My daughter, now 22, had the same issues as your daughter. We tried medication, it made some things worse. So I did research. I cut red dye 40 out of her diet. I also gave her a small cup of coffee, with a small amount of sugar free creamer, before school. Get teacher thought she was medicated again.
My son was diagnosed with ADHD and medicated at 5. He’s 9 now and still is on meds.
If you have her tested and it turns out she is adhd, We had very good luck with a medication called… Focalin. It was a very low prescription and did wonders for my daughter’s half brother. My daughter is Autistic with adhd but she’s not hyper… she just Never stops talking!! Which is very common for girls with adhd. We didn’t feel she needed medication and she does fine without it. In the meantime… I would cutback on as much sugars as possible. Even the hidden ones in most foods.
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I medicated my daughter and I hate that I waited so long. Things were so hard for her. It took a little while to get the right med and dosage but she is doing fantastic now.
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My son has ADHD. He drinks a cup of coffee every day and we have taken him off meds.
I medicate my son . I waited until it affected his school work after arguing with my husband for it for a year. I wish I would have done it sooner
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My boyfriend has adhd and has had it since he was a kid. We now have two kids. We are pretty positive our daughter has it but we are choosing to hold off on medication since she’s so little. My boyfriend says don’t medicate her until high school and I agree with him.
I have 2 kids with ADHD and neither are medicated we have learned how to deal and live with it my 15yro is gifted in school my 6 yro is not but we work hard on there learning to live with this diagnosis we tried cbd with no results so we just do it
My daughter was diagnosed at age 5 with ADHD. We did therapy and homeopathic methods. Did not work. Slightly helped but nothing big to brag about. She’s been medicated since and we are so thankful. She’s almost 13 a very well behaved child and straight A student.
Not all kids need to be medicated that have ADHD ADD or any other disorder that causes them to act out. No one wants their child of meds it’s a last resort. The only time I would consider it is if the child was having trouble in school and bullying because of the issue.
Husband on board with what? She hasn’t even been diagnosed with anything. You’re not a doctor and the internet doesn’t make you qualified to diagnose her. Take her to the doctor and keep an open mind.
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Look into nutrition. Very often a change of diet is a huge help. Cut sugar out of the diet.
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Until you talk to a doctor and have her properly evaluated there is nothing to do. Once a Dr is involved then you can make the best decision for your family
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Yes my son was diagnosed at 5 with ADHD, add, odd
We tried not to use meds but it became a safety issue so we chose to use meds for his adhd dmdd and insomnia and he is alot better to work with when he has his meds they make him less impulsive and less outbursts. Meds aren’t bad when you figure out right combination. Some people need meds to function “me” there is nothing wrong with using them. But no you do not have to use meds. My son has been in therapy since he was 3 he will be 11 in June and has severe adhd combination type autism dmdd (bipolar) anxiety and depression sensory processing disorder and insomnia
My daughter was 7 when she started medication, diagnosed adhd at 5, however we knew she had it before 5. We tried every way possible not to try medication. But at age 7 and with 1st grade being a struggle (she literally hated school and every morning/after school was filled with tears, messages from the teacher, calls home, even a suspension for her fits etc) we tried medication.
It has worked wonders for my daughter. She loves school, has friends, is involved and her reading and math levels have went up! She is emotionally in control of her herself and impulses.
I will say medication may not be the only answer. My daughter also has a fidget at her desk and has a sensory pad on her seat at school.
If you do go medication route, it will take time and dosage adjustments. It took us about 6 months before we got it fined tuned for her!
But I will also say don’t let the school bully you. I have had her teacher try to tell me my daughter needs more medication and I refuse. I called the school and we worked out alternative methods to help her (the pop-it at her desk, sensory seat, calm down breaks)
So far, my baby is excelling. It will take trial and error but my daughter is a different, well rounded happier kid since a year ago.
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My son was diagnosed when he was 5 and is on medication for it. School was a really tough transition with out it starting out
Mine did. All the talk in the world won’t help when your brain chemicals are off. Meds worked wonders for me too. I didn’t get medicated until 40. I could have ruled the world instead of struggling all my life. To put it in perspective, I graduated magna cum laude with my bachelors and then went on to get a master’s. All in my 30s. I’ve owned different businesses, done a bunch of stuff. But my struggles weren’t so bad with meds. She’ll be a whole nother kid and she’ll feel so much better and happier.
Coffee start out with a quarter cup. It takes a week or so to figure out how much to give. To much and they will crash not enough and they don’t mellow. I never gave my boys medication… chores are another good thing like having to feed and water the dog each day and playing with them.
