My child has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. The doctor prescribed 5mg of Adderall once a day until we see how well he does. First night he fell asleep around 4:00p.m. for 2 hours which never happens!! Second day seemed a little better and more focused. Third day we noticed increased levels of activity. Fourth day, after about 3:00 p.m. (he took the medication at 7:30 a.m.) he became very hyper, would not listen or cooperate and very defiant. He is much worse on the meds than off of them!! Could not be controlled. Called pharmacist and they told me to take him off the meds until I can reach the doctor. Well, this was Saturday night so I have not contacted the physician yet. Thank goodness for friends who have told me about this website. I have read about anything from Cod liver oil to books on the subject to Pfeiffer Treatment Center in Warrenville, Il.
My question is, has anyone else had this same reaction to starting this medication and what was diagnosed at that point. Also, would really like to know if checking food allergies prior to beginning any other prescribed medicine is really helpful or just something new and a waste of time. I really do not want my 4 year old addicted to any medication and prefer not to administer it to him. He just will not sit still and concentrate and although is smart, cannot concentrate long enough to teach him his ABC's and 123's which other children his age already know. Please help me!!!! Need information as soon as possible prior to contacting physician for further assistance. Also, does anyone know of any doctor in the Oswego area or relatively close that is a specialist in ADHD for a second opinion?? Thanks for all who read this and respond.
I don't know anything about ADHD other than my niece and nephew are both on meds for it(12 and 8). It took them a few tries before they found the right medication,time given ,etc.They are healthy accomplish children .Hang in there! You'll find the right meds .
As far as I know, in the far west burbs the only child psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD is Dr. Thomas DiMatteo. He is my son's doctor. He is in Naperville and can be reached at ###-###-####.
K.
C.,
I am a Registered Nurse and I work from home as a wellness consultant/coach. Have you tried any dietary changes or used nutritional supplements to help manage his ADHD? I can email you some information if you are interested. Also, as far as weight loss and social support in doing so, I highly recommend checking out www.cinchplan.com/cpeterson to see if it's something that might work for you. Please contact me for further info/questions. Take care!
C. Peterson ###-###-#### or ____@____.com
In my case it wasn't the food allergies, but the inhalants that made him that way. It was the cleaners in the air, the perfumed candles, the fabric softeners, my perfume....
He was extremely sensitive to scents of all kinds and it make him out of control.
it wasn't a Dr that helped me discover this, it was process of elimination. They all wanted to do the cover up and make the symptoms go away, I was the one that figured out the dircect cause of the issue.
I would take your child to a psychologist or a licensed counselor. physicians do not specialize in diagnosing ADHD versus other mental health issues or other developmental issues, whereas psychologists and licensed counselors do. Physicians will always go straight to medication because that's all they can do, whereas a psychologist or counselor will work through the millions of other treatment options there are out there that have nothing to do with medication. I know as a counselor that medication is always my last option for a child with ADHD, a lot of times ADHD can be managed without medication especially in younger children, sometimes it can't. I would strongly suggest that you seek out a mental health professional to evaluate the ADHD, ADHD is a diagnosis that insurance will reimburse for mental health services.
I have ADHD and have since I was a child. I have taken a couple of different prescriptions as an adult and can tell you that I do not take them anymore and would NEVER give them to my child. They made me feel horrible (everything from depressed to zombie-like).
What does help is diet and exercise. I steer clear from processed foods, sugar, and gluten and I make sure to start each day with physical activity.
My children (19 months & 4 years) have not been diagnosed with ADHD, but they do have extremely high energy levels. Just in case, I treat them as if they do. I watch their diet and make sure they have physical activity every day.
I also found for myself and for my children that learning with ADHD needs to be more of an active process. I learned in High School and College that if I worked out right before (or even during) studying, I could focus much better. I work on ABCs and counting, etc. with my kids while we're playing (counting jumping jacks, singing ABC'S while bike riding).
I am SO thankful that drugs weren't prescribed for me as a child. Although ADHD has presented some obstacles for me, it is definitely something that makes me, me. I have taken what most people would have considered a disability and used it to my advantage. I received my degrees in Exercise Physiology and now use my "high energy" to help moms and moms-to-be get and stay in shape!
