I chose to medicate and it’s the best decision I ever made. She’s not a zombie, she’s happy and able to focus. Tells me her meds help her head not feel crazy all the time.
I have had three so far with ADHD. I have medicated all of them and it helped them all immensely. I was worried about the meds too but I have also tried counseling and focusing stuff with them in addition to the medication. My older two were able to get off the meds at the end of middle school because they learned better control and their minds matured. I would have u go to your sons pediatrician and talk with him or her. There is a questionnaire both u and teacher fill out and they go over with you to share recommendations. It can help and it improves all areas of their lives. Then as he is taking it start doing games or other activities like chess or something that help with focus and concentration so it can help in the long term.
My grandson has adhd and is medicated. Both his parents have it to. It helps him concentrate better at school.
My daughter had the same issues at that age. Although it was 100 times worse at school than home, so I was really reluctant to get her tested. When I did she tested off the the charts for not being able to focus and concentrate. We went through 3 therapists until I felt comfortable and we were a food match. The good news was I loved (still do) her Pediatrition.
I fought the idea of medication for a while and, honestly it took a few tries before we for it right. BUT when we did, it made ALL the difference in the world!!!
She became sooo much better and balanced and happier.
You have to do what’s right for him. If it’s hard on the people around him, imagine how hard it is for him.
As she’s older now, we can actually see her mind spin when she is off her meds. She’s amazing though, can advocate for herself when her med levels are off.
Hang in there mama - I PROMISE it gets better… just hang in there for you both!
Get him tested. Medication is not the only way. A diagnosis opens more doors for services and accommodations. I would have a sit down with his pediatrician and discuss your thoughts and concerns with medication.
If you do choose to medicate, keep a close eye on any changes in behavior. After we started medication my son tried to commit suicide (at age 9)
Sometimes the add medication will make them zombie like and you have to work with the doctor to find the right medicine. Sometimes they don’t need the stronger medicine and they only need focalin to help them focus. I’d definitely discuss your concerns with your child’s doctor and go from there
I chose to medicate both of my kids who have adhd and it was a process but once we got the right meds and the right dosage it was a huge positive change for us all. I believe that if we know our kids are having a hard time, it’s our job to find a way to make it better for them. Any way that will help them. If we don’t we are failing them.
We medicated our daughter and it helped her tremendously. She was 6 and having a lot of trouble with school work and paying attention. She is know 15 and takes the medication when she feels she needs it. When she was younger she told me that she felt better with the medication
My son has ADHD! He only took his meds in the morning so he can focus @ school! The meds only last 8hrs NOT BAD!! I let him be on the weekends with NO MEDS when he was little! He’s 23 now!!
My ex and u medicated our son. We waited until he was in 4th grade and wished we would have listened and started him sooner because his behavior greatly improved along with his grades.
My son got tested at around 5 and he was on medicine he just recently stopped taking it like a year ago to see how he acts without it. I didn’t like him on it because it made him a totally different person but he needed it for school so he could focus and not be disruptive.
My son takes guafacine, he is 6. I have noticed a huge improvement in his ability to focus. His personality is still
The same
My son has ADHD. When he first got the diagnosis we did medicate him. It completely changed his personality and not in a good way. He was always very happy, energetic, and extremely funny. His teachers used to tell me that the school year was more fun because of him. Once we put him on it he turned into a zombie. He didn’t talk much, wouldn’t eat, and when he got home from school he will go to sleep. After about two months, when it didn’t change (I was hoping his body would acclimate) we stopped giving it to him.
I was totally against medicating my 7 y/o when she was diagnosed with ADD. Her doctor talked to me for a long time; showed me research that was pro medicating. He convinced me to medicated when he showed me artwork from the same child, receiving the same instructions; 1 picture the child drew while medicated the other he drew un medicated…it was his child. The artwork was night and day different. He explained to me that I was holding her back with who she will become. You don’t want her being in trouble everyday. This was back in the early 90’s. My daughter stayed medicated until she was about 12; she chose that she didn’t want to take the meds any longer and I agreed. School was a constant struggle for her. She graduated from HS late but she has her diploma. Things are different now. My advice talk to several doctors and do what you feel is the best for your family. xoxo
I, myself, have ADHD. I was the unmedicated kid. Getting talked to, teachers complaining, getting my butt whooped…all of those did nothing for me. I didn’t know how to slow my brain down to the same level as others. As an adult, I take meds for my ADHD. It had changed my world. I can come down to the same level as society. I can concentrate on what I need to do.
My kids all have ADHD. Two of three are medicated. If I don’t medicate, they do the same things as your son - bouncing and disruptive. While not on meds my son would tell me that he can’t slow down. The medication helps him slow down. It helps him stop bouncing. He can concentrate a lot better.
If redirecting him and giving him those tools do not help him, maybe it is time to look at medications. I had my son started in kindergarten. My oldest daughter started in 3rd or 4th grade. Some kids need more help than redirection and fidget toys.
I am a Teacher and see this. It’s hard in the student and all the others too when one is distracted and distracting others. Work on strategies to help with with self control, but also talk to your doctor. Sometimes they may have some good ideas with nutrition and scheduling etc and not just with meds. Don’t completely rule out meds though. One kid I know said after he took it he felt like he now could choose if he wanted to be good instead of having it out of his control with meds. Remember too that there are a lot of different kinds of medicines so if you choose that one may not work but another could. Find something that helps your child feel in control and successful to have a good self worth and educational career. Sometimes these kids get labeled as the “bad” kid from others and become the scape goat because they can’t control themselves as well and that is never what a parent or the child wants.
My daughter has so many other things going on, that the decision to medicate her ADHD for school has been such a good thing for us. We are able to focus on getting her help and she’s getting As and Bs. While I did not make the decision lightly, it can be good. My thing is that I did not want to over-medicate her. She gets enough to focus on school and keep her on an even keel without changing her quirky personality. (I’ve seen what to much can do, and it’s not good). The thing you have to do is keep in constant communication with the teachers and your health care provider. The school provides feedback on the effectiveness of the meds twice a school year and are asked to let me know if they see big changes in her behavior.
Good luck in finding the right path to for your family. 
Being a mom with ADHD and no formal help as a child with it I would ask that you get him evaluated, and he absolutely needs therapy. The difference between someone who is “normal” and someone with ADHD is the brain physically fires differently. Those with ADHD have to be taught how to cope, and process very basic human functions. If meds are necessary then I would use them now and with being taught how to deal he might be able to ween off as an adult. COGNITIVE THERAPY IS IMPORTANT!!
I dont have a child with adhd but i was one of the hyperactive children(pre adhd diagnosis). I thank god my parents chose to medicate me. I can remember my mind racing, being unable to focus. It was a lifesaver for me. I dont recommend it for everyone and definitely recommend the smallest dose possible to achieve results. In combination with therapy and the correct dosing, miracles happen.
I am adhd and have struggled my whole life. I was over medicated as a child which made me anti-social. I stopped taking the meds on my own in junior high and I barely graduated.
BALANCE is key.
My daughter had ADHD to the point she would pull out her hair to keep busy. She didn’t function well on medication and had a huge decline in her grades. We put her on fish oil supplements after much research and she flourished tremendously. Her hair grew out beautifully and she became a straight A student.
My daughter has been on aderol 10mg since 3rd grade. I only give it to her during school days. Her reading went up 6 levels in 6 months. She Even tells me how much better she feels in class. She has more confident.
With my oldest I managed it with his diet and routine mostly. He was briefly on a low dose medication only during school, not over the summer for 8th & 9th grade because he was close to failing and needed the extra help. My youngest has it much more severely. We started him on medication in 4th grade, giving him a break from it over the summer as well.
My son and daughter were ADHD, I medicated both of them. I look at it this way, if your child was diabetic would you medicate them? BOTH are illnesses that they can’t help and all the medication does is help them feel better. He can’t control his actions and he needs help with that. Yes, give him the meds he needs!
My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 6. I went back and forth on medication. He was falling behind in his abilities to read and write because he couldn’t pay attention long enough to learn them. I wanted to look into behavioral therapies, but his pediatrician had mentioned that it is all about consistency and routine. He lives in two houses, as his father and are not together. It would have been impossible to make sure he was getting the same treatment in both houses so we ultimately decided on medication. It was VERY helpful for his learning. He is nearly 10 now and has continued his medication. He also now loves to read and write stories. I really don’t think he would be where is now academically without his medication. It does curve his appetite so we struggle with that, but overall it has been very helpful.
