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AD/HD medication - how do you tell dc what it is for?

4 replies

galapagos · 12/01/2011 08:37

Hello - I'm new to Mumsnet...thank you for reading!

My ds1 has aspergers and has had this diagnosis since aged 4. Attention and concentration have always been a big issue too, and major impulsivity. We have put these down to the Aspergers and an inability to be comfortable in a class environment. However we recently had an ADHD assesment and the consultant has confirmed a mixed profile diagnosis and suggested medication. Our ds1 is nearly 7, and we are in two minds about this.

As well as being worried about the side effects, we also are not sure whether to tell him what the medication is for. So far we have delat with his problems by addressing them individualy, and letting him know it is Ok to have dofficulties with friends, with playing, with lining up etc as opposed to saying 'you have aspergers', as his self esteeem is already so low to give him a label we're worried will damage it even more.

As with the ADHD medication, the same applies, we don't want him to feel that he is different, or worse, than the others in his class. He has already had to put up with people telling him his brain doesn't work properly etc thanks to other parents filling thier own child's heads with rubbish about him.

Also at his age we're not sure how well he will understand what the medication is for and read the wrong thing into it.

Does anyone have expereince of medicating a 6/7 year old? What has your experience been and what have you told your dc? Our ds1 also has a Statement for 20 hours a week.

Thank you so much!

OP posts:
Aero · 12/01/2011 18:57

My dd was on medication for a while (before we decided it wasn't for her) and we just said it was to help her with her concentratioon. She was aware she had difficulty with focus and that she found certain things difficult, so we explained it that way. She knows now that she has a dx of ADD which has helped her understand herself better. She is 10 now.

ljc7 · 29/07/2011 16:55

Hi, my DS2 aged almost 7, has ASD, ADHD and Dyspraxia. We've known about all except the ADHD which is a more recent diagnosis and was quite a surprise to us, as like you, we'd put those behaviours down to the ASD. We did trial Ritalin for about 8 weeks (and called them his "thinking pills" ) but have recently stopped. For any possible, but I couldn't see any, benefit, it was outweighed by the fact that he became very tearful and also NEVER stopped talking. We stopped and are investigating fish oils.....just my experience but it might help

Oakmaiden · 01/08/2011 11:39

I didn't really discuss with my son what his tablets were for until he was older. I think he was about 10 before someone at his school (a child) informed him he had ADHD and Aspergers.

He now knows that his tablets are to help him focus and he is aware that if he doesn't take them he finds it much harder to cope at school.

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