Your husband has to research ADHD before he will get it. I’m going to be honest medication can be complicated because you sometimes have to try different ones in order for them to work. And sometimes one will work for awhile and then it will stop working. I would recommend not giving her medication on the weekends because if you give it to her every day it might make it not work anymore faster. My son was on several different meds including Evekeo and Vyvanse. They both worked great for awhile. Vyvanse however gave my son the “Vyvanse crash” in the afternoon and made him say odd, depressing things and cry over little things. And eventually he started having suicidal thoughts. So he was on medication from 2nd-8th grade. During that time he made straight A’s at school and was put in advanced classes. So he definitely focused. I decided to take him off after the suicidal thoughts issue happened though. I’m not trying to scare you when it comes to medicine, just letting you know what can happen. Your experience might be completely different and she might adjust to medication very well. If she has ADHD then medication is worth giving a chance.
I would stick with what the doctor says or a psychiatrist. My daughter is 14 now and sounds just like see the story it has not gotten any better. I had no other choice but medicate her she got kicked out of school in kindergarten twice. We still have some issues to this cay but she tells me “mom I need my meds I can’t calm down without them.” Have your child tested. As far as self-medicating unless it’s something that’s healthy for you all you will be doing is creating an addict.
Try changing his diet. No more processed foods and dyes.
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My 13 year old has several ADHD inattentive. For her she wouldn’t do any sports for a very long time. However, now that she does , she is having a better time with her ADHD. I tried everything when she was little. Eventually we put her on meds. This was after talking to her pediatrician, therapist and psychiatrist as well as talking with her. Meds have been the best thing that we ever did for her. I’m sure there are things you can try to help. But they didn’t help here.
I have lived with ADHD my whole life without being educated at times it was a challenge for my mom but my mom chose not to put me on medication and I’m happy she didn’t but I do have some people in my life that were medicated and that helped them so each situation is different and I would just pay attention to how your child is doing in school and not so much on social more in school than anything because that’s where the focus is the hardest not that we are stupid it’s just we have troubles focusing but we’re good at doing our work
Just curious do some of the reactions stem from never being outside running and jumping around to minimize some of the behaviors? I am not saying that this is the only way to help but certainly cannot hurt. They sleep better when being kids outside play gives them better oxygen to breathe than being cooped up inside on computers and games. Just curious. My dogs needs to expel their energy to so they go to the river to run on a almost daily basis…they are high energy active dogs also. Just curious.
My son was in same predicament was in kindergarten was told if I didn’t get him on meds they were calling DCS on me!
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Not every kid needs medication however those that do and get it are like brand new kids!! It would be worth talking to your doctor and getting evaluated or trying something to see if medication can help. ADHD is hard on the kids too because they don’t want to be going all the time too but they can’t just stop. They need help. Ask your husband what his concerns are and what he want to try because you are out of ideas and need his help. Your child is in distress and you both need to help each other too. Another thing I learned about is that sleep apnea can mimic the symptoms of ADHD and if appropriate a procedure can be done by a doctor and then you wouldn’t need medication. It’s important that you both talk to your doctor and find out what your options are together.
Therapy does help my son is almost 9 we did 5 years of behavioral therapy. Medication was what ultimately helped my boy. It’s like day and night. Finding the right Dr and dosage helps. For us it was a game changer.
No . I’m against medicin. This only brings on future health issues … there are natural ways to overcome adhd …. Sports , being productive , natural vitamins for concentration etc …,. I needed meds as a child , my life was zombie , as I turned 18 I quit them all , and my health thanked me for it , I’ve grown out of adhd as I’m always productive
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Give the kid a Mt Dew. If he/she runs around like a maniac afterwards, it’s not ADD/ADHD. If he/she calms down substantially after drinking it, ADD/ADHD.
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Systems: creating visual queues are helpful. Children with ADD are very visual having a morning chart and night chart with what they need to do to get ready allows them independence and takes the task of you being the constant reminder. Medication will help your child fit into todays society. But it does take away their creativity. So it’s a tough decision. Forget about your husband and just take the lead on doing the best that’s for your children giving the best opportunity to succeed in life. With ADD no intervention at all is not helpful in life.
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Get her into cognitive therapy before you drug her. Most ADHD meds have side effects that are horrible for children.
Talk to her Dr, but get her to a therapist who works with adhd children. Try everything before you medicate her. I’d even try CBD and non pharma methods before I trusted adhd meds. I’ve seen them completely change a couole of children into zombies.
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I was diagnosed at 6 my parents tried everything before medication but, choose carefully when you choose medication I didn’t start puberty until 16 because of the medication side effects and do ALOT OF RESEARCH on ADHD it is such a in depth thing doctors only touch surface there are SO many things that go along with ADHD other than attention deficit and hyper activity especially in females
No, they wanted my son on meds however working in a school I saw the zombie like young folks on meds and I declined. We worked through it. It was difficult at times but now my son is a successful businessman with a Master’s degree
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Same, but minus the biting, and he controls himself at school, and over all he’s a pretty good kid just has endless amounts of energy that I can’t keep up with. ADHD, absolutely. Medication? Absolutely not. Especially not ADHD medication.
