No new story that all of our boys are ADHD and that they're all on meds but we're at a struggling point with Andrew right now. His Dexedrine was bumped up a couple weeks ago (his lunch time dosage) and since then we have seen a sharp escalation in the amount of agitation from him which is becoming a safety issue to him and for his brothers (youngest one especially). So my question is: does anyone know of any non-stimulant meds out there that won't cause the agitation (we've tried Ritalin and Dexedrine - Strattera and Aderal are not options) without too many other negative side effects? I'm not big on medicating a child anyway, but he needs to (unfortauntely) have them in order to learn right now. I do know that clonadine is one that has been used with ADHD but I can't say that I know enough about it to feel safe using it. I will be going to see his doctor in a little bit to try to come up with soemthign else for a plan. Just wondered if you all have any ther suggestions...
Once upon a time we tried Brian on Concerta Er...it was on the ps request and I told them that I would give it a chance. It seemed to work well for what they expected it to do, but I felt it made him too sleepy as he would nap after school and then be ready for bed by 7pm...when he went to bed he would hit hard and had increases in his snoring, talking in his sleep, and tooth grinding...in the end I chose to take him off of it, but like I said, it seemed to be doing what they wanted it to do, and he generally has overexaggerated reactions to medications...plus they said that it could be that he body could have been finally getting a real rest and this is what his body would naturally do if it weren't for the hyperactivity (apparently a sleep study would have shown if that was the case). Although we didn't continue to use it, it may be a viable answer for your son? Good luck!
I would let the doctor know about whats going on and ask if there is a time period that the body needs to adjust to the medicine. I don't have any info on ADHD medicine so I am not sure, I am just saying this because when I was put on diabetic medicine, it took my body some time before the side effects became regulated.
Brenda, Vicki is on Clonidine for aggreviation. They told me it helps with that. I can tell the difference. She was taking 1/4 two times a day. They did cut it back to 1/4 pill one time a day. She also takes a whole at night. They wanted to take her off except for the night dose and that didn't work. She was awful. Talk to his doctor about it.
We went back to the doctor yesterday to present to him the issues that we have with Andrew's behaviour... he decreased the dexedrine to the dosage he has been on and increased his risperdal slightly. He suggested that they could send him back to Moncton for another assessment (I'm glad he thinks so - I'm not going through that again). So now we'll have to monitor behaviours for 2 weeks and report back to the doctor - in the meantime I will be reading up on meds used for ADHD children and will go back very well armed with information.
We have chosen not to put our ds on meds. He is the combo type. Somedays I get so tired of fighting with him. But we don't want him taking any meds for his adhd.
Amen to not wanting to fight! I hear that one loud and clear. The only reason Andrew is being medicated for the ADHD end of it is for the school's benefit. I would love to home school him BUT in order for me to do that, I need my husband to be on the same page with me - to be in 100% total agreement with me on it - no more of this today it's a good idea tomorrow he goes back to school. All that does is send Andrew mixed messages (and then give the school more ammunition to use against me). His meds were changed around (again) last week - I didn't hear any negative feedback last week (because on Thursday they went swimming and on Friday he left early for an appointment). Today he was there the full day and they saw changes in him this afternoon (boy! this could be fun :roll: I was approached by the principal as I was leaving with Andrew about his unacceptable behaviour (defiant, etc). They really expect him to be next best thing to perfect every single day and to fit in with the rest of his class (for get that he has other learning needs that his classmates don't have, he certainly has a different temperment - I know that for sure).
The doctor said that if my ds went back to school they would require him to be on meds. He is not a bad child its just that he is so active. He loves animals and litle children. He has never hurt either one. We have 3 little kittens, and he will go out and love on them, play with them. He loves my bf's two children he will play and sing with them. He can't sit still or pay attention for no longer than 30 mins. His SS teacher says that he is always on the move, and that she is always having to calm him down just to get in the lesson. He loves soccer and his coach is always telling him that he needs to settle down. He doesn't break his toys or has ever broken anything out of anger.He is not distructive at all. He does get angry very easly. We are using a method that I created. What we do if he gets angry we stop think then act. We ask himself why am I angry? What can I do? Then we talk about what the Bible says about anger. Then we do what is right. I make him say sorry, and why he is sorry to the person.
Vicky, I don't believe a government agency (the school) can make a parent give a child medication. Many schools are good at making parents think they can dictate those terms, but they can't legally make you give him the medicine. They do, however, have to make adjustments to his learning environment and accomidate his special needs while at school. It is interesting to note that the diagnosis for ADHD is strictly anecdotal. Other than hearing about the brain scan on Andrew I have never heard of any child psychiatrist using anything other than hearsay to diagnose ADHD. For those who haven't dealt with active boys, there is a convenient little questionaire in most offices on the waiting room tables to fill out a checklist of your son's activities and thoughts. The doctor flips over the page you have made the checks on to look at the "carbon copy" on the underneath layer and it is mapped out with your child's level of ADHD. Very simple and convenient way to know exactly what the boy needs in 20 questions or less--medication. (note the sarcasm) It tears me up to hear about all these boys on medication for being misunderstood and untolerated active boys. I am so glad the Lord led us to a wonderful doctor who wasn't too proud to turn ds's diagnosis around when he saw that he had been wrong about the ADHD. We found the cure for it--homeschooling.
They can't make you give a child medications BUT they sure can make your life miserable (Oops - have to behave here). A couple years back when I pulled Andrew out of school, they couldnt' call me about him so the phone started ringing over Noah's meds... they suggested to me that they needed to be increased - I never looked into it and it died off fo that shool year. Last fall (2004), I received no end of phone calls (again about Noah) "Has Noah been medicated (yes he has), well he's acting like he hasn't been" so I came back to them and said "It sounds to me like you're calling me a liar - I can indulge you and send him to school for a couple days without his medication if you would like" "Oh no that isn't necessary". I did (accidentally - honestly) send him a couple days without his meds... I have NEVER recieved another phone call to that end again. The EEG wasn't done to diagnose the ADHD - it was done because of a family history on my side of the family of seizures and because of his volatile mood swings and their unpredictability (which appearantly is somehting that can happen with seizures - somethign I didn't even realize). I sure would like to know that the results mean... they're Greek to me... When Andrew was in Moncton, we were given the carbon copy questionnaire to fill out. You would be surprised at the results though. Based on the questions that were asked restlessness-impulsivity and hyperactivity emerged as borderline concerns (the defiance, somatic concerns and emotional lability were the significant concerns according to how I answered it). I think some of the problem in today's public schools is that they are presented with a challenging child - one who doesn't stream line like the rest of them and watch out! When Christian was in daycare years ago, I was told that many of the teachers didn't want to work with him because he was a challenge for them. A couple of them did bond with him and they were thrilled to see him come in daily... but they had to make the choice to see how it is that he ticked. Not before then did they give a squat if he was or wasn't there.
I am drawn to the "problem" kids. I seem to understand how they tick and I don't want anyone else dealing with them who doesn't "get" them, kwim? There is a set of twin boys in Sparks who both are a handful. I just love them!!!! They are the sweetest kids but most of the other adults just see them as disobedient when they just literally can't sit still. They aren't defiant whatsoever. Just bouncy, jittery and sensitive. I think I just reaffirmed to myself why I need to stay in the Sparks room this year. :lol:
