his over-energy in order he could sit and good listen to his teacher. Well, I let him go to school by bike, as well as play with his friend in our neighborhood by bike too and swim once a week. At school, his teacher offer him to run around the yard 2x before class begin, and always giving him activities he likes (drawing, etc) if he has to wait for his friend meanwhile he finished his job already. He is in inclusive primary school which is student centered priority and under child psycholog monitor. Thanks to God, he is in 2nd grade now and has good point in his academic subject as well as his mannered.

Anne, Or Annie - posted on 01/20/2010

I have 2 children with ADHD and found out in the same way you did. They both had to repeat a grade. I'll admit it's been very trying, but work with your school resource people and if resource still isn't getting your kids what they need there are special programs available in most school districts. both of my girls had to go this special class because resource still wasn't enough. Once they are in, they don't hold your kids back, but they simply grade them based on their own progress. Keep your chin up. It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. today's standards in school are much more stringent than when we went to school ourselves and therefore it's even harder for our kids who learn differently to fit in, but on the other hand the programs that are being developed are really stepping up and helping all children from every background find a way to make their way in todays school system!

Marsha - posted on 01/19/2010

My oldest is now 11 and is ADHD/ADD. He is now on a medication called Concerta and it has been working well for him for the most part. If you suspect it and are willing to try please don't be scared to, my son is so far behind now on the basic skills because the school pushed him through that in grade 6 he's at a grade 3 level for the most part. Social interactions suffer, it all just is no good. I tried diets/food adjustments, allergy tests, pretty much everything before he was diagnosed in school by a phsycologist that referred us to the specialist.My family was totally against the medications but when they saw him a year later without the meds, and then the next week on they fully support my choice. We work closely with the specialist every 3-6 months, and our family doctor every month or two. We see a school counsellor every month as well. He's in a few transitional classes but I've yet to find a tutor in my small area. Good luck, the choice isn't easy to make but as a mom we all do what we feel is best for our kids.

Danielle - posted on 01/19/2010

My son has ADD. I fought for 3 years to keep him off meds. They sent him to a psychologist for testing, they tried supplements. I was strongly against medicating him. When he came home from school with a report card with D's and F's I knew something had to change. I finally gave in and put him on a low dose of methylphenidate. With in a week he was showing improvement, by the end of the next marking period he had turned his grades around. Medication is not for everyone. It is your person decision what is best for your children. Talk it over with your Doctor.

Christina - posted on 01/18/2010

My son was held back from first grade and is repeating this year. We started him on Clonidine and his behavior, grades, and overall attitude has done a 180. Where last year he failed he is doing much better he's an A-B student. The prinicpal, vice-principal, counselor, former teacher, and his current teacher have been saying how much of an improvement he's had. While medication is a personal choice for the parent there are somethings you should know. Medication can calm down some of the problems but can not solve all of them. You will need to find a program that offers case management for the child and parents. These programs are wonderful. The one we use is in Dallas called Providence Services, they offer a case manager who not only works with the school and parents to teach them both how to work and educate the child according to their disorder (my son's was AD/HD). But they also offer a Psychiatrist to check the child once a month to make goals and aim for them. We have been on this program since summer and have had a deeper understanding and respect for our child and the tough road ahead. Some parents just want to medicate and forget that there may be underlying issues that need to be worked on such as anger, frustration, anxiety. Remember it's up to you. If you need help transitioning let me know. I would love to offer some more advice. Good luck.

Deb - posted on 01/18/2010

Hi my son was 10yrs old when i was told he had adhd,it took yrs of asking for help,so when ritalin was offered i decided to try him on it.He took it for a yr,and what a difference it really helped.I also gave him omega 3.As he did not put on any weight for that yr i took him off ritalin,and he managed as best he could.He is now 16,a lovely lad and doing very well at school and home.I used to come out of parents evening and sit in the car crying,other mums couldnt wait to tell me what awfull things my son had done!so just hang on in there,good luck.

