My daughter kept losing weight on the meds. She hated how it made her feel. It helped her but wasn’t worth her health. So we took her off and put her on an IEP at school where she has a resource class to help her get caught up on all her work. Also putting them in some kind of extra-curricular activities helps also. It did for mine.
I used to be against meds. I do agree they aren’t for everyone. However I also look at it, if my kid had diabetes I wouldn’t not give him his insulin. If it’s what my kid needs to thrive then it’s my responsibility to make it happen.
Weird in kindergarten my son (now 14) his teachers use to tell me my son had that and kept encouraging me to take him to a therapist because he was active and didn’t pay attention that well and was going to fail him, I took him out that school and he passed kindergarten, he just needed extra help, he has an iep, never took him or medicated him, he always acted normal to me and has always been a good kid, and he’s just fine, wish I could find his teacher from back then.
One of my son’s also has ADHD. I did medicate him keeping is dosage as small as possible, and not medicating him over the summer. I would start medicating again 1 week before the start of the new school year. He is now 34 years old and there is now a better understanding of the problem. You should have him diagnosed. Then discuss with his Dr. the different ways to address the issue. There are better medications to deal with ADHD today. In my sons time there weren’t many choices. There are also non medication things you can try before going right to medication. Talk with his Dr. about non medication alternatives
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I was super against medications until I found one that it non habit forming and not a controlled substance. My youngest son will be 7 next month and has been medicated about 8 months and it’s worked wonders
Medication helps with focus, boosts self esteem, and I chose to couolebthat with counseling so tge kids could learn self control management when off meds during the summertime. Now they are all adults and have chosen different methods to deal with their ADHD. I believe the Medication and counseling together was beneficial.
My son was diagnosed with adhd and asbergers I never used meds especially when they told me he would have to be cleared by a pediatric cardiologist. They are all stimulant drugs. When he was diagnosed he was eligible for for many therapies through the public school that benefited him tremendously he is now 17 and going to be a senior next year and has been doing well. Just my experience but get him to a pediatric neurologist for a diagnosis
Why don’t you get assessed for sensory issues… they can get mixed up adhd instead of sensory
My daughter is 8 and has been on medication for ADHD for about a year. I did not want her on medicine. It just scared me. But she was falling behind in school horribly. She couldn’t concentrate or anything. I told her doctor about my concerns. I felt like putting her on medication was just a way to bandaid the problem. But her doctor said that most of the time, especially girls, are able to be weened off medicine around their teen years. Theres just something not 100% connected in her brain and the medicine is trainer her brain how to be rewired in a good way. It was a rough decision to put her on something. But i wanted her to succeed in life and especially in school. It took 3 different medicines to find what worked. She blossomed once we found what works for her. She once was behind her classmates to the point of possibly holding her back a grade, to now she is a top student! She can focus and do 1 thing and actually finish it. It was the best thing for her, in my opinion. And i didn’t want to do it to begin with but am glad i just broke down.
Take him to a doctor/psychiatrist who is well versed in ADD. He needs a diagnosis. There are other strategies besides meds. But if it continues to impact his life, consider it. No kid goes to school planning to have a bad day
I believe it depends on the child. My adhd/ severe anxiety 11 year old daughter has been on meds for almost 3 years and she has the choice, she has the say in everything. The meds have been changed around a few times to account for weight and life style, but has changed her life for the better. She prefers to be on them.
I Tried meds for my 7 year old Autistic daughter and she has adverse reaction and was taking off within 2 weeks of starting.
It depends on the child and the parent. Everyone is different and needs different supports.
I have ADHD and as an adult I’m glad is was never medicated because it has made me find coping mechanism and ways to work with my ADHD and be successful but on the other hand there are days I wish I was because I struggled in school and have struggled in my adult life.
Discipline. ADHD does not develop until after puberty. The teacher needs to be more active with her students and productive discipline needs to be instilled to teach proper behavior. Any kid will get restless with a boring teacher.
It worked wonders for my 3 once we found the rite one for each of them. Remember medicine is like clothes one size does not fit all… Sometimes it takes 4 r 5 to find the rite one. If you do decide to try medicine don’t let anyone make you feel bad. We all r trying to do our best at this parenting thing. Good luck
I waited to medicate my son because we were afraid of meds because we weren’t educated about them. I regret it. My son went from above average academically to fundamental by the time he was in 6th grade. I finally talked to our pediatrician & discussed how meds are different now than they were in the 80s and 90s. Most are short acting and only work when you take it, rather than needing to take all the time to keep it built up in your system. We started meds a month before he started 7th grade. He said everything became so much more clear to him. He was able to focus, and academically he was able to catch up in one year. He was a little angry that we waited so long before helping him. I regret waiting, too. Additionally, though we also work on coping methods and other things to help him keep a schedule and stay organized. He’s in high school now and he only takes his meds a few days a week, because he only seems to need them sometimes. His pediatrician said some teens eventually grow out of it (so to speak) because as they become adults some people naturally learn how to self regulate and keep focus.
