Was night and day when my kids got put on adhd meds. The focus change was dramatic. Had to try a few different doses to get to where we needed to be buy it was the best decision
My son is adhd and takes concerta 18mg heās 11 before the meds he couldnāt focus in school he was very emotional hyper beyond measure, he couldnāt concentrate he stuttered a lot was irritable and failing school, heās been taking his meds for about 6 months now he has straight As in school he can actually concentrate he isnāt as irritable as he was before heās able to chill and be the same kid he used to be. The only thing I do not like is he is never hungry so when he takes it he eats a big breakfast with it and drinks protein shakes for lunch and picks at dinner
Vyvanse has been an amazing medication for my son. No big side effects for him at least
We finally caved after 13 years and now heās on meds and doing amazing! School has improved along with daily life struggles beyond amazing! Definitely worth a shot!
My son had that bad. The teachers didnāt know how to teach him. He was also dylexic.
My son has been on medication for 7 years now, it has been a huge help for him. There are pros and cons, you definitely need a psychiatrist and a counselor and eventually you can cut back on the meds if you choose. My son had great success with medication until puberty hit, it has been a lot of adjusting doses to figure out what works best. He was able to catch up on school work because he didnāt have to work so hard to focus.
My son takes clonidine 3x a day, half tab. Itās made his life sooooooooooo much better
My brother was going to a special program and he was giving tools for him to concentrate in school it was expensive tho but his grades were excellent
My son is 12 he was diagnosed with ADD 2 years ago. Concerta has worked wonders for him. Went from Dās to honor roll.
I dont medicate my 2. I give them coffee. Ive seen a big change. It has reverse effects. Their doctor is amazed at the difference in them.
My son is 5 and was diagnosed at 4 with ADHD with impulsive behaviors. Heās been on Concerta for about a year and it has helped him tremendously with staying focused at school and is better at being redirected. Feel free to reach out if you need a mommy friend to speak with! Hang in there mommaā¤ļø
My son is medicated, it slow his brain down so he understand what needs to be done & he can focus in class . Prior to being on medication he couldnāt sit still longer than 5 minutes
We started on strattera and it was great
Do him & yourself a big favor start some meds. Big hugs I have a 13yr old who is off the hook.
Bless you. Us mommaās with ADHDerās really go through it. My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 6 by a child psychiatrist, he is now 16. Thingās have not always been easy, but I promise you it gets better as they get older. We chose the Medicine route for him, and it was a trial and error. He now takes 36mg of Concerta (Methylphenidate) and 4mg of Intunive (Guanfacine) He also takes .4mg of Clonidine to help him sleep. He does well in school (main stream classes). I did put him in behavioral therapy with a child psychologist when he was in 4th grade because he had impulse control issues and anger outbursts. He still sees his therapist and itās the BEST thing I ever did for my son. He has learned how to control himself and his anger. If you havenāt already, I would highly suggest you put him/her in BT, I promise you wonāt regret it. We do have to do many, many reminders of thingās/chores etc. I do have to ask him daily if he has homework and he usually has it done already. It will get better as they get older. I wish you much luck!! Sending (((hugs))) from Orlando, FL
For my daughter it has been a blessing. Dont get me wrong it isnt going to fix everything but you will see a difference. It takes sticking to a routine, both parents need to be on the same page. It cant be one parent doing one thing and the other doing something different. We are still learning in my family.
My sonās been on Intuniv/guanfacine for ADHD is actually a blood pressure medication heās been on it for about five years now and has done excellent in school now heās actually ahead of his six grade by two years
My son has been on adhd medications since he was 7 and heās now 19 and still on them. Thereās no way he would have made it through school without medications and heās thankful that i had him put on them. He was able to successfully graduate grade 12 due to being on them.
As someone who was not diagnosed with ADD until I was an adultā¦ā¦get your child medicated! You can not believe how much the meds help!!!
Adderall was a game changer for my daughter. She went from failing most classes to an A-B student. Class clown to model student
My daughter was on vyvanse and we found it made her very angry, we switched to focalin and have had no issues whatsoever. Sheās as happy as ever and even SHE sees the huge difference, especially with school work. Sheās able to put in so much effort and her grades improved drastically which gave her a huge confidence boost. Best decision I ever made was to put her on medication. I was always nervous about it but itās really the best for her.
Yep. My autistic daughter has ADHD. And sheās literally off the walls. Try starting off with non stimulant medications. Good luck momma
I manage with diet and caffeine in the morning we also use desk bands and a big yoga ball my son is 13 and does great
Hi , I was on Adderall xr as a child. I excelled while on it but when I came off of it I had to get an IEP to take tests in a separate room and extended time because Iād loose focus in a class room setting or Iād tap my feet . Iāve been off of it for ten years . And trying to get back on it now to help me be more organized and focused.
We focused on foods and behavior because induction to medicine is lifetime. After being in the medical field for as long as I have I have seen amazing things with the correct dietary supplements and foods to change the way children behave. Once we figured out what was triggers we avoided them at all cost and to say sheās now 23 and an amazing woman and mother of her own little one.
Now this may not be perfect for everyone but at least see the nutritionist and start there. Itās worth a try 
Son was diagnosed 4 years ago after fighting for help since he was 3. He has adhd and some sensory issues along with some ocd tendencies. We worked with a behavoralist and had ipp/resource for him. I didnāt want him medicated and put it off until this year. It was some trial and error, 2 different medications, the side effects of the first were horrible, dosage increases, and decreases, he is now on what works for him. Pros- his concentration is amazing, he can handle many tasks without guidance and reminders, he can focus on things so much longer( he is actually teaching himself to play the keyboard/piano among other things). He doesnāt get as frustrated with tasks or learning new things. His grades have gone from high 40ās/mid 50ās to high70ās and mid 90ās! The list can go on for the Prosā¦ the cons- if he doesnāt eat before he takes his meds his stomach turns, he has to take them by 930-10am or he doesnāt sleep well at night(being 13 and wanting to stay up late/sleep in is a bit of an issue with him). And he doesnāt have an appetite until about 6:30 in the evening so itās hard to get him to eat durring the day. With how he has adjusted I am mad at myself for denying him the medication for so long. I now compare it to trying to control diabetes without insulin, when in fact insulin is what was needed all along.
Ours is medicated and he even says how much better his life is. He can actually slow down and think now
Follow ADHD Parent Support Group Australia its an amazing group 
Complete game charger for my son!!! Best decision ever!
We had a great teachers and a special.eduation teacher that helped with our son. We wouldnt allow medication. We gave him tools to use .
It can truly help.
Cons: not all meds work, so you have to try different ones until you are happy with one. Most can diminish appetite, so I include my son in grocery shopping so hes interested in the food we buy. Appts and refills can get tedious and some meds are expensive.
Pros: it can make all the difference. My son has improved self esteem. He can focus and makes better grades. We have seen him excel in school when it was a challenge before. He is more āin control.ā
Growing up I wish my parents would have put me on medication for mine. I wouldāve excelled so much better in school. I struggled a lot with staying focused and had to read things a billion times over because I would forget what I just read. It was so frustrating. Once I was in college I finally had it addressed and I did so much better.
My son has been on something since he was 5 and i have always made him learn to control himself. Even off meds he is not in special classes bc they wont put him in them. But he is on honor roll and stays focused most of the time
Adderall and Ritalin are great if given the right dosage. My son couldnāt take them because he was loosing too much weight. Strattera wasnāt much better either. Then he went to by Vyvance and stayed on it for years. He had terrible side effects. Couldnāt sleep and would stay nervous all the time. Would bite his thumbs till they bleed. He finally told me that he didnāt even realize he was doing it sometimes. He no longer takes anything because I stopped all medication.
I was against medicated when my son was you get K- 5th grade. I tried everythingā¦ behavior therapy , child parent interactive therapyā¦ diet regulations caffeine vitamins , cbdā¦ various sports to try and tires him out but it came to a point for my son where no matter what tools schedule or therapy he was in it just wasnāt working. He was even failing all his subjects and they wanted to hold him back. It was taking a toll on my sons education and mostly his confidenceā¦ so I decided to try medication that his psychiatrist and behavior therapist recommendedā¦ heās now a strait A student, confidence is restored ā¦ he too was on an IEP and special day classes before but after a few months of medication he tested out of all special needs programs. I am not saying you should medicate you child what works for some may not work for others but in my son case ā¦ medication with a strong therapy team really saved him from being misunderstood and depressed
Cannabis is better for her than pharmaceutical meth
If you leave her in those so called special class she will never graduate, she will only get that is equivalent to a GED. Get her out of those classes and understand itās not a illness.
It took me a while to decide to put my kiddo on meds. He was diagnosed pretty young and his is severe. I realized that his quality of life and future was non existent if we didnāt get meds onboard. We felt better in our decision to medicate after talking to a long time childhood friend with extreme ADHD and he told us he was so thankful his mom medicated him as a kid because he knows he wouldnāt have the amazing job he has now.
Once we got the right medication combo down (he is also on the spectrum) we noticed a huge improvement. He is excelling in his academics and has been working on his behavior.
I have adhd and Iām glad I learned tricks instead of being medicated.
Plenty of children take meds for ADHD. It can help tremendously. Join the ADDitude Facebook ADDitude - ADHD Support Group for Adults. It will help a lot.
How judgmental are you guys? I see maybe two or three good suggestions but this group is so judgmental. This poor mom just wants the best for kid. OP my son struggles with this but his was trauma related and misdiagnosed with ADHD. They want to put him the Special Day Program too. I highly recommend Support Inc. Please ONLY see Dr. Pete he is absolutely amazing. He was is very through and non judgmental and will absolutely go to bat for your child. I also recommend getting your child seen by a neuropsychologist if you have not already just to make sure it is in fact ADHD. ADD and ADHD are very common diagnoses and it could be that there is something else going on. We are a Medicaid family so I know that they take almost all insurances. If you are interested in this I would try QC Psychology and see Dr Chad Kraska or his assistant who is also a licensed psychologist they will perform a 3 to 4 hr evaluation on your child very detailed usually comes back about 40 pages long narrow it down to one diagnosis and give you resources. Depending on where you are if behavior is a concern there is also a really good alternative school out there called Charlotte Mecklenburg Academy. Your child needs to have an IEP to join and needs to either be in a county where no alternative school is provided or have it mentioned in the IEP that behavioral disturbances are a concern in the learning environment. I would also recommend taking your child to see a developmental pediatrician. I took mine to see Dr Christi Babson with Novant Pediatric and Behavioral Health in Charlotte. She is amazing. We were referred out to Compleat Kidz for occupational therapy. It has helped my son tremendously boost his confidence level, help him focus more and also help develop coping skills and strategies for classroom environment. Please feel free to reach out to me if you need someone to vent to I can 100 % relate to what you are going through and it is so hard to navigate the system and be an advocate for your child when they are going through this. Hugs <3
Iām 57 years old and started Vyvanse several years ago. My only regret is not having medication for my ADD when I was in grade school
SO importantā¦ night and dayā¦ Confidence grew, no more negative letters, reading ability went up 5 levels in a short time frameā¦ without medicationā¦ can lead to very poor outcomes including addictionsā¦ please tryā¦ the implications are so important
Both my sons are. They have been since kindergarten and they are now 15 and 16. It helps so much with them focusing in school and staying out of trouble in school.
Vyvanse has been amazing for my daughter. We tried others but they completely changed her personality so I stopped them immediately and her doctor put her on vyvanse.
No medicine but CBD. I donāt want my kids on meds. I highly recommend it. I use a local lady who is licensed and itās THC free. She also ships. If you want I can give more info. But if you choose CBD for your make sure itās THC free
Medication and therapy are great. It may actually cause more stress if your child cannot stay on task and eventually they may feel like they canāt do anything right. I have had it all my life any it really is difficult to work without medication. It caused me a lot of stress and feeling like I was a failure. I have also worked in special education for over 20 years and I have also seen the same behavior I had in my students.
As someone who wasnāt diagnosed with ADHD until I was an adult with children of my own, I can tell you that struggling with it unmedicated all my childhood was horrible. I was constantly told I was being lazy, and needed to ābuckle down and apply myselfāā¦ Iām on Adderall now as a 34 y/o woman and it was honestly the absolute best thing I ever did. I feel like a functioning human being.
Ultimately it is up to you to decide whatās best for your child, but my opinion is to give it a chance and see what it could possibly do for your child. Worst case scenario is you wean them back off of the medication if it doesnāt help any and then you can research alternatives 
My grandson is ADHD. He is now 10. Heās been on medication for four years. He has Cotempla. He can have two pills per day. It calms him down and helps him focus. When he doesnāt have school or other activities,my daughter lets him go without it during that time. Sometimes he is still so hyper we canāt handle it and still have to medicate him. The only downfall is, this is the only dosage. He could become immune to it. We try to skip doeses when possible (Dr approval) to help him not to become immune because if he does, we would have to start over with another drug and as mentioned, the Dr says it is trial and error. We found one that works and donāt want to have to go that route again. Heās doing great in school and as long as he is medicated, he stays focused and does not get into trouble. If he doesnāt have his medication, things do not go well at school. Good Luck.
