ADHD and Ritalin

[lottiejenkins]

Ive just been told it's quite likely my ds whos 11 and deaf has prob got adhd, advice please on whether to go with giving him ritalin or other suggestions please..............

Before you make a decision - take a look at gluten/ casein free diet. It is a commitment to follow it, I?ll be honest with you but I personally know of kids how have improved beyond belief and never needed any Ritalin.

bump!

Hi Lottie, I am answering as a mum (Ds 7 has complex needs including ADHD) not an expert! I expect you have suspected ADHD for years so are probably very knowledgable, and have already tried fish oils (eg kids eskimo oil)protein rich breakfasts and wholesome diet(eg Paucs book), suitable behaviour modification techniques. However we all seem to struggle when drugs affecting neurochemistry are suggested!! Personally I read as much as I could and in the end decided (after several incidents at school)to allow a medication trial. It took a while to find a suitable presentation (slow release for DS)and it also took a while for Ds to learn how to use the window given to him by medication! He is still the bouncy enthusiastic sparky DS he has always been (with less of the distress caused by constant adversity!)the effect is a suptle slowing down (of impulsiveness) and calming down! Frankly better control of Ds symtons (impulsiveness, total lack of forthought) also affects our lives so we can do more with DS out of our (safer) home.
So I would say try everything else first, but if dcs symptoms are affecting his life adversly, its worth trying medication alongside other helpful therapies. ADHD is a neurobiological condition - if after all known nonpharmaceutal interventions unacceptable symptoms remains, why not try medication, after all you cannot regain lost years.

Thanks for the responses so far, i think i will go and chat with my gp too.

if you have tried all the non-medical treatment then I believe you need to try something else - my DS now nearly 8 was diagnosised 2 years ago we tried the fish oils, diet change etc.. before going onto medication - first we went onto strattera - non-stimulant - these work a bit initially only because it made a slight difference we then had to keep upping the dose - to cut a long story short he went onto stimulant meds last Christmas - saying that he is now on his 3rd different one from April and he is great - best thing was when he teacher last year wrote in his report that he was a different child to the one who started that year and he always knew DS had it in him - and he added that he smiles and laughs more - i cried when I read that

it is like this, his behavioral officer told me if he had asthma would you give him inhalers and I said yes and she said well he has a medical problem with his brain and all other things have not helped so what else have we got.

It is the best decision we made - and we did it all for him and his happiness
Good luck with yur decision

Without going into DS's background too much as this is your thread, I think you will know very quickly if the Ritalin helps. If you have ADHD your body metabolises the drug in a positive way, if he hasn't it is similar to giving your child speed.

I observed DS in his classroom for two hours one morning before starting medication. The next day DS started with half a Ritalin 5mg taken as school was about to start and I observed again for 2 hours. (frankly to stop me worrying about giving him drugs and not being present). I saw noting really that had changed, except horrible rebound for a few days. I repeated this observation one week later once the meds had given him time to settle into his new attentive life.

WOW WOW WOW

Different child. Have moved to 10mg slow release and now on 15mg slow release which is perfect since first given in June 2007.

I have a much happier more social son, he is finally learning to read, no longer objects to written work, is concentrating better.

The asthma analogy is correct. Forget the perceived stigma.

There is a fab book called Understanding ADHD by Dr Christopher Gree and Dr Kit Chee.

Good luck with your decision

LOL I must add it doesn't 'cure' ADHD, that is done through learned behavior.... which DS will take years to master

Last week DS pushed someone down 3 steps and as soon as he had done so, couldn't think what had made him do it, was desperately sorry and was sobbing more than child who was pushed when teacher arrived. He knew he shouldn't have done it, but simply could not control the impulse (they were diagreeing about something at the time). He told the teacher it was him as she arrived on the scene. Very difficult for school to deal with as DS had to be punished but after talking to me, it was given to him in the form of missing 20 minutes of double art lesson and have a discussion with learning support teacher about using a STOP - THINK - Do technique when the 'red' mist' rises

Well put Cosmo and hubblebubble! There is so much uninformed hysteria about stimulants that it is hard to get balanced opinion! I would add that before medication my son was really suffering- always in trouble for things he could not control! It is the most helpful intervention so far - he is so much happier. I think you have to consider what happens to the child later in life if you do not try medication - the statistics for untreated ADHD are very scary!