looks like my youngest son is going to have to be medicated. can someone come and talk to me about methylphenidate and other options

[HecateAdonaea]

please.

do you have a child on it? What is it like? Does it change them? Are they still 'them' - people give you all the scary 'zombie' shit, don't they? - have there been any side effects?

Thanks. I am very reluctant, I must admit, but his behaviour is getting more and more challenging and we seem to be losing him in it, iyswim. And the paed said to get back to him if we changed our minds about medication, and I just wondered if maybe it is the answer. or not. I don't know.

He bit a child today, being a zombie and then came home and threw himself into my glass doored cabinet.

nice balanced response, there, leonie!

ds isn't on ritalin, he's on vyvanse. there are websites with side effects for all medication. they don't suit every child, but the ones they work for change their lives in a hugely positive way.

i wouldn't medicate if i hadn't tried the usual non-prescription stuff first though, so behavioural stuff, as well as omegas, zinc, and epsom salts.

a lot of people decide to do a medication trial in order to make a decision. it seems very sensible - if the medication doesn't work, then you have your answer, and noone can say you haven't tried. if you trial, and don't like any side effects that occur, then you have to weigh up the pros and cons. if you trial, and see a huge improvement, then you have your answer (as long as you can accept that meds are indeed the answer).

i know children whose lives have been transformed by ritalin, and i know children who do not suit ritalin at all.

every child is different.

i would be asking the paed why ritalin specifically, though. there are newer meds available which are as yet, not quite so controversial.

Ritalin is sad to be faster acting I think which is why they try it before concerta/straterra?

she asked for personal responses about having a child on the medication and any side effects you have personally noted.

so i guess neither of our responses were particularly adequate!

Does he have ASD? Look up Risperidone on Google and MN. HTH

Yes, autism & adhd. sorry if I've started anything, that wasn't my intention, I just wanted to know if anyone had a child on this type of medication and if anyone had an insight into the side effects.

I've googled madly and you know how it is, the internet comes up with so many conflicting things, including some that scare the crap out of you!

For dc I've worked with who've been medicated, it has worked for the majority. Despite what they tell you about taking "medication holidays" ime there is a higher success rate in those who take it consistently.

Best results that I've seen have been where the medication is used as a medium term strategy in dc whose behaviour is preventing them from learning self-management techniques.

This is all from 6 years personal experience as a support worker, and is not necessarily backed up by real scientists or professionals

Hecate - You haven't started anything, the way I read your post was that you were asking for opinions from those who's children were actually on the medication and any associated side effects.

Medicating a child is always going to be an emotive subject and those against will words their replies in such a way as to make you feel like the worst parent ever for even daring to consider it, and No, my child i not medicated.

I'm sorry for that, but your post Leonie was nothing short of scaremongering. The OP was obviously looking for advice from parents who's children were actually on medication, not parents personal opinions.

My DS is not on any meds but it hasnt been ruled out for the future if needs be when he gets older so I always read up out of interest.

There is a DC that was at DS prior school and he had an awful time of it till he was put on Ritalin. There was a drastic change for him in that he was able to get to go to after school clubs as his behaviour altered. He still had support but it was a lot better for him to concentrate.

I dont think there is a right or wrong answer when it comes to meds for whatever it may be. There is always the risk of side effects on all drugs on the market. The question is the quality of life they bring with them if they help :)

There's loads on the Internet about specific side effects of the various ADHD medications.

DS1 is on atomoxetine (Strattera) since he has difficulties with anxiety and loss of appetite anyhow. It's made a huge difference to him. It's calmed his bouncing off the walls a little. As well as finding schoolwork easier to cope with (which made him marginally more compliant in that respect) he can enjoy things like lego. His language and ability to communicate blossomed almost as soon as he started on it (he has ASD as well as ADHD). Evenings used to be hell with him crashing around, poking, biting and breaking things. Every evening. And he'd take hours to get to sleep, even when he was obviously tired (another reason he wasn't prescribed ritalin or similar). They instantly became a lot calmer.

It's not made his life perfect, since he has much wider and more complex difficulties than just his ADHD. It's a lot better than he would be otherwise, though, and he is much better at articulating what's distressing him if he's not having a good time (yes, he can mither for England, now, but that is so much better than screaming non-stop)

Coff33pot - we crossposted, but spot on about quality of life.

I forgot to mention that medication actually helped DS1 get back to school full time, as well. He spent over a term in year 1 doing half days only until he started on his ADHD treatment. He simply couldn't cope with afternoons and his impulsive behaviour, despite close 1:1, was putting him and others in danger.

My DS is taking Concerta at 54mg daily and the advantages are very apparent.

He is Dx asd/adhd/dyslexia and he is 11.7yrs old, just on the 5foot height with size 7 feet...he's always been on 91st percentile chart since birth and this has not changed and has been on Concerta since he was 7.5yrs
He has a big breakfast and barely anything all day except drinks and a couple of biscuits but come 7/8pm my kitchen is a free for all and I can cook twice and he grazes alot and drinks cowfulls of milk! Sleep has never been good but he has Melatonin 8mgs at night which usually sees him settled and asleep by 1/2am...sometimes it's earlier and just depends.

