My child is the only one with ADD, not on meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, ignore the people saying you are doing a disservice to your child or letting him "suffer" by not medicating him. They are simply trying to justify the drugging of their children by shaming you for not medicating.

The fact is, children with adhd are more likely to drop out, use drugs, and be arrested. However, drugging them has absolutely NO EFFECT on these outcomes. Instead, it makes a child easier to handle and makes parents feel like they are helping.

The most effective things you can do for your son are all non-medicinal. Teach him to adapt to and cope with his symptoms in a way that helps him fit the expectations of those around him. Drugging him into compliance teaches him nothing, which is why it has no long term positive effect. The poster that spoke of their son's frequent exercise and involvement in multiple sports activities is on the right track.

Oh, and you can be sure that several posters will criticize what I wrote here. They will say THEIR child needed meds, that it was the ONLY thing that helped, and that their child's life was wonderfully assisted by them. Good for them. The data simply does not support their illusion.

OP here, I knew about much of what you wrote. I really wanted to get an understanding of what becomes of the holdout child or family, and from what I have read here, we are doomed to be ostracized. I will be using all other non drug methods to work with my son. I owe it to him since he will be under so much scrutiny as the unmedicated child with ADD. I did watch him playing with his friends today and plan to speak with him about being too rough, he is big. It will be a constant task, but I don't mind it.

OP, I posted earlier in the thread- I am an adult with ADHD who was diagnosed at 8. My dad and my brother have it. I have been medicated for short periods of time as a child and as a adult. It was my personal choice to discontinue meds when I felt I no longer needed them. I NEVER demanded, or implied you needed to medicate, I believe only some of the posters here really took that staunch position.

I think your attitude sucks.... you are still stuck in playing the victim- there are plenty of people who choose not to medicate (hell read where I CHOSE to no longer medicate myself.) It is a choice for you and your family when it comes to what is best for your child. BUT YOU SUCK at advocating for him and partnering with others to set him up for success. Whether the teacher started it or not, YOU made a huge problem between you and someone you NEEDED to partner with to see that your son gets what he needs and you went over her head and got a lawyer involved? STOP turning you and your kid into the victim, he is smart and bright and needs to be encouraged in ways that promote his self-esteem.

I feel you ignored a lot of good advice on this thread (not about medicating.) I also think this idea that your child is further victimized/ isolated because you refuse to medicate is a fallacy you are inventing as part of your being the victim instead of being an advocate- guess which one your child needs more?

And to the person who posted that there is no long term data that isn't flawed, yes that is true- I can only speak from anecdotal evidence (myself and my family.) Medication was never meant to be a long term solution, but it helped to feel in control so that I could do it for myself- that is what you child needs (whether through meds or not) HE NEEDS to be able to feel like he can make accommodations for himself (which he will, when you show him by getting him the accommodations he needs and lay the right groundwork.)

The bottom line is your kids is very smart, probably smarter than you will be in certain ways just because of how is brain works- I can speak from experience as to what that is like with 33 years of lifetime experience- he needs an outlet, and he needs help feeling connected to his peers- if you single him out as the problem child because of some dumb slight at the beginning of next year you will be doing him a huge disservice. Find positive ways to enforce the right behavior and to advocate for him without burning bridges. You have a long fight ahead of you to get school to comply, but a lot of the responsibility is on your shoulders. I liken it to being an advocate for a family member in the hospital, they are being cared for by nurses and doctors but if you don't pay attention and keep track of everything things can get missed- a nurse with 12 other patients during a long shift won't change IV's that are days old, they are doing the best they can and without you advocating, your loved one won't get the best care...

[Anonymous]

One mother's story:

http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2014/05/09/email-of-the-day-266/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There is no cure for ADHD. Thats not news, we all know that. But there is a treatment. And, yes, the treatment only works while taking it. but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function. And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on. If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow.

There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.

