Caffeine instead of Ritalin for attention deficiency. Anyone tried this?

[wads]

7yo DS has attention deficiency (amongst other things) & as I'm reluctant to try Ritalin (think DS is coping OK at school with extra support so far) our Dr has suggested an espresso coffee in the morning - we live abroad by the way. It will be an interesting experiment to get DS to drink it in the 1st place, but wondered whether anyone else has tried this as an alternative to Ritalin?

I can see how it would work on the same principle as Ritalin (which is amphetamine based, right?) but it's a very odd suggestion for a 7 year old! I have never quite worked how why over-stimulating an ADHD child would actually serve to calm them down, though I do remember trying speed once in my dim and distant teenage days and being very surprised at how peaceful and calm it made me feel. Does anyone know why that is - surely the opposite would be expected?? Worth a try I suppose Wads, and perhaps with lots and lots of frothy milk and choc on the top, you could tell him it's a kids' cappucino??

just the brain stimulation I suppose - & there are attention deficient kids who aren't all at hyper, like my Ds, just seem to go off into a world of their own when they should be concentrating on their maths!! Did some googling & there's quite a bit on the net about it

Interestingly, the one time DS had quite a lot of Pepsi to drink (Xmas day at friends some years ago) his behaviour was wonderful! If you want to try this, wouldn't coke or something be more appropriate and more likely to be accepted?

I'm seeing my ds's consultant on Monday in London... I'll ask him what he thinks.............

I was just discussing this with my DH today, I am considering trying an experiment on my two older kids using varying amounts of caffeine as i would like to know if it will help their concentration so that I could give them an espresso or a red bull before exams at school etc if nesscessary! There is some info on research on the MYOMANCY website. I would like to find drinks that don't have too much sugar or colourings etc. as DS1 has rubbish teeth.

I would have to do a double blind trial as mine are susceptible to the placebo effect ie. acting mental after one sip of Irn Bru because they have heard that it makes you hyper!

thanks for the replies -am going to try from tomorrow so wil let you all know what happens. I suppose the dr suggested espresso as you know it's a big shot of caffeine in one gulp (or one gulp followed by spitting out probably). He said if it seems to work for the mornings to give DS another shot at lunchtime so will have to send a thermos to school with a shot of coffee!!

thanks for the myomancy page allytjd - hadn't been on there before

Children and adults with ADHD of ADD do experience a very slight and short loved increase in concentration after caffeine/red bull etc but it is not sustainable. Also there is a risk of caffeine poisoning from over dosing on caffeine. I would not try to self medicate with these items,

Ritalin is fab if understood and used correctly. It's not all bad, doom and gloom as the press would have you believe.

My DS has the same issues as yours (poor concentration, not hyperactive) and a low dose of a slow release ritalin drug has transformed his life since last June. He is not ' drugged to the eyeballs'. Within months of starting the drug, he could articulate to me why prefers taking it to not taking it (given a choice at weekends) as he tells me it "moves the fog in his brain" and "makes school more interesting".

DH was also diagnosed whilst DS was going through diagnosis and has been able to explain to me much of what DS may be feeling and how life is in an ADD/ADHD world.

I held out for 18 months before allowing Ritalin to be tried, using Omega 3 fish oils, which made no difference.

I now feel guilty holding off for 18 months because it has been of such enormous benefit to him, He no longer needs as much extra support, (30 mins a week shared with one other) is doing well in school has better friendships, and is getting more out of life.

• am interested to know your experiment results, but please be careful

well caffeine trail was a complete non-starter as DS has refused to drink more than a thimblefull of the various ways we served it up!! Have since spoken to a homeopathic Dr & will go his route for the time being.
I was interested in what you said about ritalin K20 because if you google it you just get 700 pages about side effects etc. I'm just a very anti medication person generally (think drug companies are scum of earth etc) so want to try everything else available before the big R & totally empathise with you holding out 18 months. But I never say never so watch this space

caffeine trial not trail...

My ds's doctor hadnt heard of this,,,,,,,,,

Wads, 700 pages of side effects but how many people take this drug worldwide with internet access.... many more than 700. If you google anything you can find pages of moaning and groaning, from drugs to trampoline use in the garden.

As for Ritalin, the only side effect we regularly see is a loss of appitite at lunchtime and occasionally tea time if we eat before 6.00pm. I ensure he eats healthily and as much as he can at breakfast, and sneak a few extra calories in when I can at teatime. (a little double cream, mashed into his mashed potato for example) I work hard to keep his calorific intake high because he loves fruit, vegetables and fish and doesn't eat cake, biscuits, very many sweets and only a little chocolate. I have permission from the school for him to have a full fat chocolate milkshake each morning at break and a kitkat. He prefers fruit but understands why he has to be exempt from the "fruit and water at break" rule ... although he often doesn't eat the snack he does always drink the milkshake.

Also, I see a few 5 minute temper tantrums. However as this occurs a good couple of hours after the drug should have worn off, I cannot reliably link the two. Plus all children have meltdown moments in a week - he's no different from other non ADHD kids with the severity or frequency of temper loss.

his other issue is poor impulse control, but that is part of his ADHD and means he doesn't always think before he acts, but whilst on medication he is mastering a technique called "stop-think-do" which he is starting to use.

The most common form of ADHD is caused by a deficiency that Ritalin corrects. Therefore is has the opposite effect to an amphetamine (only) on a child with true ADHD.

Lots of children are being mis-diagnosed and wrongly prescribed - I know of several whose teachers dread how they're going to be once they've had their Ritalin dose. Those kids may have an attention deficit disorder, but not the common kind that responds favourably to Ritalin.

My DS is considered to have an ADHD as part of his complex needs but when started on Ritalin, went truly loopo like I have never seen before or since.. and he only had it for one day! Despite being very hyperactive, he obviously does not have the necessary deficiency to benefit from Ritalin. He had the same reaction as we would if we took it.

It actually has a street value apparently.. it's basically speed.

Ancient - the reason it made you feel calm is because ADHD is caused by a part of your brain not creating enough of the chemical it needs, so another part of the brain creates too much to compensate.

by taking something whic is designed to create a hyperactive reaction in a normal"eople it allows the person to be chemically balanced and therefore "normal"

that was a rubbish explanation, i know what i mean i just dont have teh technical words for it all lol.

hopefully someone a little smarter will come on and say it all again in English lol

thanks for all the input & some positive stuff on ritalin for a change - well maybe apart from it being valued on the street as speed equivalent!

Tried coffee with DS2, stopped as the need to wee does tend to distract him! Sitting down to have a hot drink together in the morning was nice tho' but will maybe swap for a hot chocolate from now on.

Thanks for the explanation Mamazon, I did get it - but I don't think I actually have ADHD, but maybe I do if I got that calming effect you describe. No, I am just too lazy to be ADHD, though my mind does whirr a lot, could that be it?

I said said Mamazon said too