We started today, a very very low dose of meds for ADD. The dr said it probably wouldnt work, and we'd up the dose after 3 days.... Well today has been wonderful. He's done all of his school work already, and he isnt making careless mistakes anymore. He even said he feels really good today... and he doesnt know he's taking that pill for ADD. I told him it was a vitamin like his other vitamins. I'm so glad we found something to help us. We were all dreading each new school day. Today has been the best day ever!
Jackie, I am very happy to hear that the meds are working at such a low dose! This is wonderful news.
I talked to the Dr about just using a medication that would last 3-4 hours, because we didnt need it to last all day since we homeschool. So the pill he's taking will only last 4 hours. We dont have to use it everyday, just on school days. Since this is the case I'm only going to do school 4 days a week and let Noah have 3 days off of school and meds. I'm still using the natural supplements like Omegas and eliminating sugars and artificial dyes... this could be why the low dose is working so well. So far so good. I'm going to keep praying this continues to work for us, and that he wont have side effects. Jackie
Hi Jacqlyn... I've been lurking around different boards trying to find out info on ADD. My son is your son's age and I believe he's ADD. I;ve talked to our dr a litte, but my dh is against meds for now. I was wondering if you could share with me some of the characteristics of your son. I know you mentioned he makes careless mistakes, but what else does he struggle with. I am trying to decide if I should be doing more to help my ds. I would hate to disadvantage him by totally ruling out medication. I'll add that my son has problems focusing on his work and gets easily frustrated. He can have times where he seems really on track and then all of the sudden a big derail!!! Any help would be appreciated!
I am glad you are seeing result at a low dose. I hope things cont. to go well. Having a child on meds in a scary thing, but sometimes they need it. keep in mind that as he grows they may need to up the dose or as his body adjust to the dose he is on. Praying things cont. to go well and he has no side effects. My son is doing well on his new med, he seems much more relaxed and more positive.
I've been researching his med and his dose online. He's taking 5 mg of generic Ritalin. Just in the am. I'm so glad that dose is working for him. I also stopped by the chiroprator and got more supplements so hopefully we wont need the meds for too long. The chiropractor highly recommends stuff called Quantum Greens, source naturals omegas, enzymes, probiotics, and Keifer. We're also going to start taking him in for adjustments more to see if that helps with Noahs IBS, and/or ADD issues. It would be wonderful to find a more holistic solution to these problems, but in the mean time I know the Ritalin is the best option for Noah. He was so proud he got his work finished today. When Mike got home from work Noah ran to him and told him he got all of his school work done today. He was so proud of himself! We ended up going to Target and buying him a lego toy for doing such a great job. So things are looking up. We'll keep plugging along with the ADD meds until we hopefully find a more natural solution.
This is one really good aspect of meds that often gets forgotten. I remeber when I first started them as a teenager and the absolutely wonderful feeling of being able to plan a project or read a textbook or take neat and legible notes. just the feeling of having a clear head and clear focus. Even if I had only gotten to take them for a week it was worth the understanding that I wasn't stupid or lazy, just that my brain worked differently and, with the right tools, I could make it work the way people expected it to. I don't know how far I'd go on not letting him know what's happening with the meds though.
[/QUOTE] I don't know how far I'd go on not letting him know what's happening with the meds though.[/QUOTE] Good point, I'll try talking to him about it this weekend. Any suggestions on how to approach this?
Maybe just tell him that he is taking some meds. to help him with school, and that alot of people take it, he's not the only one, and it doesn't make him a bad little man. It just helps him think with school. He only has to take it on school days. No more.
Why do you need to tell him what he's taking and why? If he were older, say 10 and up, maybe, I could see telling him. But at this age, it could get him worried about something he doesn't need to worry about yet. If he hears that it's a pill to help him do better, then sometime they think they HAVE to have it to do better anytime at anything. I've heard kids say, "Oh I can't do that, I haven't had my medicine yet." They feel the pill is their "magic solution" and often act up more without it, because they know they haven't had it, so blame their actions on that. When they're old enough to reason things out better, then I would tell them... ***THIS IS, OF COURSE, MY OPINION*** So you can take it or leave it....
Deena, I havent told him about it yet. I just ordered the feingold program to try with him as well as the GFCF diet. (gluten free, casein free diet.) I'm really praying these food changes help him with his ADD. It couldn't hurt to give them an honest 3 month trial. Hopefully we'll see a change in him without needing to continue the meds. Good point about not telling him right off. I'm just going to play this by ear and see how it goes.....