Lots of stuff here.....
1) Regarding "the treatment only works while taking it": the treatment (meds) are not temporary because people stop taking them, they are temporary because they stop working.
2) Regarding "but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function.": You're right, they do. Except a medicated child is doing this on drugs that facilitated this functioning and that will not be maintained.
3) Regarding "And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on.": A child on medication is not "mastering" anything. They have ingested something that forces their body and mind to act in a way that they cannot act without medication. And when the meds stop working, so will the skills, because they were never mastered in the first place.
4) Regarding "If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow": If this were true, medicated children would show better long term academic outcomes than unmedicated children. And yet, they don't. Also, a medicated child can "lose" 5th grade too. Every day that he is on medication he loses an opportunity to learn what coping skills he needs to develop and cultivate in order for him to compensate for the way his brain functions. His meds will wear off in a few years, and he will then be back to square one, having learned nothing and looking for a higher dosage to simply function.
5) Regarding: "There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.": It is so not similar. Cochlear implants do not stop working after several years, you can have a cochlear implant indefinitely, they don't put any chemicals or drugs into your body that mess with your brain chemistry, and as far as I know, they don't have side effects like loss of appetite, poor sleep, anxiety, and stunted growth. Not even close to stimulants. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no cure for ADHD. Thats not news, we all know that. But there is a treatment. And, yes, the treatment only works while taking it. but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function. And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on. If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow.

There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.

Lots of stuff here.....
1) Regarding "the treatment only works while taking it": the treatment (meds) are not temporary because people stop taking them, they are temporary because they stop working.
2) Regarding "but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function.": You're right, they do. Except a medicated child is doing this on drugs that facilitated this functioning and that will not be maintained.
3) Regarding "And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on.": A child on medication is not "mastering" anything. They have ingested something that forces their body and mind to act in a way that they cannot act without medication. And when the meds stop working, so will the skills, because they were never mastered in the first place.
4) Regarding "If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow": If this were true, medicated children would show better long term academic outcomes than unmedicated children. And yet, they don't. Also, a medicated child can "lose" 5th grade too. Every day that he is on medication he loses an opportunity to learn what coping skills he needs to develop and cultivate in order for him to compensate for the way his brain functions. His meds will wear off in a few years, and he will then be back to square one, having learned nothing and looking for a higher dosage to simply function.
5) Regarding: "There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.": It is so not similar. Cochlear implants do not stop working after several years, you can have a cochlear implant indefinitely, they don't put any chemicals or drugs into your body that mess with your brain chemistry, and as far as I know, they don't have side effects like loss of appetite, poor sleep, anxiety, and stunted growth. Not even close to stimulants. Sorry.

Do you have any evidence based research to support the nonsensical opinions you are spouting? Better yet, are you a medical professional? If "no" to both, please stay off of this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no cure for ADHD. Thats not news, we all know that. But there is a treatment. And, yes, the treatment only works while taking it. but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function. And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on. If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow.

There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.

Lots of stuff here.....
1) Regarding "the treatment only works while taking it": the treatment (meds) are not temporary because people stop taking them, they are temporary because they stop working.
2) Regarding "but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function.": You're right, they do. Except a medicated child is doing this on drugs that facilitated this functioning and that will not be maintained.
3) Regarding "And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on.": A child on medication is not "mastering" anything. They have ingested something that forces their body and mind to act in a way that they cannot act without medication. And when the meds stop working, so will the skills, because they were never mastered in the first place.
4) Regarding "If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow": If this were true, medicated children would show better long term academic outcomes than unmedicated children. And yet, they don't. Also, a medicated child can "lose" 5th grade too. Every day that he is on medication he loses an opportunity to learn what coping skills he needs to develop and cultivate in order for him to compensate for the way his brain functions. His meds will wear off in a few years, and he will then be back to square one, having learned nothing and looking for a higher dosage to simply function.
5) Regarding: "There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.": It is so not similar. Cochlear implants do not stop working after several years, you can have a cochlear implant indefinitely, they don't put any chemicals or drugs into your body that mess with your brain chemistry, and as far as I know, they don't have side effects like loss of appetite, poor sleep, anxiety, and stunted growth. Not even close to stimulants. Sorry.