My grandson tames meds for his ADHD. At first his mom was against it. However, I said how would you feeling the doctor wanted to medicate for diabetes, cancer, or some other disease. It took awhile to find the right medicine for him, but when they did it made all the difference. When he turned 18, he chose to go off meds. He got into all kids of trouble and came to realize what was missing. He is now getting his life back together…on meds.
Honestly the teacher sounds amazing she’s doing a lot more than most teachers would in my experience. My nephew has a d h d and it was a long conversation whether to put him on medication or not we did try to go without it but it was getting hard to control him he just started and he’s honestly doing a lot better and he’s a lot calmer and put together there’s no shame in using medication but if it bothers you it never hurts to research and find ways to cope with his ADHD without medication first but if you do just I know it takes a lot of time and effort and work. Good luck!
I chose to medicate, and it was life changing! My son is now 19, and still medicates. His grades and his self esteem improved.
My son is on a patch for his ADHD. He won’t take pills or liquids and we even tried hiding it in stuff he liked but he could always tell it was in there. The patch is called Daytrana. It comes in 10, 20,and 30 mgs. He is on 30mg. Been on it for 6 years now.
My son (11 now) has adhd . We were very apprehensive at first about meds but after loads of counseling, adjusting our parenting approach and waiting to see if he “grew out of it” as he matured…we started meds. Low and slow is what i recommend. We started the lowest dose and only on school days . After almost 2 years now hes still on the lowest dose but he does take it 7 days a week. He went from being in trouble every single day to literally never ever being in trouble and having 1st honors.
My son was tested in 1st grade was diagnosed with high adhd. Had problems at school work wise and concentrating. I did end up putting him on meds only while in school to help him focus teachers saw a huge difference and I did as well. Also the iep helped a great deal as well as his Para. He is now 13 and been off since the pandemic started and let me tell you he can control it on his own. Just like the doctor said he might.
Speak to the school staff, his doctors and see what will work best for your little one. Everyone has to work together thats involved in his life. I’m glad I took the route I did. Good luck.
I am a first grade teacher. I have seen dozens of students with ADHD. Many of them do very well on medication. My 26 year old son has ADHD. I waited until he was in the 3rd grade to start him on medication. I really wish that I had started him sooner. He came home from school happier when he was on medication. He was able to focus, complete his work and develop better relationships with his peers. He weaned himself off of medication by the end of middle school. He was able to graduate at the top of his class, attend college and land a great job. He still has lots of excess energy, but he has found ways to channel it in order to be super productive. Only you, your child and the doctor can decide what is best for your child. Good luck!!
My granddaughter was getting all F’s in school. Couldn’t concentrate. She was tested and has ADHD and on the lower spectrum of Autism. My son hated the idea of medication because he was afraid it would change her personality, but he agreed to it. She does so much better now. They only give it to her during school. No weekends, holidays or summer. You can tell when she’s on it or not by how her attitude:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
. He still doesn’t like the idea of her on medicine but realizes how much it has helped. She’s been on it for about 5 years now.
I have one son with ADHD and we decided that he needed to be on medicine at the age of four. My son couldn’t sleep through the night or potty train until he was on meds. He stayed on them until about the sixth grade and then he joined sports. He is now 16 on no medication. We all learned a lot while he was on meds and they helped so much. When he learned how to live without them we took him off. You do what is best for your family.
I didn’t get my kid medicated. I waited til he was 12 and could decide for himself. I have adhd as an adult and I take meds. But there r tests and side effects that kids might not understand. Like I get super thirsty all day. My son has decided he didn’t want meds. That is his choice. But it is his choice. A six year old does not understand all the things that it means to take meds or responsible enough to remember. I say u wait for it to be his choice
If he was missing an arm would you get him an artificial limb? He is missing chemicals in his brain. You can replace them. It will be much more damaging to let him think he is “bad.” Medicate just under what he needs so he can learn self control.Also, he needs occupational therapy for other issues related to the ADHD. Btw it can take several trials before you find the right med.
