We didn't medicate our Ds with a mild ADD and bad executive functioning issues. He was not keen on meds and neither was I. He managed through high school with some struggles but ended up doing pretty well. But once he got to college, he felt he had really hard time managing the workload so , in consultation with his doctor he now takes medication on the as needed basis.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a disturbing and in parts sickening thread. Get your kids help. Make changes, if necessary, in collaboration with their medical team. What is wrong with you people.

-adult with ADHD

There are other options available without resorting to throwing pills at the situation. Most teachers want kids medicated because it's the easiest way to control them and make their lives easier. It's easy to get a pill pushing doctor to prescribe ADHD meds without taking a critical look at underlying causes or alternative solutions. It's great that OP is skeptical of the teachers suggestion.

Yes I do strongly recommend you don’t take your child to a pill mill but instead a qualified professional. There are many excellent treatment options in this area. No need to “throw pills” at anyone but pills are likely to be part of the treatment plan.

Anonymous wrote:I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late 20s so I was never medicated as a kid. My parents somehow intuitively helped me manage my symptoms and cope in ways that serve me well now as an unmedicated adult.

I got plenty of sleep, limited screen time, limited sugar. No caffeine and very little food coloring. I was always in sports. We always had a predictable schedule. My mom kept a neat and organized house where I always put things like my shoes, glasses, coat in the same place every day. My mom taught me how to make lists, break down tasks into small goals, and generally how to keep track of things and finish projects. Depending on the severity, it can be done. However many kids with ADHD have parents with ADHD and those parents can’t provide the type of structure needed.

These are great supports, it is fantastic that your parents figured this out instinctively.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people pushing meds don't seem to address the side effects that some kids have: not sleeping, causing irritability, tics, weight loss

Meds aren't all sunshine and roses!!!!!!

I said that meds are not magic. And they aren't magic. It is hard. But they give my kids a fighting chance.

Also reminder of the effects of not treating ADHD - high risk of self medicating with alcohol and drugs leading to addiction, high risk of SUICIDE.

My ds has had trouble with weight loss and not sleeping. We are dealing with it. Gonna take that over suicide every day of the week and twice on sundays.

Please don’t assume all of us who have currently chosen not to
Medicate our kids judge you for medicating. I don’t, at all. My kid is doing well without, with therapy and supports. His best friend is medicated and that is the right decision for that child, I believe 100%. ADHD varies in severity. If my kid starts to struggle more, we will medicate too. We just aren’t there yet.

Thank you. Sometimes it feels like people consider meds to be a parenting shortcut and failure. Thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people pushing meds don't seem to address the side effects that some kids have: not sleeping, causing irritability, tics, weight loss

Meds aren't all sunshine and roses!!!!!!

I said that meds are not magic. And they aren't magic. It is hard. But they give my kids a fighting chance.

Also reminder of the effects of not treating ADHD - high risk of self medicating with alcohol and drugs leading to addiction, high risk of SUICIDE.

My ds has had trouble with weight loss and not sleeping. We are dealing with it. Gonna take that over suicide every day of the week and twice on sundays.

Please don’t assume all of us who have currently chosen not to
Medicate our kids judge you for medicating. I don’t, at all. My kid is doing well without, with therapy and supports. His best friend is medicated and that is the right decision for that child, I believe 100%. ADHD varies in severity. If my kid starts to struggle more, we will medicate too. We just aren’t there yet.

We have stopped in middle school because DD is SO adamant that she hates the way it makes her feel. She gets a lot of support through her IEP but these are hard fought battles to keep the services and accommodations in place. School if very stressful for her even though she is extremely intelligent. She comes out with As/Bs in the end but this is only after having stressfully tracking down a mixture of Fs in the middle for lost work and forgotten things.

There are coping mechanisms and finding a school that has more structure can help. A school where all the assignments are posted on-line and the teacher immediately posts whether something is missing the day it is due makes a huge difference. Fewer in-class essay writing tests and more take home writing assignments helps too.

Anonymous wrote:The people pushing meds don't seem to address the side effects that some kids have: not sleeping, causing irritability, tics, weight loss

Meds aren't all sunshine and roses!!!!!!

I said that meds are not magic. And they aren't magic. It is hard. But they give my kids a fighting chance.

Also reminder of the effects of not treating ADHD - high risk of self medicating with alcohol and drugs leading to addiction, high risk of SUICIDE.

My ds has had trouble with weight loss and not sleeping. We are dealing with it. Gonna take that over suicide every day of the week and twice on sundays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a HS magnet kid who is ADD. She won’t ever be a truly top student because we won’t medicate. I’d rather her be closer to average in the program without drugs than be exceptional with drugs.

As a former magnet student with ADHD, this is deeply sad to me. I felt so incredibly inadequate with my "average" performance, because I was supposed to be so "smart." Why couldn't I excel? It really took an enormous toll on me.

This rings true to me. Diagnosed as an adult. Small town valedictorian who struggled in college and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. In my late 20s I medicated for 5 years and found out I wasn’t depressed- I was frustrated with the way my brain works.

I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late 20s so I was never medicated as a kid. My parents somehow intuitively helped me manage my symptoms and cope in ways that serve me well now as an unmedicated adult.

I got plenty of sleep, limited screen time, limited sugar. No caffeine and very little food coloring. I was always in sports. We always had a predictable schedule. My mom kept a neat and organized house where I always put things like my shoes, glasses, coat in the same place every day. My mom taught me how to make lists, break down tasks into small goals, and generally how to keep track of things and finish projects. Depending on the severity, it can be done. However many kids with ADHD have parents with ADHD and those parents can’t provide the type of structure needed.