Starting a Child on ADHD Medication

H.,
There are many alternatives to drugs to help your daughter. I am a chiropractor at Khalil Family Chiropractic in Eastpointe and I have seen how beneficial chiropractic adjustments and well as lifestyle changes can help children and even adults who were diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Chiropractors are not neck and back pain doctors, we are nervous system doctors. Our bodies are self healing and self organizing. The central nervous system (our brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (the nerves that branch out of the spinal cord and go to the cells, tissues, and organs in our bodies) control how our bodies heal and organize itself. If there is any interference in the communication of our nervous system with the body, then there will either be increased activity or decreased activity, either way the body is no longer functioning at it’s highest potential. Chiropractors call this interference a subluxation (sub-lux-a-tion). This interference/subluxation is caused by three major life stresses- Physical stress (trauma, repetitive motions, poor posture); Biochemical stress (preservatives in food, drugs- prescription, alcohol, smoking); and Mental or Emotional stress.
Please understand that I am not telling you not give you daughter medication that was prescribed, I am however letting you know that there are other, natural ways to help her that do not require medication and that may benefit her and the rest of your family in a positive direction.
If you would like some more information on the benefits of chiropractic on children with ADD/ADHD, please feel free to contact me at the office ###-###-#### or email at www.khalilwellness.com.

Yours in Health and Wellness
Dr. B.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi... we felt odd putting our son on meds for his aspergers, but WOW.. what a difference in him it made once they settled into his system and started working. Night and day. Please don't feel guilty for giving your child a med to help them better themselves. My son couldn't learn and function without the meds he's on. He feels better about himself too.
It helped alot with self esteem knowing he wasn't going to just loose control for no reason.
We did our homework and talked to alot of professionals...
My son takes respidal and concerta... both miracle drugs, in my opinion.
I wish you and your daughter alot of luck!

J.

I have a ten year old son that was diagnosed with ADHD. We started him on his meds two years ago. The meds has changed his life school wise. He went through a 1st and 2nd grade emotionally a reck b/c he thought he was stupid and couldn't keep up in school. The reality is we had been working with teachers sense he was 5 thinking it was emotions and it really was his inability to focus and process information like the other kids. As a mom it is hard but you are helping her b/c the last thing you want her to do is lose self esteem. I was blessed that I had incredible teachers to help bring my son back to enjoying school again. As parents we have to carry the burden sometimes when they cannot see the way. You will find a way to do this. Ask your doctor, they can give you pills that you can open and mix in her applesauce or yogurt so you can give it to her. Overtime you will then be able to transfer to a pill. Stop beating yourself up you are a good mother because you did something about it and didn't leave your child for chance. I hope you will find comfort in knowing there are others who feel the same way and experienced that it really is ok. God Bless.

I feel for you. My daughters teachers have told me since she was in grade 2 that she needed meds for ADHD. In grade 5 I finally gave in and had her tested. I was told that yes she did have it. I stuggled with giving her the meds then finally decided to try it during the summer and the end of the school year. When I met with her teachers the next year, months after taking her of the meds,they were very suprised to hear me say she was ADHD. Not one of them thought she was and the teachers would be the experts. I have not given her the meds since. All kids are not created equal. I have excepted that and so have her teachers. Why do people think we need to change the kids so that they all act the same. Lets be happy with them and they're imperfections.
Good Luck!
S.

My oldest son, who is all grown up now, had the same problem when he was in school. We never gave him the medication during the weekends. Ridalin is very hard on them, he could never gain any weight, make sure you use a different medication. My doctors suggested i give him caffine. Contrary to what you might think this worked great for him, it stimulates their brains. He said he could think much better when he had coffee or mountin dew. He went thru all of high school on only caffine instead of medication. He is now married and in school working and going to school. Hang in there it does get better.

What a good mama you are! We will do anything to help our kids won't we? My 4.5 year old was on Aderral for about 3 months. During that time, we changed his diet COMPLETELY! No gluten, no dairy, no dyes, VERY limited sugars. We got the flu so I stopped the aderral and while he was getting better, I realized that not only is the diet working...it's doing a better job! No more "downers" in the afternoon, no more "not himself"...sure he is still a little energentic, but I just think thats him. His teachers say that they see such a dramatic improvment! The down side is the cost and the attention to detail in ingredients, but the upside is no more medication!
Good luck! Just know that there are other mama's out there that also have the guilt complex too and that your daughter is lucky to have you!

H.,

I would try everything possible before I ever game my daughter any medication. If you do your research on it, I think that you will agree.