First of all, its already been explained that there are no long term studies of any worth demonstrating what you are claiming.

Second, if a child does not master (writing, algebra, problem solving, ability to socialize) in elementary and middle school, those years aren't coming back and they will always be at a deficit. For many children with ADHD there are no magic alternatives. And, yes, my children have mastered writing, math, problem solving, social skills). If they went off their meds they may or may not have trouble focusing but they will still have the ability to perform all these skills.

Finally, some kids do struggle with side effects from these meds but many don't. My kids are on non-ritilan ADHD medication and have none of the side effects you list. Actually, no side effects at all.

You don't have a child with ADHD so you? In any event, you should probably stop repeating yourself with this BS about long term studies but no such studies in any meaningful sense exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no cure for ADHD. Thats not news, we all know that. But there is a treatment. And, yes, the treatment only works while taking it. but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function. And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on. If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow.

There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.

Lots of stuff here.....
1) Regarding "the treatment only works while taking it": the treatment (meds) are not temporary because people stop taking them, they are temporary because they stop working.
2) Regarding "but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function.": You're right, they do. Except a medicated child is doing this on drugs that facilitated this functioning and that will not be maintained.
3) Regarding "And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on.": A child on medication is not "mastering" anything. They have ingested something that forces their body and mind to act in a way that they cannot act without medication. And when the meds stop working, so will the skills, because they were never mastered in the first place.
4) Regarding "If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow": If this were true, medicated children would show better long term academic outcomes than unmedicated children. And yet, they don't. Also, a medicated child can "lose" 5th grade too. Every day that he is on medication he loses an opportunity to learn what coping skills he needs to develop and cultivate in order for him to compensate for the way his brain functions. His meds will wear off in a few years, and he will then be back to square one, having learned nothing and looking for a higher dosage to simply function.
5) Regarding: "There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.": It is so not similar. Cochlear implants do not stop working after several years, you can have a cochlear implant indefinitely, they don't put any chemicals or drugs into your body that mess with your brain chemistry, and as far as I know, they don't have side effects like loss of appetite, poor sleep, anxiety, and stunted growth. Not even close to stimulants. Sorry.

Do you have any evidence based research to support the nonsensical opinions you are spouting? Better yet, are you a medical professional? If "no" to both, please stay off of this thread.

Look, I am not the pp, but he/she knows what they are talking about. The whole system is geared towards acceptance of the meds, so it is a culture that we have. It is in every parent's best interest to believe that what they are doing for their child is the best. So when someone comes along with information like the pp did, it SCARES us, as it should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no cure for ADHD. Thats not news, we all know that. But there is a treatment. And, yes, the treatment only works while taking it. but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function. And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on. If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow.

There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.

Lots of stuff here.....
1) Regarding "the treatment only works while taking it": the treatment (meds) are not temporary because people stop taking them, they are temporary because they stop working.
2) Regarding "but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function.": You're right, they do. Except a medicated child is doing this on drugs that facilitated this functioning and that will not be maintained.
3) Regarding "And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on.": A child on medication is not "mastering" anything. They have ingested something that forces their body and mind to act in a way that they cannot act without medication. And when the meds stop working, so will the skills, because they were never mastered in the first place.
4) Regarding "If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow": If this were true, medicated children would show better long term academic outcomes than unmedicated children. And yet, they don't. Also, a medicated child can "lose" 5th grade too. Every day that he is on medication he loses an opportunity to learn what coping skills he needs to develop and cultivate in order for him to compensate for the way his brain functions. His meds will wear off in a few years, and he will then be back to square one, having learned nothing and looking for a higher dosage to simply function.
5) Regarding: "There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.": It is so not similar. Cochlear implants do not stop working after several years, you can have a cochlear implant indefinitely, they don't put any chemicals or drugs into your body that mess with your brain chemistry, and as far as I know, they don't have side effects like loss of appetite, poor sleep, anxiety, and stunted growth. Not even close to stimulants. Sorry.