I’m not a parent. I’m an adult that was diagnosed with ADHD and wasn’t treated until my 30s. I was a good student, but I truly struggled in school. I struggled getting through readings and was disruptive often. I started taking meds because for not the first time in my adult life I had a review where my boss said I could be disruptive to other people at work. I decided to give it a try. Now I don’t know how I functioned at work without meds. For those of you that aren’t ADHD you have no idea. It’s like a light switch gets flipped and all of a sudden I can focus. I say all of this to say— seriously consider getting your ADHD child on meds. You’re not gonna let them be a zombie— you’re going to give them the tools they need to be successful
You are your child’s advocate. I think talking to a Dr and see what options are out there. Don’t be afraid to medicate if need be. Don’t be afraid to try other options. What works for some may not work for you, and what works for you may not work for others. If you are concerned about his dad, then he needs to be included in teachers conferences and Dr’s appointments.
I definitely recommend getting tested and if they want to put him on medication then let them. My daughter was tested and put on medication and everyone can tell a difference of when she takes it and when she doesn’t. Along with that I would highly recommend for the school to look the correct 504 plan. From experience some of this could be boredom. The school held my daughter back in classes that they thought she was ok in when she needed advanced or even a different style of teaching. I warned them that part of the problems in class was boredom and when her test scores backed me up they finally started listening. They also had an aide available so that when she got done with her work that she could leave the classroom to do things to keep her mind going.
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I chose medication. Why make the child suffer for something medical?
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Teachers and school staff have no place suggesting medication. They can ask you to talk to the Pediatrician about suspected ADHD, but should not be suggesting a medical intervention.
Please consider trying Meditation before medication! It will take some time on your part to work with him and teach him how but he will have a lifelong skill that will help him calm himself down and have more presence of mind.
My son is 16, he’s medicated and I’m not ashamed.
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I decided medication for my daughter was best when her adhd started to affect her schooling. We don’t use it over the summer or weekends but there’s a difference in her grades since starting her meds.
My grandson has it and his teacher is also helping with him. She brought in a rocking g chair for him. Does verbal test. Too much writing is too much for him. He is the first grade, 7 years old. DO NOT MEDICATE! Those are powerful drugs that alter and disrupt the brain. Their brains are not done growing and developing and these drugs disrupt that process. His older brother was put on meds at age 8. He is now 16 and been off of medication for about 4 years. It didnt help him one bit. He was like a zombie at first until his body became accustomed to the drugs. It changed him and his personality. His parents absolutely 100% regret medicating him.
I leave it up to my son. He chooses to take it BUT he only takes it on school days… not on the weekend. Holidays or in the summer… its only to help at school. Every other time he gets to be himself.
With my son I had put Velcro under his desk both sides the soft and scratchy on both sides under his desk to feel so he wouldn’t get too distracted
Get your child evaluated. I was not a proponent of medicating. However, my middle child struggled. He was not hyper but definitely had attention concerns. I ended up putting him on some meds when he was in first grade. He was on them for six months or so and I took him off of them. For him, it was just enough to put him in a place that he could recognize when he was struggling and he built his own coping mechanisms. I’m not saying he never had issues after that, but he’s now 21 and doing great!
I chose to not medicate. I went a different route and chose to change her foods. I went with very low to no sugar unless it was natural sugars from fresh fruit. I did a lot of vegetables as well. That worked great for her when she was little. She has ADHD focused mainly on the hyper active. We spent a lot of time outside and playing as much as we can to burn the energy. This worked well for us when she is little. She is 21 now and still has chosen not to medicate. She does go to a therapist who does cognitive therapy and behaviors and it is working well for her.
Do what you feel is right for you and you child. Not every child is the same. Stay strong in your convictions in what you think is best. Best of luck to you.