My son has adhd and like you was hesitant to start medicine. He was nearly held back in 1st grade due to lack of knowledge. I started him on Vyvanse and immediately saw such a difference. Within a few short months he went to barley passing to a straight A student. He went from being the āoutcastā and not having friends to have a ton of friends. At home he completed task without constant reminders. He now takes Adderall and the only bad is that sometimes he doesnāt have much of an appetite.
All 4 of my girls have ADHD. Medicine is so important. Their grades went up, they didnāt get into trouble at school anymore, their confidence went up, kids quit bullying them for being stupid.
My 7-year-old struggles with adhd. We did not want her on medication, so we tried everything natural that we could possibly think of. We never saw any improvement and had to speak with her doctor and got her on medication. We are still working on finding the correct medication or dosage that works best for her (going on almost 2 years). If she does not have her medicine or forgets to take it that day, she bounces off the wall. She is on an iep for speech, that is it. I wish you the best and hope you find what works best for you and your family.
As a teacher, a newer one at that, I have a female student who is doing fantastic since beginning medication. Her family and doc were in agreement it was needed and I support the decision. She is a rockstar!
I was on medicine starting on 1st grade thru h.s I didnāt have a choice. I would never do that to my son with adha at least not that young he is in 1st grade now with ADHD. Itās hard to deal with school so frustrating for him n me but there are other ways help the IEP is great
My son got diagnosed with it at age 5, we didnāt get him on meds until age 6/7. We tried Adderall but it turned him into a complete zombie so we changed it to Concerta and that one was a better fit for him. He was able to focus at school and the meds would wear out around 5pm, we also did play therapy once a week and hired a private tutor for him due to him being so behind in reading. As of this school year (6th grade) He is no longer on meds, he is still very distracted but he is managing to keeping his grades up. We stopped meds by choice.
To be honest my kids were all diagnosed with ADHD well my 3 olders I just sit down with them and explain the reason why it is so hard to pay attention is the brain is going so fast slow down have a snack while we work on this it worked well to were they come home and only ask for help and get majority of it done on their own. They have choices on how they want to do things when they get home but all must be done to go outside or play video games or watch movies. Chores snack and homework before anything else and no struggles ā¦ yet.
My son just turned 9 and seeking to medicate him for school this yearā¦ so many medications out there, how do you knowā¦
Yes!
We did OT,speech therapy and behavioral management prior to school at 4/5 yrs oldā¦my son wouldnāt sit still at all, very impulsive and lack of focus as well as gross motor skills.
He started a year later at school then he should haveā¦he did 3 months and we had him waking around the class,fidgeting,flashing ectā¦the next year he started meds at the starts of the year and the difference was amazing.So many people still remark on how far heās come.He sits still for speech and everything now.Heās focus is 100% and when I forget his medsā¦weāll put it this wayā¦you actually forget what they were like when they werenāt on them lolā¦I do let him have a break for parties ect so he can enjoy the junk food as with the meds he wonāt eat much but once home from school with the come down he eats and eats so makes up for itā¦plus I make shakes and foods with protein,yoghurts ect
When not on them now every second word is Fā¦or his sister is a bā¦
He jumps more then usual and runs and thumps,punches wallsā¦and wonāt take NO for an answerā¦nags
Meds will definitely help her focus,the only downside it suppresses appetite.
CBD gummies or tincture are great they are so much better than prescription drugs that dum children down
My son is 7 and in 1st grade. He had a ton of trouble in kindergarten. He couldnāt focus, he had a lot of anger outbursts because he felt like he didnāt know how to do the stuff they were doing, even though he had done it all before. We got him on an iep, and medication, and heās a whole different kid. He only takes medication at school. I let him be his hyper off the wall self on the weekends. He has thanked me numerous times for helping his brain slow down. His words. I was highly against medication for him being so young. But it was seriously the hardest but best decision Iāve made for him.
I was untreated as a child and I hate thinking about it. It would have helped me so much.