Brandy - posted on 01/17/2010

My son came very close to being held back in Kender. our school got us hooked up with a good child psych. He's now on Vyvance and in the GT program @ school. and Amy, sometimes no matter how hard you try and how many different programs you get your kids involved in, it doesn't make a difference. We tried sooooo much before we put our son on meds. sometimes that's all that will help

Terena - posted on 01/17/2010

Hi Amber. I also have 2 children (boys) with ADHD. I am not sure about your state, but in Idaho, ADHD is a qualifying condition that ensures that a child receive an IEP - Individual Education Plan. An IEP requires the school district to make whatever accommodations are necessary to that student be successful. If your state is anything like mine, they are very resistant to wanting to provide IEP's, it means more work and probably more $$ for them to expend. Here, we have a group called IPUL - Idaho Parents Unlimited. They are great. They will advocate with the vengeance of a bulldog to get whatever services the child needs. There are resources available, you just have to hunt them down. This is not your fault. ADHD can be challenging, but it isn't impossible to deal with. As many others have stated, there are also a lot of things available at the health food store. I have tried them, some work better than others. One of my boys does well with holistic remedies, my other boy requires meeds. I have been a long time opponent of ADHD meeds, but for him, it has turned out to be the best option.Something else you might try is reducing the amount of wheat in your diet. I read somewhere that ADHD can mimic a wheat sensitivity or allergy, even if they test negative. Also. I think it is Red #5 food coloring that can cause a flare in ADHD symptoms. Good Luck!

Sarah - posted on 01/17/2010

Fish oil with omega-3. It really works wonders! You have to be consistent with it, but it does help. They have all kinds for kids at health-food stores. Try it, I think you'll agree. Good luck!

Alicia - posted on 01/17/2010

I also have twin boys with adhd who will be 9 at the end of the month. When they were first diagnosed, I also did want to put them on any meds. We tried changing their diet among other things. In the end, because their schoolwork was really suffering, the one teacher kept talking about the "butterflies" he was watching as opposed to paying attention, we did opt to start. They are on two different types and the results have been dramatic. My one son went from reading below grade level to above grade level in a matter of weeks. It may take some tweaking of type or dosages until you find the right combo so patience is really important. While we are still looking into other treatments, one son has sleep apnea, the medication has been a tremendous aid. I hope this was helpful and wish you luck.

Alicia

Joy - posted on 01/17/2010

To make a long story short, my son was diagnosised with possible ADHD (several different drs. gave us different posiblities), we decided after 2 years of testing and no sure answers to try meds. VERY NEGATIVE side affects for him. Didn't see them at first, but the meds. built up in his system over time. After a really bad situation at school, it was decided that meds. aren't a good option of him. We went to a place called Preventative Medicine group here in Cleveland, OH and found that he was deficient in several nutrients (B-vitamins being one). He started a vitamin program while they ran more test. After 2 weeks on the vitamins I could already see a difference. We then found he had sensitivities to 23 different foods (not allergies, but sensitivities). They came out as behavior issues instead of rashes, etc. We did 12 weeks of none of these foods (very tough, but we did it) and now rotate the foods (if he eats corn on Monday, he doesn't have corn products again until Thursday). He hasn't been on meds. since last June. He fall report card--he had straight A's and not a single negative mark on behavior/effort. The process is not cheap or easy, but WELL worth it.

Helizna - posted on 01/17/2010

Are your kids on any sports teams? Soccer or track, or even gymnastics or tae kwon do, something where they can run off a lot of energy? Boys in general need a lot more outside time than is available in school these days.