Education for you guys and therapy for her. It is helpful to have tools to work with during the challenging times
My eldest can get by without meds pretty well. When I was young though I had to be medicated. So it really depends on the child and how ADHD affects them. Take it day by day.
It depends on the parent preference like if you choose to try meds they will use that but some doctor don’t believe in medicine that young and just try therapy techniques my daughter tried meds about 7 years old each one gave her different side effects so we just took her off the meds but she is 12 now. We just have to take it day by day but she has already been to the office 2 times in 2 weeks this week and last week for behavior she is also on a 504 plan at school like once the doctor diagnosed her with something you can get a 504 plan at school which basically recognizes your child has been diagnosed with whatever and it let’s the teachers know about it and they handle things different from a child that doesn’t have it best wishes to you and your family
My daughter started showing symptoms in kindergarten. They got really bad in 1st grade. We did a whole year of behavioral therapy before medicating bc I didn’t want to jump right in. We finally got to the point where we had to try. She was rolling around on the floor , pestering other kids , calling out, all over the place. Within a few days her teachers noticed a world of difference. As she got older we had to change meds bc her body was metabolizing it too fast. She’s now 16 and does not take meds for ADHD bc she doesn’t like how they make her feel. She still has some struggles but she’s figuring it out
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Medication is the only thing that helped my daughter. It is a night and day difference. She is no longer failing school,able to learn,enjoys life so much better. She is not a zombie. Does not effect her appetite. However each child is different and can be effected differently. Start off small and move up from there.
The told my daughter from kindergarten all the way to 4th grade that she had ADHD. every teacher she had mentioned it and I was in denial. She was having such a hard time in school. Me and her teacher filled out the Vanderbilt questionnaire and it was an identical Match. Thats how she got diagnosed officially. It was some trial and error with medication but we finally found the right one that works for her and now she’s succeeding amazingly. I know its tough momma but it will make you and your daughters life so much easier. Good luck
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Idk why people look at medication like it’s the worst thing in the world. My oldest son was diagnosed at 5. He started medication at 7. He went from severely falling behind his classmates to caught up within 8 months.
If you want to know for sure though, Caffeine can have opposite effects on adhd people. Give her a Mtn Dew or something. If she bounces off the walls, not adhd. If she becomes calmer. Have her evaluated asap.
My adhd husband drinks coffee at night to fall asleep.
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Put her on fish oil it works my mother inlaw sent me a book on it and it had fish oil for helping them with Add and adhd her doctor actually confirmed that it does help
My son has been on ADHD meds since the day he turned 5. He is almost 12 and can’t fully function without them. We tried the therapy route, but he was not responding to that whatsoever. He knows how now, to control things wayyyyyyyy better than he did when he was younger, but he still has his own issues.
My son with ODD (oppositional defiant disorder), now he was (he was 7 at the time) my problem child, always hurting someone or something whether it be physical (I’ve scars all over my body from being his punching bag until we finally got him disgnosed) or by hurtful words because he had no filter. Now, it’s been 3 years of trial and error medications, finally found one that works, he goes to therapy 2xs a month, and I have my sweet baby boy back!!! (Even tho he’s 10 now) He’s the sweetest kid, most caring one in his class.
It’s amazing what a right diagnosis, and if the parents are for it, the right meds, can do for anyone’s brain 
.
Goodluck mama!!!
My daughter was diagnosed with adhd when she was 4. Tried medication and it made her a zombie instead of my social butterfly. We took her off the meds. Every year we notify the teachers that she has it and is unmedicated. When she was in the younger grades the teachers had her do a lot of the activities (as the leader) to help keep her occupied. She has to study really hard, but we have found a way. She is a straight A student, but gets in trouble from time to time for not being quite but that’s ok. My sister in law works with young kids like this and has helped out a ton. So yes therapy helps, depending on the degree of adhd
My son is now 10 we where diagnosed around 6 I put it off for so long because I didn’t want medication. He’s also been diagnosed ODD, look that up because that sounds about like him. He’s also been diagnosed with anxiety and depression due to the adhd, we do not currently take anything for that. We started off on Strattera and took it for 3 years it’s not a narcotic/stimulant BUT he had tons of side effects such has severe stomach aches, headaches and severe moodiness. We’re currently on Vyvanse and have been for about a year now, it is a controlled medication but I’m here to tell you since the medication change he has no side effects that come close to what he had, he eats ALOT and is very active. He still struggles everyday but he’s doing much better. He’s not a zombie, and he’s very active in sports. Not all medication makes them like that so don’t let that scare you. I was the same way and so was my husband, we refused to put him on medication that would make him a zombie. But I will forever stand by my decision. It has helped so much. Like I said he still has days he struggles but not like before. I know it frustrating and heartbreaking but you can get through it. Counseling helps so much to. That’s another thing I was totally against because I didn’t want someone in our business, but it’s been helping a lot, but I will do whatever I have to, to help my son. The world is so scary and so much harder on kids than it use to be. Just use your momma instinct and do what’s best for her because if you don’t advocate for her no one else will.