My son has adhd. I was against medication to for awhile. However my sons dr (who has a college age son with adhd) explained why make things harder for him. It will take time to find the medication that will work best for him. My sons takes one now that he doesn’t have to take everyday and takes a small does to get him through the school day. Even now that we do online school at home he still gets his medication for the days we do school. School can be hard enough without adding the adhd. When they can’t focus they can’t learn so now not only are they in trouble all the time they also feel stupid.
I have a 16year old son who is ADHD and autistic…he was evaluated at 4 for adhd and at 5 we started the mildest form of medicine available. We’ve went through some crazy stuff over the years with finding the right medication and I refused to put him on Adderall or Ritalin anything hard core was not happening…If your against hard-core meds that can cause zombie like behavior I highly suggest Concerta and intuniv as a combo…we first started with Concerta but over time it caused stomach aches and lack of appetite so I switched him to Vyvanse and it was horrible…he had all kind of side effects…once we finally found a GREAT psychiatrist they suggested using to Concerta and intuniv combo…the intuniv actually helps decrease the side effects of the Concerta while increasing the effectiveness of it…He’s now 16 and on the same combo he started at 7 and all we’ve had to do is increase the dosage as he’s gotten bigger and we also take him off during the summer to decrease his tolerance build up of the medication. The hope of the medication is that they learn how to cope and behave normally so once their older they have been able to develop those skills and will no longer need to rely on the medication. As far as school goes though there is no way my son would be graduating next year without it…he would have been way behind and failed many times over!
I was diagnosed at the age of 6 (now 26) and I was on meds. It took a few different ones to find the right fit for me but it did help being on the right one. Ended up stop taking it before highschool and wish I wouldn’t have. Big difference. But I am now back on it cause I just started getting worse and I am feeling alot better now.
I chose to medicate way too late and he never was willing to take the meds regularly. When they are younger it’s easier to start them on that, so if you are going to do meds start soon! Especially since you sometimes have to try a few different kinds before finding one that works. My son didn’t seem like he needed meds when he was younger, just appropriate accommodations in the classroom. However, I wish I would have started him on them sooner because now he also has ODD and that often stems from ADHD and shows up when they start going through puberty.
They have come along way in 20+ years with medicine and treatment/therapies that what we know/think of medication for it is not always what they give now. I remember taking the first non stimulant medicine for ADD. I didn’t like it to much but it had helped me so much. They probably have better stuff now compared to 18 years ago when Strattera (spelling maybe wrong) came out. Your pediatrician and therapist will help guide you on that. Also keep in open mind with this, because it sucks when parents don’t do that.
Our son is 16 and a sophomore in high school. We did medication after trying natural therapies like caffeine and he was very successful. My husband was also against it and thought he just needed more discipline. He eventually came around when he got to see how we would put him in time out and he would go right back to the same thing he got in trouble for. Impulsive behavior and hyperactivity often go with ADHD. Our son has both. If the medication is making your child zombie like then it’s not the right one. It’s should just take the edge off so they can concentrate and focus better. We also combined the medication with behavioral therapy. He’s decided that he no longer wants to take it. He’s doing well but we’ve adjusted the behavioral therapy to be more conducive to his age now. It’s helps him recognize when he’s off track and he has techniques that help him get back on track. It’s also helpful to get a diagnosis so you can possibly get and IEP for your child. This can help if they need to be pulled out of class for a test or maybe need some more time to take a test. It can be a rough road at times but children with ADHD have the ability to multitask like no one else. I say it’s a gift!
All 3 of my kids and myself are medicated for ADHD. No regrets at all for medication. If you have diabetes you take medication. If you have chronic migraines you take medication. I don’t see how treating ADHD is any different. You may have to play with the dose and type of medication until you find one that works but overall I do better being medicated for work and home and my kids do better in school vs. not being medicated.
I chose to medicate before she fell behind in school. We’ve known since she was a toddler that she likely had it. Her pediatrician even brought it up when I had some concerns about her need to move 24/7. He was willing to send her for evaluation at 4. We put it off until she was 8 and I regret not doing it sooner. She is the same person but one that is such a joy to be around. Ou relationship has improved immensely and I didn’t even realize how much it effected our whole family.
My daughter was diagnosed this past year and she’s 15 and most definitely needs meds. The way I see it, withholding a treatment a child really needs is doing a disservice to the child. I
On medication my kids did great in school. Never got in trouble. Off of medication. Their grades went down and they started being disruptive. My son’s teacher felt bad for him. Said she could tell he was trying to be still and pay attention. Yet he was like a snake on a tree. Couldn’t stay in one place. This was back before all these fidgeting toys. I don’t feel they would help anyway because he’d pay attention to them and not the teacher
I don’t. We do other things to help with focus, such allow fidget tools etc. my daughter was five and said the medication made her brain feel like it was tied up in painful knots and she couldn’t think. So we stopped. I know people who medicate their children and have no issues. Do whatever works best for your family.
