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Name: Stephanie
[ Original Post ]
I am sorry if I step on anyones toes but it is tough to be the solicitee of sympathy for many parents that are so troubled by ADHD Medications. These are the same side effects that any and all medications "may" have assiciated with taking them. Tylenol has risk associated, but would you deny that to your fevering child? It does not mean that your child is going to suffer every single horrid side effect. Side effects are slight possibilities but the FDA must make you aware of them.

Also, It is proven that medication is the only sure way to control ADHD symptoms. I can only speak for myself in saying that if your child truly has a severe and true case of ADHD then you have probably already tried the typical gluten free (sugar free) diet before you ever took your child into the doctor to possibly prevent your child from needing medication for an undetermined amount of time.

Point being, if you know your child is truly sick and it is causing delays in cognitive and social development or is causing difficulties in school, then more than likely you have tried all holistic approaches to ADHD care prior to going to a conventtion doctor and getting referred to a pyschiatrist and having your child offered stimulant drugs to control the symptoms. Surely you were not suprised by the findings.

I am sorry but it just troubles me to see parents behave suprised by this knowing full well ADHD is a controversial condition/subject in todays world. It has been so over diagnosed in the past that now the children that are truly suffering from this condition usually tend to wear some kind of black sheep label so us as parents have to be transformed into the "parental superheros" of the world. Us parents with ADHD children are the most loving, understanding and patient parents in this world! If we weren't then we wouldn't make it through the day long enough to come here and use this chat as our sounding board and exchange our lifes experiences to help each other get by yet another day.

So as I am sure I am going to get flamed for not sharing the same opinions as some of the other mothers and fathers out there, I just have to say that if your child truly has this condition you need to be prepared for the reality of medication.

My son is on medication after being on a gluten free diet for 2 years with absolutely NO improvement. By the time I had resolved myself to going to the doctor and eventually getting referred to a child psychologist my son had already suffered speech delays, cognitive development delays and social delays. Now that he is on medication and experiencing no side effects, he now will make eye contact when he speaks to you. He will sit for a lesson and interact with other children without violence and actually has friends now!

Folks, if we go through life with all of the "what if" negativity we will never persevere. I say this to say that sometimes you have to fall to know what getting up is like. I do not judge anyone who chooses not to medicate their children. I think it is wonderful that they have that option. My son was so severe that I did not have that option. But on the same side....it is going to be a little hard to muster any sympathy for those that will not even try the medication and come crying to the alter when their way isn't working out the way they had hoped. Try to focus on the positive benefits that it can provide, while being aware of the possible side effects instead of the negative press about medication superceding your opportunity to restore your child and renew your relationship and sanity.

I hope I don't get flamed too bad for this. I wish you all luck in your endeavors. I am too going down the same road as you all so I am not insensitive to all of the elements associated with this condition.
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Name: tracy | Date: Jan 5th, 2006 2:51 PM
i read your words and yes i do agree with you, my little girl who is now nearly seven got diagnised with adhd last year, i suppose for a couple of years i was one of those people you talk about with the negative attitude, my daughter from the minute she was crawling she was staying awake for 19 hours at a time, i always blamed my self for her behavior at nursery and school, other parents used to stare and judge i just didnt know what to do, i took her to the doctors when she was young the doctors said she would grow out of it, i read books on parenting did everything i could, nothing was working i was just getting more and more ground down. The consultant wouldnt see my daughter until she was six , even though there were lots of referals from schools etc anyway she was diagnosed the consultant said she needed meds i remember being horrified, but then i releised as you say i was trying to be the "parental super hero" and it just couldnt go on, i couldnt take her places , parks ,shopping,library, days out were an absouloute nightmare, i couldnt do normal things all the other mums were doing, i have now got my daughter on meds, and i can honestly say shes a different little girl. And yes she sits for longer, listens more, and much much easier to be with, her reading is coming along even her writing to, so i would honestly say as a parent whos tryed to be "wonder women" it didnt work . my little girl is happy and im happy too, i even took her to the library the other day she did some coulouring and i read to her i even felt like no one was staring,
look sorry if ive gone on , i do agree with what you have written good luck to you 