Do you have any evidence based research to support the nonsensical opinions you are spouting? Better yet, are you a medical professional? If "no" to both, please stay off of this thread.

Look, I am not the pp, but he/she knows what they are talking about. The whole system is geared towards acceptance of the meds, so it is a culture that we have. It is in every parent's best interest to believe that what they are doing for their child is the best. So when someone comes along with information like the pp did, it SCARES us, as it should.

But she doesn't know what she's talking about. There are no studies that have any validity to support her IDEOLOGICAL arguments. Her "information" is based on one very poorly designed study. This is not information, this is a scare tactic (yes, you are correct to use that word.) I am not scared. I have relied on the best medical science and my children with ADHD are thriving.

I suspect that those of you with the anti-med bias do not have children with ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no cure for ADHD. Thats not news, we all know that. But there is a treatment. And, yes, the treatment only works while taking it. but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function. And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on. If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow.

There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.

Lots of stuff here.....
1) Regarding "the treatment only works while taking it": the treatment (meds) are not temporary because people stop taking them, they are temporary because they stop working.
2) Regarding "but during that "temporary" period of time kids go to school, learn, develop social relationships, function.": You're right, they do. Except a medicated child is doing this on drugs that facilitated this functioning and that will not be maintained.
3) Regarding "And when you master those skills in 5th grade you are better placed to continue them in 6th, and then 7th and then so on.": A child on medication is not "mastering" anything. They have ingested something that forces their body and mind to act in a way that they cannot act without medication. And when the meds stop working, so will the skills, because they were never mastered in the first place.
4) Regarding "If you lose 5th grade because you can't focus, read, write (don't minimize dysgraphia, my DS has it and it affects everything, including math), you will start 6th grade at a deficit (academically, socially, behaviorally) and over the years that deficit will grow": If this were true, medicated children would show better long term academic outcomes than unmedicated children. And yet, they don't. Also, a medicated child can "lose" 5th grade too. Every day that he is on medication he loses an opportunity to learn what coping skills he needs to develop and cultivate in order for him to compensate for the way his brain functions. His meds will wear off in a few years, and he will then be back to square one, having learned nothing and looking for a higher dosage to simply function.
5) Regarding: "There's no cure for deafness, but kids can get cochlear implants that allow them to hear. It isn't a cure, if the implants are removed or off, the deafness returns. Its similar.": It is so not similar. Cochlear implants do not stop working after several years, you can have a cochlear implant indefinitely, they don't put any chemicals or drugs into your body that mess with your brain chemistry, and as far as I know, they don't have side effects like loss of appetite, poor sleep, anxiety, and stunted growth. Not even close to stimulants. Sorry.

Do you have any evidence based research to support the nonsensical opinions you are spouting? Better yet, are you a medical professional? If "no" to both, please stay off of this thread.

Look, I am not the pp, but he/she knows what they are talking about. The whole system is geared towards acceptance of the meds, so it is a culture that we have. It is in every parent's best interest to believe that what they are doing for their child is the best. So when someone comes along with information like the pp did, it SCARES us, as it should.

But she doesn't know what she's talking about. There are no studies that have any validity to support her IDEOLOGICAL arguments. Her "information" is based on one very poorly designed study. This is not information, this is a scare tactic (yes, you are correct to use that word.) I am not scared. I have relied on the best medical science and my children with ADHD are thriving.

I suspect that those of you with the anti-med bias do not have children with ADHD.

Unlikely to be true. I know many who do not medicate.

[Anonymous]

http://www.nature.com/news/medication-the-smart-pill-oversell-1.14701

ADHD diagnoses are rising rapidly around the world and especially in the United States, where 11% of children aged between 4 and 17 years old have been diagnosed with the disorder. Between half and two-thirds of those are put on medication, a decision often influenced by a child's difficulties at school. And there are numerous reports of adolescents and young adults without ADHD using the drugs as study aids.