My son went from way behind to where he was supposed to be almost immediately. His social behaviour was much better and he could develop real friendships. Some people worry it will change everything about there child good and bad. But it doesnāt. It allows them to be who they really are without the frustration. My sons life improved greatly
My son was diagnosed at 4 with severe ADD/ADHD and ODD every day was a bad day for him at school. At 5 he started taking Adderall it helped him focus and do better in school and on the weekends he didnāt take it. After about a month on it he could no longer sleep at night wouldnāt eat just wasnāt himself so we stopped the meds. It was very hard for him to focus but he was back to being himself and happy. Heās 11 now and has calmed down soo much! As they get older it gets easier he still has focus issues in class but doing soo much better. Medication isnāt always for everyone and the first med you try might not be a good fit you may have to try a few to find what works for your child. I decided to let my son decide if he wants to try meds and if he chooses to I will 100% support him and if he doesnāt I will support him in that too! Also maybe a different school with teachers that are trained in how to handle kids with ADD/ADHD could help. My sons first school was horrible after moving him to a school with teachers who specialize in behavioral issues he improved within the first week. I have found that younger teachers have more patience with children with extra needs than older teachers.
Our youngest was diagnosed at age 5 and put on meds. I didnāt like the side effects and wanted a more natural method. We did extensive research and put him on an organic diet, rich in protein, low sugar, low carbs, and cut all red dye #40 and I think yellow #11. It worked wonders! He was able to focus and changed his moods completely. I would highly suggest starting with diet and exercise. The diet clears the system of toxins and exercise creates good endorphins so they can rest well at night.
Medicating your child for add should be absolutely your last resort. You have no idea what youāre causing your child when they come into teenage/adult hood. Youāre creating a gateway for them to be addicted to drugs in the future, for them to be a zombie with no personality, for them to have insomnia, for them to not eat much, so many reasons why you shouldnāt medicate for add/ADHD. Really consider what youāre doing, and this is from someone who was misdiagnosed and put on it, I know so many others who were too and all it caused were every single issue I listed. Becareful. Thereās a reason why itās so close to being legal meth. I will never, and I mean never put my kids on it, just because theyāre hyper. Theyāre freaking kids ffs. The school system isnāt even designed for these kids. Theyāre being indoctrinated into a society that is work work work. Thatās not even natural. Donāt ruin something thatās literally natural.
I was reluctant to medicate, but best decision for us as a family, (I also worked in a school at the time). Saw an improvement with behaviour in school (wasnāt naughty but couldnāt sit still, very chatty, disturbed others, never got work finished). We know when he hasnt had his medication, the only down side is he isnāt gaining weight and he has very little appetite. Otherwise my advice is to try it of ur not happy at least u have tried and u can stop xx
Consider Genomind testing to see if your kiddo needs medicine genetically for their adhd. Most insurances cover it. Mine did. Worked like a charm. My one son had markers for adhd and the test provided ranked medicine for his gene results that would work best and my other son has depression and ranked medicine options from his gene results as well. This testing eased my mind. It tests for markers and for what works best for the kid. If you need meds it tells you what you need and if you dont need meds itll tell you that too. Additionally it doesnt hurt, it is a simple cheek cell swab test. Before this we tried Brilla with good results. The Genomind testing medicine works more as it is prescription, but Brilla is a good alternative over the counter. Also. Consider melatonin at night and see if that helps. They have gummies and even bubble bath for kids that has melatonin! Good sleep is vital with adhd.
My daughter I was diagnosed at 8 and still couldnāt read and write and she started taking her ADHD meds adderall and she cought up with 3 years or work reading writing in months so for us it works
I would try a holistic treatment over any pharmaceuticals
My daughter was diagnosed between also six and I know it was after first grade into 2nd grade thats when she was diagnosed now my daughter is on Adderall. But also different meds different kids. My daughter would not be where she is in school with outthe meds between preschool and first grade and me and the teachers she lucky to be alive and herself we have also been to hospital numerous time because so hyper and wouldnāt pay attention.
I tried my daughter on meds she had reactions to every one of them so Iām now looking into all natural herbs and supplements to hopefully help her 
which honestly I should have tried first but didnāt know of the benefits all natural ingredients have on our bodies and can help us
Coming from someone whom was overlooked about getting diagnosed until I was an adult and could advocate for myself, I wish my parents would have done more for me. I literally hated school and didnāt apply myself because of it. I strongly advocate for medication. Find a behavioral health office if you can because they can help get you started on what med will work best for your child. Also, there are counselors out there that can teach you how to discipline ADHD but also help the child at the same time. Itās a win win. My daughter also has ADHD and Iām speaking from experience. There are a lot of great resources out there, just have to do some of your own research, which youāre off to a great start!