My 10 year old has been medicated since the end of first grade. We chose to only medicate him for school as some other comments have said. We tried and tried and tried. Everything from punishments to positive reinforcement to therapy and nothing seemed to work. Medication has helped him so much with school. The down side is his appetite is not the best and it is a struggle to get him to eat enough food to stay healthy. We supplement with protein shakes and make him eat a big breakfast before school and meds. Just know that could possibly be a long road of trial and error to find the correct meds for her needs as they all work a little differently. It took 3 years to find the right medication for my son. But now that we have found the correct medication and dosage it is amazing. One recommendation that I do have is to personally log what meds/dose he takes and what side effects you do not like. We were forced to switch doctors a while ago and they only had the info on what he had tried… not the effects so we were stuck trying to figure out why we didn’t like certain meds when adjusting his dose and type of medication.
I did for awhile for mine but also made him wide awake hard to sleep at night, I was told caffeine has opposite effects for people with adhd I gave my son a small cup of cappuccino in the am for about a year it did good, He has not been on any meds or caffeine for about 2 years so idk if the older they get the better but no longer get the write ups or phone calls going on 3 years
I chose not to medicate my son and instead gave him coffee no sugar until he was in 7th grade. By that time he had learned how to function with it without medication. I tried several different medications and they all seemed to make him not him. Caffeine is a sister drug to adderall and is often used to help diagnose ADHD. If it changes their temperament to more calm than hyper you will know if medication will even be necessary.
Get eyes tested
Hearing tested and start the process
It’s a long process but as long as your willing to help your child worth it
I was diagnosed in 2md grade with ADHD and my dad was 100% against medication. I started taking meds for it at 35 and never realized how difficult my life was. I was constantly in trouble for things I couldn’t control. My life is 10000% better than it ever was. I finish things I start in a timely manner, I have held down a job for 5 years now (longest ever) even my kids have commented on the difference in me.
Absolutely get him evaluated. It sounds like he needs to be in a classroom setting better suited for his needs. His teacher may be doing her best in a general education setting but he will get much better support in either an inclusion or self contained setting. All 3 of my sons have IEPs. My oldest (14 now) was diagnosed with ADHD in kindergarten and has never been medicated. He has been thriving year after year with the proper support in school. My youngest son (8) has been in an inclusion setting and classified as other speech impaired since kindergarten and has also been thriving to the point that he’s testing out of his IEP. The problem is his behavior as he has a lot of trouble with attention and distraction in the classroom. The school suggested getting him evaluated for ADHD so we did. After a quick evaluation by a neurologist and a few surveys filled out by myself and his teachers we have our ADHD diagnosis and he’s back on track with his services. No medication recommended for him. My middle son (10) has been in an inclusion setting and doing fabulously. He too is about to test out of his services at school so we will likely be evaluated very soon.
Bottom line, he’s your son and you must advocate for him. If you don’t prefer medication it’s well within your rights to decline. You also need to be open to considering it if all other options have been exhausted.
GOOD LUCK! 
I helped my parents raise my nephews. The youngest one was always in motion. In kindergarten he was always on the floor, under tables, crawling from one place to another. He had a great teacher who was very patient with him and tried many ways to manage his behavior. He was also very hard to manage at home. He was not defiant or disrespectful or mean - just always moving, could not stay focused on anything, and had no impluse control. We never knew what he might do on a whim. This was way beyond normal 5 yr old boy behavior. After trying many other things, he was medicated. He became a different child. He was still happy and active, but he was able to stay in his seat at school and focus on learning. At home he also became calmer. He was able to play with his toys for a more reasonable amount of time and his impulse control improved dramatically. After he had been on meds for a while, he actually told me “the world stopped spinning” when he took his meds. I am a teacher and not a believer in medicating every active child, however, for some it is exactly what they need.