For most people with ADHD, these medications — typically formulations of methylphenidate or amphetamine — quickly calm them down and increase their ability to concentrate. Although these behavioural changes make the drugs useful, a growing body of evidence suggests that the benefits mainly stop there. Studies indicate that the improvements seen with medication do not translate into better academic achievement or even social adjustment in the long term: people who were medicated as children show no improvements in antisocial behaviour, substance abuse or arrest rates later in life, for example. And one recent study suggested that the medications could even harm some children1.

After 14 months, the groups treated with medication alone and medication plus behaviour therapy showed greater improvements in core ADHD symptoms than the other two groups. For academic achievement, only the group receiving medication and behaviour therapy combined outperformed the group receiving regular care2. By three years in, the four groups had become indistinguishable on every measure3. Treatment conferred no lasting benefit in terms of grades, test scores or social adjustment. Eight years later, it was the same story4. “Nothing we did could tease out and say there's a long-term effect,” says Swanson, who was one of the lead investigators on the MTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.nature.com/news/medication-the-smart-pill-oversell-1.14701

ADHD diagnoses are rising rapidly around the world and especially in the United States, where 11% of children aged between 4 and 17 years old have been diagnosed with the disorder. Between half and two-thirds of those are put on medication, a decision often influenced by a child's difficulties at school. And there are numerous reports of adolescents and young adults without ADHD using the drugs as study aids.

For most people with ADHD, these medications — typically formulations of methylphenidate or amphetamine — quickly calm them down and increase their ability to concentrate. Although these behavioural changes make the drugs useful, a growing body of evidence suggests that the benefits mainly stop there. Studies indicate that the improvements seen with medication do not translate into better academic achievement or even social adjustment in the long term: people who were medicated as children show no improvements in antisocial behaviour, substance abuse or arrest rates later in life, for example. And one recent study suggested that the medications could even harm some children1.

After 14 months, the groups treated with medication alone and medication plus behaviour therapy showed greater improvements in core ADHD symptoms than the other two groups. For academic achievement, only the group receiving medication and behaviour therapy combined outperformed the group receiving regular care2. By three years in, the four groups had become indistinguishable on every measure3. Treatment conferred no lasting benefit in terms of grades, test scores or social adjustment. Eight years later, it was the same story4. “Nothing we did could tease out and say there's a long-term effect,” says Swanson, who was one of the lead investigators on the MTA.

Which means 1/3-1/2 do not medicate, therefore the OP's child is not the only one by a long shot. Now we can stop this thread since the OP's original question has been answered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Do you have any evidence based research to support the nonsensical opinions you are spouting? Better yet, are you a medical professional? If "no" to both, please stay off of this thread.

I love this attitude. You're drugging your child and demanding someone else provide incontrovertible evidence that they DO NOT work. That's super logical.

I would ask you to provide all the studies that prove the meds DO work long term (since this is the evidence you SHOULD be looking for before drugging your child), but I won't. Both because I know there aren't any, and also because anytime anyone posts scientific studies on an Internet forum that people disagree with, they poo poo the methodology, or funding, or whatever else suits their agenda (this is a favorite tactic of anti-vaxers).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.nature.com/news/medication-the-smart-pill-oversell-1.14701

ADHD diagnoses are rising rapidly around the world and especially in the United States, where 11% of children aged between 4 and 17 years old have been diagnosed with the disorder. Between half and two-thirds of those are put on medication, a decision often influenced by a child's difficulties at school. And there are numerous reports of adolescents and young adults without ADHD using the drugs as study aids.

For most people with ADHD, these medications — typically formulations of methylphenidate or amphetamine — quickly calm them down and increase their ability to concentrate. Although these behavioural changes make the drugs useful, a growing body of evidence suggests that the benefits mainly stop there. Studies indicate that the improvements seen with medication do not translate into better academic achievement or even social adjustment in the long term: people who were medicated as children show no improvements in antisocial behaviour, substance abuse or arrest rates later in life, for example. And one recent study suggested that the medications could even harm some children1.