I had one that they did less homework for because it was such a struggle to get him to do it. He was also in special classes and had IEP
My daughter has been on adhd medication for 4 years started off with concerta was on that for 3.5 years this year it didnāt seem to really work so they switch her to addarall. When she was first diagnosed she had a lot of issues not staying in her seat not paying attention in school talking all the time. I held her back and she has been a straight A student ever since. They were mild reactions like not really wanting to eat like she normally does she was like a zombie Iād say the first week but it only last about a month. Her doctor is great we have appointments every 3 months if they up or change meds it would be every month she is 11 and thriving best decision I made for her but it was tough finding the right dose. It makes them eligible for all the help they need.
Maybe you should have her diagnosed again. Maybe itās the medication that is holding her back.
Grandson is on meds heās older but a late diagnosis of ADHD after leaving school put down as disruptive
Try changing her diet. Look into red#40 itās literally poison
Look into managing it with diet and excercise before you medicate. Often this can help. Good luck Mama!
My son is concerta its works greatā¦he was on focalin before that and it didnāt work
We did dietary eliminations, herbal and vitamin supplements, occupational therapy, traditional therapy, and also the genetic testing for pharmaceuticals before we found the right combination that worked for us. It takes time and effort and is exhausting, so donāt get discouraged if thatās where you are. We ultimately did choose to use meds because without them he was suffering from self esteem issues and depression. He internalized all the frustration that teachers and family had with his inability to follow directions or stay focused on simple tasks, and became suicidal at times because he āwas bad and couldnāt change itā. The meds allowed him to slow down all the impulses his brain was sending, so he could focus and thrive in a classroom. Heās got all As on his report card now and likes babysitting his baby brother. Every child is different, but meds can be an integral part of your care plan.
Dairy and red dyes are the worst.
when my son was in kindergarten back in 78, The teacher complaint he wasnāt paying attention, He would always be looking outside, or drawing, Same thing in 1st grade, I had already watch what they ate & drank. The school keep saying he should be left back, because he never paid attention but also did all the work he had to & got everything right, So I was talking to someone back then (my ex-husband was a Vietnam vet) as this guy was & he stated all of his buddies were also have the same problem with their boys, but never the girls, The school wanted to test him, at that time I said no, This guy told me to have it done myself, Which I did, His IQ was very high, he never sat still (yet in school he did) while this person was talking to him, Yes I knew he was hyper, but again thankfully he sat still in school & was never disruptive, The Dr wanted him on Ritalin, which I refused, I went to the library & research this, Changed some more things in his diet & did leave him back, which probably was for the best, If he stayed where he was he would have been 17 yrs old when he graduated, where everyone else would have been 18. Anyway, unfortunately back then there was only 2 choices I could pick from to get him the extra help he needed, And he really was neither, They didnāt have the DX of ADHD back then, Even with him being hyper & sitting still in class, never disruptive, never paying attention, he still either got everything right or no more than 1 wrong, And he slept 12 hrs a night. School nights a little less than that because I couldnāt put him to bed at 7pm, He went to bed between 8-8:30. And I really watch what he ate, which a lot could cause more problems, He did out grow this as he got closer to his teenage yrs. Which the Dr stated most likely he would, But He never had Ritalin, but that was mind choice, The classes he needed extra help in was phonics. He had to learn words by sight not breaking them down. As with your daughter, look at what she is eating & drinking & research this, And if that doesnāt work, maybe meds. But I will also say my kids were outside playing, riding their bikes, playing in all kinds of weather, except when it was pouring rain with thunder & lightening.
My son is on 2 different meds for his adhd. In the last 6 months hes gone from an early first grade reading level to an early third grade (almost caught up) hes almost caught up in math and hes exactly where he needs to be everywhere else.
Ive noticed a complete turnaround in his attitude while on them. But he is very emotional as the meds start to wear off which is completely normal.
She has been diagnosed and has difficulties- if she were diabetic- one would have no problems giving her medication to live a healthy and happy life. Pros of medication- she will be able to get the foundations in school which are needed upon to build for success later in school. She will gain confidence because she will not struggle as much and will be able to focus and learn.
Since there are many conditions which mimic ADHD- did they do testing to determine if criteria was met for adhd and itās not other psychological or developmental issues? Did the doc ask about heavy metals and sleep issues?
We tried diet changes, sleep schedules, chore charts, reward systems, counseling, and punishments, you name it, we tried it. Our situation is different in that our 9 year old is smart, really smart, and always has been. Couple that with him being very charismatic and handsome (not just mommy talk I swear) and everyone loves him despite the angry outbursts, strong willed, short temper, inability to sit still, total disregard for authority, unable to take direction, super competitive and generally disrespectful attitude. He was super kind and polite half the time but when he wasnāt he wasnāt, and no one (himself included) liked the roller coaster. I say his situation is different because he still got good marks, still had friends who wanted to be by him, still got picked to play on sports teams, and was still very popular with adults, so his ADHD wasnāt seemingly affecting him, but it very much was. We were firmly against meds, I didnāt want him to lose the spark he had, but that spark was threatening to end the relationship between him and I. We consulted his dr and decided to try concerta. Oh.my.god, when I tell you it worked for us, it worked for us. Iām sad we waited so long, heās focused, respectful, coachable, less reactive, attentive, and even more kind. His marks in school raised since he actually listens to direction instead of āknowingā already, heās excelling in sports because heās more coachable vs just having ability, and at home heās so much more level headed. He still has to put the work in with school, chores, sports, and relationships, but the meds closed some of the browsers open in his brain so he could focus on what he needs to work on. Side effects have been minimal (appetite) and his spark is still there, but we still quiz him frequently on dark thoughts (suicide) because itās a real concern on these meds Iām told. Good luck momma, itās trial and error, youāll have lots of errors but the successes will be grand. Stuck with it, itās hard, so hard, but youāll get there.
Non medicated adult - I couldnāt allow myself to medicate another person because part of knowing if it works is being able to articulate yourself in a way others will understand. ((Based on childās age and communication skills))
And another thing I always take into consideration Once youāre on it - youāre on it. Coming off is akin to other MH dx going off meds because āIām betterā
I really think that ā being hardā on them and enforcing structure, encouraging their own CBT skills, encouraging them to understand and even experience some level of consequence (donāt do the thing when asked, lose privilege)
Yes - sometimes medication is necessary
However - learning to self regulate and be held accountable by persons around you can give similar results or at least give the child the foundation to fall back on when they inevitably go off meds
Just my 2Ā¢
My oldest (8) was diagnosed with severe ADHD (combined type) at 5. We knew before that and had tried many many ānaturalā treatments. At the doctorās office his focus rate was 30 seconds. The doctor recommended medications (abnormal for this doctor). It took a little bit to find the ārightā med for him.
Prior to medication:
*He didnāt sleep. He would be up off and on all night long.
- He didnāt eat. He couldnāt sit still or focus long enough to do anything but graze
*He had no self control. Every single impulse was acted on. There was no way to even think about re-routing his impulses.
*He couldnāt listen. You could say something to him and he wouldnāt even know what youād said. - He had no sense of personal safety or safety in general. I caught him putting a bag on his (then) baby brothers head while trying to play. Not because he was trying to hurt him but because he couldnāt understand the danger no matter how often I explained it.
*He was literally running full force into walls.
*we had a lot of issues with day-time potty accidents. He would just completely ignore his body.
*He couldnāt ride in vehicles safely. Couldnāt be in parking lots safely.
*Heād catastrophize and have meltdowns and you couldnāt talk to him at all.
*He was always trying to take things he wanted to matter whose they were
On meds:
*He sleeps a ton better.
*He eats and has actually gained weight. He gained 3 pounds within a month of being on meds.
*Weāve been able to help him re-route his impulses (so instead of hitting he growls)
*He can actually hear focus on and process what someone is saying to him.
*Iām not sure he really understands danger/safety. But he understands thereās consequences when he does something dangerous (before meds no consequences mattered at all)
- He listens to his body.
*He still runs and plays but he can actually look where heās going and act accordingly
*He is safe in vehicles and parking lots for the most part ā¦or at least accepts our interventions in keeping him safe
*He still catastrophizes and still gets emotional but he can walk away and calm down. Come back to really listen and actually hear what Iām saying.
*Heās not taking things he shouldnāt beā¦he can leave things alone that arenāt his.
Overall, the biggest thing to understand that meds are a tool meant to be used with other strategies.
But for some kids theyāre a total game changer, especially if the childās ADHD is severe.
All the strategies that never worked prior to meds made a WORLD of difference after starting them.
I feel like meds helped me get my child backā¦My sweet considerate child.
I grew up with Restless Legs Syndrome. Thought it was inability to focus, canāt sit still, bad girl, wonāt listen, etc. It starts in early childhood often. Wasnāt properly diagnosed until 48 and now take Pramipexole, a life changer. RLS is very real and is mistaken often for other problems. Just wanted to share my experience to help others if I could.
My children were very active and it helped to have them run around before expecting them to sit still and do school work or attend an event where sitting still was important. However there are kids that have adhd and they do need to have medication to help them settle down and concentrate. Talk to your cholds doctor and then talk to their teachers. If your childs doctor recommends medication you can give it a trial and stop it if you or your child donāt like the effects.
We went undiagnosed for a couple years with my son, tons of phone calls from school (daily sometimes twice a day) until a teacher flat out told me to get him tested we did and they said medication my husband freaked cause of course Ritalin was the first thing and only thing he could think of. Itās not like that anymore, so we tried oils I have doterra I found a great combination of oils to help with sleep, but as far as school went itās scent free and he would not reapply. He has been taking Concerta for a couple years now. His appetite is not always the best but he eats,it wears off like a tylenol and I choose not to give it to him when he doesnāt have school. It works for him. Do your research. I hope you find what works for your child.
I was diagnosed w ADHD in grade 3 I was thrivingish I was hyper asked questions off the wall very smart I once asked why the government lies to usā¦ 2 weeks later bam on meds and it was absolutely hell it regressed me so bad I was a zombieā¦ My leadership skills gone personality gone it was hell till my dad threw my meds away in grade 8 and started treating me w thc/CBD I thrived again had a personality had friends had goals started achieving again meds from pharma for some ppl is not the right solution unless u find the right perfect med itās a whirl wind of not fun I was on ritilan and Zoloft and Centra idk spellingā¦ Kids are hyper and sometimes the school setting sitting and listing isnāt every kids learning style mine was touching and doing and activitiesā¦ adhd is hard diagnosis 
ppl donāt understand 
why ur so active and the school wants u to submit 
As a mother of a children with adhd and a special education teacher, do it. Iām not a pill pusher, but if thatās what your daughter needs to be functional and successful, then do it. I had to try several different ones before finding the right one with both of my child. You have a right to try different ones!! My daughter stopped taking it when she was in the 10th grade and was able to maintain herself at that point. Itās not going to hurt to try it. I currently have a child at work that is severely adhd and not medicated. He is not where he needs to be and does not get anything out of class because he is not mentally with us. I truly believe if the mom would have done something (medication) earlier on, he would not be so far behind.
My son was on Vyvanse for years and did really well. It really helped him focus. He would tell me himself that he felt like his insides were on a rollercoaster before the meds. The main downside for us was the way it really suppressed his appetite. He was so small, he didnāt even register on the weight chart for years, and his pediatrician had us coming in for monthly weight checks. I used to buy his pants from the girlās department and would even have to have them altered to fit his tiny waist.
We stopped taking it when he was 15 (heāll be 18 in June) because I forgot to give it to him one morning before church, and he did good without it. A lot of kids grow out of the symptoms, and luckily my son did. He still has some issues, but not to where he needs the meds. Downside was after quitting the pills, he gained weight so fast he has stretch marks all over, and he finds it very embarrassing.
Kumon helps with concentration and school
My almost 13 year old in 7th grade was diagnosed in the 4th grade with ADHD he is super smart but just cant sit still he goofed off kept moving didnt sit in his chair he would stand next to it. The teacher before was a teacher for like 30-40 years and she said it didnt bother her if he stood next to his desk as long as he didnt distract others. And he was getting straight Aās as been every year. Until 7th grade. The twacher in 4th grade was somewhat new and wanted everybody to follow directions and i thought he had ADHD since he was in preschool. He has been on adderal since we tried changing it up and it didnt work well so we went back. When he was in the 5th grade he was doing better in math than the 8th graders. Now he is in 7th grade he isnt getting straight Aās but thats because he forgets where he puts his homework that he does at school. He is not very organized. His twin sister actually has better grades.
My kiddo is on Concerta. We also learned some coping skills to aid him in adjusting his expectations and his unexpected circumstances. He went from being the student who couldnāt buy a D to straight As. And his As are effortless. Like, we donāt do a ton of studying at home. I fight with the school because theyāre terrible at following the doctors recommendations and instructions to modify his day. He still has As even when most of his classes donāt even know heās supposed to have modifications! For us, the only con is the expense. We have insurance. But it still costs us about $70 a month. Just for this kid, we spend over $100 a month on managing his ADHD. (Keeping copays for doc appointments. Plus heās on Lexapro to help with some anxieties that are a direct result of his ADHD.)
I have helped 3 of my friends to include my partner get off their adhd medication by having them take ashwaghanda. The particular brand I buy is Goli.
My boyfriends depression even subsided substantially for as he began to feel better everything just started falling into place. Def look into it if you get a chance.