There are many natural things like diet, dyes, potential allergies (milk, eggs, gluten etc...)that you could try before you decide to give her medication.

ok i have to respond to this. people say that u can not diagnose a child with adhd before the age of 7 or 8. i think that is a lie. i knew when my son was three that something was wrong with him. ok on to the other reason to respond. my son has it and i do not give him the meds. i probably will never give him the meds. my reason for that is there are ways to get around them doing hat they do. plus i have very good teachers for my son that knows how to deal with him. they personaally don't want him to go on the meds. i think meds help some kids but for others i think they change who they are. i don't want to take the chance of him not being him. along as the important people know that that is what he has they can deal with it. so what i am trying to say is if you feel guilty about doing it don't do it. because that guilt will eat u alive and u don't need that when it comes to your child.

I started my 6 1/2 year old daughter on medication at the end
of December. She has a hard time concentrating in school and she knows it. We open the capsules and put the medicine in applesauce.
I tell her it will help her concentrate in school. Once we
got the dosage right, we have seen a great improvement in her
schoolwork. School isn't as hard as it was. Soo... now when
she doesn't want to take the medicine, I just remind her how it helps her in school. She has doubled her reading fluency since being on the medicine. That was awesome news!

My husband(a professor) and I also did alot of soul searching before we started our son(he was 6 now 10 years old)on meds. He has been on 3 different brands and is doing VERY well on Vyvanse. We got alot of negative feedback from family members and friends, but I believe we are doing the right thing. We were told by a doctor at M.S.U.(Michigan State) who specializes in pediatrics, that it is easier to start a child earlier in school then to be labeled a trouble maker, lazy or just "not getting it" kid later as they get older. My son is an "A" student! It is well know that children with ADHD are VERY smart, they just need the help to slow down their brain. One last comment....A woman at our church gave me the best advice.....You are not doing this for you....you are doing it for your son! She passed away a month ago(r.i.p) a 42 year old mom, wife and wonderful respected teacher(at an inner city school district). I will never forget her kind words and great support! I hope this helps...J. B.

I had the same problem when my Son was younger still to this date he will not take medicine for adhd. He is now 16 and seems like he is going out of it but has his days. There is a natuarl way without pills. There is a viatim and fruit she can take instead. If you cut down on the amount of sugar your child has it helps alot. At least it helped with my Son. Good luck it is not easy. I have 3 boys and some days when he gets he moods it is like having 6 kids. I don't like giving pills either it affects there mind..

From the stand point of a psychologist I would offer two things 1)there is no good evidence (based on research studies or clinical trials) that suggest shift in diet alone can alter behavior in those who truly have ADHD and 2)for many years there were many children diagnosed with ADHD because it was a "popular" diagnosis that explained away behavior that was difficult to control but not a real mental disorder. If you truly believe your child to have ADHD I would suggest you stick to the medication. This is very difficult; as a mother who is likely facing this same issue in a matter of years I can empathize with you. On the other side my husband has ADHD and it went untreated for years and he wishes that someone would have made take his medication as now, on meds, his emotional life and work life is so much more stable and easy for him to regulate.

My take home message to you would be try the medication WITH other interventions. Dr. Barkley has many great suggestions for things you can try and some great information on ADHD (http://www.russellbarkley.org/). And if you are unsure of the diagnosis (and have not already) psychological testing would be a good idea. Feel free to contact me directly if you want. Good luck!

H.,
I think it's great that you're looking at all the options before starting medication. While, in some instances, medication may be the only way, I would suggest what some other moms below have and try to adjust your daughter's diet before moving to medication. Especially if you are concerned that she will not want to take the meds. There is a great book out there called "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Allergies, & Asthma: The Groundbreaking Program for the Four A Disorders" by Dr. Kenneth Bock. I konw many people who have been able to treat their children that experience these different maladies by trying a new diet (perhaps removing Gluten & artificial colors/flavoring from your daughter's diet - Trader Joes and Whole Foods have a host of different food options and even the mainstream grocery stores are starting to stock more and more natural & Gluten Free options). It's not the easiest route but I think it benefits the child in the end and may give you some more peace of mind if she does end up needing the medication even after adjusting her diet. Best of luck! Being a mom is so hard these days, isn't it?

My son was put on Ritalin when he was 6. While I know that sometimes people think it's easier just to medicate more kids than what really need it - my son needed it. He was really smart and totally bored in kindergarden. He went through testing - an assessment with the social worker at school who recommended testing, then a physical by a doctor to make sure there was nothing medically wrong, then time with a psychiatrist - which he wouldn't stay with for very long. Alot of parents won't even think about medicating their kids; but my personal view is that if they really need it, they need it. They started my son on a low dose, then could increase it as needed. But it was enough to let him concentrate on his work and not be disruptive in class anymore. When people refuse to medicate, I think it does more harm - if they can't concentrate, they will eventually fall behind, then they think they're stupid. I never had to trick him, he learned how to swallow the pill easily - they're small. There's nothing "wrong" with her, just let her know that the medicine will help her concentrate for her schoolwork. I have never believed in lying to kids, or tricking them into things - I was always completely honest with my son. Alot of kids with ADHD are really smart and they get bored very easy, so this helps to filter things for them.
My son was eventually increased to 10mg then to 15mg, where he stayed at all the way through high school. He is 22 now and not ADHD at all (although sometimes I wish he would be more active! LOL)

