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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Medication can be helpful but not on its own, as others have pointed out.  Therapy and organizational help also often are needed.  DS has been on medication for ADHD since he was 6.  When it works well, it can be so beneficial.  But it's true that kids outgrow dosages or medications stop working well.  We're about to increase a medication that has worked well and hope it regains its effectiveness.  Not medicating is a disservice to kids.

I would not worry about changes in personality, low effect etc  These are basically myths (obviously, there are some kids who can't take these meds for a variety of reasons but the medication does not turn the vast majority of kids into zombies -- it just doesn't happen.  Good luck![/quote]

I totally agree.  My oldest started meds in 1st grade (we have excellent routines/structure and had already tried diet, behavioral supports, etc.).  He was taking Focalin and the side effects far outweighed the benefits.  We stopped it because he lost too much weight, developed a significant tic and there were no noticeable improvements.  He switched to Intuniv (a non-stimulant) and we saw improvements (negligible side effects) but nothing like what people talk about when they find the right med/dose.  He was on Intuniv for 3 years when even those modest improvements disappeared.  It was like he had no ability to self-regulate and the impact at school and home was significant.  We were having a horrific week with him and in desperation gave him a low dose of Focalin again and it did wonders!  The difference was amazing and he'd gained enough maturity to realize how much a difference medication makes.  It's 1/4 the maximum dose we gave him 4 years ago.  We see no evidence of a tic.  He needs some help getting to sleep but not enough that we'd consider stopping the med. He's lost some weight but nothing like it was before and he's got far more appetite, especially on the weekends when he is medication free - unless there's a special activity and we do give him the medication those days.  He participated in the Marine Corps Fun Run today and we did not medicate.  It wasn't something that required much self-regulation  :lol:

My youngest also takes Focalin and it's a wonderful medication for him. No discernible impact on his appetite (and he could stand to lose a few pounds) and he sleeps just fine.  Teachers notice a huge difference in his ability to attend.

I also want to address your statement "all evidence is anecdotal".  It's not.  You should have the teachers complete a Vanderbilt Rating Scale before medication and then a month or so afterwards.  In my experience, they're good reporters of behavior and aren't biased in their reporting when they know you've been giving medication.  We've relied on them heavily to gauge when a medication/dose is effective.  HTH.[/quote]

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