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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Working with sp ed students, I would say if your child can be successful in school without medication then by all means do not medicate.  However, if they cannot be successful, or struggle a whole lot, then trying medication is a good idea.[/quote]

School is not the be-all and end-all of a child's life, and school performance should not be the only factor considered in deciding how to treat ADHD.

When our child was diagnosed, I was reluctant to jump right into medication despite the fact that I have it as well and take medication that's highly effective for me. It wasn't a rational decision to wait, it was all anxiety/emotion. We made it almost a month after diagnosis, starting OT and making other recommended changes to help him develop new habits. It was awful for him, we were basically asking even more of him than we were before with all of the new habits and routines, but giving him no better tools to actually do any of it. He would try so hard all day, and then just break down in a sobbing inconsolable mess because his brain was so tired and he was so frustrated. Starting medication was amazing for him, he didn't become a different kid, but all of the good in him that had previously been obscured by the ADHD came through. He was so much happier, he actually thanked me one evening for taking him to the doctor to start medication because, as he put it, "Now I can do everything I want to do and have fun without my behavior getting in the way."[/quote]

My comment assumed the OP does not want to medicate if it is not really necessary.  I find that many parents can be flexible enough at home to get by without medication if they decide the child is better off without it, like if they observe negative side effects, etc.  However, to expect a child to succeed in a public school environment without medication is sometimes unreasonable.  Negative side effects may still be observed but hopefully the doctor can tweak the dosage or type of medication until the most acceptable combination is reached.[/quote]

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