I went through the EXACT same when my oldest was that age. ADHD is extremely hard to accurately diagnose at that age. We did have him diagnosed and placed in his school’s special education class which offered him more resources. We initially started him on a minimal dosage of meds but he would walk around like a zombie all day and come home from school and crash so instead of medication we got him several different types of counselors and therapists. Some were even able to go work with him in class. It took alot of work for all involved but he is now 13 starting middle school and working his way out of special education. You do have options if you are uncomfortable with the idea of meds
I have ADHD, but have am very intelligent. My parents chose not to medicate. I suspect my school experience would have been very different had I not had a huge disadvantage between me and my peers. But there are long-term side effects to all of the meds they no one likes to discuss.
Even if you don’t medicate, there are lots of things to change about diets, schedules, and different supplements (caffeine) that help.
Personally, I’ve decided that if my son gets to the point where it is negatively effecting his schoolwork, then, my job is to seek treatment.
I chose not to medicate until it caused a.problem at school cuz I can handle him at home but also ask his teacher about an I.E.P /504 plan it makes a BIG difference to their quality of school life and learning. My son tried 4 different meds until quillichew but we had to be careful because he also has epilepsy. Also people dont see anything wrong on the outside so they assume they are fine but if you have a disease it’s easier to maintain with small dose of.meds then nothing at all. When you find the right med it completely changes their quality if life for the better
My son is now 8 and has had a diagnosis of ADHD since 5. I had moved him from one school since they weren’t really helping by giving him horrible consequences he couldn’t control. They have made a different kind of chart and there is no more write ups. I refused medication for adhd but continue for anxiety. This has helped. We also work on task completion at home with a timer. Once the timer is off we get our wiggle on or take walks.
Giving task oriented things that don’t allow spotlight on him raising for small behavior like handing out papers to the kids and then telling him “ great job for passing out papers” color coding notes for school and maybe getting a book for you and his teacher/s to respond to each other and set small approach able goals such as only getting out of his seat 3 times in class
My kid was diagnosed and got prescribed medication but refused to take it, so we are allowing him to chose that
My daughter is 6. I had her tested in November. I too suspected it for awhile. I noticed she could not write. At all. She could not get a sentence onto paper. Her mind has beautiful stories and her verbal language skills are very advanced. But she could not focus long enough to write one sentence. We started meds. She loves them! She calls them her miracle pills. She went from struggling to succeeding. She even chooses to take them sometimes on the weekend if we are doing something she wants to be able to focus on. She says her brain is always having a party. And party’s are amazing! But partying non stop must be exhausting! She can now write. I am noticing her reading is still behind. She tested gifted in math. I am a teacher at her school. I have been a special education and a general education teacher. Sounds like your child’s teacher has done everything right! Bravo! Talk to your pediatrician. If your child had a different medical need that made them need medication you would give them that medication. The brain is just as important as any other part of the body. If everything has been tried to help your child be successful and it is not working, it is time to seek further help.
My daughter has adhd and I chose medication for her and she has been able to focus at school and her grades have improved and she’s been happier
My son takes it and it has helped his life so much. Grades have improved. Behavior. He notices a difference and likes that he can focus
I am a firm believer in medication. My son has adhd/autism. Imagine being them having no control and getting in trouble and not truly understanding why. We did have to try a few different ones before we found one that worked for him! Be sure that you give the medication time to work as well, I hear so many parents after two weeks switching them again.
My oldest was diagnosed with ADHD in 6th grade. All the medication we put him on made him a zombie. Got him on a 504 then an IEP in high school and it did wonders. He is now 21 and in the Army with no problems. Take a deep breath, get him evaluated and know there is nothing “wrong” him. There are many different options out there, just find the right one for him and the family. Good luck.
As both a mom and I teacher, I struggled with this decision with my daughter. We did not use medication until it became obvious that no other intervention was effective and her education was being impacted. While I did not want to medicate, her ability to learn and feel successful at school was my bigger concern. She was on medication for a few years and got off once she was older, more mature and able to better manage herself. I now think I did what was best at that time and it benefited her in the long term.
I refused meds for a long time and final gave in. It made such a huge difference that I felt bad for not doing it sooner. Shewas on a time released med so she only took it in the morning.