Marz - posted on 01/17/2010

Hey Amber,
I'm a 30 year old who has been diagnosised with ADHD never been on medication, I have a six year old son who has been ADHD since age two never been on medication, and I'm also a speicalist teacher for ADHD children. I believe some children do need medication, but only after you have tried everything else, and I can tell you it's not easy or and instant fix, it just takes time. My suggestion are:
(1) Diet try cutting all preservative out of their diet. You will be amazed at how much food out the health wise in the supermarket that has preservatives in them, biggest one that affects children is the one in the bread to keep it a long shelf life. Once you have done this and they start settling down, and it wont happen straight away it will take a while. Than you can add some preservatives into their diet just not too much and you and your children monitor it, my son does now, he will go to birthday partys and if he realises he's had too much for the day he will refuse certain foods that he knows has preservatives in.
(2) Keep their minds focused on something, My favourite for children with ADHD is Karate or Yogo because this teaching them self disicipline and control, I myself did this at the age of nine and I can tell you my teacher and parents gave a big thank you to the teacher that showed me Karate and got me interested.
(3) To help them learn in school try and setup a rewards system with them and the teacher, Something like if you can focus and control yourself for this subject or say ten minutes or something like this nothing too big at first, increase over time. Than we can go outside for five mintues and run a muck. I find this great with my students because it doesn't just beneifit the ADHD student, but also the whole class, because than they can all focus, come on it lets all admit, we as adults get restless at work ourselves, well so do six year olds and such.
(4)You yourself as a parent need to let them have a day of just pure muck up, where they can do pretty much what ever they want. You know with in reason not bashing holes in walls etc. Just running around outside at the park, playing sports, leaving toys laying every where stuff like that. Yes you will have to clean up but if they can behaviour themsleves for you for say you start at one whole day and work up than thats good, My son and my deal is if he can behaviour in class and only muck aorund doing lunch times, than after school we can go to the park where he can run off all his energy. And it's work I can tell you his teachers sit there and say we can see him struggling at times, but it's amazing how he controls himself in the class room than lets it all out in the yard. Another thing that works for me and my son is also have a thing called PJ day, my girlfriend gave me the idea. It a day where if the child calls it before 9am that day they can spend the whole day than in their PJ's its even fun for us adults. Also another rule is it cant be a school day, or a day where they know we have to go out to a function, but if it's only to the shops so what, so your kids and you get some funny looks. Sorry but as one lady told my son when he got embassed about her comment of him in his PJ at the shops, hey I have eighteen year olds walk in here in their PJ's or even worse fashion clothes.

Also Amber one big question I have to ask you, what is your Kindergarten environment like and also does your sons teachers know about the ADHD, and are they willing to help your son, because if they are not then my advise is go to another school that will. And I'm highly thinking with what you said that the have already been held back once and looking like it again, your school isn't willing to help you or your boys.

I major don't believe in young students being on medication for ADHD because it does alot of harm I have first hand experience with it.

Also my advise is that if you teach them self control it does wonders, my son has been learning and still is, he still has the odd bad day, and that is usely because it has been a stressful day at school, or he has eaten to much preservatives. We also have to at times adjust his amount of preservatives, so every now and than when I notice he is getting a bit wild, hehe I nickname for it, than we take the preseravtives away and start again.

Yes if you want a quick fix with out the problems than give your child the drugs, but if your a parent like me who loves there children and wants them as adult to be able to live a life without having to take drugs everyday, than teach them how to do it now while they are children.

I believe this because as I said I am a 30 year old teacher who has ADHD and no once did my parents put me on drugs, mind you back than when I was diagnosis with it the drugs and ADHD were very rare. And Amber and anyone who reads this, I myself was one of the wrost ADHD children who hear about, my first two teachers of primary school quit after having my in the class, because I use to throw chairs at them, and thestudents, dusters etc anything I could lay my hands on. I use to bash my younger sister up and not care, that my parents would put me in time out, I'd either just walk straight out pasted them, or climb out the bedroom window. I did what ever I wanted, I didn't care. And my son was just as bad.

Also Amber have you got a second and third appoint on your twin boys dio, because it could also be a personality clash with the kindy teachers, or it could also be one of those twin things, you know how twins have their own language and such. I just find it strange that both your boys have it. I think if anything one might and the other is just acting up you know how thing work. Besides also do you feel that your boys have ADHD your are they just normal behaviour. Because that is another question the behaviour that the kindy is stating that shows ADHD is that same behaviour happening at home, and in every other environment, or just at Kindy. Cause if not than Amber your boys don't have ADHD, caquse ADHD happens in every environment no matter what.

Anyway Amber feel free to contact me and anyone else is you would like some advise on ADHD in children.

Amanda - posted on 01/17/2010

I have recently gone out and got fish oil for my son as he doesnt like to pay attention at school and the say if you dont like to put your kids on the medcation to try fish oil as it helps them concerntrate but it does take a few months for you to see the affects of it

AMEY - posted on 01/16/2010

My daughter was diagnosed at 4. We went through the prescription route for many years and nothing worked and the side effects were awful! The best thing I ever did for her was to research other options. We found Focus Drops 2 years ago and the difference was amazing plus NO NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS! Here is a link for you to check them out. http://www.nativeremedies.com/products/m... Good luck.

