Does taking meds for ADHD help your kids' athletic performance (assuming they have ADHD)?

[Anonymous]

Get a proper diagnosis and go from there.

My DC has moderate ADHD and is a high-performance athlete. The medication helps maintain focus during the matches. The downside is the appetite loss, which makes it harder to refuel between matches. It’s a trade off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a proper diagnosis and go from there.

My DC has moderate ADHD and is a high-performance athlete. The medication helps maintain focus during the matches. The downside is the appetite loss, which makes it harder to refuel between matches. It’s a trade off.

It’s cheating

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure some of the ADHD "medicines" would be no different than "Banned substances".

This

[Anonymous]

When my son was on ADHD meds, he specifically said he couldn’t take them on days he needed to perform with his sport. He said it was too dangerous. His description was that he needed everyone one of his senses to be on so he could see things coming at him from every which way at once and react. He said his meds made him focus but hyper focus in a way that dulled his senses and that wouldn’t work for his sport. He was a teen when he was able to articulate this. I don’t have ADHD but that made sense to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a proper diagnosis and go from there.

My DC has moderate ADHD and is a high-performance athlete. The medication helps maintain focus during the matches. The downside is the appetite loss, which makes it harder to refuel between matches. It’s a trade off.

It’s cheating

run along now, ADHD denier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my son was on ADHD meds, he specifically said he couldn’t take them on days he needed to perform with his sport. He said it was too dangerous. His description was that he needed everyone one of his senses to be on so he could see things coming at him from every which way at once and react. He said his meds made him focus but hyper focus in a way that dulled his senses and that wouldn’t work for his sport. He was a teen when he was able to articulate this. I don’t have ADHD but that made sense to me.

DH recently stopped taking his ADHD meds during his sport and it’s made a huge difference for the better. He was also too focused on one thing and it was hurting his overall performance. If they have a classroom session then he will take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my son was on ADHD meds, he specifically said he couldn’t take them on days he needed to perform with his sport. He said it was too dangerous. His description was that he needed everyone one of his senses to be on so he could see things coming at him from every which way at once and react. He said his meds made him focus but hyper focus in a way that dulled his senses and that wouldn’t work for his sport. He was a teen when he was able to articulate this. I don’t have ADHD but that made sense to me.

DH recently stopped taking his ADHD meds during his sport and it’s made a huge difference for the better. He was also too focused on one thing and it was hurting his overall performance. If they have a classroom session then he will take it.

What sport

[Anonymous]

i dont see how it could not help ability to train better. i mean it objectively is a benefit. seems like a great edge/perk/side effect without harm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i dont see how it could not help ability to train better. i mean it objectively is a benefit. seems like a great edge/perk/side effect without harm

Without harm? 😆

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my son was on ADHD meds, he specifically said he couldn’t take them on days he needed to perform with his sport. He said it was too dangerous. His description was that he needed everyone one of his senses to be on so he could see things coming at him from every which way at once and react. He said his meds made him focus but hyper focus in a way that dulled his senses and that wouldn’t work for his sport. He was a teen when he was able to articulate this. I don’t have ADHD but that made sense to me.

DH recently stopped taking his ADHD meds during his sport and it’s made a huge difference for the better. He was also too focused on one thing and it was hurting his overall performance. If they have a classroom session then he will take it.

What sport

Exactly. Huge help for golf. Lacrosse or soccer, notsomuch.

[Anonymous]

DC takes meds for school. She does not take them when she has early practice. Says she is groggy and has a headache.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i dont see how it could not help ability to train better. i mean it objectively is a benefit. seems like a great edge/perk/side effect without harm

Without harm? 😆

ya, dexedrine for ex has been around 75 yrs and found to be safe for brain. sorry yours is small

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Medicine makes my son able to pay attention and focus during sports, but it doesn't make him a better athlete. Just allows him to participate on the same playing field as others. Without meds he struggled to hear and follow through on coach instructions and would get easily frustrated and overwhelmed.

This is how I'd describe it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my son was on ADHD meds, he specifically said he couldn’t take them on days he needed to perform with his sport. He said it was too dangerous. His description was that he needed everyone one of his senses to be on so he could see things coming at him from every which way at once and react. He said his meds made him focus but hyper focus in a way that dulled his senses and that wouldn’t work for his sport. He was a teen when he was able to articulate this. I don’t have ADHD but that made sense to me.

DH recently stopped taking his ADHD meds during his sport and it’s made a huge difference for the better. He was also too focused on one thing and it was hurting his overall performance. If they have a classroom session then he will take it.

What sport

Exactly. Huge help for golf. Lacrosse or soccer, notsomuch.

This is going to be highly variable, depending on the kid, the kid's symptoms, and the kid's side effects. We all know it can take a long time to find the right med at the right dose to work for each individual because not everyone reacts the same way. Mine has no side effects and would be a danger to self and others in a fast moving team sport without meds. You don't want to be in la la land, distracted by butterflies in the middle of a sports field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my son was on ADHD meds, he specifically said he couldn’t take them on days he needed to perform with his sport. He said it was too dangerous. His description was that he needed everyone one of his senses to be on so he could see things coming at him from every which way at once and react. He said his meds made him focus but hyper focus in a way that dulled his senses and that wouldn’t work for his sport. He was a teen when he was able to articulate this. I don’t have ADHD but that made sense to me.

DH recently stopped taking his ADHD meds during his sport and it’s made a huge difference for the better. He was also too focused on one thing and it was hurting his overall performance. If they have a classroom session then he will take it.

What sport

Exactly. Huge help for golf. Lacrosse or soccer, notsomuch.

This is going to be highly variable, depending on the kid, the kid's symptoms, and the kid's side effects. We all know it can take a long time to find the right med at the right dose to work for each individual because not everyone reacts the same way. Mine has no side effects and would be a danger to self and others in a fast moving team sport without meds. You don't want to be in la la land, distracted by butterflies in the middle of a sports field.

I can't tell whether it is helpful or harmful for hockey. We've tried it both ways for years. It's hard to keep him out of la la land without it, but I suspect the medication makes him less aggressive and possibly plays with less intensity when he's on it.