Need to hear GOOD things about ADHD Meds

[MadameSin]

My son's teacher is hinting more and more about ADHD meds. She describes him as a lovely, bright little boy who's inability to stay on track/concentrate is seriously hindering his academic progress. I have always said "over my dead body" will I medicate him to attend school, but now DH is suggesting we trial meds .... I feel sick, angry and as if I have seriously failed my ds. He is very aware of his 'issues' and the fact he is not 'up there' with his class mates. Our peadiatrician didn't feel he merited meds with a mild diagnosis, but said we could return to her anytime if we needed. She has discharged DS from her care in the meantime. I only ever read nightmares about these meds and feel like I'd be pumping amphetamines into my child with so many side and long term risks, just to be a good little boy in class. I DO NOT believe that meds work for all children with ADHD and is used as some kind of magic wand by ignorant teachers seeking to have a quiet life. On the other hand I don't want my DS to fail where he has potential ... head spinning, aarrgghh!!

Plus3 as with any disorder, there are levels of severity. Therefore some symptoms will be more obvious. My ds is not impulsive in the sense that he'd run out into the road, climb out windows or light matches. He is actually very cautious and aware of danger. He is, however, hyperactive and restless in the classroom. He finds it very hard to stay on track on a task at school and this is hindering his progress. Home work isn't too hard as he knows he has to do it. Although he requires support as is dyslexic too. As the curriculum becomes harder, he will fall behind as we have already been told. I have to stay on top of it all as I am too aware that school can only do so much to help him. Mind you, if it's a Wii game or something he loves, he'll spend ages on it without moving a muscle! My ds is just becoming aware of his issues and the effect they have on others ie: distracting his classmates with chit chat and fidgeting. He is trying hard to manage it himself. Self awareness is a double edge sword ... on one hand it's great because they can try and curb behaviours, but on the other it can be stressful and cause anxiety when they realise they are 'different'. I spend a lot of time just talking to my ds about what he finds tricky in and out of school. It was a lightbulb moment for him when he reached about 8 years ... and the older he gets the more we can talk openly about strategies and self management.

my dd was on meds and it was not a good experience. She was on them for about two years and looking back I did it so that she would keep up at school and felt under pressure as the school didn't offer her the help that she really needed. I also thought I would give it a go and see if it helps.

I would go along with what Chundel said near the begining of the post that if you can help them learn how to manage their behaviour it will help. Meds may be the answer, but if you enable your child to learn to deal with the problem then it may help them later on. Ask the school what measures they have put in to help him deal with his problems. A child with ADHD still needs to have strategies in place to help them focus and deal with distraction with their problems. Medication may not make problems go away just disguise them.

I have heard medication described as a window of opportunity -to allow behavioural techniques become stat to become effective.

My DD1 went on meds at 6, stayed on them until she was 14, and now at just turned 20 has just gone BACK on ritalin!

For her they made the difference between being bright but wild, and bright but focussed. She is now in her second year doing medicine at a top University, and I have NO doubt that without the meds she would not have got there. It enabled her to learn to manage her behaviour, and now it still is massively helpful in helping her focus (pretty essential for a doctor )
She was very thin and light as a child but caught up with a few years off the meds, and we didn't ever see any side effects otherwise.

She will always have ADHD.. she did at 6 she does at 20, but it makes her life better she can focus enough to use the abilities she has.