If you choose to medicate your child he will learn no ways of coping with ADHD as an adult
My son is 6yo had had alotnof trouble at school I have him on medicationbi told the doctor I’m kot having him on anything that will make is zombie like we have tryed several medications his trouble with them is he isnt gaining weight so they don’t have many options he still struggles but he is better and happier on medison
I chose to medicate. I had 3 kids all with adhd I will admit before I had my kids I was totally against medicating and didn’t really believe adhd was a real problem but once my oldest was diagnosed and was properly medicated (the first meds just made her a zombie) I changed my mind I then had my younger 2 tested and hot all 3 medicated and it made a world of difference in school and home. I would suggest you at least try to medicate him
I AM a teacher who knows the teacher side of the story and I hate hearing that your child is struggling so hard WITH all of the accommodations the teacher is making without having an IEP or 504 plan in place (lucky for you that she is willing to do all those things without some kind of action plan in writing)…anywho, I highly suggest that you have the testing done. Teachers know what they are talking about…they spend 7+ hours with your child a day!!! Heed her advice!
Now, on the parent side- my own 8 year old son (2nd grader - born 2.5 months prematurely - I had him tested when he was in kindergarten. He has ADHD and we’ve chosen to medicate. We wrestled with that decision, but the benefits have far outweighd the negatives. He completes all his work at school, stays focused during the day, and overall is much more successful than before!
Our boys have been medicated for school only. the weekends, school breaks and holidays they dont take it. It helps them focus more I school
My oldest has ADHD, I caught the signs around 5 and had him evaluated. I then switched him from a regular class and put in a 10-1 class with a para professional. It helped soooo much!!!
I decided not to medicate until it was absolutely necessary, I just changed his diet in the meantime. And he had in school and out patient counseling weekly.
Around 9 yrs old his diagnosis changed and had him reevaluated again and he was now ADHD ODD, his out bursts were absolutely horrible, so I proceeded to put him on medication. This lasted about a year, and then I weaned him off of that and back to no meds.
Do what YOU feel comfortable with!!
It’s going to be a hell or a ride but you will get through it. My son is now in High school. In regular classes with children, on honor roll and is taking a vocational class along with regular classes for the full 4 years of high school. All children learn differently you just gotta find out what works for them!!
Good luck, you got this!!
So I never medicated my son. He has succeeded in a school setting but once covid hit and he was at home it went down hill quickly. If he focuses it will get better but he claims he cant. He doesnt really try if I’m honest. But, he does get in trouble in school a lot also. He has been home all year since I am high risk. And I will be looking into medicating him for next school year.
Our 10yr old is on meds for ADHD & it really helps him, but the meds are slowly rotting his teeth. He’s got 4 already with fillings & needs 3 more. 
You do what you feel is right for your son. Research foods to avoid or to eat that may help. I know Jenny McCarthy has a son with ADHD and she changed his entire diet and it helped a great deal. She wrote a book on it I think. My grandson can not have anything with the dye red40 in it. It makes him so hyper uncontrollable. Eliminating that has made a huge difference in behavior. Still a bit adhd but no where close to where he was before.
My daughter has ADHD. It is a neuro-biological condition, and a combo of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and meds is best. There are dozens of meds for ADHD, the right one for your child will not make them a zombie…if it does, it’s not the one that’s right for your child. I recommend watching videos, reading books by Russell Barkley, the leading authority on ADHD…very informative and eye opening
My son was just like yours and referrals all the time and I finally took him to a new dr because his old dr wouldn’t do anything and the new dr said yes he is ADHD and the meds have been wonderful no referrals in 3 months since hes been on it
My son is 11 and I refuse to medicate him. Drug addiction runs on his dad’s side and I’m scared that he’ll be dependent on them and start looking for stronger drugs as he gets older. He just lost his dad to suicide at the end of Jan due to his drug addiction. I don’t want my son to turn out the same way.
My son was diagnosed at 6 years old and I was against medicating him as well. Eventually I gave in because it became too much of a problem for him in school and his grades were being affected. He was on 3 different ones over 4 years but the bad side effect was having no appetite and his weight was severely affected. I decided to take him off the meds last year and started him in Brillia, which I heard about online. It’s not a prescription but more of a supplement and it has helped him focus in school without the bad effects. I also used a serum called Calm Child for his hyperactivity which is all natural, just added it to his juice in the morning. He is doing much better, gained 15lbs in the past year and made the honor roll in school. Hope this helps.
Evaluation and research, and research more. There is much more dealing with ADHD then just medicating to soothe the condition. Diet, life style, forming consistent habits, list, organization…
First of all, it’s sounds like he has an amazing teacher who has attempted to accommodate him and that’s awesome. My son had a teacher like that and it was the only year he thrived in school. I know how scary medication is. I’m a nurse and I still avoided it for as long as I could but there comes a point (and it sounds like you’re at that point) where you have to figure out how to help him succeed. My 19 year old was on meds from 4th-8th grade and then he made the decision to not take them and learn to control himself. I don’t know what your financial situation is obviously, but there is something called Brillia. Its holistic and might be worth a try first. I’ve heard great things about it from other mothers. If you start meds, listen to your child, watch them closely. changes can and should be made. the first med and/or dosage likely will not be the right fit. Doses need adjusting and a med is always right for everyone. My son basically stopped eating with oral meds so we did the Daytrana patch and it worked very well for him.