I thought my daughter had ADHD since she started school…kindergarten and 1st grade she couldn’t sit still, couldn’t focus etc…right before she started 2nd grade we spoke with her Dr and she started her on a low dose of focalin it worked but only lasted a good 3 hours and obviously school is longer then that…so she uped it to focalin xr 10mg and she’s been doing great since then…shes 8. She now focuses, she sits down, her grades are better…she went out of state to see her aunt and cousins for the first time starting her meds and they were like “wow, she’s so much calmer”
I suffered greatly with ADD/ADHD my entire childhood. I was in the 5th grade when my teacher approached my mom with very similar issues regarding my attention span and comprehension. Being medicated for it was probably the only thing that got me through school and retaining information. I was a class clown didn’t take anything serious and when i did try to apply myself everything the teacher said went in one ear and out the other. I would get home and cry in front of my homework because i didn’t know what to do or how to do it. Medication effects everyone differently all you can do is try. It really worked for me as a kid.
We tried messaging for 1 year with our oldest when he was in 2nd grade. It was horrible. Mood swings were off the charts. Took him off the mess and made lifestyle changes. More activity, less tv, healthier food options, less junk food, staying busy, reading more as a calm down method. Just getting him active helped alot. He was always an outdoors kind of kid so we just gave him more freedom outside.
Get him evaluated I have with my son he is a bit older being nearly 10. We medicated for close to a year and we have now decided not to medicate and are back to food and diet to help him again as his come downs from his medication became to much to the point he would be depressed. It works for some and not others so best to have evaluated and go from there
There are other options you could try before medication. We were able to use massage therapy & chiropractic care 2x/week for our son and gave him caffeine before school in the morning. These helped our son immensely.
My son in law didn’t want grandson on meds either. The older he got the worst it got. He went to 4 different school till he was placed in the school by the hospital so his counselor was right there to see his behavior and he has been vaper acted 4 time now and he’ll 12 years old. He is now on meds but he still has problems in school and playing with other children. If he can’t play his table games he acts out. So get him tested as early as you can and maybe it will help. I will say a prayer for you and him.
My son is now 16- and we do medicate. I was exactly where you were 10 years ago. I kept thinking he’ll grow out of it. And I was totally against medicating. Seeing the difference medication makes in his life I wish I would have not gone through that year of fighting the medication question.
We were in the exact same situation with our youngest!! It wasn’t until he was headed to the middle school that his 4th grade teacher said if we didn’t do something soon than we were setting him up for failure. I went through all the testing and the doctor prescribed a very low dose of concerta. My husband was furious however after 20 minutes if his very first dose my hubby couldn’t believe the transformation!!!
Get him evaluated first, then talk with your doctor. My son is medicated, and he does so much better in school with it. There are a lot of different medications now that they can use to help him without getting the zombie affect. My son has never acted that way on meds. The thing is your son is not only unable to focus for himself to do well, but it also sounds like he is distracting the whole class. It sounds like its bad enough that if he doesn’t get the meds to help now he will struggle even more in higher grades. I don’t like doing meds, but sometimes its just necessary. Also something to think about, my brother was ADHD and he developed a bad temper which with the ADHD it made it hard for him to control.
My 5 year old was diagnosed 3 months ago. We have decided to wait on adhd meds until it starts to affect her schooling. We do have her on cbd which helps a little bit but not anything dramatic.
My daughter was diagnosed in 3rd grade. She used to take the summer off ,meds, she would restart 2 weeks before school started. She took herself off meds in 7th gr. She did well by learning to focus better . Meds worked for my daughter.
My son had ADHD . Back then school didn’t do anything like what your son’s teacher did. He was on Ritalin and it helped. Also have you tried taking you son off of everything with red dye in it? Sometimes that helps.
I was the mom that 100% refused to medicate my son. At 26 he took himself to the dr and went on meds. He says he is sorry he waited that he hasnt felt like “himself” his whole life and now he does
My son had trouble in school from 1 st grade on. We had him evaluated and eventually we tried a couple different medications vyvanse was the best for him least side effects and most effective. He did a lot better in school. He usually only took it on school days. When he was older in high school i lost the insurance and couldn’t afford it and he started falling behind and getting into trouble for awhile. Eventually he switched to a different school that is for ones with problems and he has excelled caught up on 2 years of work in a year and is about to graduate by summer
Our teacher, principal and counselor sat down with my husband and I and we discussed our options because everything we doing weren’t working and my son would come home crying that he just couldn’t focus or sit still not matter how hard he tried. He was put on 5mg of Ritalin and it made a world of a difference. He isnt zombie like or drowsy it just calmed him down to really get his work done but he is still the same sweet boy he always is. He only takes it for school and another dose at lunch.