Kimberly - posted on 01/16/2010

Hi, my name is Kim and I have a 10 year old who was diagnosed when he was in 1st grade. The way his doctor decribed ADHD is that his brain is like an orchestra. If the conductor is asleep, they all try to play at once. The medication helps to wake the conductor so that they play the way they are supposed to. I went through 3 different meds before we found one that worked for him. Work with your doctor. I can tell if he doesn't take it because he can't keep on task when you ask him to do something. It's not suppose to make him like a zombie. It's just supposed to make him be able to focus on the task at hand. He also takes melatonin at night to help him go into the deep sleep that ADHD kids don't often get because their minds are still on the go. I also did a lot of research on the different meds. So just find the right one for your children.

Faith - posted on 01/16/2010

i went to class about this before i put my son on medcine. Its in their best interest to go with it than without. He is now in 4th grade and every year he has gotten better. And boy can you tell if we forget or later.

Christina - posted on 01/16/2010

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in first grade. I was very skeptical about the medication because I didn't want to take the easy way out and give her something she may not need. But the dr that wanted to give her the meds, had these questionnaires for me and a couple of her teachers. We filled them out and turned them in and they came back that she was ADHD. So, at that point I let her try the medication. The first one didn't last long enough so she was switched to another one (Adderall xr) and has been doing great ever since. She is now in 4th grade. Each school break and weekends she does not take the medication to help prevent growth stunts. Also, each school year, she starts without the medication and wait to see what her teachers say. Everyone can tell a huge difference from when she is on the medication to when she isn't. She is much more focused, calm, her grades went up, and she stays seated in class and doesn't get up and wander around anymore. I also noticed that she can hold better conversations and homework time has become a snap, no more fighting at homework! Hope this helps.

Sherri - posted on 01/16/2010

Ok i know i struggled with the whole med issue myself. It made my boy when he was younger into a zombie a good zombiebut he wouldn't interact with anyone when he was on it. No kids no adults nothin. Ashe got older he told me he didn't like the way he felt on it so i took him off. Luckily he school was always pretty supportive of us.

Now that he is 12 we have decided to try it again. My pedi doctor explained it to him this way if you have a bacterial infection you need medicine to get better if you have depression you needs medicine to get better and if the signals in your brian are getting mixed up you need medicine. he has learned at 12 to control alot of the phisical stuff but he needs the medicine for the attention part of it.

It's a personal decision that you need to make and just keep in contact with the teacher. I will warn there are still schools out there that will not accept your children without drugs. I know it's hard trust and i can't imagine 2 of my boy i really feel for you. People have said to me going all organic helped their children alot. a lot of the chemicals used in foods can aggravate it. Sometimes you can see if the teacher will allow something to help the kids out.Like a few of my son's teacher will allow him to fidgit with something as long as it does not disrupt any of the other students. I will tel you now that middle school is a lot harder, as you switch to more than one teacher you can find somre that cannot deal with your kids. Make sure they have a great doctor who is on your side and understands them. That will be extremly useful in this struggle for them.

The medications don't seem to bug him as much now. You know i support the medications. I was also lucky enough have freedoms with giving it or not. I say try them see how your kids feel if it's not for them you'll know. if you want to try the organic food idea that would be good to.It's hard my son was just such a handful and i lost family because they couldn't deal with him the way he was. He didn't get invited to birthday parties or anything.

They also say a stict routine will help because it makes them less anxious. I don't know my hospital offered a short class which gave parent some tips and stuff.

