Anonymous
04/05/2024 04:05
Subject: Re:Experience with putting a 4 yo on Ritalin?
I have no idea if you’ll ever see this or even look at this website anymore. But my parents put me on rids when i was 4…I stopped at 16 (i’m almost 20 now) bc it was making me a walking zombie. half my life i was numb and forcibly calmed down by this drug, it ruined my eating habits, made me antisocial, worst of all made it difficult for me to learn how to properly handle emotions. my parents would rather give me meds instead of teaching me how to properly handle my ADHD and ADD. so coming from someone with experience (ik medicine effects everyone differently) i wouldn’t put your kid near that shit.
Anonymous
07/20/2023 20:31
Subject: Re:Experience with putting a 4 yo on Ritalin?
We also started our 5 yo on a form of ritalin (focalin XR) because we had exhausted all other non-medication therapies. Be patient with the trial and error of meds, but for us it was worth it and it absolutely changed our DC's quality of life. They didn't get in trouble at school as much, they felt more in control in general, and could regulate enough to be more present in classes/sports. They're now 16 and not much has changed in their meds once we found the right formula around 2nd grade. No regrets at all. We still see a MD every 3 months to monitor weight and height. My 2 cents is to involve your child in the coversation about why the meds and seeking their input on how they feel when on them.
Anonymous
07/20/2023 12:37
Subject: Experience with putting a 4 yo on Ritalin?
I have been a special ed teacher for many years. I have known some kids that were finally put on ADHD meds at four or five after years of dysregulation and it changed their lives for the better. Family and peer relationships improved, they could learn, they weren’t constantly in trouble….some people have severe health needs and need it. Best of luck to you.
Anonymous
07/19/2023 22:08
Subject: Re:Experience with putting a 4 yo on Ritalin?
Anonymous wrote:Op here. I should explain that the dose we would start on is very low and we’d be doing it with the supervision of a child psychiatrist.
How often will you see the psychiatrist?
Anonymous
07/19/2023 21:45
Subject: Experience with putting a 4 yo on Ritalin?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What factors made the doctors make this recommendation?
Op here. The ADHD diagnosis for one. Problems in school. Problems with attention. Problems with regulation. Problems with gaining new skills due to the severity of inattention and large amount of time spent in a state of disregulation. Problems at home with behavior.
Hi OP, if you still look here, how are things going?
My child is almost five. We’ve tried therapies and are in the process of trying more, but I think we may ultimately need to medicate for our child to function well enough for all of the above. Curious how it went for your son.
Hi pp, I’m not the op but we were in your exact same position at this exact age and started Ritalin at newly 5 after trying many things for the two year prior. For us, it has been 100% the right decision. It helped my son have a mostly positive finish to preschool and it gives him the support he needs to actually try to use the coping skills etc. His teachers described him as happier, calmer, enjoying time with friends more, just all around significant difference in having positive days. And for us, he remained himself - still his crazy unique silly self.
Side effects have been the typical - he isn’t very hungry at lunch time. We try to just do a big afternoon snack and it has seemed fine so far. He had some trouble falling asleep and we eventually had to use melatonin to help that though he seems to have adjusted to the medication more now and we only need to use it as needed if he gets really wound up. All of these things have felt very worth it for the improved days. I wanted to protect his sense of self as much as we could, and medication has helped his days not be constant redirection (and significantly lowered difficulties with aggression). I personally think the side effects of feeling out of control and getting in trouble all the time are significant as well and should be considered when comparing with the side effects of the meds.
Good luck, it is so hard to make these decisions but I was comforted that these medications are out of your system quickly so they are easy to try and stop if needed. Not a lot to lose. Sometimes it can take a couple to find the right one.
PP here. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I’m glad that things are going better with your son. Watching them struggle, be constantly redirected, or in trouble for aggression is so hard. Despite therapy the behaviors have only gotten worse over time.
Anonymous
07/19/2023 21:01
Subject: Experience with putting a 4 yo on Ritalin?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What factors made the doctors make this recommendation?
Op here. The ADHD diagnosis for one. Problems in school. Problems with attention. Problems with regulation. Problems with gaining new skills due to the severity of inattention and large amount of time spent in a state of disregulation. Problems at home with behavior.
Hi OP, if you still look here, how are things going?
My child is almost five. We’ve tried therapies and are in the process of trying more, but I think we may ultimately need to medicate for our child to function well enough for all of the above. Curious how it went for your son.
Hi pp, I’m not the op but we were in your exact same position at this exact age and started Ritalin at newly 5 after trying many things for the two year prior. For us, it has been 100% the right decision. It helped my son have a mostly positive finish to preschool and it gives him the support he needs to actually try to use the coping skills etc. His teachers described him as happier, calmer, enjoying time with friends more, just all around significant difference in having positive days. And for us, he remained himself - still his crazy unique silly self.
Side effects have been the typical - he isn’t very hungry at lunch time. We try to just do a big afternoon snack and it has seemed fine so far. He had some trouble falling asleep and we eventually had to use melatonin to help that though he seems to have adjusted to the medication more now and we only need to use it as needed if he gets really wound up. All of these things have felt very worth it for the improved days. I wanted to protect his sense of self as much as we could, and medication has helped his days not be constant redirection (and significantly lowered difficulties with aggression). I personally think the side effects of feeling out of control and getting in trouble all the time are significant as well and should be considered when comparing with the side effects of the meds.
Good luck, it is so hard to make these decisions but I was comforted that these medications are out of your system quickly so they are easy to try and stop if needed. Not a lot to lose. Sometimes it can take a couple to find the right one.