Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids who don't take meds are more likely to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Also, they tend to suffer social isolation and low self-esteem Stay open to meds and go to a good psychiatrist who has experience in medication combos and dosage levels beyond what a pediatrician will manage.

Citation?

I'm not the PP who wrote that but I know from experience-- from seeing family members who destroyed their own lives from self medication with drugs and alcohol.
Since then, I've found many articles that confirm that. It's not just one source.
We decided to medicate because we wanted our kid to understand that there are productive and regulated ways of helping yourself. Bottom line is that you are going to seek what will help your brain.

The FDA censured several drug companies for claiming that their ADHD drug prevented substance abuse. I don't think the science is there. It is fine to talk about how the meds seem to work for your kid, but pretty execrable to claim that not using meds is going to turn your kid into a drug addict.

Right, and that's why the statement says:

Kids who don't take meds are more likely to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.

"More likely" does not mean that not using meds is going to turn your kid into a drug addict

Having a high cholesterol diet will put you at greater risk of having a heart attack. It does not mean that eating red meat will make you have a heart attack.

Show me the evidence on that. The FdA doesn't appear to believe that is true.

Do NOT use a pediatrician for meds. Please see a psychiatrist and preferably one who works with children and teens. It's not unusual to have side effects from ADHD meds and a psychiatrist will help you pick the drug that is best. He/she can also help you weigh the costs and benefits.

My DD wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until 6th grade. I kicked myself for not recognizing it sooner. Her teachers never expressed concerns about her and she had no behavioral issues. She looked focused when she was actually feeling "spaced out." Her most obvious outward symptoms were a lack of organization and impulsivity. I just thought she wasn't exercising enough self-control. I feel guilty about that. Now that she has a 504 and medication she is doing so much better but I was surprised to learn that even with meds her ADHD remains significant based on her latest neuropsych testing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids who don't take meds are more likely to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Also, they tend to suffer social isolation and low self-esteem Stay open to meds and go to a good psychiatrist who has experience in medication combos and dosage levels beyond what a pediatrician will manage.

Citation?

I'm not the PP who wrote that but I know from experience-- from seeing family members who destroyed their own lives from self medication with drugs and alcohol.
Since then, I've found many articles that confirm that. It's not just one source.
We decided to medicate because we wanted our kid to understand that there are productive and regulated ways of helping yourself. Bottom line is that you are going to seek what will help your brain.

The FDA censured several drug companies for claiming that their ADHD drug prevented substance abuse. I don't think the science is there. It is fine to talk about how the meds seem to work for your kid, but pretty execrable to claim that not using meds is going to turn your kid into a drug addict.

Right, and that's why the statement says:

Kids who don't take meds are more likely to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.

"More likely" does not mean that not using meds is going to turn your kid into a drug addict

Having a high cholesterol diet will put you at greater risk of having a heart attack. It does not mean that eating red meat will make you have a heart attack.

Another plea to not entrust your pediatrician with ADHD med management---even the ones who claim to be good at it typically aren't. Things really turned around for our middle schooler when we moved him to a new school and started working with a fantastic psychiatrist (Alan Zametkin) who made dramatic changes to the med regimen. Good luck. Hope it brings you some comfort to know that you and your child are not alone.

Our DS has ADHD, which we figured out when he was 9 or so. We finally accepted it at around 11, at which point he was a nervous, lonely wreck with only one friend ... which friend then dropped him cold. Serious tailspin. No self-esteem. Acting out. Ugh ...

We got him on the right meds (trial and error), got him to accept that he has ADHD ("buy in", which was critical), held him back a year, and switched schools. Most importantly, and quite difficult for MoCo parents, we stopped caring about his grades. You got a "C" on your final exam? Fine. We focused on rebuilding his self-esteem, not wishing he was perfect.

Today, he is well adjusted with plenty of friends (as I write this he is outside playing lacrosse in the light rain with a bunch of his "buds", his "squad") and carrying a respectable mid-B average at one of the top MoCo private schools. He is happy. We have started focusing a bit more on his grades, but with a very light touch ("Hey, did you give it your all? In what practical ways can you improve?", etc.), and overall have a lot more understanding for what he is going through.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids who don't take meds are more likely to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Also, they tend to suffer social isolation and low self-esteem Stay open to meds and go to a good psychiatrist who has experience in medication combos and dosage levels beyond what a pediatrician will manage.

Citation?

I'm not the PP who wrote that but I know from experience-- from seeing family members who destroyed their own lives from self medication with drugs and alcohol.
Since then, I've found many articles that confirm that. It's not just one source.
We decided to medicate because we wanted our kid to understand that there are productive and regulated ways of helping yourself. Bottom line is that you are going to seek what will help your brain.

The FDA censured several drug companies for claiming that their ADHD drug prevented substance abuse. I don't think the science is there. It is fine to talk about how the meds seem to work for your kid, but pretty execrable to claim that not using meds is going to turn your kid into a drug addict.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids who don't take meds are more likely to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Also, they tend to suffer social isolation and low self-esteem Stay open to meds and go to a good psychiatrist who has experience in medication combos and dosage levels beyond what a pediatrician will manage.

Citation?

I'm not the PP who wrote that but I know from experience-- from seeing family members who destroyed their own lives from self medication with drugs and alcohol.
Since then, I've found many articles that confirm that. It's not just one source.
We decided to medicate because we wanted our kid to understand that there are productive and regulated ways of helping yourself. Bottom line is that you are going to seek what will help your brain.

Anonymous wrote:Kids who don't take meds are more likely to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Also, they tend to suffer social isolation and low self-esteem Stay open to meds and go to a good psychiatrist who has experience in medication combos and dosage levels beyond what a pediatrician will manage.

Citation?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't settle for 504, get the iep

How would one qualify for an IEP with ADHD - Inattentive + executive function?

Can someone address this question? We're in the same situation too.


Thank you!

Thanks all - your information has been helpful!

Patience, patience, patience in the sometimes protracted trial and error it make take to get the meds right.

Look for a school that makes a commitment to timely communication about hw and assignments. Given the that kids with ADHD often are wildly inconsistent in their academic performance, regular, understandable feedback about how things are going is invaluable. We switched from a school that did not communicate failure until AFTER grades were in to a school that posts scores online and updates them consistently. Big difference: my kid understands when he's falling behind, and has a much better sense of how to improve.

Vyvanse has also been an absolute miracle for us as well.

Anonymous wrote:Vyvanse. That is the lesson learned. Miracle drug.

Ditto for my son too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't settle for 504, get the iep

How would one qualify for an IEP with ADHD - Inattentive + executive function?

NP +1 - what kind of specialized instruction should be provided? I get that the accommodations will be more likely to happen with an IEP vs a 504, but the goals/specialized instruction party is harder for me to grasp. Appreciate the help.

Anonymous wrote:Don't settle for 504, get the iep

How would one qualify for an IEP with ADHD - Inattentive + executive function?