Hi H.,
Don't consider that anything is wrong with her.
Try to make the best of her condition by letter her be active and into things that interest her. Use the medication as the doctor prescribed, but hopefully she'll only need it for school. There are many different things you can do to adjust the surroundings to her: keep her active in-between quiet times, adjust her diet to eliminate artificial additives, preservatives and sugars, use quiet colors for quiet times, and find music she responds to. Learn to read her.
As she grows older, help her understand she'll probably study better in short increments. She'll just need to find her own groove. Just like every child!

what will she be on? almost 8 year old has only been on focalin xr...to teach her to take it, I tried puttinng it in her mouth myself..later letting her do it herslef. Atfirst it took 3 times to swallow it. Said it was to help her sit still..she also talks better. good luck

Why would you feel guilt? If she has been diagnosed with ADHD, then the medication can only help her!! My son started meds 2 weeks ago, and it has made home life pleasurable again and he now has impulse control at school. I think of it as his body needs it, just like I need my thyroid medicine or my husband needs his blood pressure medicine. We are so lucky to live in an age where meds are available for this. Please do not feel guilty. Be proud of yourself for taking corrective measures!!

Hi H.,

I work with parents who are dealing with this very issue. A couple of things....Have you had your daughter tested for allergies? Do you notice if she gets whinny, upset or "hyper" when you are cleaning your home? The reason I ask these questions is that she may not be ADHD and making some changes in her diet and in the home may help.

If you have questions, feel free to email me at ____@____.com

M.

I have a 10 year old son who is also on adhd medicine(Concerta) and has been for about 5 years. I really hate the fact that he has to take this, i was never a fan of meds. The problem is when i took him off he really suffered in school. At home he is fine. What i would say is why are you putting her on meds. If she is doing well in school i would not do it. I mean to the point where it is affecting her grades or progress. Dont let teachers tell you to do it just cuz she is hyper or harder to handle. My son was so disruptive and hyper in class that he almost got kicked out of school at age 5, thats the only reason i did it. i understand your concern!! I just found out from the Dr. i work for that you can get a second opinion from a pediatric neurologist. You might consider doing that. I know for a fact now that my son needs meds to focus in school but you might want to look into it. Expecially if your not sure that she is ADHD. My son does well on meds but the only thing is he looses his appetite so he is underweight. I also take him off in the summer because he is fine at home. Hope this helped. I would be happy to discuss this further with you if you need to.

Remember you are doing this for your daughter. In the long run she will thank you for it and it will also help calm your own nerves. All three of my boys are on ADHD meds and are doing great. As she gets older you can explain to her why she needs the meds. For now I would just tell her it's to help her feel better. She'll take her cue from you. If you have a problem giving it to her she'll have a problem taking it. If you are at ease with it she should be able to take it no problem. My boys saw me taking medications everyday and I explained to them they needed to take them just like me and they accepted that. Now that they are older I've been able to tell them the differences in what medications are for what and they are still ok with it. Good luck - S.

I have a 9 yr old with ADHD and also have put him on medication. I felt the same guilt that you are feeling. My son was only on it for about 6 mos. I had to break up the medication and put it in yogurt..everyday was a fight because he didnt like the way he felt. I stopped giving it to him and I am trying to deal with his ADHD the best I can. We have good days and we have bad days but I made up my mind that I am not going to medicate him. He wont take a pill and none of the meds come in liquid form. Goodluck with your decision!!

As a mom, you'll probably never get over the guilt. But whether a child has ADHD or a cold, we feel guilty. I knew when my son was born that he was different, and when he was in 3rd grade he started medicine, and I felt guilty. After 2 days when I saw the difference in him, I felt guilty that I did not allow the medicine earlier. It didn't change his personality or zombie him out. It's also not a 'cure-all', but it can be a great tool in the total treatment process. We tried behavior techniques, diet changes, etc., with no improvement. The medicine works, along with a reward system for good behavior. My son takes Focalin XR, which means Extended Release, once in the a.m.
It helps him concentrate and helps him control his own body, which without the medicine, his legs would flail, he couldn't sit in a chair, let alone sit still. He's still the same boy, just not as impulsive. Prior to the medicine, he couldn't think about the consequences of his actions, which was dangerous for himself and his little brother. Now he can actually THINK before he acts. As he completes 6th grade, we are going to gradually lower his dosage with the hopes that natural maturity takes it's course and he will use his own skills to cope without medicine. I'm almost positive ADHD will stay with him in some form, but I know it is the reason many people are extremely successful as adults.
If you do opt for the medicine, go to the manufacturers website. Most have a program to help pay for ADHD medicines. Like I stated earlier, you're going to feel guilty if you give it to her, and guilty if you don't. She'll be watched closely and monitored by her doctor and any time you feel uncomfortable or have questions, keep on the doctor for answers to help her and your family. (Remember, you're doing this to help HER, and it's no one else's business how you choose to do so. I have family members who to this day, keep saying not to medicate my son. Well, it's been a little over 3 years and they still don't know.) Good luck to you.