After 14 months, the groups treated with medication alone and medication plus behaviour therapy showed greater improvements in core ADHD symptoms than the other two groups. For academic achievement, only the group receiving medication and behaviour therapy combined outperformed the group receiving regular care2. By three years in, the four groups had become indistinguishable on every measure3. Treatment conferred no lasting benefit in terms of grades, test scores or social adjustment. Eight years later, it was the same story4. “Nothing we did could tease out and say there's a long-term effect,” says Swanson, who was one of the lead investigators on the MTA.

Which means 1/3-1/2 do not medicate, therefore the OP's child is not the only one by a long shot. Now we can stop this thread since the OP's original question has been answered.

I suspect that in this competitive area (DC metro), more than 2/3 are medicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you have any evidence based research to support the nonsensical opinions you are spouting? Better yet, are you a medical professional? If "no" to both, please stay off of this thread.

I love this attitude. You're drugging your child and demanding someone else provide incontrovertible evidence that they DO NOT work. That's super logical.

I would ask you to provide all the studies that prove the meds DO work long term (since this is the evidence you SHOULD be looking for before drugging your child), but I won't. Both because I know there aren't any, and also because anytime anyone posts scientific studies on an Internet forum that people disagree with, they poo poo the methodology, or funding, or whatever else suits their agenda (this is a favorite tactic of anti-vaxers).

You answered the questions -- "no" and "no". Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Like many parents in this thread meds were the last resort and we did (and do) plenty of other things to help our kid in every possible way. I am pretty sure not one parent here relies on only medication and just washes his/her hands after offering a pill and a glass of water. To me that is insulting. Nobody here took this decision lightly or thinks we just "drug" our kids to make our lives easier.

Just before his ADD (inattentive) diagnosis, my kid was also diagnosed with a pretty severe learning dissability that was making reading and writing extremely difficult for him ( he was in first grade) He was falling behing academically, socially and his self steem was plummeting down. His hand writing was atrociuos. He was hiding under a table at school out of frustration...

We did OT, PT, speech therapy, tutoring, exercised him heavily, the school did every acommodation we and his doctors thought about. We changed his diet and every routine.
He was pretty young and two neuropsych evaluations were inconclusive. Pointing towards inattentive ADD, but not a definite. Finally after doing the NIH study we decided to start meds and the results were life changing for our kid.

Maybe the effects won't last forever, but they allowed him to learn how to read and write at his grade level and above. He is now a straight A student, with lots of friends and interests, his handwriting is legible, he can cope with frustration and anxiety and is overall a happy successful child.

We were able to stop some of the multiple therapies and differents things we had tried. Others we still do daily. Same with acommodations at school. Some are still necessary others not anymore.

We stop medication on weekends and summers and you know what, all this great things don't magically disappear like Cinderella's dress at midnight. He doesn't forget how to read and write or the other things medication allowed him to learn (no doctor or teacher ever mentioned the LD again) and everything he learns during the school year is still there come labor day.
During the summer he has a very hard time focusing and concentrating, keeping up with chores and tasks it not easy at all, prioritizing is almost impossible for him and everything takes 10 times longer, among other things. When we are at the beach these things are not a big deal. In a classroom they are. He works beautifully one on one, but at school he has a teacher not a tutor. Overall, compared to where we were 5 years ago we have come a very long way I don't think I would be able to say so without having tried meds.

Medication has improved his life for 5 years. Maybe that is all we will get, but to me that is priceless and I never expected the meds to "cure" him, just to improve his quality of life and help him thrive.
We still work on coping skills daily. one thing does not exclude the other, but without the meds simply getting through the day was all consuming, now with a happier, more successful child we have more time and a much better disposition to attempt teaching him those coping and compesantion mechanisms.

We are all doing the best we can.

[Anonymous]

pp, I am not being critical, but you do realize that all of that might have happened without meds too.