Joy - posted on 01/16/2010

This has always been a interesting subject to me ADHD. Bradley my stepson classified ADHD at 8 now 12 has been medicated for 4 years so wondering if anyone from here has had there children taken off the drugs as they get older and what are the effects and what was the age. Like I said in a earlier post I have found good vitamins for Bradley Koala Pals and I recommend www.saferforyourhome.com cleaning products that I have been using for 8 years that you can order online wholesale. go to www.countrywellness.ca

Ericka - posted on 01/16/2010

Hi Amber. My son who is 6 was diagnosed with ADHD just before Christmas 2009. I was against meds but talked to people who had their children medicated and they told me that if my son was a diabetic would I not give him insulin to help him. This is so true. I started him on a low dosage of Aterall 5mg and he improved. He is now on 10 mg of the Aterall and doing so well and it has improved his self esteem. I believe the other key to helping our kids with this is working with a behaviorist on top of the medication. She has given me great tools on how to help him and deal with the problems we were having at home. His teacher has also noticed a great improvement in his behavior. He has always been very smart just not able to focus and now he can.
Hope this helps a little. The only way you could be a failure to your kids is if you did nothing and you sound like you are trying your best to get some answers so that you can help them. I applaude you! You will get through this. If you ever have any questions or want to talk about it, please feel free to contact me. I have 3 other children at varying stages of their lives and life is total chaos most of the time but we all get through it.

TRACY - posted on 01/15/2010

Hi all,
I do not have a child diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. I have a husband who was given Ritalin as a child. He said he could focus, got straight A's and was happy. But in his late teens, he turned to drugs and alcohol and became seriously addicted. I have heard over the years that most people who have taken Ritalin as a child end up alcoholics and drug addicts. Does anyone have any input regarding this? By the way, he has been sober for some 15+ years.

Jaime - posted on 01/15/2010

i have a six yr old son thats also adhd. i felt the same way u do and my husband still does in fact he doesnt even know he takes it now. i used to have to take meds for depression but i was gonna say what helped me finally come to grips with it was my best friend telling me " just like my brain had a chemical imbalance so does he, how can i expect him to sit still and focus when his brain wont allow him to without his meds", would i have deprived myself from my meds when it helped me, the answer is no if they NEED the meds then u should give it to them.

Amanda - posted on 01/15/2010

My son was diagnosed with ADHD last year at 5. He was put on a medication called Concerta. I like it, and it seems to really help him out. He also talks to a child therapist once a month. He enjoys talking to her, they play games and talk about what has been going on. I was worried about putting him on medication at first,but after seeing much improvement with him taking it, i'm happy with the results. The doctor did say that he doesnt have to get it everyday, maybe dont give to him on weekends. I hope this helps.

Vikki - posted on 01/15/2010

Hi Amber, I know how you feel I have a son who will be turning 8 in Feb and was diagnosed with adhd and a hearing problem. This was after seeing many doctors and finding 2 wonderful peditritions aswell, who supported us all. After a very difficult time in prep and spending more time at home that at school, and spending lots of money on a wonderful tutor, and a reallt awful deputy princapal who said the he should be madiacated and sent to a special school. Well you can emagine. I spoke to the peditrician and he did an IQ test that was really high! and we did finally medicate him. HE still has his ups and downs but he is much better at school although we have struggled with the school system all the way along, They will not support you or help you in anyway. I have to fight everyday with them. Its his right to be there and there job to teach, He is very active and plays sport 2 nights a week, and has music lessons and his tutor, But it is your choice to medicate but find the right doctor to help you through it, and supportave friend to cry on their shoulders on the bad days? I hope this helps.

Bernice - posted on 01/15/2010

hi my name is bernice & i know how you feel all my children are grown, & all of sudden w/o going into detail God put this preious little girl in my life from my second marriage. Well to get to point she started to acting after her mom abandeing her & her father left her from his illness. So having my own children that had ADHD & ADD my youngest had it bad. Not her natural sibling but she was having systoms I would see in him I started see in her. What me & the pre=school did was we worked together very closely @ 1st she got alot of times outs for her behavior & I seeked Christian counceling w/ behaivor mod. no disrespect for us that has worked & we still have it & she is in kindergarden. Also this yr. her academdics have suffered from her ADD so I did'nt want that to happen but she seems to not be able to function around alot of people only 1-2 people so I prayed & I am going to allow to let her go on the meds while she is in school, doing homework, maybe if there is a big function, But give her a break on the weekends. She seems not able to control her self. I not saying they are to be babied but when they can't contratate have thoughts that are all ove the place & control them selves they need help. But when they do things that are inapproiate they need to be accountable for there actions I hope anything I said was'nt confussingI hope I helped, If you need any more information my 23 yr old had so many promblems & still does, Email me Buzybubmlebees41363@yahoo.com God Bless Bernice

Alyce - posted on 01/15/2010

Have enjoyed reading all the comments and suggestions here. Keep in mind there are different classes of meds that are used for ADHD. Our son was on Tenex which is more like a blood pressure drug and not a stimulant-class med. It seems to slow them down just a bit so they can think and control impulses better. We then moved to Concerta and lasted about a week on that. Not good for us, but then everyone is different.

