Mutilation and ADHD

[Mommy3407]

My son of 7 years was diagnosed last year with ADHD.  He is on 1/3 of a patch of Daytrana each day.  Whole patch is too strong. After much testing I find that 1/3 patch works great and gets good result.  He is underweight per the growth charts.    My son when he is very angry screams and then scratches his face. From his temple to his chin, both hands, both sides of face.  He has done this 3 times in the last 4 months.  Yesterday he drew blood in about 8-12 scratches on each side of his face.

Is this related to the Meds?  Is this behavoir normal and how can I get him to take a breath and relax.  I was driving yesterady and exited freeway immediately and got him to calm down....
Thanks for your insights
Mommy3407

[Momdukes]

Hope you can find a solution to this problem, sounds very scary if you ask me.. My son has adhd but we haven't had any problems like this.

[Rebecca Resnik, PsyD]

Hello,
  this is not an expected side effect of stimulant medications, and not at all typical behavior for a child. I would contact your prescriber immediately to report this behavior. I would also recommend you ask your primary care provider for a referral to a psychologist for a consultation. Your son desperately needs help managing his moods, and a psychologist can help him learn better coping strategies. Sometimes stimulants are associated with mood changes, so it would be helpful for you to find a psychologist who can consult with the prescribing physician to determine what is happening with your child.

Best Wishes
Rebecca Resnik