ADHD meds for child - advice please

[Rudeypoohs]

Please could anyone advise of their child’s experiences with ADHD meds? Looking to have them prescribed to my little boy and would really welcome any advice/sharing of experiences please? Thanks very much xx

Changed my son’s life. He literally couldn’t do anything for lack of focus and distraction. Started meds in July 22, we tinkered with them until very recently and finally seem to have hit the right level for him. He’s thriving in school, building relationships with his siblings and peers and is generally so much better at focusing on things. He’s learned to swim and ride a bike, and doesn’t fall over every time he runs, none of which he could do before Easter.

Hi OP. There’s along running and super supportive thread on this very thing.
www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_needs/5057892-starting-adhd-medication-and-staying-on-it-ongoing-support-thread-for-newbies-and-experts-including-medikinet-equasym-concerta-strattera-and-others?page=13&reply=138907293

I'm a teacher and senco. It's a game changer for a number of our students and usually we see positive changes quickly.

It can take a bit of time to get the dose and type of medication correct and often needs adjusting as they grow.

A couple of our pupils don't like how it makes them feel but these are in the minority.

Wasn't right for my ds when we tried several years ago. Made his autism so much more obvious, he also has touretts and made the tics horrendous for him, his anxiety went through the roof. He was in primary when we tried. He's now 15 and I've just requested a appointment to discuss it again. They changed my DD life though.

My son is also autistic so that’s interesting you mention the autistuc traits becoming more noticeable. At the moment my son does loudly stim ALOT but he is so hyperactive and impulsive I feel that’s currently a bigger issue than the autism. Has anyone else experienced autism/anxiety becoming much stronger once the ADHD symptoms have settled down with meds?

It works ok for my eldest, lessens impulsive behaviours. It’s been a game changer for my other son, he also has ASD with global delays/possible LD. If anything the ADHD was making the ASD traits more noticeable, he was on autopilot of impulsive tendencies along with being almost completely in his ‘own world’. He’s far more engaging with his environment and school now.

The only downside is the ‘crashes’ that come when the medication starts to wear off. Both mine are on 2x doses a day, and if not timed properly that midday meltdown can be absolutely awful and make the rest of the day very difficult for them. I was clear when they offered medication for ADHD that I didn’t want a zombie child, only an aid to help them focus and manage being in school better.

My DS is autistic too. I’d describe the traits as more noticeable but more manageable, if that makes sense. For example, he lines up his toy cars, that’s how he plays with them. But before, he couldn’t focus for long enough to do anything with them, so it’s a bonus!
DS is on combined therapy, so takes methylphenidate plus atomoxetine, and this helps to alleviate anxiety. You’ll just have to play around until you get the right combination for your son.

Second the crashes as a PP mentioned though. Atomoxetine helps to smooth that over but it doesn’t go away entirely. When he’s so calm the rest of the time now, it’s a shock to the system when the meds have worn off, or early in the morning before he takes them. I just try to make those periods of time as low stimulation as possible. It’s very obvious when he’s due his next dose though!

My DS hated them. Tried 2 different ones but he didn't settle. Appetite through the floor anxiety through the roof.
It can be trial and error.
Not anti-meds in general. But not for us.

So do most children take two doses as opposed to just one in the morning?

It depends what you think the coverage needs to be for your DS. Short acting methylphenidate lasts around 4 hours, so DS takes 3x daily as he needs it for daily life, not just for school. Some people manage 2 doses just to cover the school day. Atomoxetine lasts for up to 24 hours, but isn’t effective enough for DS to only have that. It’s very much personal preference and needs based.

Depends, my second son was offered a one a day slow release, but we agreed that due to how bad his wearing off time can be, it probably wouldn’t be a good choice. Didn’t want him just about managing until the end of school then having a very exhausted meltdown. He doesn’t have an issue taking the medication so two smaller doses a day works fine.

My little boy wouldn’t be able to swallow a capsule - would I be ok to empty the capsule into a yogurt?

Short acting methylphenidate is tiny tablets, DS’ party trick is to swallow them whole without a drink, they’re that easy to take 🤣 I think you can crush them though. Slow release methylphenidate and atomoxetine are capsules and bigger, you can’t crush them as you’d get the full dose in one go, which wouldn’t be wise!

My son would literally refuse to swallow it, I can see it now. He’s very young and as mentioned is autistic so I think hiding it in a yoghurt would be the best option? Can you crush a slow release tablet into food do you know?

So my daughter (autism and adhd but academically able no ld) started this summer and it has been an absolute game changer. Her stims are much less and her school work has been 100s of times better as she can concentrate and isn't having to go out of class to regulate. She is 11 and I wish we had started earlier. During titration had a few minor issues with sleep and mood but has stabilised now.

Honestly, I don’t know, you’d have to check with your doctor. You can definitely do that with the short acting tablets, I’m just not sure on the slow release ones.
How old is your DS?

Same as my son, he’s really bright but his constant need to be moving about and stimming is such a barrier to his ability to participate in school, games, everything

Oh and she takes slow release methylphenidate wears off about 4. She can swallow it whole but I'm sure I was told initially if she couldn't we could open the capsule and mix it in to something. Not 100% though

Once the meds wear off once they’re home from school, what is their mood like? Are they happy/sad or just themselves but very hyper?

Yep, this happened to me (also AuDHD) with Elvanse. The autism is definitely more dominant now.

DS2 is also AuDHD and didn't get on with stimulants. He was prescribed guanfacine, which has helped with focus through calming his anxiety.

Just all over the place. Probably what he’d be like all day if he didn’t have meds, but more obvious because he does, so it’s a stark difference.
Its not like a mood crash or anything.

Mine had days where she just gets very over emotional when it wears off but she is also a slightly moody pre teen who has just started puberty so she might be like that without the meds.

Actually I would say dd autism symptoms have improved but I think that's because her concentration has..so she spends less time talking in intricate detail at people about dr who as she is actually doing her homework!

We were prescribed atomoxetine for my son who has autism and ADHD. It made him very depressed and we had to stop it. We have now been prescribed something else, but have yet to try it as there is a shortage and don't want to start something and then have to stop. I believe there are shortages of several ADHD drugs at the moment.