I started writing this while story about my experience but realized it was too long…this adhd is affecting his (and others) school work…get him tested, depending where you live it’s just a few forms you and the teacher fill out and from what you are describing…its 100% adhd, my 7yo has it bad. I was against meds at first but when it came to his school work I knew he needed help…I dont think he should be getting write ups though…he cant help it and sometimes I forget that when it comes to my boy and I yell or something when I shouldnt…I say test him…but I have a feeling its adhd for sure. As far as meds…that really is your call (are you and dad together? If not r u full guardian? Then ur choice, this is my situation and my son’s dad doesnt think he needs it…well its affecting his school work and it helps him) anyways, sorry. At least test him (I even had mine tested for other issues, turns out he isnt in a spectrum but he was kind of close so he gets extra help plus has to do summer school) I’m sorry this is long…GOOD LUCK!
I’ve had 2 children medicated for ADHD it did not make them lethargic at all. Our doctor explained ADHD really cool. If you take a jello mold and shake it and you see it wiggling and jiggling that’s how kids with ADHD feel no their brain isn’t actually moving but their thoughts are like the jello mold always moveing
How do u get ur kid tested my 4 yr old soon to be 5 I think haves ADHD she’s always messing can’t comprehend dnt touch or mess and her pediatrician won’t get her tested said when she goes to school and a teacher says she needs to be evaluated for ADHD she can be but I want to get a head of it and have her tested now I like her pediatrician this is the only thing she have fought me on
My son has been on medication since he was 7. He is a genius but his ADD keeps him back. He struggled to pass. His self esteem was suffering. It does make him different when he takes it and I absolutely hate it. But I hate it more when he struggles. He only takes his meds when he is at school. Not on the weekends or during Summer vacation. It’s a really difficult choice. No mom wants to put her child on a potentially dangerous medicine. It’s a family decision that only you and yours can decide.
ADHD isn’t an excuse to not mind…he gets away with it at home so he will continue not mind at school either…by all means get him tested but from personal experience as a step-mom of a kid diagnosed with ADHD and now Autism I can promise u medication only calms them physically…he will probably continue the behavior using it as an excuse for y
From someone with adhd whose mother ‘didn’t want to medicate’ and having a child with adhd… I medicated my daughter because I remember the hell I went through in school and life
I would start with getting a diagnosis first. There are other options out there. I believe there are therapies to help him control hisself/ learn self control.
My youngest son was like yours and the school was pushing me in court to get my son on medication.i asked his teacher if she had kids NO was her answer.strike one,I asked if my son is given sweets ,YES ,strike two.I told them I would send I my own treats for my son to eat.The treats that school supplied was brownies,and sugary treats.i sent in fruit,veges .I won the battle to keep my kid from drugs.they grow out of it ,but if you think your son has ADHD please look into food alternatives before medicating him.hes worth it.no drugs…unless strictly from nature.
Definitely do it! It is called an IEP. This ensures the school has to work with your child, you, and their psychologist to ensure he is able to get the best possible education. Is medication a part of that? For most. Does that mean your child will be a walking talking drooling zombie? No, BUT you have to be his advocate…speak up if child seems too lethargic, too sleepy, AND if they are still hyper (not normal kid hyper, I am talking climbing across the kitchen table kind of hyper).
I would recommend doing the testing and starting with behavioral therapy if you can. My son was diagnosed at 5 and we started with behavioral therapy. It was a great starting point for us. He’s 10 now and we have seen a major increase in his adhd symptoms so I did a sleep study to rule out any sleep issues or sleep apnea (can contribute to adhd symptoms) the sleep study results came back normal so we got him involved in jiu jitsu and soccer to help him burn off energy- we haven’t seen a big improvement (it’s been nearly 4 months) so we are considering medication. I’m not opposed to medication at all, but I do think it’s worth trying other therapies before making the leap. Good luck to you!
