Decided to medicate (ADHD) but getting cold feet - reassure me please?

[FreshWest]

Dd is 4.9 and recently had ADHD dx, still waiting on ASD but one step at a time. We have decided to start medication in the hope that it may make life easier for her, especially in school. But am having a minor panic attack whether we're doing the right thing?
DH is worried that "it might change who she is", I'm just generally worried.
Has anyone else's dc taken medication and were there any side effects that you noticed? Did you notice any improvement and after how long?

What medication ? whats the name ? who recommended it and what for.....we only use some supplements and have seen good results but if your not sure then hold off for the time being

It's a low dose of methylphenidate. Recommended by the paediatrician, but also supported by dd's school.
What supplements do you use if I may ask?

But for what freshwest ..you dont feel comfortable about it ..Then dont do it .I am sure other moms will give more advice esp those that have used it.

Methylphenidate is not approved for children under six years of age.

Oh sorry! It's to control the ADHD in mainly the school environment, to help her focus in the hope that she might learn something. They're worried about ASD as well but are not able to assess properly to dx 100%, mainly due to ADHD symptoms.

I want to query also whether if it's not the correct decision, how easy is it to stop the tablets?

It's not under license for children under six. It is up to the discretion of the pead whether or not to use for children 4-6.

hmm.Freshwest maybe to much is going on in the school enviroment...How is she at home?please make sure all avenues of support have been tried before going down this route,best research as much as you can.Only you can make this decision.Im sure some other moms will pass by and help.
but your shaky and i would say follow your mind .....

4.9 is very little, but if the paed has prescribed so young, they must have considered the potential benefits closely.

A trial period is fine. No one says if you give her the medication for a month and see what the outcome is that she has to be on it until 18. It might not work anyway

If it doesn't work, it's an easy decision - she doesn't take it. If it does work, then you need to weigh up the benefits and consider any other issues (there is no particular reason she will suddenly have a personality change). It might be helpful for your dh to read some accounts written by older children who have successfully taken medication and been able to live their lives.

Ds tried one med and it had no effect, he now takes Vyvanse. He said it helps him control himself - he no longer feels as though he has no control over his own behaviour - it gives him the option to make decisions, as opposed to feeling out of control all of the time. He didn't take meds until 10 though.

I assume that you have exhausted the omegas/ zinc/ magnesium supplements route prior to seeking medication? It works v well for some - ds's teacher when we started the omegas/ zinc/ magnesium asked us if we had started to used ADHD medication as he was like a different child in terms of concentration and sociability (ie he was able to do both!)

4.9 is very little though. As is any, I assume as they considering medicating at this point, there has to be a reason for it, in terms of personal or peer group disruption. I'm not a fan of school dictating medication choice, btw. It smacks rather of the need to externally control without effort... Unless of course they have been working hard with you family over a period of years to put in other supports (1-1, small group work, behaviour plans). And at 4.9, that seems unlikely.

Can you explain what issues she is having at school? I assume she has only been there a couple months?

Has she had a full Ed psych assessment? Camhs? Who diagnoses asd in your area? What assessments has she had so far?

I see nothing wrong in a trial, tbh. But I would want to know that they are using this as part of a diagnostic strategy, rather than an Elastoplast with the intent to drug and ignore.

DS is on equasym XL 8 hour life and only 1 10mg dose but he is 7. Despite huge misgivings it was the best thing I have done for him. Loss of appetite is a side effect also sleep issues a possibility. Both wore off for DS though as we kept to a strict eating pattern.

I wouldnt go with the school suggesting or supporting it tbh. I would think first and ask the school what they are putting in place etc without even mentioning the medication word. If its brought up I would say you would rather not as it is not prescribed for under 6yrs.

DS was dx with both AS and ADHD without meds sorting the adhd side out first. But I will say that since on meds his aspergers side has come to a head and he is doing very well expressing himself more and learning coping strategies that the ADHD impulsiveness prevented him from doing x

madwomanintheattic spot on.Well said!!!!

and coff33pot! I best get back into the office!!! GOOD LUCK freshwest

Giving DS1 atomoxetine to control his ADHD symptoms didn't change who he was. It gave him the ability to express who he is a whole lot better and to enjoy doing the things he loves.

Thanks for all the input. I'll try and answer your queries!
Dd was referred by ed psych from ms school to a special unit where there are only 8 children in her class, one teacher and two TAs. She has been there since last February.

They're telling me she struggles to keep her attention focused on any activity for long enough for it to be of any benefit. She also displays "hyperactive" behaviours. Both class teacher and we had to fill in conners questionnaire and all answers pointed to a high level of attention deficit problems.

We didn't have much luck with the supplement route.

I have no illusions about this being an overnight success, however I'm willing to trial it to see if there is any difference. If not then we stop, simple as.
All the profs seem to be of the opinion that she is not autistic enough and that helping the ADHD element would make the picture clearer in terms of the ASD.