My son is ASD and have chosen to medicate.
He is in grade 2 but was only prep in intellect. After medication in January, he is now up to early grade 2.
It’s helped him and we also don’t medicate him on weekends.
I fought it for years with my son. Finally we did put him on it. That whole time we were fighting it we were only hurting him. I strongly suggest to put him on it.
Our son is an adult with ADD. ADD (no H) was not recognized until he was in Middle School. School was a nightmare for him until we accepted the medication. Remember it will be a trial. If the medication does not help you will move on to other choices with the medical community’s help. By the way, he has graduated from high school, college and has a Master’s. He provides services for children with Special Needs.
Yes and it has helped! You can tell the Dr you don’t want them to be too medicated to where they’re a zombie! That’s what I did and he worked with my child to see what worked for her! It’s been a HUGE help!
My son has ADHD, but not on meds. For the school year there is a 504 in place. This helps him in many ways. He will be going into 6th grade in the fall and that will be a new challenge for us. So see a doctor and get tested. You will find whats works best for your child by working with the teachers, doctor, and yourself.
I’m an adhd child I’m on medicine and not on medicine I got an iep done and thought of things to keep my brain going one way was when he is class give him some listening breaks basically a 5 minute break like taking attendance down or taking a note to another teacher to refocus. Another good thing is to give him a notebook to doodle they do learn well this way
Definitely get tested. If it’s that bad, it’s not always something that just affects school, but can affect their work when they get older. I’ve worked with teenagers that have ADHD and you can always tell when they forget to take their medicine. They are completely out of it and wondering off or really talkative they they can’t get anything done. It’s a good thing for them not just now but their future too.
No medication and he has autism, adhd, and add. The Dr stated he does not need it as his is easily redirectable
My step is 6 has adhd has been on medication since she was 5, however she’s still continuously getting writes up, and misbehaving at school! Her adhd portion is definitely taken care of, but there is something else going on. I’d definitely do what is medically needed for the child.
My 7 year old has ADHD and has been medicated since she was 6. The medication has made a HUGE difference for her. I really didn’t want to medicate her but I said I would trial it and she’s been left on it due to the huge difference it made for her. She only has it on School days though so she’s not medicated during School holidays!
My daughter is 6 years old. I have assumed since around the age of 4 she had adhd her father has it very badly as well, however she wasn’t diagnosed until 6 years of age when she started Kindergarten and started getting in trouble more days out of the week then not. And it didn’t matter what punishment she got it didn’t change anything so first I got her eyes tested to make sure she was able to see and focus on what was going on. Which indicated she did indeed need glasses! Her teacher is the one who recommended I get an evaluation for her. Sure enough! Adhd! We put her on a time released medication it only lasts for 4-6 hours and I only give it to her when she is in school so she can focus! I do not give it to her on weekends or on breaks it is my job as her mother to learn how to adjust with her. You know in your heart as his mother what is right and what needs to be done! Trust your instincts momma you got this! The meds have changed my daughter’s life I will never drug her up into a zombie but she was not able to learn or comprehend without some kind of help! Good luck to you!
I went through the same thing with my now 9 year old. He started his meds in second grade and I have to tell you the academic and behavior issues at school were no longer a problem. The meds last long enough for the time he is in school and start to ware off by the time we get home. Pros his self esteem is through the roof, he is sooo smart and is excelling in all his work he says he likes the way his brain works when he takes his meds. Cons he loses his appetite so Iake sure he eats a good breakfast then get be him his pill and I have lots of snacks and a good dinner fro when he gets home, so he loses a lil weight during the school year. And he tends to be a lil more emotional when on it. But he doesn’t take the pill on weekends or breaks or during summer so his hyper lil self is free to come out n play cuz it is part of his personality. I was also told that through some learned copping skills and and some help from the school counselor by 6th grade he shouldn’t even need the meds.