Name: jojowentbyby | Date: Jan 14th, 2006 9:32 PM
we put dd on meds at the age of 6 it did improve the quality of life for her at school. But after a year I heard a strange noise at night and found her having a seizure. When she could finaly talk she said "don't worry momy it will stop it has happended B$" need less to say we threw the meds out the window. The pediatrician swore that they do not cause seizures but after she spoke to the nuerologist she was told they do cause siezures and that it is just not listed by the company. I was told that dd has epilepsy that was not caused by the meds but aggrivated by them. She went almost a year b4 having another one (compared to every other month on the meds) and I refuse to give her anyhting that is going to lower her threshold for seizures. We just homeschool her now and life is alot better all the way around. 

Name: Chris | Date: Jan 18th, 2006 3:58 AM
Hi Stephanie,

I read your posting and thought it was extremely well written and worded. Your right with anything there are risk. There can be positive and negative side effects but that's with anything. But I do agree for the sake of our children we should at least try. If your child has any other kind of illness you would try meds to help their problem. It's the same with ADHD they can't help having it anymore than someone can help having asthma. But you wouldn't expect a child to overcome their problem on their own. I think as parents we have to do something to help our kids if it includes meds. then I think that's what we need to try. The only thing I hate is when stars go to congress and protest against our choices. I don't think they understand the things we go through. I know I can't afford a nanny to deal with my son's problems or pay for different private schools or tutors. I think we all need to support one another regardless of the decision to medicate or not because the bottom line is as parents we love our children and are trying to do what is best. 

Name: Deb | Date: Feb 8th, 2006 4:44 AM
Have you checked into neuro feedback? It's a non medication therapy for ADHD. My son did it for awhile. I have talked to others that it has really helped. 

Name: Jane | Date: Feb 8th, 2006 7:42 PM
I am trying to find the right medication for my 10 year old son who was diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago. We have tried several. Most make him have a really dry mouth and jittery. What have you found that works for your son? 

Name: Eileen | Date: Feb 9th, 2006 2:27 PM
I'm a mother of three great boy's I also have adhd and so does my oldest son is 7yrs old. my middle child dose not have adhd and my 2 yr old is showing some adhd signs but there is nothing for him yet to young for meds. but as a family we all have challenges my middle son is 5 and he get's it from both ends. my oldest son keeps on tackling him and hurting him and same with my little son dose the same to him by throwing cars or what ever he can find. But my middle son undestands that he can't control himself at times. But sinces he has been on the med. it's been alot better. The one thing I wish for kid's that have adhd is a program by the town or schools is a behavior class for these kids to teach them to understand on how to control or to learn what is right in wrong. I thing if my child went to a class like this with other children he would feel alot better about himself and he would notice that he is not the only one with this. 


Name: Kimberly | Date: Feb 9th, 2006 8:46 PM
Hi There,
I too have a 7 year old son that has ADHD. My son has currently been on medication for little over 2 years now. At first when his psychaiatrist said that the best thing for him is to put him on medication, I was to tell you the truth afraid at first because I was afraid of the side effects. But I said well if the Doctor feels this is the best thing for him, by all means I need to try it. At first the doses had to get adjusted and other meds were prescribed and his behavior was out of control, that I thought OH My God it's not wotking it's making him worse. But no it wasin't they had too just find the right dosage for him and the right meds and a lot of counseling with the support from his school, and know he is definetly a lot better!! So yes I am one of those Mother's that gives my child pills, but I am doing it for his SAKE not mines, he is at ease with himself now, he is not violent like before and now he can get along with other children and his sister. At school he is able to focus a lot better and now he loves to read, his writing is getting better and he doesn't fight me everyday to do his homework. So I agree with you about medication my days of trying to be super mom is over I have help now. Well Good Luck to you and your family. 