I have my children in councling and one of my children are on medication. It’s a struggle but it is needed in my family.
My son’s not but it took years to get to that point, 7 years to be honest.
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You definitely do not need to put child on medication. Try the book/fb group Raising your Spirited Child for help
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My son was but I kept fighting with his dr because the meds made him in a zombie all he did was depressed cry sad and sleep he would just sit there after a yr or 2 I finally got upset cause he wouldn’t eat I took him off he is 16 almost 17 still hyper but he happy he eats he can read and he a normal kid
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Counseling, extreme physical activity (like a sport) and diet modification first
I was put on ADHD meds from 6-18 yrs old Ritalin is exactly like cocaine and Adderall is exactly like Meth (only 1 molecule difference) they have the exact same effects and withdrawals also Stratera is a “non stimulant” but IS an antidepressant which cause suicidal thoughts in youth
CBD is the only non stimulant that’s ever worked
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Diet is a factor… processed foods and artificial dyes… red 40, blue#2 and Yellow #5 (Tartrazine), Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow), as well as sodium benzoate. Also, there have been studies shown that 72%of children who have ADHD have a magesium deficit…
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I was an ADHD kid and never needed any medication or therapy lol
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So I’m (22F) not a parent so I can’t speak on that BUT I do have severe adhd, I struggled for a really long time and my mum refused to think anything was wrong and that I was lazy, took a big toll on my mental health. I left home at 16 to be able to get tested through my school without parental consent, I was diagnosed with adhd and depression and anxiety caused from that. Tried a bunch of meds and nothing worked for me, I struggled through a few more years and now I’m on 70mg of Vyvanse a day. Recently I was diagnosed with high functioning autism, which makes a lot of sense. I’ve decided to keep on with Vyvanse because it works for me.
All that to say even though you might feel like you don’t know what’s best, the fact that you’re trying to help your kid is awesome and I wish I would’ve had more understanding from my mum.
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My son couldn’t handle sitting in class for 7+ hours. I did give it to him until he wanted to get off them his sophomore year. He’s a straight A student now a junior in high school.
Turns them into zombies
I mean, you definitely don’t have to give meds. But, if you were a child would you want to get in trouble all of the time and struggle?
My son was dx and tx at 5.5yo so the Spring before Kindergarten I knew when he was 4yo that he had ADHD. I wanted to level the playing field when it came to school so he was dx and tx before so that we could get his meds handled before school. He is now 13yo and in 7th grade and he nor I regret my decision. He hates how he feels without medication. His main med is Intuniv which is a Non Stimulant and then for school days and such he takes Adderall in the mornings. He doesn’t take that on weekends or schools breaks or in the summer.
I have seen kids struggle all through school because they weren’t medicated. If you choose not to medicate then you also need to realize kids may struggle and might not pull grades as you expect. I could never not support my child and then expect way better from them. I’ve known parents who didn’t medicate but then expected straight As from their kids like how? To me I do anything every thing I can to support my boys and their needs even if that means medicating them. It makes such a huge difference when 1they don1t have to work as hard.
Look into CBD oil and speak with doctor
No they don’t always have to be on meds. They said my son was adhd he was just a wild child. He is 14 now and much calmer I’m thankful I didn’t put him on meds.
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It depends on how bad they are and how bad everything suffers around them like grades and socializing.
My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD at 5- I refused to give her any meds, and she failed the 3rd grade. Repeated 3rd in public and I switched her to a private school in the 4th grade. She struggled but passed with C’s! In 5th grade, halfway thru the school year, I had no option but to put her on meds, or else she would have failed 5th grade. We gave her the lowest dose available of Adderall, and she would take it most days but not always and never on the weekends, and her grades improved. In 6th grade, we switched to the lowest dose of Vyvanse because the Adderall made her unable to sleep at night and have no appetite. Her grades improved with the Vyvanse, and being in a private school helped because she had more help from the teacher. She’s now in 7th grade (almost 14), and this is the first time she’s getting all A’s and B’s! I’m very proud of her cause she’s come a long way with her grades and behavior! We had our issues in the past where she would have a meltdown and say it’s my fault she has to take medicine. She would act like something is wrong with her since her friends don’t have to take it, and her class all knows she takes it somehow (I’m sure she told them), but I left it up to her this past year if she wants to take it or not and she chooses to before school in the mornings. During the summer and on the weekends, she never takes anything. I still feel guilty that I didn’t put her on something sooner to pass the 3rd grade, but it is what it is, and it’s all worked out! I feel like the older and more mature she gets the less she will need it if she chooses to not take it. Good luck! I know it’s hard!