Our dr. recommended some resources by Russell Barkley and I found them very helpful. You should be able to find books and videos at your local public library.

Karyn - posted on 01/15/2010

Hi Amber, My 8 year old last year was told me had ADHD from a private doctor here in New Zealand. Has wasn't doing very well at school, and had him tested at school for a 20 minute test for this concentration span with 2 other random kids in his class. His concentration span was 22 % out of 100% for that 20 minutes, while the other kids were at levels of 80 % and 85% for their concentration. This test was done prior to the doctor vist. I had researched this alot on the internet prior to the doctors appointment for natural alternatives, so that I had some knowledge up my sleeve for my own sake. The Dr was pushing the drug Ritalin, along with his Teacher. I wasn't interested in that at all. After a year of NO DR drugs and have gone the Naturpath way instead what a huge difference my child is. His nervous styem was acutely stress, he was tested for food allegies (these come back comfirming he was allergic to Egg white, egg yolk, peanut butter, wheat, gluen foods) this is done by a blood finger prick test and was tested for 97 different common food allegies. He also has a hair sample test done which was looking at all the toxins/chemicals/metals in his body. He was put on homopathic drops you put in water and you dont taste the drops at all. This was to detox his body for the toxins and metals in this system. Also I put him on a Gluten Free Diet - (No gluten) this alone has been highly proven to benefit. Get your boys to a Naturpath. My boy has been taken high doses of FISH OIL, ( this also has been proven to benifit their concentration span. Also he his on a Probiotic Multi, CAA (a supplement with all the vitamins and minerals lacking in our New Zealand soils). ADD/ADHD homopathic drops. He has through out the year regular chech ups with the Nathurpath had Iriology check ups ( Naturpath looks at the eyes of the patient). His eyes are now clear as day and back to the wonderful colour of blue, prior to this his eyes were not. His has had another school concentration test done 6 months after the 1st. Well with NO DR drugs his concentration span was 45- 85 % on track. This was done over 3 differnet times of the day all at 20 minutes in length. His still on the fish oils and other things. Also no TV, computer,etc. We used to put on the tv prior to school and after school. No more of that. It has been proven also that this is NO GOOD for the child. He gets to watch limited TV in the weekends. THIS HAS MADE A MASSIVE DIFFERNCE AS HE IS NOW OUT IN THE GARAGE BUILDING STUFF WITH TOOLS AND BEEN ALOT MORE CREATIVE WITH HIS BRAIN! I WOULD NOT EVER GO DOWN THE DOCTOR WAY EVER!! Why would you give you children more chemicals in their bodies. Some Doctors in USA are giving 4 yr olds Ritalin for behaviour issues. This is just insane!! I have had my fair share of debate of both sides of this topic with friends and family, and this a year ago had cause huge division with my Husband ( was wanting the quick fix answer for Ritilin) who slowly but surely saw the benifits that have been gained going this way instead. We as a family had professional alternative counselling as well as my son having one on one sessions. This has helped alot as well. I have friends who have put thier kids on the doctor drugs from this age and still taking them now at age 21. The are just sommbies. I wish you well for the future what ever way you go. Kind Regards Karyn.

Karie - posted on 01/15/2010

i went thro that same feeling my son was adhd his whole live and it was a very rough one as i the mom would not admit my son had adhd.. we had lots of trouble in school but made it threw. when he was 13 he came tome and asked mom u ever feel like ur spinning around in circles and u cant stop and u have no control at all well. i answerd yes and he said that is how he feels alll the time.I cried and cried i thot omg my baby we called his doctor they thot mayb at first was deppression so we tried him on antidpression pills which did not work(actually seem to make it worse) then at the next appointment i start telling the doctor more of his behavior and what we went threw until then and we all came to the decision to try adhd medication and to tell uy the truth made the world of a diffrence he is back to lovin school can think(grades are up at a all time high) and most of all HE SAYS HE FEELS IN CONTROL....(to hear my bay say that was such a relife he has actuallly thankd me for gettin him what he needed even tho we didnt noi what it was)ALWAYS REMEBER u can NEVER be a FAILURE to them when ur there for them just that sum decions seem alot harder to make when it comes to the life and their future the decion i made was the best for mine thank god