Name: Gerard | Date: Feb 10th, 2006 2:03 AM
Kimberly, I noticed you and a couple other people remarked about your childs writting getting better. My daughter is four and has ADHD. Most of the kids in her class can form letters and write their name . Did your son have a problem writing before the meds? I know she's four but I can see a difference between her and the rest of the class. Also was your son controlable around the age of 4, or was the ADHD noticable? Sorry to ask so many questions, I'm very confused. My daughter is only 35 pounds, we gave her Foclin for only two days and took her right off. Trying the natural way for a while. Thanks in advance for everyone input. We may not all agree but we can talk. Remember, "strangers are just friends we haven't meet yet. God Bless all of you. 

Name: Beverly | Date: Feb 10th, 2006 8:53 PM
I have a son who is now 7. He has been on ADHD meds for about 3 years. We recently tried to take him off and could tell that things just got worse for him. His handwritting went from good to bad, his behavior at school really become worse. He began to become careless and would accidently hurt others at recess. Before he was getting all A's on everything he did at school. We realized that he could no longer go without taking the meds. He is now doing a lot better and is being excepted into the gifted and talented challenge program at school. My only concern with the meds was that he was and is still not gaining weight. Is there and suggetions for this? We have him drinking nutritional drinks and that is helping some. I have also recently heard that some kids were having heart attacks from the meds. Has anyone else heard of this? 

Name: emtf71 | Date: Feb 11th, 2006 7:20 PM
yes beverly some kids did have hart problems from adrelle hope I'm spelling that right. well I talk to the doctor the other day they said with in combonation with other drugs not just alone these kid also had other things wrong with them like hart promblems from birth. They are black box now witch just means a more intense warning lable. But my son is on ritalin la and my doctor offered me to get a ekg. just to see if his meds. had any effect on his hart and I said sure can never be to cautous with you own child. 

Name: Kimberly | Date: Feb 14th, 2006 2:31 AM
Thinking back at my son at age 4, I don't remember him having problems with writing, in fact he was mo9re focused at that time. He just seemed like a hyper child nothing really major, he was alot more controllable then. Until he hit age5, that is when I had difficulties with his behavior, aroung age 6 that is when I noticed a change in his writing where he just didn't want to do it and didn't want to focus, now at age 7 everything is affecting him, everyday is a battle but the medication definetly helps him. Hope that has helped you Gerard. 

Name: [email protected] | Date: Feb 16th, 2006 10:30 PM
checkout website www.adhdsolution.com, it works without meds! 

Name: CoryRN2 | Date: Mar 2nd, 2006 8:48 AM
I read your posting- and although you make some good points, I look at the responses you've received, and the majority of them are from parents on young children, under 7 years old.
If you really research the disease (and it is a disease)- an accurate diagnosis (if there's such a thing)- is based on a SEVEN YEAR history... so why is it that these parents have their children on this medication???
ADHD has received a "bad rap"- not only because it is over diagnosed, but it is an "excuse" for parents- and the medication is a replacement for good old fashioned parenting!
My son is 13, and although the schools would tell me to "test him", I was able to control a good bit of his symptoms by behavior modifications,etc. He is in all accelerated classes- so the delay in treatment DID NOT affect his cognititve/comprehensive abilities.
When I finally decided to get him tested/treated, it was ONLY because it was affecting HIM, not me, or the school!
I not only had him tested in the school, but prior to that, I had him fully tested by a pediatric neuropsychologist. It was very expensive, and the insurance didn't cover it- so that alone was $3500.00
On top of that, I took him to a Pediatric Psychiatrist, because when you're dealing with these types of medications- contrary to your statement.... it has FAR GREATER risks than Tylenol!
If you found out your child was smoking "crystal meth", would you feel the same, as if the child was popping a tylenol tablet????
I think parents need to be the advocate for the child- by making sure that the child is properly diagnosed, by an unbiased source. Not only that, but medication ALONE is not the cure... individual counseling, family counseling, and behavior modifications are also required.
To make a statement such as, "to go through life with the what if"... on the negative aspect is appropriate for the fact that we MUST, as parents.... make sure that we have entered this "endeavor" with a clear conscience, so... IF something negative were to happen to our child, we can walk away knowing that we had ONLY THEIR best interest in mind.
The medication for ADHD- IS addicting, regardless as to what parents want to believe.... TYLENOL PM is habit forming, yet you want to believe that a methamphetamine isnt? Where are the "children" who took these methamphetamines for years? How many "long term studies" have been performed on a GREATER number of people... not a 40, 50, 100 person study- but 4000, 5000, 10000? Now, that's a true study, where we can put more merit on the data!
I have my son on the stimulant now- not for my sake, not for the schools sake, but for his own! He is old enough- not to make a decision, but rather be involved with the decision! He is able to tell me the things I don't see, such as "uncontrolled twitching", "loss of appetite", "feelings of studdering", "greater ability to focus"....
As parents and doctors, how are we able to "gauge" the necessary, when we give this medication to YOUNG children, who are not yet mature enough to tell us that "something doesn't feel quite right?" 

