Teens with ADHD

[Anonymous]

Are your teens on ADHD meds? Have symptoms improved? Are they on a higher or lower dose than before?

What do you find meds help with? Impulsivity? Decision making?

What about driving?

[Anonymous]

Are your teens on ADHD meds? Yes, since 5th grade
Have symptoms improved? Yes, but not eliminated
Are they on a higher or lower dose than before? We just reduced his dose in August and so far so good.

What do you find meds help with? Impulsivity? Decision making? Helped with impulsivity, nervousness, tics, and reading. He is on a non-stimulant medication.

What about driving? He isn't yet. He will be eligible for taking the permit test before Christmas. We plan on a long learning curve. He also has some motor coordination issues that may be a factor, but the people we have consulted feel that he should be a bel to drive, it will take longer though. So, we will be in the parking lots and quiet roads for months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are your teens on ADHD meds? Yes, since 5th grade
Have symptoms improved? Yes, but not eliminated
Are they on a higher or lower dose than before? We just reduced his dose in August and so far so good.

What do you find meds help with? Impulsivity? Decision making? Helped with impulsivity, nervousness, tics, and reading. He is on a non-stimulant medication.

What about driving? He isn't yet. He will be eligible for taking the permit test before Christmas. We plan on a long learning curve. He also has some motor coordination issues that may be a factor, but the people we have consulted feel that he should be a bel to drive, it will take longer though. So, we will be in the parking lots and quiet roads for months.

What type of experts did you consult re the driving? An OT?

[Anonymous]

Are your teens on ADHD meds? Yes

Have symptoms improved? Not particularly, and I can tell when she hasn't taken them

Are they on a higher or lower dose than before? Higher dose, mostly because she hadn't been adjusted for years and was twice the weight as when it was initially dosed (not fat, just taller and older)

What do you find meds help with? Impulsivity? Decision making? Ability to concentrate on class and homework.

What about driving? When she first started driving she got a Ritalin booster for the evening that she could take if she was going to be driving at night. No longer takes that. We also had to switch from a manual to an automatic car because she needed to focus on the road, not the gears.

[Anonymous]

PP with child on nonstimulant meds. Can I ask what medication and what side effects? I have an impulsive anxious child.

OP you might want to post on the special needs forum. Lots of parents with kids with ADHD.

[Anonymous]

From what I can see with an almost 13 year old the meds become a bigger issue, kids are more aware of the effect of them and at some level like the extreme exuberance of the ADHD. Mine will only use them for school but wants nothing to do with them when not in school. It makes homework hellish and the swings are difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are your teens on ADHD meds? Have symptoms improved? Are they on a higher or lower dose than before?
Yes - Concerta - 54 mg. Impulsive decisions improved dramatically. Only started meds at 15 (late diagnosis)

What do you find meds help with? Impulsivity? Decision making? Impulsivity - and decision making. Teen was never hyperactive.

What about driving?

Our psychiatrist noted studies indicate that accidents increase when drivers with ADHD are unmedicated. Our teen is not allowed to drive unless medication has been taken that day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP with child on nonstimulant meds. Can I ask what medication and what side effects? I have an impulsive anxious child.

OP you might want to post on the special needs forum. Lots of parents with kids with ADHD.

Strattera. The main side effects have been tiredness and lack of appetite. Now that we have lowered the level, he is not as tired. He also has a lower range level of iron, which could be playing a role.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are your teens on ADHD meds? Yes, since 5th grade
Have symptoms improved? Yes, but not eliminated
Are they on a higher or lower dose than before? We just reduced his dose in August and so far so good.

What do you find meds help with? Impulsivity? Decision making? Helped with impulsivity, nervousness, tics, and reading. He is on a non-stimulant medication.

What about driving? He isn't yet. He will be eligible for taking the permit test before Christmas. We plan on a long learning curve. He also has some motor coordination issues that may be a factor, but the people we have consulted feel that he should be a bel to drive, it will take longer though. So, we will be in the parking lots and quiet roads for months.

What type of experts did you consult re the driving? An OT?

It was part of several conversations with several professionals (pediatrician, ed psychologist, LCSW, driver's ed instructor...), consulted over several years, who are familiar with similar kids and based on their experiences, he has a decent chance. He does not have an OT.