Hi H.,

I'm very into the Natural way! I don't necessarily feel medicine is the best solution. I would reevaluate her diet first. This usually has a lot to do with the way children behave. I would try other possible solutions first. Good luck!

We recently started our 5 year old on a stimulant and a mood stabilizer. I understand the guilt you are feeling. I cried for 2 days after we started our son because he was not himself, AT ALL. However, it was absolutely the best thing for him. He's doing well in school now, he's able to make friends instead of having kids run from him, he's more self confident because of those things. The difference is my son KNEW there was something different with him, he would ask why the other kids didn't like him, why he felt the way he did. So it's been very very easy to get him to take his meds.

I try to remember that in the long run, he will thank me for the meds and giving him a chance to have a more normal life and have friends and succeed.

Just remember that the first 2 weeks are difficult as the meds get stabilized. Give them a chance to work itself out :)

If you are interested, I have found some amazing information on a natural way to win the battle against ADHD!

S.
____@____.com

I understand that this is probably going to get me flamed or something, but I have to say it.

ADHD is something that usually can not be properly diagnosed until the age of seven. It should only be diagnosed by a child psychiatrist or psychologist AND if it is diagnosed, medication should only be used in conjunction with behavioral/cognitive therapy.

Too many children are being wrongly diagnosed with ADHD by family doctors who do not specialize in psychiatric disorders and too many children are being given medication that isn't really necessary.

That said. If a child is properly diagnosed, I do believe that medication can help and isn't all that bad IF used in conjunction with behavioral/cognitive therapy.

Oh, and I am just going to throw this out there, a couple of weeks ago I attended a lecture given by a psychologist who researches adhd. Her research has found that children with adhd are more creative than children who are not and when they are put on medication, their level of creativity drops. Just something to consider.

I had a really hard time putting my son on ADHD medication also. He started taking it at 10 and is now 13. We tried many different alternitive options, none worked very well. I had to tell myself everyday that I was helping him succeed in school by giving it to him. He improved SOOOO much after just a week that I was thrilled that he was taking it and doing so well. He has had no side effects from either med and we see the doctor every other month.

This is such a complex issue, especially today. I can only tell you what I decided to do for my son. He is VERY highstrung and is hypoglycemic. We had to watch his diet very carefully, and pay attention to the commotion in the house,as he is the 4th child in a line of 7. The decision NOT to medicate him was driven by my desire to see him learn to pay attention to his "triggers" and control himself. I had heard too many horror stories about teenagers that decided to take themselves off their meds, and falling apart having not learned any coping mechanisms. It was, and is a long process. Around 12, kids can begin to think abstractly, so he and I worked on recognizing where his boiling point was, when he needed to eat, how he was feeling, and why. He began to control himself with methods we developed. He is 20 now, getting ready to move away to college, and I'm confident that he knows himself well enough to prosper. I'm NOT saying that this is the answer for everyone, only hoping that more parents will consider VERY carefully medicating kids that could be better helped in the long run another way.

Try taking fish oil in nordic naturals before you give her that.

I agree that there are other natural options... as a bodyworker, I do know that massage, reflexology, cranial sacral, etc. perform wonders for this type of "ailment" as well as others.

Not only that, but you will have a child that will be ready for bedtime as her body will be ready to rest!

As I have turned to alternative therapy, I have had less trips into my pediatricians office. I also suffer with Rheumatoid Arthritis... I took that nasty Humira injection (bi-weekly) along with four other meds. Not any more! So, I am living proof that alternative medicine can work on the body if you let it.

Good luck in your quest! I wish you the best! :)

I have a step-son who has ADD and we tried all of the alternatives before putting him on medication. We tried for three years, and none of them worked. He now is medicated and is a happy child who is doing much, much better socially and academically. When I see how much better he is doing now, I kick myself for waiting the three years after his diagnosis and watching him struggle. Over the years, we have had to adjust his medication based on his weight and so on, so don't think that this pill is a 'cure-all', it is a work in progress. Now that he is 11, he is able to tell us how he feels and when it's not working like it used to, so we go back in for another consultation. There is no reason to feel bad or guilty for helping your daughter through life. When we gave my step-son his pill, we told him that it was to help him sit still to do his homework, which indeed was what it was for. There were no tricks, no lies. Good luck.