Name: Delilah | Date: Mar 2nd, 2006 6:28 PM
I'm going to try and control myself. And since I'm medicated, there's a chance I may be able to pull it off. I really appreciate the way other people respond to each other concerning strong opionions and issues on this forum. Anyway, I'm kind of surprised at what seems to me to be ignorance. ADD/ADHD is not a disease, it's a difference in the way brains physically work, a difference in how they process different information, a difference in brain chemical mixes, etc. (I'm not a doctor, or medical person, and know just enough to be dangerous.) My husband and I went to the "Amen Clinic" in California to have brain scans run last year in the spring. Both of us had struggled terribly with depression, ADD issues, etc. etc. Just trying to function in life was almost impossible. We went seeking help and answers and believed from our research on the clinic, we would get them. We were not disappointed. It was life-changing. For what it cost us, we could've put a down payment on a house, we live in a 2 bedroom apartment with two small children, so believe me, it was a sacrifice, although insurance eventually did reimburse us for about sixty percent of it. The reason we both believed this would be so advantageous to us was; it was viewable, objective evidence, hard evidence. We both could look at our scans and see, here is how our brains work in this situation, or as may be the case, don't work. Both of us had been on many different psychiatric medications, sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn't. The clinic experience for both of us was, and continues to be life-changing. I am taking medications that I never would've considered before, (having tried the alternative route, various medications etc.), and my husband's medications were adjusted. I desperately needed them, as did my husband. At the point we went to the clinic, I was suicidal and almost non-functioning. Since that time, I am able to function on a consistent basis, taking care of myself as well as our two small children, have been able to make much progress in therapy. Our marriage has radically changed, the ability to resolve conflict, impulse control especially with finances, etc etc. And surprisingly and unexpectedly, it made a massive difference in our sex life, which before this had been virtually non-existent for several years. (Maybe more than you wanted to know, but hey, it sure has made our marriage great, and it sucked before this.) Also, we are not connected with this clinic in any way as far as working for them or anything. I "just happened" to pick a book up off a shelf about 6 years ago and began reading about what this guy was doing, and have had an interest ever since. I had wanted to go for a long time but didn't want to do any of the tests while pregnant or breast-feeding, and we also had to come up with the money. Anyway---it sure was an answer for us! I strongly suspect our two children are ADD/ADHD as well. I would like to be able to take them to the clinic as soon as we could afford it and work it out with our schedules. It could just prevent the years and years of guesswork with psychiatrists, misdiagnoses, etc etc, and not squander years of potential. I wish more people knew about it, my entire family benefited from their expertise, their books, etc. They have a website--Amen clinic .com, and there's also lots of great information on it as well---three cheers to all the parents out there dealing so courageously and kindly with ADD/ADHD children!!!!

Damn, didn't mean to go on forever, but as you may have already figured out, I'm the one with the ADHD in our family--- 

Name: Heather | Date: Apr 30th, 2006 4:52 PM
You said everything so right! YOU GO!!! 