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My youngest sister (age 5 when diagnosed) has severe adhd where she can’t focus in class or anything. My mom had to put her on medicine to help her. My youngest brother on the other hand (age 4), also has adhd but doesn’t have to take medicine he goes to therapy. It just depends on the child and how bad it is, what it affects, etc.
Don’t let school diagnose, use a doc and preferably a neurologist, schools throw everyone into ADHD regardless of anything else going on. My experience anyway, and they were wrong a lot
YES! And the first med won’t always be the answer. Dosing is also very important. From 1 1/2 every one knew my grandson had ADHD, it was so severe. By pre-school and kindergarten, he was out of control. Finally the physiatrist agreed his weight was in the range to start meds- they loose a lot of weight- it was like day and night. No more confusion, no more arguments about doing things, also on anxiety meds for nightmares. He’s finally sleeping. Don’t be afraid of medication- they will have an easier time with friends, social situations, and self confidence.
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I recommend essential oils
Get on wait list for assessments
No red dyes in foods
This is so tough. I have a six-year-old boy who has ADHD and is very much the same. There have been points where I have almost wanted to completely give up because I don’t know what to do with him and nothing seems to work and he is out of control. I have read quite a few books now about how to manage him and it’s helped me a lot. The way you discipline has a lot to do with how ADHD kids react and continue behavior. Diet is extremely important for kids with ADHD which we struggle with. Red dye causes him to go insane… we have always been a whatever whenever type family but I really had to work hard on getting some form of structure because he thrives with it. Also remembering that their brains do not work the same as ours has been a big help for me. Understanding that sometimes he cannot control his movements and his noises and helping him give the tools to identify when he is being out of control and to real himself back in. If I yell or get aggravated in the slightest he’s a hundred times worse and we get nowhere and he amps up he matches my energy every time… I’m still learning to be a calm Mommy because I’m a yeller and I’m hostile. Hugging him when he is having an absolute meltdown works so much better than yelling at him and telling him to straighten up. I noticed he definitely requires more attention than other children I assume he has anxiety and is insecure so I try to encourage him on the smallest things to let him know he’s doing good and lots of physical love. When he feels like he isn’t getting enough attention and his sister is I’ll notice he’ll start to act out and get wild. He just wants someone to look at him and that’s his way of going about it. I’ve also tried to learn to not give him a perpetual state of being in trouble. There’s so many things that I’ve learned here and there on my own and through therapy. Honestly the most I’ve learned has been just reading and trial and error. At this point I’m refusing to medicate him because he’s going to have to grow up and he’s still going to have these issues he’s got to learn to somewhat be able to control himself and identify his behaviors and emotions. There are so many things out there that you can try first some children have to be medicated and that’s fine but if you’re weary about it maybe trying some of the other methods may help…
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As an adult who used to be on adhd meds, DON’T DO IT. It absolutely ruined my brain & took YEARS for me to feel normal, again & I’m still not 100%. Those meds are a few molecules away from being meth & they do not lack in side effects. I couldn’t imagine drugging my 5 year old. 
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if you don’t have to don’t try other stuff first
I have this same issue with my 6 year old twin daughter. I’ve started her with a therapist to see what the best option is for helping her. I dont think medication is always necessary, but it can help. Personally I will try anything else before medication though as I feel medication is the absolute last possible option.
I was diagnosed with ADHD at 5 and have been medicated my whole life I’ve been on different ones too, out of everything Vyvanse is the best concerta made me feel like a zombie honestly without my meds I really struggled each kid is different I’d get them tested and see how medication works with them 
Do they have to be medicated? No
My son was diagnosed at 4 & we tried therapy first, it didn’t work out for him so yes he did end up with a very low dose of medication. He is thriving now once we found the right dose for him. I also have ADHD, wasn’t dianosed until 32, & chose to try medication, also a very low dose. I would start with an evaluation & formal diagnosis, then see what the Dr recommends based on test results. There are options.
Have your child tested and look at all the different types of ways to control it before resorting to meds but please find out because I found out as an adult and it’s hard to be diagnosed.