He can control his impulsiveness better, has a concentration span of 5/6mins on task, more if he is interested, obsessive if he really interested. can take part in paired or small group work with very clear instructions and support. Is more able to play safely and it helped alot with his aggression and lack of control. He's much less hyper mobile but is still hyper in his mind alot which interfers with focus and ability to retain information and instructions.

All in all the greatest advantage is that it has definately given him a better chance of learning and understanding and taking part in school life and life in general

Asked whether he feels he needs his tablets he will say yes I do, he is a happier child all round and it's helped him find himself more than I think he could have without and actually I dread to think where we would be without the medications

What impact they may have and the possible risks that were related to at the beginning of this thread earlier...I have yet to meet or hear about any thing...and tbh I will continue with these meds until I need to cross that bridge, if at all....yes they probably interfere with sleep and they definately interfere with apetite but you just have to adjust to that and be prepared to go with it.

I hope this has helped you a bit...x

Our DD (AS/ADHD, aged 6) is on Concerta after a trial of ritalin (trial for effectiveness of the active ingredient for a week, concerta for long lasting effect of same active ingredient and only needs 1tab per day). She does take melatonin at night too.

It has helped in that she has pretty much stopped agressive behaviour (hitting, punching, kicking, biting) and while still sometimes using inappropriate actions (eg. licking), it is usually far more controlled. She is concentrating a LOT better in school, not causing ructions in creche (afterschool club), and is getting into a lot less trouble. Unfortunately, the older kids in creche had copped that they could do little things to rile her and end up her being the one seen to cause trouble before it started so, while she is less likely to react as badly now, she does still react at unfairnesses and perceived slights which are deliberate (I have seen it happen a few times, and so have minders on occasion - but often their back is turned so they don't see WHY DD is lashing out verbally - at least no longer physically too). And she is slightly less obssessive that she had been, and reacts better to changes in expected plans or routines than in the past.

We were talking last night about the tablets. (I am researching a lot recently as we only got the DX about 10 weeks ago, if even). She said that they help her a lot to feel better. She couldn't say why she feels better, but she does.

I am using the time until our next appointment with the consultant in October to look at other options (meds were very very heavily pressed on us, although she "couldn't recommend that route", but told us of all the reasons why we should use them and that there really weren't any other options). I hope to do some work on her diet and give her supplements over the summer, to see if that helps. (Her diet is reasonable, but she does eat some junk and I hadn't realised that the squash we drink has aspartamame).

But at the same time, while I am not mad about the idea of medicating for life, it has certainly made a difference at this stage and I will be very careful before I decide to take her off it.

All my children have ADHD and all are taking ritalin in various forms. It has been amazing for my children. It allows them to be available for learning, academically, emotionally and socially. We've experienced few, if any, side effects. There are many people who look askance at us for using the medication, they're almost always people with no knowledge of the condition or medication.
The best information about ADHD in general and medication we've found is this book

Ds1 takes Concerta XL 54mg daily. He has been on medication since he was 8 and is now almost 17. The only side effect he has had is a loss of appetite so he eats mostly in the morning and evening. Medication has changed his life. He would never have achieved what he has without it.

We plan to try lowering the dose and possibly stopping it next year, once his exams are finished.

Thank you for all this information. I'm not the OP, but our paed has recommended meds for DS2 a couple times, and we're rather resistant to the idea. DS2 already has a load of anxiety, insomnia, and eating issues - the last thing we want is to have them exacerbated. Plus he has asthma and eczema - I couldn't bear it if he ended up with heart problems as well (saw a number of places about possible side effect of ritalin was heart problems).

The whole thing feels like a time bomb waiting to go off.

Leonie, personally we are still quite uncomfortable with the idea of medicating DS2 at this point, but while I think it's a personal choice for the parents (and the child if they are old enough to have a say), I agree that it's important to know both the pros and cons of any medication you are considering putting your child on long term.

I think most of us here realise that some are against meds personally and others are quite comfortable with them (and that's perfectly fine). We're all able, IMO, to filter through information both ways and come to our own conclusions.

I would rather have the negative information/side effects presented to me to allow me to sort through them myself than not have the information at all.

concerta is NOT addictive
It does it's job and leaves the system...

Any medication has very similar risks...read the paracetamol or aspirin info...they have possible nasty side effects too....how many ppl are taking these and much stronger medications too...regularly?
Look at anti-depressants...wow..they are really scarey!!

Ritalin is no worse in risk and as I said...I've not heard of any stories about any of these side effects effecting anyone seriously...or of relevant possible heart conditions...has anyone else??? Maybe my eyes are shut and I've missed something though....

The main concern is the very apparent effect that they have on appetite but there are ways around that and doesn't mean anorexia by any means...just adjusting when the kitchen is open and going with it.