With that background, I would definitely be trialling meds. Ds1 isn't autistic 'enough' for a full dx, which is why he is officially ADHD with asd traits.

There are no guarantees in life, but in your position I think it's worth doing the trial and making decisions from there. I don't like giving ds meds, but he is old enough to be able to play a part in the decision. With such a complex background at 4.9, I think it's worth a go.

With sn kids, often a trial of x,y or z (not necessarily meds, could be any support option) is the only way to see if it makes a difference. This stuff is not as scientific as they would have you believe!

We started our 5.5 year old on meds in august with a similar set of problems and it has made the situation better as in he has come a long way with his learning since then and is coping better at school. He has finally learnt to write his name and can count and is starting to read basic words none of which he could do before.
It has clarified that there are severe sensory issues and dyspraxia as well. Ds is not autistic enough either but has so many possible things going on getting a name is very very difficult.

We have a ds 14 with ASD and ADHD. He has trialled methylphenidate in the past; it was not successful for him but I just wanted to say that the risks of trialling methylphendate are relatively low as it is very quickly processed in and out of the body, there are no problems with stopping it quickly ie no significant risk of dependency or withdrawal symptoms. Even knowing this, it's always scary trying the medication route but I would say worth a try as has the potential to make a huge difference.

The only proviso I would make is to make sure the doctors monitor the effect of the very gradual increases of dosage in a reliable manner - ie both school and home need to have a check-list of behaviours to give meaningful feedback from throughout the day. You may notice that behaviours change as medication kicks in/wears off but will only know this if school are observing and recording too.

Ah, just try it.

It wears off after a few hours anyway . If it's useless, she has side effects, or you think it changes her... she can simply stop taking it! Have to say, low dose methylphenidate has been life changing for DS (and us). In a very slow, subtle way though, as it just let him stay still / concentrate for a tiny bit longer. That small improvement let a lot of the stuff (that we were trying to teach him) actually get 'in'. Which, little by little, started to make a difference.

It also let him stay still long enough to do ADOS. Which proved the asd.

I would also try it. If there are any side effects you can always change your mind. I have used medication for ds ASD and it has made a massive difference to his levels of anxiety and aggression. Please don't feel guilty. Medication isn't for all children but that doesn't mean it can't be positive and helpful. I don't necessarily agree that it should only be a last resort. I think sometimes we struggle on thinking that we should somehow be able to fix our children's problems by changing the environment or by using visual sports or whatever. Yes these can help but there is a place for medication in some children and also at some times of their lives. I honestly believe my ds would be in full time residential if he had not started on meds as it really helped him immensely.

I haven't any experience YET, but I would like to add my opinion. My ds is 5.3 months and is in yr1. He is super hyperactive with very little concentration and is very impulsive. Everyone is "waiting" to see if he calms down this year, but I just can't see it happening. There is adhd in my family and I would like him diagnosed. I imagine it will be next year before my dh finally agrees with me. Anyway, I watch my ds struggle on a daily basis at school and at home. He is constantly racing around and behaving wild, he has very few friends (if any) and he is struggling academically. If we get a dx and they suggest medication I would trial it.

Thanks for all your help and advice. Showed the thread to DH and he was relieved to see your replies. Especially mariammama as this is precisely what we hope to achieve.

Think of the medication as a support strategy. If it works well and she is calmer in herself she is able to access learning. She will be able to focus enough to practice new skills and access new opportunities.

These skills and opportunities might mean she develops enough interest and sees enough of what the world CAN be like in order to encourage her to pe a part of it with less medication or no medication further down the line!?

However, I do worry that medication to keep a child from 'bothering the teacher' might sometimes be used when proper support should be put in place. If the medication stops her from being a problem but doesn't enable her to access an education then stop it asap imo.

Sorry to have come to this thread a little late. DS2 started medication at the age of 8, in Y4, after much soul-searching and hand-wringing on our part. Only side effects for the first three or four weeks was occasional stomach ache and that was temporary. It does reduce his appetite during the day, but we deal with that by giving him a big breakfast and a substantial dinner.
On the positive side, it has made a dramatic difference to his ability to cope at school. He can also now take part in out of school activities such as Scouts, without it all getting too much. I asked him recently about his medication and he says he definitely prefers being on it. I feel that it has also helped with the social communication side of his Asperger's, but I have no concrete evidence for this.

Sorry, I forgot to say what he takes. He started with Equasym then changed to Concerta, which we found has a more gradual wearing off period in the evening. About once a term he forgets to take it and he and we don't realise that he's forgotten, but by morning break the teacher has phoned me to say that he isn't coping, I go to look at his pill box and all becomes clear. To me, this is confirmation that he still needs it for now.