Sounds 100% like my son who is 6 and a half and he just started on focalin. Ive seen very mild differences so at his 1 month follow up were gonna go next step up. 5mg is barely touching the surface. Ive exhausted all other efforts,I’ll have to see if going to the next medication will have a better outcome. Good luck…its tough,i know
We have a daughter who was diagnosed with ADHD in 3rd grade with the medication and working with her she was off the medication within 4 years. Sounds like you have tried everything else. Good lick
I would encourage you to seek out advice from your child’s pediatrician. I would also encourage you to ask your child’s pediatrician for a referral to a child psychologist, to use as another resource. That said, you should have your son tested in an official capacity, but just because there may be a diagnosis doesn’t mean you need to medicate. If you have a documented diagnoses, you and your sons teacher can request that the schools special education department write up a 504 plan for accommodations at school. A 504 is basically a legally binding agreement that the school will do A, B, and C, for your son because it’s what works for him. My son does now have ADHD specifically, he does however have ODD, depression, and severe anxiety. We went with a 504 and it has helped so much! Every child is different, and you should try to seek out as much information as possible from as many resources as you can.
We have chosen not to medicate at this time. We went through the diagnosis process to be able to get him on a 504 plan. There can be other options besides medication like modifying there diet
I was against medicating my son at first. Looking back I felt we did him a disservice and he fell behind for some of the important learning years. We did finally medicate him in fifth grade. What a difference! As he went through high school he needed it less but it was a big struggle to get him to grade level. Every child is different so talk with your child’s dr and find what is best for your family.
My son(now an adult) was diagnosed ADHD in first grade. I fought the meds. I was forced to give in because the school said if I didn’t then they were calling cps on me. He hated the meds and I had to fight to get him to take them. He refuses to take them now as an adult too. He deals with it in his own way.
No, my son got in so much trouble as a child . In kindergarten the teacher was complaining that he needed meds. (That’s Illegal) That progressed through the 4th grade. Not 1 was a medical professional. We did an IEP the second grade and still nothing. Doctors, phycologists, physiatrists, and behavioral neurological center. The results, he is a extremely intelligent, strong willed, outspoken child. The darn teachers wanted him to fit into a box. The teachers were lazy! They did not want to take the time and see who he is! He is now a Junior in HS, extremely smart and easily bored. But he is thriving. Please do your research and advocate for your child. My son challenged the best of them and my school failed him. I was his advocate and I made the teacher bullying stop! I made the alienation stop. Teachers can destroy your child’s self confidence .
My daughter is on medication & it has made a world of difference. She went from almost failing to being on the A-B Honor roll.
Sidenote: if you do medicate, remember that the first medication may not work or even the dosage. It took months for us to find the right dosage/medication combo
My son was diagnosed in 2nd grade. I was one of those moms who refused to medicate him but it he was bad. It was trial and error with meds but we found the right one. He stopped taking it when he turned 16 and he’s fine. The highest we went was 15mg. He never took it on weekends or the summertime. I let him decide if he wanted to take it anymore and he told me that he was ok without it. It’s your child and you know what’s best for them.
I work at a pediatric office and some parents only medicate when the child is in school not the weekends or any school breaks for some kids that’s what works for them. I agree sometimes it does take trying and failing a couple different meds that work for that child specifically. You can also do genetic testing to see what meds would work best for your child and which ones would not so the choices are easier to go through.
Did it and regret it. Try giving your son caffeine. It’s a stimulant. Doesn’t cause hyperactivity in ADHD, it actually helps slow the brain down so he can focus. As an adult I now realize I have it too. Those drugs can alter your child’s brain permanently!!! I discovered by accident that caffeine helps… and it’s enough to take the edge off. As for the classroom, I’ve read of teachers doing stations were the kids can have yoga balls to sit on at one table, rockers for another… Etc. It helps kids that have to be moving to be able to focus better. Try to find ways to work with it. It’s for life. Better to learn the positives of it! Short projects are best. No sudden schedule changes. Plenty of advance warning before time to transition… Things like that go A LONG WAY!! Best wishes!! Always remember, every day is a new adventure and you just have to ride the wave!! 