My oldest 2 kids were diagnosed at 2 years old and my 12 year old was diagnosed at 6.Some people may say it’s to young to diagnose a child to wait a little longer but doctor’s know the difference between regular behavior and signs that there’s something else going on.Just like you know your child and if something isn’t right…When my 2 oldest were younger I didn’t have them on meds because there wasn’t many options just meds like speed BUT now there’s more options that are not like Ritalin and are alot safer.Theres always going to be someone that doesn’t agree with your choices either way so do what you feel is best for your child.My 2 oldest when they were younger were taught to do certain things to help manage certain situations and alot of help from their school but it was very hard everyday.My now 12 year was put on meds at 6 and it helps alot compared to if he doesn’t have it.ADHD isn’t just about focus and as he gets older symptoms tend to get worse…Your already doing a good job by being concerned enough to ask questions and take the time to call his doctor’s.If the doctor doesn’t agree with you get a second opinion.I took all my kids to a behavioral health center to be evaluated.ADHD can fallow by other issues so in my opinion it’s best to go there…YOU GOT THIS
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5 is too young to medicate!!!
Taking things away is the worst thing you can do. And expecting the CHILD to have the same emotional regulation skills that most adults dont have
Kids are a mirror and will almost always mirror you
I’m an adult with adhd and despite my best attempts with therapy and organisation I suffered from extreme anxiety and depression due to not being able to “keep up”. Medicine changed my whole world.
My son started therapy and meds when he was 5, he’d about to be 10 and it was the best thing we did. Also they have groups on FB for parents with ADHD kids, check them out I’m in 1 for moms with boys. Good luck!!
I have refused medication for my son so far. Everyday is a battle. Dad has to get on board for anything to work. You have to be a united front when it comes to the child. Therapy won’t do anything without him on board and any other family members or care takers. Strict routine and diet are a big help. I have been trying the more well know alternatives before resulting to Medication. Some have helped some don’t. Each child is different tho. I know other moms who tried stuff I did and it worked for them but not me and my son. My son was diagnosed at 5 and will be 11 this year
My husband and I were against it. Our adoptive daughter was born addicted and the thought of giving her meds scared us. We had issues with her from a very young age. We tried therapy and also different approaches at home. After talking with our WONDERFUL pediatrician we started low dose meds at 7. I wish we had done it much much sooner. Her teacher even mentioned she saw our daughter seemed at peace. She said before you could tell she was trying but just couldn’t seem to keep control. I agree, she is so happy now. Our family in a much better place. Medication does not have to be permanent, but it helps with learning coping strategies until they are able to handle it on their own.
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My oldest granddaughter was diagnosed she was having issues. She is both hyperactive and inattentive. Things got better once we started her on medication but she is also in therapy. You cannot do meds without the therapy. Also we have her in swim. She has sensory issues and swim does wonders with it. As for your husband, I hate to say it but it seems to be the typical response. Many mother’s with non neurotypical kids have problems with their husbands getting on board with it. My son in law doesn’t even bother to try and understand her so good luck getting him on board.
Both of my children have ADHD. My youngest absolutely must be medicated everyday or else he cannot function. He can’t enjoy things because he can’t sit still. He has to be on the go. So his medication allows him to slow down and do what he loves.
I have three diagnosed with ADHD and i had them on medication at first, but when it suppressed their hunger, gave them nightmares, and messed with their sleeping I decided to take them off. Yes, it drives me nuts 
but I think its whats best. I repeat myself constantly, try to stay on a schedule, healthy diet (no c.r.a.p.), and we started homeschooling.
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No they do not. And honestly 5-8 is normal for kids to try to figure themselves out this is when they learn to self sooth and regulate emotions better. I say let them learn and thankfully I did because at age ten (after teachers and drs trying to force feed meds) my son is a freaking rock star in and out of school he leads educationally in most classes and no longer have behavioral issues. This took a long time and won’t be fixed over night.
Make sure her setting at school is a safe zone and that she feels safe that was the problem with mine
Good luck
It was all about the age and development and safety issues for my son
I am a paraprofessional in an elementary school and I will say we have seen huge differences in kids that are medicated and that aren’t but were medicated later on in the year. Although it is completely up to the parent to decide whether it’s best or not, we have seen huge changes in behavior and grades and can tell when the child has or has not had their medication based on their focus and behavior.
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Putting my son on medicine was the worst thing I ever did. (Now every person will handle it differently) but it was horrible for him, we adjusted other parts of our life, and changed his school and no meds and he’s a new kid. We tried 4 different medications and no meds, no sugar and homeschool was his winning combo
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My son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5, but I didn’t start medication until last summer when he was 12. We used natural remedies but he was struggling in school and he told me “I just want to be good, Mom” which broke my heart. He’s now a straight A student with great remarks from teachers. However, the medication curbs his appetite and he’s 5’7” and 98 pounds. If he doesn’t gain weight, I am not sure we can continue.
