Small victories

[Southern Ivy]

We've had a heck of a time with dd not retaining ABCs. Two years of preschool and only 5 letters. We've been focusing on the letters sounds more, but still no retention. 

Yesterday, we started her on a new ADHD medication. I immediately noticed her hyperactivity was way low, but didn't have a lot of hope for the attention. Anyway, we worked on the letter F yesterday. Usually, it's a lot of repetition, fighting because she doesn't want to write and frustration because she can't remember the sound or name.
Well, not only did she write the lowercase F with no crying or fighting, but she did an AWESOME job. It was so good. I was very impressed. 
THEN, 3 hours later, I asked her again what sound the letter F makes and she REMEMBERED!!! 

It seems like such a small thing, but this is the first sign of comprehension or retention in the last 3 years! I almost cried. 

[shinyhappypeople]

That's not small, that's HUGE!

 

Not only have you found an ADHD medication that is helpful (a feat unto itself), but she's also making an important first step in reading!

 

Both of you deserve major kudos!   

 

:grouphug:

[Southern Ivy]

That's not small, that's HUGE!

 

Not only have you found an ADHD medication that is helpful (a feat unto itself), but she's also making an important first step in reading!

 

Both of you deserve major kudos!   

 

:grouphug:

:blush:  :blush: 

 

I REALLY hope this med works. The last one was awful with mood swings. 

This morning, she was working a hard-for-her puzzle and said "I am so good at this today! I think my medicine helps me think!"  :wub:

[Lecka]

Awesome!!!!!! That is a really good first day!!!!!!!!

[nature girl]

:hurray:  :hurray:  :hurray:  :hurray: Amazing!! Congratulations to you both!!!!

[PeterPan]

First, that's really exciting!! I'm not sure if the meds actually bump working memory, but WM is the scratch/temp memory of the brain, allowing things to move into longterm storage. So helping her attend, bumping that working memory, the pieces come together and then you're like whoa things are finally working. Also remember things from day to day or hour to or is considered an EF thing, handled in the EF part of the brain, and the meds definitely, definitely bump EF. So overall, shows you're on a good path!! And how amazing for her to be able to say how it's helping her. She must appreciate your efforts.

 

As far as the meds and the mood swings, did your doc move you over to an ER med? There can be reactions to the med itself, with some people just doing better on one med or another, but there's a lot of theorizing that it's the delivery system. So we had a thread a while back, maybe a year or two or three ago, on juvenile bipolar rates correlated to ADHD stimulant medication use, and it's actually really concerning. There's a normal low in dopamine levels as the person comes off the meds, even with an ER med, so it's something the person using the meds has to be cognizant of and use strategies and compensate for. However what the studies were finding was that using short-acting doses multiple times a day, like I guess had been common in a school setting where they might do a 4 hour med, dose at lunch with another 4 hour med, etc., was leading to so many swings up and down, up and down, that it was, to the researches, bringing out pre-existing tendencies to bipolar. Whether you say it that way or say it caused it or whatever, I'm saying it's NOT your imagination and NOT inappropriate that you were HIGLHY concerned about that. Hopefully this new med is taking care of that. 

 

Well this is AWESOME. Remember, you're getting success, but use that success to give you some wiggle room to start working on strategies and behavior practices and understanding, so she can have SELF-control as well as med-control. You needed this tool, but she also needs that behavioral work to come along side. There will be times she might want to be off the meds for whatever reason, like maybe summer break or to be pregnant or because she's sick or whatever. It happens. You want to be working all the angles. Given how extreme her ADHD is, she's going to benefit from long-term supports. 

 

Really, I'm just elated for you. This is your best case scenario, when the meds are working and you're seeing improvement. So exciting. :)

 

It's ok for you to say when things are no going well too. Things are going to happen. Don't be afraid to keep asking questions.

[Southern Ivy]

First, that's really exciting!! I'm not sure if the meds actually bump working memory, but WM is the scratch/temp memory of the brain, allowing things to move into longterm storage. So helping her attend, bumping that working memory, the pieces come together and then you're like whoa things are finally working. Also remember things from day to day or hour to or is considered an EF thing, handled in the EF part of the brain, and the meds definitely, definitely bump EF. So overall, shows you're on a good path!! And how amazing for her to be able to say how it's helping her. She must appreciate your efforts.

 

As far as the meds and the mood swings, did your doc move you over to an ER med? There can be reactions to the med itself, with some people just doing better on one med or another, but there's a lot of theorizing that it's the delivery system. So we had a thread a while back, maybe a year or two or three ago, on juvenile bipolar rates correlated to ADHD stimulant medication use, and it's actually really concerning. There's a normal low in dopamine levels as the person comes off the meds, even with an ER med, so it's something the person using the meds has to be cognizant of and use strategies and compensate for. However what the studies were finding was that using short-acting doses multiple times a day, like I guess had been common in a school setting where they might do a 4 hour med, dose at lunch with another 4 hour med, etc., was leading to so many swings up and down, up and down, that it was, to the researches, bringing out pre-existing tendencies to bipolar. Whether you say it that way or say it caused it or whatever, I'm saying it's NOT your imagination and NOT inappropriate that you were HIGLHY concerned about that. Hopefully this new med is taking care of that. 