Crystal - posted on 01/15/2010

Hi, my name is Crystal and I have a five year little boy with adhd! Doctors wanted to put him on medication but I said NO! I found a natural supplement called Calm Child its a chewable tablet and it taste like grapes! My son has been on it for three weeks now and it works great! The teacher see a big change in him at school!! He is now getting on green and not red and getting all of his school work done like all of the other kids! I am so proud of him! You should try it!

Stephanie - posted on 01/15/2010

Oh dear, a mother of so much concern for your boys is not a failure to them. I am currently going through the same sotuation you are, my son is 8 and in 2nd grade and we have talked about holding him back and possibility of adhd he has most of the symptoms when i looked it up. I really hate the thought of meds and just not sure where to go with it. It seems like if you just take them to a family doc they just push drugs. I hope you find what you need and me too. I will keep up on your post cause hopefully I will be able to find answers too.

Jessyka - posted on 01/15/2010

I have 2 children who are ADHD my daughter has been on meds since she has been in kindergarden she does really well on meds u know when she does not have it she is outta control bad if she misses her meds she does not pay attention and she is easily distracted if she has her meds she is the sweetest little girl but she also has a sleeping disorder so she takes sleeping medication as well otherwise she is a night owl and refuses to sleep the meds is really good i was so sure at first either but she has been good on it

Christa - posted on 01/15/2010

Amber, you are not a failure as a mother. But you can make their life easier and better now that you know. First thing I would do, switch where I buy all my household products. The chemicals & toxins in our household products can aggravate the symptoms of ADD & ADHD. Get some more info and consider it for your home. www.saferforyourhome.com and www.gogreen45kids.com

Christa

Aaron - posted on 01/15/2010

The best thing for my son was medicine. Since he was delayed in speech due to hearing loss from his ear infections and tubes he was already having a hard time. So since he has been on Focalin he has done better in school. It took about 3 different medicines until we found the one that worked. He takes a Focalin XR 20mg in the morning and then at lunch he takes the Focalin XR 10mg. He has a hard time focusing and staying out of trouble if he is not on his medicine. Since he can focus and pay closer attention he is able to excel and keep from hindering his class mates. He did repeat the first grade due to his reading delayment. He was diagnosed in January 2007 while in Kindergarten. Medicine is working, I hope that as he gets older he will be able to control himself but not at this time.

Joy - posted on 01/15/2010

Hi Amber My partners son has been classified as ADHD and is now almost 12 yrs old and has been on meds since he was 8 because the school forced him to. I have spent alot of time traveling and learning about natural approaches to life and I am a wellness coach and have studied the ADHD for years as my brother has two children ADHD the oldest now is 17 on meds her whole life and is just a mess now. So now I wish they never put her on those drugs and when she was 4 I gave them the reseach I had which wasnt good results in the long term of the drugs. Bradley my partners son has come a long ways since I came into the picture but it has to do with discipline that he never had rather then ADHD., So if I had a choice I would do the natural approach with good childrens vitamins, make foods from natural sources not chemicals prepackaged. Red food dye is also not good for them. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Bradley has to have very strict rountines also. But yesterday the prinicipal called Bradley had helped a younger student at school and the Prinicipal says he can see a good inprovement in him. So everyone said he was ADHD and used that as a excuse for him to misbehave well I see him as a good kid and trying to be better to make me and his Dad happy.
Good luck with your sons and contact me if you would like more information on the Koala Pals Vitamins that have high level of antioxidants for Children and he loves taking them when we take our vitamins.