My youngest son was diagnosed. We did not medicate. We opted to enroll him in a low-cost running program designed for K-5. We, also, tested him for the gifted program. He went to school early, every morning, to run before school. The teacher was able to provide him with additional exercise pages during class. He ran at lunch and after school. He started in Kindergarten and ran through high school. He continued in his advanced classes and graduated early. He, also, earned his black belt in Tai Kwon Do at the age of 9. We kept him active, body and mind. It worked for us.
Get him tested! It made a world of difference for our son! He calls it his focus medicine and actually asks for it!
I did medication and counciling for mine but honestly wish I would have held out in the meds, seems like it made him sad. Now he only takes intuniv and no stimulant and he is older but seems alot better with the non stimulant crap
I medicated my son at 5yrs old best choice we made for him and us!!
I refused to put my son on meds. Instead I would give him 1/2 cup of coffee with 1/2 cup of milk ( no sugar) before school. I also sent instant coffee to school for his teacher to give him when he got out of hand. Caffine works opposite on kids with ADHD and calms them down. My son is now 50 yrs old and did fine on coffee.
First of all, his teacher sounds awesome. My son has ADHD, anxiety, and an adjustment disorder, he has an IEP (I started getting him tested around 2 1/2- 3 years old)
With his IEP he is able to go with the special education teacher to her classroom a few times a day for a certain amount of time to work on subjects he has issues with. She also goes to his classroom atleast once a day. This allows him to get up and moving, and have new surroundings. It’s working really well for him, we have no issues. There are times he gets rowdy in class but what kid doesn’t. I spoke with his pediatrician and the did an assessment and sent us to a specialist. We’ve also talked to psychologists and what not as well. We’ve come along way, he’s almost 8 and still a huge handful, uneducated but doing great in school
If he had diabetes would you refuse your son medicine? It’s the same thing essentially, it’s an imbalance in the brain. My son has ADHD and is on meds and it helps so much with schooling, he’s 8 and has been on methylphenidate 10 mgs (lowest dose) for a year.
My daughter asked for medication to help her focus and once on it she was soooo much better!! She had a better attitude and her grades came up, she was a lot more confident!!! It was a small dose but enough to make a huge difference!!
My son is 7, I had him evaluated and he is currently on medication (focusyn and the booster) for his adhd. As long as he takes it regularly, it does him well. He isn’t a zombie, he eats, and he is on an even keel.
I would look for help for him. That what I am doing with my son. I had the teacher call me like left and right too your not alone. It’s hard to medicate them. Just suck. That the school system goes against you if don’t look for help. Like you say they see them like a bad kid in school. I had that going on for the longest time and still do. Just have to have patience with your son. 
But at the end the day your the parents, need to do what right for your son. It’s a hard choice. To think to put my son on meds. 
Do what best you and your family. 
In a very similar situation. My 8 year old has always shown signs and it became very noticeable when she started kindergarten, within a week the teachers called home to ask if she had early intervention. Shes in 2nd grade now and doing so poorly and the schools been fighting me about getting her an IEP even with a diagnosis. Last year I made the decision to do therapy to try that to see if it would help and in some ways it kind of has but for the most part she’s shown no improvement. We have a meeting Tuesday for starting her medication. Very low dose at first because I don’t want her to be a zombie but she’s soooo out of control I firmly believe she needs it now. Her behavior at home is worse then her behavior in school and I get notes and phone calls almost daily from school and daycare. She can’t sit still, can’t focus, she’s always on the go super hyperactive no matter how much we take her to run off energy she could still run laps. Even put her in baseball to try to keep her structured and get energy out and she was spinning circles in the outfield… We tried everything the therapist recommended before trying to decide on medication.
Get him tested. With my granddaughter she was put in physical therapy and that help out a lot. Anything that has red color in it like red food coloring. Is bad and will make it worse. One thing is very good is the weight blanket I put on her it help her to and she also get a good night rest. Yes I did have a child on the medication for so long it. It only work for so many hours in the day .when it almost time for bed hes would be on the go . Than I had to give him medication to sleep at night. . So when my granddaughter have it I refuse to put her on medication. And got her help with out medication. She doing great.
Whether to medicate your child or not is a very personal decision. You have to make the best decision that will help your child thrive and succeed. Get him tested it’s the best place to start.
Meds are for there own good. I think in a way it is not okay to deny them a fruitful and enjoying experience to learn new things. These children are usually very intelligent. But, they don’t get to use their intelligence because they can’t concentrate. My grandson takes meds, and it makes ALL the difference. His IQ is off the chart. Often times, he is above the class in learning, and he just gets bored. I would say, have him tested, and let him enjoy life.