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Let 5 year olds be 5 year ols…young children are not gonna act like adults…they are children…let them be kids…so many started medicating the children and diagnosing them with these things few yrs back cause they didnt want to deal with children…look…its very normal for a 5 yr old to be curious, inquisitive, restless, rambunctious and full of energy…its very normal…DO NOT medicate them…LET ME JUST SHOUT THAT OUT…FOR THE FOLKS IN THE BACK TO HEAR…DO NOT medicate kids , because your patience are running thin…first off…its natural for kids to waer on your last fraid nerve from time to time , take a break…its fine…but giving kids these meds can cause a cemical imbalance…creating real problems for these little people that you will never be able to fix…dont do that to them…ya had kids now learn how to deal with them without doping them up…hire a sitter and take an afternoon off from parenting…send them outside to play, make them take a nap or a time out…set them down in front of tv an say sit there an watch tv…there are many things you can do …without meds…too many doctors diagnose these kids to give them meds because the parrents ask them too…i say…be a parent…stay in control…set your foot down…do whatever…but dont cause cemical imbalances in your kids cause you need a break…i know it gets hard…but think real hard befor ya do something stupid to your kids…please
When my son was in 4th grade his teacher suggested for him to be evaluated. He did not have the hyperactivity part but he definitely had the attention deficit disorder. He has consistently made several F’s because he was distracted so much. His report card after being put on medication (Adderall, now Vyvance) had A’s and B’s, and one C! It definitely made a difference for him!!
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We refrained from medication for a while but honestly since we’ve started her on it, she has improved so much in school and therapy. Her dad was not on board when I started her but I did it anyways and now he makes sure she takes her meds while I’m at work.
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I have adhd and medicine has helped wonders! Just keep in mind you may not get the medication that works for your child the first second or fifth time…I was on I believe 7 before we found the one that helped.
But also keep in mind there are other behavior issues often misdiagnosed as adhd.
Oppositional defiance disorder (odd)and anxiety are often diagnosed as adhd and adhd meds will not help
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My son is 7 and has adhd really bad. We put off medication because of his father not wanting him on it. Finally it came to the school said he would have to be held back a year if he didn’t get put on medication that he needs. It was the school that got my husband on board. (After a huge fight about it).
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Crazy thing, I literally just had an appointment for my 6yr old today. The situation is so similar I almost thought that my phone did that weird thing with the ads(you talk about a roof and then see ads about roofs)… I am really torn with this question also. My kiddo has been though so much in her little life and I don’t want to put her on meds! Filling out a questionnaire fir adhd…
When we found out my 10 yr old had ADHD she was 5 at the time, I swore I would never put her on medication and she will be fine, she’s just a kid etc. But once she started kindergarten she was really struggling with staying focus and paying attention and finish her work so I finally caved and we started her on the lowest mg and it made such a big difference! She is so good at school now, she still struggles with reading a little but she’s way better than before and she’s the top kid in her class for math. Once we started medication and seen the difference ourselves it was a no brainer. We live in pa and we go through a outpatient behavioral health place and it’s awesome. They talk to the kids and the parents, answer anything, you can call anytime if you think there’s an issue with the medication. If I were you, I would just talk to your husband and make an appointment just so you can both ask any questions you have and figure out what the next steps should be. Good luck!!
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My son is 6 yo and started to take Medication concerta. At first we refused to get him medicated, we believed his behaviors is of typical boy of his age. He doesnt bite but he’s super hyper, wont sit and cant focus. We decided to get him seen by pediatrician as recommended by our family doctor after other programs and help from children’s agency. The last straw was when I need to transfer him from other school (mind you he was only in jk then with covid online classes most of the year) becuase everyday there’s always bad report about his behavior in the class that sometimes I feel he’s being labelled and segregated but cant do anything as his behavior affects the class. In his new school same thing and now it involves hitting and running away from school staff and daycare staff. I decided to give it a go for medication when everyday in about 3 weeks he was in the principal office and I been called to pick him up. There’s a checklist for teachers and parents so the doctor knows what is best for him. The one he’s taking was the third kind. The first two were same brand different dosage. It works but only for short time (4-6 hours) then he became hyper and unruly towards the end of the day in school and at his after school program. This one he’s currently taking makes him focus more that his teachers sees the big difference. He still sometimes not listening but he sat down on his chair and listen to his teacher and doesn’t disrupt other kids when playing. The only side effect was he lose appetite. He is a slow eater and now I have constantly telling him to eat more specifically breakfast as he usually didn’t eat whatever lunch I packed for him.
My now 7 year old son is on medication for ADHD combined type, started taking it when he was around 5 but for us medication was the last resort after we had exhausted all of our other options with therapy and natural remedies. My son is now thriving at school, home and sports.