Stephanie - posted on 01/15/2010

My oldest daughter was diagnosed with ADHD when she was 6 yrs old and in 1st grade. They gave us the option of medicating and i decided to go ahead and try it. You dont know if it will help at all unless you try it. I decided to try it and see what happened and it has helped her so much. She does not get in trouble no more in school. Before the medicine she couldnt sit still if her life depended on it. Now she is doing amazing. She is in the 3rd grade now and doing great. She has to take her medicine every morning and then again when she gets home because hers wears off around 3:30pm. If i was to accidently forget to give her her medicine there is a huge difference in the way she is. She cant sit still and she gets in trouble and does things i cant figure out what made her do that. She even knows that it is very important to take it because she knows if she dont she is gonna have a bad day. All i can tell you is you honestly dont know how it will affect them unless you try it, well that is what i did anyways. the start your child off on a low dose and then in a month up it a little if that dose is not strong enough. You dont want it to strong to where they are spacing out and not themself and seem like they are in there own little world. They have different kinds of medicines. i hope you figure out what you want to do with them. take care and hang in there

Nicole - posted on 01/15/2010

My 7 year old has been on a iep sense he was a young toddler, they have tried to figure out every reason why he just could not keep up with the other kids, and this past October I had him screened for adhd and behold he had it, The medicine thing kinda worried me but I decided to give it a try and I am glad I did in just those few short months he is almost done with special education, he is climbing to the top and can do things I never knew were in him.

AnnaMaria - posted on 01/15/2010

Ok, back! where was I?

Oh, yeah! Know that if the kids are having trouble in Kindergarten, it's going to only get worse for them. I don't know where in the world you are, but if you can find a doc that is a pediatrician AND an ADD specialist, go to that doc. Seriously. If you're in or near Anchorage, AK, go see Dr. James Briggs. Providence medical plaza. Best. Doctor. Ever. I cannot recommend him enough!

Realize that with any medication, there are possible side effects. Before you agree to ANY medication, read EVERYTHING you can get your hands on. Read the negative as well as the positive blogs. Keep in mind that your children will react differently to the meds than anyone else. And they'll probably react differently from eachother.

I would probably suggest staying away from Straterra. I have a dear friend whose son is on it, and it works wonderfully for him. However Straterra has anti-depressant qualities that can cause severe depression and suicidal ideations in children and teens. Straterra works GREAT for me, but I'm an adult.

I would also suggest an extended release capsule for kids that young. It's hard to get little ones to take meds as it is.

UGH! there is so much more to tell you, but I REALLY have to get to work! Hang in there mom! It's really not as bad as it seems!

OH! one more thing!! Stimulants like coffee and energy drinks will actually have a calming effect on ADHD kids. It's because with ADHD, half of the brain is sparking and electrified while the other half isn't. The stimulant will actually make the quiet side of the brain wake up, and will equalize the brain's activity, helping the child to calm down. HOWEVER. Stimulants like caffeine, sugar, energy drinks, etc. are not good for your ADHD child, and will cause your child to crash in an hour or so. Medications are your best option.

There are a few magazines out there with great info and articles for ADD and ADHD kids. I would look them up if I were you!

Good luck mom!!

AnnaMaria - posted on 01/15/2010

Mom, stop blaming yourself! This isn't your a
fault. ADD and ADHD are very real conditions that fortunately have been around long enough for there to be plenty of research and resources out there. There are also specialists who have been working with sufferers of this disorder for many, many years.

The decision to start your children on any kind of medication is a difficult one. But as someone who wasn't diagnosed till adulthood, I can tell you that life is definitely better on meds than off. What made me finally get evaluated was seeing my little brother struggling like I did and then suddenly succeeding once mom got him medicated.

Wait, let me switch to a real keyboard! This is taking too long on the iPod! Lol

Suzanne - posted on 01/15/2010

You are not a failure to your children. My son takes medicine for adhd and the hardest part is working through the many drugs out there to find the right one for your child. It took us a few months to find the right one but I have really noticed a difference with the drug he has now and he is doing great.

Laura - posted on 01/14/2010

my son was diagnosed adhd in kindergarten and placed on meds. While the meds made a huge difference I always felt uncomfortab le giving my child amphetamines. last year my son's counselor suggested an all natural diet. So we tried it, and got great results.We have been able to take him off the meds and he is doing great. he hasnt had meds in 4 months and his teachers havent even noticed. the diet takes discipline but is well worth it.The diet is no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. and no high fructose corn syrup.Some people also eliminate gluten but we havent.