Reply to Considering to Medicate 15-YO DS for ADHD

Forum Index » Tweens and Teens

Reply to "Considering to Medicate 15-YO DS for ADHD"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We should never has waited as long as we did to medicate.   It is by far my biggest parenting regret with my hS senior. Not because of grades.  There isn’t a disaster on his transcript. But because he was so clearly unhappy and struggling.  He wanted to do things like other kids so badly and just couldn’t.  But,  I didn’t want to pull the trigger.  A couple months after he started, he asked me why we had waited so long when his life had been so hard before. It broke my heart. And the answer is because I was scared.   But  looking at the difference and what we put him through by not acting.  Forget grades. Screen are still a struggle. He’s happier, more balanced, more confident, less angry and less anxious.  It's hands down the one parenting decision I know I blew.

OP— forget the Ped and do it right. Get an adolescent psychiatrist and work with them to get a valid diagnosis and Medicare if appropriate. ADHD meds are tricky.  Some work for your kid, some don’t. And as a kid grows or hits puberty, what they need can change. But please do something. I’ve now learned that unmediated ADHD kids are at very high risk for anxiety, depression, suicide, substance abuse. And I see why. [/quote]

This is me, and having now read the whole thread, I want to add a couple things.

First, ADHD impairs emotional regulation in a lot of kids. Our medication has been paired with a psychologist who works with my kid on managing emotions and understanding why he feels less centered as his meds wear off.   He also had an executive functioning coach for 3 years and actively learned things most of us just know. Now a senior, college apps on track, demanding fall EC and good grades.  And no longer needs the EF coach. He has the tools he needs to succeed in college.  And I never thought I would see that.  I am so proud of him.  The point is medication is amazing. But also get your kid help learning to manage the ADHD himself. Maybe he never comes off meds. Maybe he does.  But meds don’t solve everything, and many meds aren’t active 24/7.

Second, many unmedicated ADHD people do self medicate.  Sometimes with actual drugs. But my DH did it with caffeine. 12 Dr. Peppers a day. Once DS was medicated and we saw the change in happiness, social relationships, and yes, work habits and grades, DH said— but our son is just like me.  He saw a psychiatrist, was diagnosed, and takes a low dose med. and now drinks almost no caffeine.  12 Dr. Peppers a day may not be illegal. But it’s not healthy either.  But that was how DH coped since he hates coffee.  A pot of coffee every day is also common in unmedicated ADHD. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics