Medicating a 5 year old for adhd

[Anonymous]

The thought of medicating my little almost 5 year old makes me so uneasy. Maybe it’s the stigma? Or I worry about altering his personality or giving him medication just to “calm him down”. It also makes me feel like I failed him.

But he has RAGING adhd. (Unconfirmed but I’m a teacher and familiar with this). We are an all boy, super active family and we keep our kids moving. Limited screens and so much physical activity but I swear this kid is run with a motor. He’s impulsive and extremely unfocused. It’s so, so hard.

I don’t want him to suffer. If he can’t control himself, is he struggling? What would medication feel like to HIM?

[Anonymous]

Slow down. You’re spinning. Take this one step at a time. First make the appointment with the pediatrician. Get him evaluated. THEN you can begin discussing all the different ways you can treat it IF he is found to have it. There are different medications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Slow down. You’re spinning. Take this one step at a time. First make the appointment with the pediatrician. Get him evaluated. THEN you can begin discussing all the different ways you can treat it IF he is found to have it. There are different medications.

+1. They might not even recommend medication right away since he’s so young. And if they do and you are not comfortable, don’t give it to him.

Again, he doesn’t have the diagnosis yet. My son was diagnosed and we first tried medication years later. Many are short acting and if he didn’t like the side effects (or we didn’t) we stopped immediately.

[Anonymous]

Our developmental pediatrician reminds me all the time that medication truly is for them. No one likes feeling out of control. No one likes getting in trouble/constantly being told to stop. No one likes the negative peer feedback that comes from being out of control.

[Anonymous]

See what the doctor says - if he truly has ADHD, then he may need the meds. You wouldn't keep glasses from someone who couldn't see or crutches from a kid with a broken leg? Just because some abuse the system (for focus or extra test time) doesn't mean all are abusing the system. There are kids who truly need the meds

[Anonymous]

You say youre a teacher and you diagnosed him but there is so much you don’t know based on your post. Keeping kids active is great but doesn’t prevent adhd.
Read about adhd in young kids. There are ways you can change your parenting and expectations without medicating.
My now teen started on a year and a half ago and it’s been great for her. She only takes on school days though. At home, I’ve changed my expectations. I use lists a lot for her, she sets alarms as reminders, I check in with reminders a lot. I don’t punish for things she can’t control, I redirect her focus.

[Anonymous]

OP ask yourself an honest question (especially considering you are a teacher): does HE need the meds, or do the adults around him NEED him on meds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our developmental pediatrician reminds me all the time that medication truly is for them. No one likes feeling out of control. No one likes getting in trouble/constantly being told to stop. No one likes the negative peer feedback that comes from being out of control.

Bolded aren’t natural consequences of having a brain wired differently. They’re externally imposed arbitrary social consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our developmental pediatrician reminds me all the time that medication truly is for them. No one likes feeling out of control. No one likes getting in trouble/constantly being told to stop. No one likes the negative peer feedback that comes from being out of control.

Bolded aren’t natural consequences of having a brain wired differently. They’re externally imposed arbitrary social consequences.

Correct! But those social consequences are entirely predictable and harmful for kids, especially in public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our developmental pediatrician reminds me all the time that medication truly is for them. No one likes feeling out of control. No one likes getting in trouble/constantly being told to stop. No one likes the negative peer feedback that comes from being out of control.

Bolded aren’t natural consequences of having a brain wired differently. They’re externally imposed arbitrary social consequences.

It's not arbitrary that friendship requires paying attention to the friend. It's not arbitrary that getting anything done at all requires paying attention to that thing.

[Anonymous]

Did you try 6 months of behavioral management supported by a behavioral therapist? That is the standard of care before prescribing stimulants to kids that young.

[Anonymous]

I have had students who were young like this and absolutely needed and benefited from medication. It won’t hurt him to try it. It could really help him and then when the edge is off he can benefit from behavioral interventions and supports. Imagine what it must feel like to be in his brain right now and give meds a chance. You can always stop.