My 11 year old has been on medication since he was 7. It doesn’t matter how the medication makes you or the father feel it’s about the child. Try it and see how it works for him. My husband has ADHD along with my son and he states medication slows down your brain so you can focus. Your son isn’t acting out because he’s trying to be mean to others he’s impulsive. The medication will help the impulsivity he is struggling with. If the teacher has gone to that length to help your child, and you’ve been doing similar things at home, it may be time to take the next step. There is also a bunch of research you can do on ADHD to help other then medicine. Limit his sugar intake heavily, teach him some breathing techniques, find a hobby he really enjoys, physical activity is also really good for those kiddos.
I chose to medicate because my daughter had no confidence when it came to school, she would have panic attacks over an upcoming test, her anxiety from not being able to simply focus was crushing her. I will not lie and say it was the perfect decision and it did take some “tweaking” but once we got it right there was such an amazing difference. Also while she was on it we worked with the doctor and counselor on teaching her techniques to focus, calm and regroup that she was able to stop taking it daily and just on testing days or days she knew she really had to be on point. It sounds like the teacher has tried a lot and it’s not helping, I know it’s a harsh reality but on top of worrying for your child you need to put those kids in the class being distracted by your child in thought as well.
I have adhd and I think my son does as well. For me, i struggled to pay attention in class and my parents did most of my homework for me rather than helping me to pay attention-BIG MISTAKE DONT DO THIS IT WILL LEAD TO YOUR KID NEVER LEARNING HOW TO ACTUALLY DO THEIR OWN WORK!! So when I got into high school and still couldn’t focus in class AND I couldn’t focus on doing my own homework, medication was a godsend. I was finally able to manage my racing thoughts jumping from one point to the next to a much more organized thought process. Still had problems actually DOING my work although I was able to focus on learning the material. I would suggest getting your son tested and if he is diagnosed with adhd, discuss with your son, his dad, and the doctor about what routes you may be able to take. Make sure dad is involved in this as well, my parents have denied me having any mental illness or being neurodivergent my entire life and it has done absolutely nothing but hurt me. I don’t want your son’s dad to stick to the “there’s nothing wrong with me child” idea and end up not allowing help and growth for your son.
I am not looking to medicate my eight yearold. Started him in therapy and she is working to give him various tools to help him focus and behave without medication
You could always try caffeine. In kids with ADHD it acts similar to the medication. Rather than winding them up it will have the opposite effect and calm them down
Have you tried giving him caffeine? So many kids I met over the years that were diagnosed with adhd always calmed down after drinking something with caffeine in it.
I had 4 kids who were adhd and add and they were all on medication. If I hadn’t put them on they never would’ve graduated high school. They also had a great teacher to help them. They were very young too, the oldest was nine when he first went on and then the others followed but they were younger. If you have more questions you can send me a message on messenger
You can always try other things before the medication. For example dietary changes they says no Artificial coloring helps. Also some other food changes helps. It sounds like you have a great teacher though! I would talk to the doctor they can give you other options before you go to the medication
No kid ever had ADHD back in my day it was called discipline and they got through it never had to be medicated.
Teachers should never tell you to medicate your child.They are not doctors.Theses meds can cause other conditions in later life.
Firstly, get him evaluated. I had my son evaluated at about that age and once the diagnosis was on record, it opened up more supports for him in school. I switched him to a diet of more whole foods (cut out everything processed) which helped him greatly. We (myself and his team) decided that medication was not going to be our first step. He saw his psychologist regularly, every week at first, then every other week. We worked in techniques to help keep him focused and to keep him from getting overwhelmed. It was a lot of work, but worth it. He is now 19 and has never been medicated. That is what worked for us, it was definitely a more challenging path for him. I am not anti-medication, but I do believe it should not be the go to solution. Ultimately though only you and his team can decide the best options for you and your family.
My son was ADHD when he was 5 he was tested Dr put him on medicine a low dose gave it to him only when he went to school not on weekends then when he went to High School he didn’t take it anymore and he did good made good grades
My son has it, I was completely against medication as I didn’t want the life sucked outta him with meds or just having to have him on meds period. In the end means ex decided it was a good idea to get him help and tried tbe meds,there’s ups and downs but he dies SO much better in school now that he’s on them
I seen a post like this one time and they were asking opinions. There was a lady who had adhd and was telling everyone that she was so thankful that her parents sought medicine for her bc at that point she was able to actually focus and succeed in life