 

Well this is AWESOME. Remember, you're getting success, but use that success to give you some wiggle room to start working on strategies and behavior practices and understanding, so she can have SELF-control as well as med-control. You needed this tool, but she also needs that behavioral work to come along side. There will be times she might want to be off the meds for whatever reason, like maybe summer break or to be pregnant or because she's sick or whatever. It happens. You want to be working all the angles. Given how extreme her ADHD is, she's going to benefit from long-term supports. 

 

Really, I'm just elated for you. This is your best case scenario, when the meds are working and you're seeing improvement. So exciting. :)

 

It's ok for you to say when things are no going well too. Things are going to happen. Don't be afraid to keep asking questions.

No - from what I'm reading, it's not ER. She's on Straterra, which is a non-stimulant, non-ER. Technically, from what I'm reading, I shouldn't see results this fast. It should take 3-4 weeks, but I can tell a difference today too. She took the CTOPP this morning. I heard the tester giving gentle reminders to pay attention, but I could also tell Dd was working hard. (We'll find out the results in about 2 weeks after they score and send the report.)

 

Yeah, I called to talk to the doctor about the moods and such and the nurse was awful, telling me that "It takes time to build up in the system" and basically telling me to just keep my Dec 26 appointment. I said, "So, I"m just supposed to deal with this not working at all for another month?! I mean, do I keep giving her the meds? Do I stop? Because this isn't normal!"

The doctor on the other hand was a bit upset that I didn't come in sooner! lol So, I felt vindicated. 

The last med was a stimulant, so we are trying the one non-stimulant that she can take right now. (She's technically still too young, but only by 6mos, so...whatever) 

 

Dd is pretty tired and even took a nap yesterday, but I'm hoping it evens out. (We're only on a half dose right now. We're supposed to go up to a full dose on Monday)

[PeterPan]

That's helpful that she got to be on a med while taking the CTOPP! I would think the fatigue is from the testing, not the meds. That would be normal to be tired after working really hard in evals. Did they do anything in addition to the CTOPP? The CTOPP doesn't take long to score, so they should have been able to give you some sense right away. I can see where they would want to hold that and collate other info into a report. 

 

It will be interesting to see how she does on the full dose.  :thumbup1:

[Southern Ivy]

That's helpful that she got to be on a med while taking the CTOPP! I would think the fatigue is from the testing, not the meds. That would be normal to be tired after working really hard in evals. Did they do anything in addition to the CTOPP? The CTOPP doesn't take long to score, so they should have been able to give you some sense right away. I can see where they would want to hold that and collate other info into a report. 

 

It will be interesting to see how she does on the full dose.  :thumbup1:

She fell asleep yesterday, too, though. 

Nope, just the CTOPP. My friend had another test administered by this office and it was around 2 weeks for them too. As long as I have it back before going to Colorado, I'm good. 

 

Yeah, I'm interested to see what a full dose does as well. 

Edited December 9, 2017 by Southern Ivy

[PeterPan]

That's a little weird. On the other hand, she's 5, right? Taking naps is normal for a 5 yo. My ds stopped really early, but that was just his extremeness. How is she when she wakes up and how is her energy the rest of the day? Is she going to bed appropriately? There is this perverse or reverse if you will thing, where having the meds in their system calms their brains enough that they actually CAN go to sleep or go to sleep more easily. 

[PeterPan]

Sorry for the googlefu, but it seems like it's a common side effect and the opinions vary on how to handle it. http://www.addforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-7125.html  You might want to search for yourself and talk with your doc before you bump up. The opinions seem to range from splitting the doses to it meaning it's too high. I really don't know.

[Ottakee]

:blush:  :blush: 

 

I REALLY hope this med works. The last one was awful with mood swings. 

This morning, she was working a hard-for-her puzzle and said "I am so good at this today! I think my medicine helps me think!"  :wub:

THAT is why I advocate meds for kids.  It isn't to make our lives easier, it is to make life easier for them and increase their self esteem.

 

My dd gained over 2 years of academics in under 6 months once we found the correct med.

[Southern Ivy]

THAT is why I advocate meds for kids.  It isn't to make our lives easier, it is to make life easier for them and increase their self esteem.

 

My dd gained over 2 years of academics in under 6 months once we found the correct med.

She can still remember what sound the F makes. This is major. 

 

Also, today, in speech, she made HUGE leaps. Also, the SLP admitted she was a bit off her game today and didn't have everything pulled out like she normall does. She said that Riverlyn sat quietly, didn't get out of her seat, and didn't fidget/touch everything in sight. OMG!! 

She said it was the best session they'd had. 

Then, after the appointment, when the SLP was talking to me, Riv sat in a chair and looked at books. The office manager, the owner, and the SLP were all shocked. Totally different. 

 

My mom asked if if she was "still herself". I laughed and said, "well, if you compare "herself" to her hyperactive self, she's pretty darn lethargic. If you compare her to a typical child, I'd say she's pretty normal." lol 

I've also noticed that her imaginative play has become more complex too. 

 

I'm excited to see how it goes in swim tomorrow. 

Edited December 11, 2017 by Southern Ivy

[Lecka]

It sounds good :)