All 3 of my newphews are medicated and my brother has it and he wasn’t. I see a difference when My nephews are on their meds or not it helps. My brother wasn’t my parents were against meds so they did a cup of Coffee in the morning and it would help him settle down. A good test is give him a drink with a lot of caffeine if he settles down. Or falls asleep the he’s ADD or ADHD the caffeine has the opposite effect on them so if you don’t want to medicate yet do Coffee or a can of Mt. Dew
If your child were diabetic, you’d medicate. That’s why I chose to medicate.
My middle child has it. She was tested at age 3 because her preschool teacher suggested it. I resisted medication for a super long time and just stuck with therapy and other things, but when puberty hit I gave in and told her doctor HELP ME GET CONTROL OF THIS SITUATION. She’s 11. Love this girl to pieces but she is SO destructive due to not being able to sit still. She randomly punches and kicks things and people, flicks them or pulls their hair. Pulls doors and cabinets off the hinges from leaning on them. She picks her cuticles bloody and tears her clothes pulling on them. She is crazy loud in everything she does. Pulls on her hair. Bites things (like the erasers off her pencils, etc…) but no medication worked. They did DNA testing that told us she has a hyperactive metabolism and the medication dissolves too quickly to be effective. We’re still trying to find meds that will help. I’m at my wits end and don’t know what else to do.
Maybe try therapy first and then look to medication? Therapy is an amazing tool and they may be able to help him redirect his attention and energy
I am a teacher and have ADHD abs as an adult I have it worse than most kids. Pm me
Had this problem too with my oldest and I had refused medication for the first year and then after many many therapy sessions, principal visits and detentions later we decided to try it he had it for about 4 months ( he was 8 when it was diagnosed) and one day my son said he no longer wanted to take it and we asked him why and he said “ mom it makes me act weird and I don’t make any friends because I don’t have the energy to be social” he was acting so lazy-like and it made him relaxed but when it came to being in recess he just wanted to sit down because the energy wasn’t there and so we stopped he is now 12 and he tries really hard much harder than everybody else in his class because he does get distracted easily but he now knows what are his options and to stay out of medication he gives it that extra 10% to stay away from it
Therapy first. They suspect my 4 yr old has it. Similar issues in preschool. Therapy has been super beneficial. We use melatonin and weighted blankets at night because he’s calmer when he’s well rested but has a hard time calming down in order to sleep. It’s really tough but medication is the last option especially at this age. I’d take him into his doctor and explain your concerns and just work with them to come up with a plan. Keep going back to check in and adjust the plan as needed until something works. Medication is the last resort.
My grandson was like that, he could not stay in his seat. He would finish his work and start tapping his pencil, standing up behind his desk, etc. More than one teacher brought this up and he was tested. He has ADHD. He was put on Concerta…but first time dosage was to high…he was VERY docile. They regulated it to about half the dosage and he was a different child. His focus was great, his whole demeanor changed. He was happy. He even got of of it a while and actually ask his mom to put him back on it because he felt more focused and alert. He wasnt tested until he was about 9-10 years old.
Trust me. Meds work. My daughter described ADHD as a TV on static all the time. But the meds clear the picture.
I totally understand where you are coming from! I struggled with the same decision. My son’s doctor asked me … if he broke his arm what would you expect me to do? Cast it of course. Juvenile diabetes? Give him insulin. Heart condition? Do what needs to be done to treat it. Ok then why is ADHD any different? I thought about what he said. It isn’t any different it is a medical condition that can be treated with medication! Best decision I ever made! First few weeks were a bit rough adjusting to meds but after that it has made a world of difference! This was in 2nd grade and he is going to be a freshman in the 21-22 school year.
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I medicate my son works great for school he couldn’t follow directions without it
I went thru the same thing we did put my son on medication but I only made him take it when going to school not on weekends or summer and he went from d/f to a/b within weeks good luck
I had concerns with my son for a long time before he started medication. When he started 1st grade I voiced my concerns to his teacher. She watched him. After the first half of the year we had a meeting where she expressed that he may not be ready for 2nd grade if we didn’t take him in to see a doctor and put him on something to help. My husband was very against medication. However we decided that if that’s what he needed to be successful then we would try it. Covid hit about a week after he started the medication so it was difficult to see whether it helped or not right away. I was concerned about side effects but he has not had any. He is almost done with second grade now and has gotten straight A’s all year. Absolutely no negative behaviors reported at any of his parent teacher conferences. My husband now recognizes that it was necessary and neither of us regret our decision to help him succeed.