Starting ADHD meds for kid

We started at age 9, and it was perfect. We saw the writing on the wall because he had struggled for two years in school, socially and academically. We moved him to a new school where he had a fresh start with medication and he is thriving.

report

01/25/2024 20:39

Subject: Re:Starting ADHD meds for kid

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:To posters who medicated mostly for social issues and impulsivity- can you share what medications were most successful for your child?

I will answer this PP, but your question is a little off. We did not medicate for social issues. We medicated for ADHD because ADHD was interfering with our child's ability to succeed in an age appropriate context. You may not realize yet, by in middle school things change.
- Until middle school, my very bright child could rely on smarts to meet school expectations. By middle school, when expectations ramped up things fell apart. Being smart and curious was no longer enough to overcome exec function and other issues. Having to produce long term projects and papers was a challenge, as was having to juggle different classes, teachers and expectations. Impulsivity became a challenge in the more serious environment - versus the playful elementary school.
- Socially, kids in elementary school rely on their parents to make plans. Elementary school parents have a huge influence on which friendships get time out of school. In middle school, kids take ownership of picking the friends and making the plans. A disorganized kid who struggles in class and talks out of turn is visible and unappealing to middle school peers, who can be pretty mean since we are being honest. It is isolating and sad. For our child, his self esteem plummeted.

We tried medication because other actions alone were not enough to set him up for success.