Seeking Advice on Strattera ADHD Medication for My 5 Year Old!!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!

Hi-

My suggestion is to find a Developmental Pediatrician and get a second opinion. They will conduct a much more thorough evaluation and determine whether the diagnosis is correct or not.

I was a teacher and worked in a tutoring center with many ADD/ADHD children before becoming a stay at home mom and they do not all exhibit the hyperactive behavior that many associate with the condition. There are also other learning and developmental delays that are sometimes misdiagnosed as ADD. The specialist will be able to rule out the other possibilities as well.

If the diagnosis is confirmed I have seen children that are helped so much by the medication. Do your research and explore all of the possible treatments but in the end if medication seems to be the answer, don't be reluctant to try it just because of the bad rap it's received. When properly utilized, the medication does work.

Good Luck,
K.

My little boy turned 5 in Oct. The dr put him on Focalin XR 5 mg. for 10 days now they have him taking 10 mg.
15 and 25 mg seems alot to me, but I am no dr. My nephew will be 13 in Feb just reached 15, but then again they go by weight

Karen speaks up about some very good points. I would like to add that you need to find a psychiatrist (a pediatric psychiatrist would be wonderful). Personally, I would spend the extra money to see a professional in this area, like if it wasn't covered by our health insurance. I'm lucky that our health insurance helps out a lot.

Our doctor (the child psychiatrist) explained how Xmg of this med was a low dose and how much was a high dose and work with me on getting up to just the right amount for my child. If the doctor you are talking to doesn't provide this, ASK!!! It is your right to ask! Strattera is one of the stimulant meds which is fast acting and doesn't stay in the kid's system for long periods. Yes, giving your child the doses as recommended will not cause anything that your child won't bounce back from, if it's not needed. And plan a trip to the school. Ask the teacher(s) for a time when you can observe her, possibly through a door window so she is not distracted with seeing that you are there. This is HIGHLY useful to YOU.

I have three "high-needs" boys and I have had this very experience. I'm still amazed at how each can act one way around me and quite another in a different situation or place. I have had to give up an hour here and an hour there for 1) visits to the school, 2) conferences with the teacher(s), and visits with the doctor(s). But this investment of my time, I think, has been extremely valuable for my kids. I know I'm lucky to be able to put in these hours being a part-time working mom.

Questions you could be asking the teachers are a) in what way(s) is your daughter not keeping up with the other students? b) how much time does the teacher spend just with your little one because she needs the extra direction or help compared to the other children in the classroom? and c) what are their reasons (specifically!) for wanting to have her repeat kinder next year.

I was surprised, while my oldest boy started school, at how much I could really be helping at home with little work at reinforcing subjects being covered in school. Like, I see a red sign/billboard, can you point to it? Or help me find something in this room that is grey (I would have a grey piece of paper for illustration). Counting people in the family! Counting chairs at the table. etc, etc.

Anyway, wish you good luck with this! Remember: you are being a great mom because you worry about this and want to do the best that is possible for your daughter!

I would switch schools and peds!!! Teachers are too lazy to have a spirited child in their class. They expect children to sit behind a desk all day and "focus" and when they cannot do that, they try to tell parents that their NORMAL child has an attention problem. Children learn from hands on activities not paperwork. You know your child better then anyone. God gave us mother's a special intuition about our children. Go with your gut.

Hey W., I have a 13 year old that is ADHD. He is on Stratterra 25mg and has been for quite sometime. We figured out his diagnosis when he was about 6 years old. After lots of research, I was drawn to Stratterra for several different reasons. First of all, it is a non-stimulant. Second of all, when you find the correct dose for your child you do not have to increase the dosage when the child ages or the weight changes. We have had nothing but success with this drug and would recommend you try it. However, I must tell you that we had to try many different medications to find the one that worked best for him. Since he has been on meds for ADHD he gains weight a little slower than normal. He is very little, but it could also be genetically related and not medicinal related. I also think that a mother knows her child. I think you should follow your instincts about whether or not you think she is ADD. As far as the medication goes, we have been extremely pleased.

Let me start off by saying that you know your child best and you know what's normal and not normal. I would consider switching schools before I put my kids on meds like that. That being said I looked at strattera on WebMD and they had some interesting information. http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-nonstimulant-dru...?

I can give this advice. If you try it and it does not improve her focus, it is likeley she does not have ADD and you can go "See, I told you so." If it does help, it is likely she does, since stimulant meds help people with ADD to calm thier brains and focus. (take it from someone who has to have a cup of coffee to go to sleep). My daughter does have ADD and I am also reluctant to medicate her at the age of 6. It seems to me they are just wanting too much from her at a very young age. I was able to do just fine without meds until I was in college and I hope my child can develop coping skills without meds so she can succeed on her own for a while. Hope this is helpful.