ADHD mom here. My son was a danger to himself but was too young for medication when his symptoms were starting. There are ways to learn therapeutic ways without medication but the road is very hard and getting young children to absorb and follow these guides is extremely difficult even with medication. So the answer is yes there are other options but it may not be possible for the child to learn ways to control their behavior. It all depends on how strong their symptoms are and how well they absorb the helping material. Try giving them a small amount of caffeine. Like 1/4 cup mixed in with a full glass of milk and maybe a little chocolate syrup to help with the taste. Caffeine in small doses helps calm those with ADHD
People with ADHD react the opposite way than people who do not have it. It actually calms them down. I have a son who has/had ADHD and he struggled with issues personally, in school, etc. ADHD is very hard to diagnose. My son was diagnosed by a Psychiatrist. You cannot diagnose a person just by their actions. It takes months. It was over 20 years when my son was diagnosed. I think now they actually look at the brain to determine if they have it. I put my son on Adderall and it helped him alot. His grades came up and he did alot better. He stayed on it for a few years until he was older and he stopped taking it.
I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 21 years old. I suffered as a child and the doctors didn’t know what it was at first. I guess it is often harder to diagnose and easier to miss in a girl. I didn’t bite or kick but I yelled, and cried for hours, threw fits, argued, was depressed and suicidal. It started at age 4. I had a thousand thoughts going at a hundred miles an hour, often repeating, I talked excessively and rapidly, I never shut up, I couldn’t sit still and even though I got good grades i couldn’t pay attention or focus unless I was doodling but id day dream too. I did well on tests but often not complete the homework. I’d get constant tardies in the mornings. I dropped out twice then had to work my ass off to graduate on time. I have 9 yr old son that I think might have mild autism as well as inherited my adhd. He’s always been so sensitive and he didn’t talk right away, but when he did he knew full sentences, he doesn’t make eye contact much but he would smile at you. He’s always been incredibly smart even teaching himself to read before age 3. He would line up toys and was a picky eater. He put unusual objects in his mouth like soap and batteries. He refused to potty train. He would throw fit and scream and get himself so worked up he’d start to vomit. He hated baths. He refused to cut his hair. He liked to play alone in his room. He loved his video games, still does and his YouTube. In preschool his teacher thought he might be autistic and worried about him being ready for kindergarten. He had some emotional outbursts and meltdowns (like we saw at home) when he started kindergarten. He needed extra attention in class and time away from class when feeling overwhelmed. So they put him on an iep to work on emotional regulation and coping skills as well as help with socialization. To his defense our family was going through a crisis and I had devastating health problems at the time. I was hospitalized multiple times during this period. I’m sure this affected him as well. He started therapy and followed through until the therapist thought he was able to cope on his own. I am open with the school about my mental illnesses and my worries about whether he might suffer these conditions. I want to advocate for him. I could have been so much more successful if they knew how to treat my conditions earlier on in my life and had given me the medication I needed. I dont want my son to needlessly struggle when he doesnt have to. Medication is just one tool out of many but often makes the biggest difference on symptom management and being able to function normally or to the best of our ability. The iep team said they will keep my worries it in the back of thier minds but he is doing so well, initiating play with peers, is intelligent, kind, does well on his school work so they aren’t too worried. I noticed a number of things they pointed out about him are on his iep report are direct symptoms of autism and adhd. Such as that he gets distracted and moves a lot at this desk, doesnt look at his teacher or others when thier talking, has problem with line of sight, took longer to learn how to use the stairs, he used to chew on everything, toys, charger cables, his clothes, the school even gave him a sensory necklace to chew on and he chewed right through it. He chewed the ends of his glasses off as well. They did mention he recently stopped using the rubber bands they put under his chair to play with with his feet, he doesn’t give enough physical space to other children or adults, he often interupts and has a hard time waiting for his needs to he addressed, has problem socializing and is pulled out for 40 minutes per week to learn and work on these skills, he doesn’t care what he looks like or how he’s dressed, I just buy him shirts of his interests, he has problems eating certain foods because he complains about texture or being hard to chew, he has an overreaction to pain when he gets hurt (used to blame us and get angry at us like we hurt him when he was a toddler) and covers his ears at loud noises like fireworks or the toilet flushing, he can concentrate on his interests for hours but told his teachers he wishes he could concentrate more at school. That’s why I think I need to take him to be evaluated. If he needs medication that is okay with me and it doesn’t mean he’s weak or he failed. He just has a unique brain that may need some help to quiet itself down to be able to focus. The school psychologist who meets with Andy said she could give me a number to a clinic nearby that could evaluate him at low cost. I think I’m going to take her up on that offer. I just want my son to have the best life possible and if diagnosis and medication will help then that’s what we need to do. It helped me.
Diet is a big key in it