ADHD and the beginning of school

[eema]

Thank you in advance for your help!

My son is ten years old and was diagnosed with ADHD about 2 years agos. After a tough start, we appear to have found the right dosage of meds for him (45 concerta, .1 clonidine).  Everything was going really well until school started. i don't know how it went at school, since they are just settling in, but when he came home each day last week his ADHD was full blown.

i don't know what to do. Do I let him settle in? Do I call his doctor right away? Does he need more meds, or just more time?The meds were so effective until the day before school, that I had forgotten how hard it could be to deal with him when the ADHD was at its worst.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It is definitely too early to contemplate any changes. It's not unusual for children to be a bit unsettled in the very early part of the school year. Allow four to eight weeks to go by and see how things are at that point. By them a routine will have been established, and for children who display ADHD (in particular, the hyperactive-impulsive seb-type), the structure of a routine is very beneficial. And, when you check in with his teacher, you may find that things at school are fine.

[portuguese mom]

Hi - I have a daughter with ADHD also. You need to talk to the teacher and make sure that the same issues are appearing in the classroom.  He probably is doing well at school and comes home tired from the effort.  Also, the change in routine upsets these kids with ADHD.  Until he is settled into his routine, you can not conclude anything.  It takes my daughter about four weeks.  You need to have a routine that does not change much from day to day.  Good luck.

[mom2-2ts]

Good advice from portuguese mom...I am a behavior intervention case manager, working with the most severe ADHD kids in the school system.  It could be that he is containing himself well at school, but that when he gets home he can let loose.  Checking in with the teacher, even asking if you can check in with her/him via email every few days just to get an update would be wise.  If after a few weeks the behavior is taking place at school, ask about having an IEP meeting, perhaps having a school behaviorist put together a behavior intervention plan to help him learn how to maintain boundaries while at school.  It may be that the meds need to be tweaked a little, but give him a chance to work things out.  Good Luck!!

[eema]

[eema]

Thank you for your help.  As soon as things aren't going well I tend to panic and assume we are in for trouble. I will be patient and see how he does in the next few weeks.

[ShineLikeTheSun]

Please help me.. I'm a single mom with a 4yr old son with ADHD..I noticed his behavioral at age 2 but people would tell me its only the terrible 2 stage.  His doctor prescribed me Adderall (adderrall) 5ml. Confused if I should start giving it to him. Will he become addicted, slow in growth, loss of appetite..etc So many questions! I'll take any advice.

[TheTwinsMom]

I am amazed that the doctor prescribed anything at that age! What behaviors was he demonstrating? I have a 9 year-old boy with ADHD and our doctor waited until he was in 2nd grade to start medication for the condition - as long as we were able to manage him at home. It wasn't easy, but I'd do it again to keep him off of those meds until a later age because: 1) It does negatively impact their appetite 2) It is addictive and has to be gradually bumped up in dosage due to tolerance developing 3) The crash when the medication wears out is like your worst days X 2... I don't know about the slow growth but I will share that my son is a twin and his growth is concordant with his unmedicated twin's growth over the past 2 years. Hope this helps!

[D99G03]

My son was 4 yrs. when diagnosed with severe ADHD and against what I initially wanted to do, I ended up finally medicating.  We tried diet cahnegs etc etc, but due to sensory issues his was limited to begin with, so that didn't help. I had to weigh it out.  Was it worse that I became the mom I never wanted to be, and all I did was yell at him and he had no idea why and could not help his behavior - and he stressed everyone out, or that I medicate him (even though I didn't want him on ADHD meds) and it actually work.  He is 8 now and for us them medication is a God-send.  We tried many diferent ones until hitting it on the head with Ritalin.  He takes a lot but absolutely cannot be a functioning memeber of society without it.  I could NEVER send him to school. Even now sometimes I try to miss the after school dose (or homeowrk dose) on the weekends and it reminds me of how badly he needs it.  The flapping, jumping on furniture, running, loud talking, odd little noises and sounds that come out of him, inability to "look" at me when asked to do so, inappropriate behavior --- ugggh! It wears off and some nights are worse than others, but when it works it works well.  All kids are different and if you do medicate it may take a while to find the right med for you.  Please know that you are not alone with a little one that maye need this earlier than the norm.  Also, my doc said old school was that it maye stunt growth etc., but they no longer preach that and my guy is within range ... skinny but in range.  Hope it works out. Take Care.

[HeatherP]

I too have a son who has ADHD/ODD.  We started noticing a lot of problems in daycare aroung the age of 3.  He wasn't formally diagnosed unitl 5, medicated shortly after starting kindergarten.  I too didn't want my child medicated - he can be very funny, happy and outgoing most of the time.  He has a wonderful demenor - at times.  I didn't want medication to take that away from him and me!  But when his teacher and school phychologist told me that they truly beleived he was trying his best to behave in school and just couldn't - it broke my heart.  How could I not help him?  It has taken several dosage changes and three different kinds to find the combo that works for my son, but I think we found it.  And he's taking doses that are on the lower end of the scale so he is in no way overmedicated or sedated like some kids are.  He is plesant and so much more cooperative - still energetic but he is very athletic so we let him play outside as much as possible to burn off that energy.  Meds have allowed us to keep him in a regular school classroom (currently 6, and in first grade) so this has been a God's send to me!  

[Tracy87]

[Tracy87]

sorry pressed button to quick what it is my son is 4 and a half years old and he has tantrums that are really bad he throws things about the house tells his 7mth old sister to shut up when he taken tantrum he swears at my fiancee (not my son real father) tell him to get out the house. it is really hard to live with this all the time my son sees his father once a week but everytime he comes back we cannot control him i dont know what to do i wanted to take him to see a doctor but im scared they are going to say im a bad mum i love my son but i just cant bond with him anymore if feel my wee boy i used to know is changing before my eyes i have tried to talk to his dad but he doesnt listen i really need help i thought my son may have ADHD but im not to sure. it is just getting so stressful now i have to do something about it i just dont want my daughter picking up what my son is doing he starts school next year and im afraid he will lash out at someone i really need help if anyone can.

thank you

tracy

[Tracy87]

i forgot to say we have tried the naughty spot but doesnt work we have tried to put him in his room but he destroy his room and throws things off walls i just thought i would let use know a bit more about my sons behavour

thanks

tracy

[jane R]

hi, I have same problem as alot of you. i have found so far that in the long run it is WHAT we all eat.
we all need to eat lots of green vegies,raw a possible. We ourselves create our own sickness,cause of the awful food we consume. go to pHmiracleliving.com to get your answers. also lots of us are
trying EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique,lots of videos on this which will help a GREAT deal!
Good Luck to all

[jane R]

hi, I have issues myself ,& have been searching 4 answers where ever I can. I have SAD,found it out myself. Im obese,IBS, restless leg syndrome. Im NOT one 4 doc med as they cover up too much hate running to them for nothing. I WANT results.Id like to finish my life be as happy as possible.
Im getting better sleep then many yrs ago,as I wasnt producing MELATONIN,due to issues.Im still workin on diet,took many yrs to figure on what & how to do this. I have injured Brachial Nerves in left side of neck. Not sure of how it happened,as it can at birth ,the way doc pulls u  out,if any has watched a video on it ,it will show how infant gets hurt being born.http://findlaw.doereport.com
Findlaw Medical Demonstrative Evidence,shows pictures,how mom can move her body so baby can be born without being hurt. No one knows til their older if they got hurt.Hope this helps anyone who has these issues. Thanks for takin time to read .