To consider trying ADHD medication for a 13 year old?

[Imustbecrazy123]

I always thought he didn’t need it
Family members with ADHD gave all the horror stories about it turning them into zombies etc but he has asked to try it only we have now found out that the private clinic we used to assess him a few years back is closed down - GP doesn’t want to know as wasn’t done through the NHS so does this mean I physically can’t access the medication now anyway? 😢

If you wanted it via the NHS you would need to push for a refferal to community peadiatrics or similar. In my area GPs have nothing to do with peadiatric ADHD medication it’s all controlled via peads or CAMHs.

but I would push for those referrals now given they will probably take time. Adhd meds have been a complete game changer for DS

I'd suggest you change to another GP who'll recognise a private ADHD diagnosis. It's pretty trivial to switch these days, even if you have to change to another surgery (we had to do it recently, due to a consistently-negligent GP provider - took one phone call and half an hour of filling out forms).

When you find one who'll talk to you both constructively about it, tell them about your concerns regarding your family members' side-effects, and let your son decide based on the GP's recommendations.

I am happy to pay but how if the company has closed down?
Would he need an entire new assessment in order to trial the medication?

You might be best contacting a different private doctor who can look at his report and might well be able to prescribe. My son’s nearing the end of 6 months where we have been paying while the private clinic prescribes and finds the best dose etc- once they are happy he is settled on the best dose for him they will hand over to the gp who will provide nhs prescriptions from then on. It’s been brilliant for my son.

It got my son through school with reasonable grades and off to university. He only took it for school and homework. Medication didn't turn him into a zombie - just a more focussed version of him.

As long as you have the full report, you should be fine - it'd be daft if an ASD/ADHD diagnosis expired when the company does (which isn't to say it's not possible, just that it'd be pretty crazy if that's how it was regarded).

Nice guidance doesn’t reccomend that GPS start adhd medications. It should come from a specialist.

when the right medication has been found and tiitrated to the proper dose then it may be able to be moved over to a shared care plan