Name: Joan | Date: May 1st, 2006 2:33 PM
I agree to a degree on all the above, but you seem to be dismissing totally the effects of diet, I have had my son (7 ADHD and borderline Aspergers) on a gluten and dairy free diet for nearly two years, and within 2 weeks of starting the diet I could see dramatic changes in his behaviour, and physically, he showed improvements also, no more blocked noses and sleepless nights. Some of us are showing our optimism by keeping our children off meds., and using diet. He is back on gluten now to a lesser degree than he ever would have been, just breakfast, and school lunch, but for the best part completly dairy free (except at birthday parties, I don't like to make him feel excluded) and mostly gluten free, with just a basic sensible diet of fruit, simple dinners, veg. and as many treats as any other child in the form of jellies, and dairy free dark chocolate, and many many other alternatives that you can get. He has rice milk in his breakfast, which I find better than soya. I might end up putting him on meds eventually to, I definetly don't rule them out, I am keeping a close eye on his progress in school along with his teacher, to see what way we should sway in the future, I definetly would not keep him off them at a risk to his development. He is getting resource hours in school now after a long long battle with the department of education, and has shown a lot of improvement in the class room since this was introduced.
Obviously every child is differant, and my son was never very severe, only in some situations. He is still a handfull in the same situations, but he has improved so much, I still bless the day I heard about the gluten and dairy free diet, I only wish I'd heard about it when he was a lot younger when I was starting to suspect that all wasn't right with him.
I'm not flaming you at all, I have every respect for medications, and like you say there are possible side effects to anything you might take, and most of the time they don't happen. But diet can also have a huge effect, even if it is just to support the effects of the medication. 

Name: Mary | Date: May 16th, 2006 6:03 PM
Stephanie, I don't think you'll get flamed at all. Your words are from the heart. My 11 yr old son was recently diagnosed w/ADHD and I am beginning my "journey" Hungry for information your thoughts touched my heart. Just started on Concerta, and while not happy with side effects, will stay the course in hopes of any improvement. thanks. 

Name: Bill | Date: Oct 1st, 2007 2:59 PM
My son is 15 and has been on every adhd drug you can name with no progress. If fact It is my belief that these drugs have held him back in his mental development. He is 5 yrs behind emotionally, and several grade levals behind in school Yet for fun he reads. Now I am not talking see spot run. No, He reads novals ie Lord of the rings & all the Harry Potters. Like so many other kids he is being used as a cash cow for the drug makers. I was told about a diognostic program in a hospital setting in which kids are taken off all meds subjected to all sorts of test to try and find the problem. He is on medical assistance and it won't cover it. It made no sence to me that they would cover his stay in treatment 2 different treatment facilities but not this. Then it hit me, no drugs. If the drug companies don't get thair money, the assistance won't cover it. Most adhd cases are nothing more than a way to funnel funds from the welfare system into the pockets of drug makers and mental health professionals. If you are OK with drugging your kids thats up to you. I for one am taking my boy off meds and will possably a natural supliment product such as BrightSpark or Focus,

thats my 2 cents...............
..........
Bill............................
 

Name: MN-MOM | Date: Oct 1st, 2007 4:38 PM
Bill: I am sorry your son has had so many difficulties with meds. In some cases meds are not right, and I would always suggest starting treatment without medication, i.e. behavior modification, and changes in diet. In many cases there are other conditions that mimic ADHD and have the same symptoms, but are not really ADHD. That is, it is caused by allergies to certain foods/sugars/fats, etc. rather than by the neurotransmitters not being stimulated. I am not suggesting that the problems are any less severe, rather that treatment needs to be very different. However, having said that, I have tried all of the above first and found that those alternate treatments had no impact on my son. It was only with medication that my son can now focus, calm himself, and do well in school both academically and socially. My point is, I think people should try non-medical treatments first (and give it a good shot). But don't refuse to give medication if the alternate treatments don't work. My son's self-esteem has improved dramatically because he's not always getting in trouble now. 

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