Avoiding Ritalin at the expense of being college bound?

[homeschoolally]

I'm curious if anyone else on this board has faced a similar decision.

 

Our oldest is severely--to a debilitating degree--attention challenged. Its difficult to explain how bad it is and I won't get boring by listing every issue--just take a typical case of ADD and triple, maybe quadruple, the severity. As far as dietary or nutritional interventions--they've been 110% in effect for many years--so that isn't the issue. They have, BTW, REALLY helped and we follow his diet and supplements very faithfully. He has been in Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Tomatis Therapy, Interactive Metronome Therapy--among other things--so I think we've covered the 'Therapy' options as well--although I'd love to hear suggestions if anyone has them.

 

We've been able to avoid medicating him for most of his life by adjusting our expectations and setting up an ADD friendly environment for him. A short trial of Ritalin proved to be extremely helpful, but at the time I wasn't comfortable with the risk/benefit.

 

Now that middle school is upon us, I'm finding that the attention issues are so pervasive that I'm considering medication. He is a great kid who honestly has no other behavioral problems and is extremely compliant. He wants to please so badly that I know his inability to get his schoolwork done is making him feel terrible. I hate to be hard on him because he tries so hard to stay on task--its just a battle he can't win under the current circumstances. Every single day I feel like I'm asking him to run a marathon on crutches.

 

I don't want to lighten his load because he is gifted in many areas, and he is academically able to do the work. The problem lies in the literal hours lost each day from mentally 'checking out' and the careless mistakes that go along with it. He spends more time correcting mistakes and being reminded to stay on task than actual productive work on the majority of days.

 

I feel like we're at a crossroads, because now that his academic schedule is more demanding I realize there is no way he will be able to handle a college-prep HS curriculum under these circumstances. He is a brilliant kid with a pretty high IQ (140) and I beleive he has enormous potential. In everything but spelling, he tests years above grade level--but he can hardly function on a daily basis well enough to meet even the lowest expectations I could set up for him.

 

We have been opposed to medication because of potential side effects and the concern about creating a 'dependence' on drugs--all the usual concerns. When he did try Ritalin in the past, we didn't see any negatives that would concern me at this point--I just felt like we should try to manage without it if at all possible.

 

I'm thinking if we do it, we would try the short-acting, very low dose only on school mornings--but I'm very open to any other suggestions people have found success with.

 

So my main question is--Has anyone else here had to choose between avoiding mind-altering drugs and being college bound? I have a nagging feeling that by refusing to medicate, I am basically cutting off his academic potential and future college/career/life options. I don't know anyone else in real life who is in similar circumstances to ask, and I also want to protect his privacy among people we know--so I felt like asking here was the best option.

 

Thanks in advance for any input anyone may have!

Edited October 6, 2009 by homeschoolally
spacing paragraphs

[catalinakel]

I don't have any experience with ritalin, but will say that you are smart to be concerned. I took a medication as a pre-teen for bedwetting...but it was an anti-depressant. No one seemed concerned. Turns out I began to suffer with depression soon after I stopped taking it a few years later...and I never made the connection, nor did my parents or the dr. I often wonder if my body became accustomed to needing it...I take an anti-depressant now and will probably continue throughout my life. I would imagine that ritalin usage has been tested over the long term since it has been used for so long. ADD is real and ritalin could be just the ticket to help your son accomplish goals. Find out as much as you can from the research that has been done. Ask your Dr. for research to read. Good luck.

[rlowetx]

I will tell you that my aunt finally broke down and allowed her son, late in high school, to take Ritalin, after searching for other answers, therapies, and feeling like maybe "he's just a boy".

 

My cousin told his mom thank you. He is still on it (or some type of med) 10 yrs later.. he was just as frustrated as everyone else that he couldn't focus.

 

Just sharing this experience, b/c my aunt challenged me through my difficulties that sometimes they need the medical answer too - and sometimes they don't like their behavior either and really, really want the help that the medications provide.

 

Its so hard - best of luck on searching for your answer.

[JennW in SoCal]

We used the short acting, take only the morning of school Ritalin with my oldest through high school and it was a life saver. HE wanted to use it, was so thankful for it when he had to take a standardized test. He also said it made subjects like algebra fun because he was able to enjoy the subject rather than struggle solely on focusing to stay on task or remembering all those pesky steps.

 

There was an article in the LA Times within the last year or two asking young adults -- the first generation of Ritalin users -- if they still find they need it or want it as adults. It was a mixed response. Some had found their niche in life and are able to focus and do well without the meds. Others said they simply can't function or hold down a job without it.

 

My ds is not going the traditional college route as he has found his niche and will be quite able to train for and establish a career that he can be successful at without medication. If he was to go to a traditional college, he would certainly need to have a prescription for that low dose of Ritalin -- it is the difference between academic success and failure for him. And like you, we've done everything else for him -- medication was the last resort, but I would never think of withholding it from him after seeing what a difference it made.

 

I also want to recommend that you keep a paper trail of the ADHD diagnoses as colleges are wonderful about providing accommodations to kids with learning challenges. You can get accommodations for the taking SATs, but they are difficult to come by -- my ds was planning to go the community college and transfer route just to avoid the SATs!! (He has now found a professional school that doesn't require them.)

 

I've come to the point where I see Ritalin as a wonder of modern medicine, on par with antibiotics. Both are over used, but when used properly in the right dose for the right reasons, it is a miracle drug.

[swellmomma]

Like your son mine has extremely severe ADHD. We do use ritalin. I have made some dietary changes and continue to do so, but have found so far no change. We do use supplements, all of which I figured out on my own because his ped was sure they were pointless. THosse things are making some difference but not enough on their own. Therapies we have been denied at every turn so that is not something we have been able to pursue. I know for my own son if we turned away from the meds, not only could we kiss college good bye but also any possible "normal" future for him. His ADHD is so severe, even if he lived long enough to make it to adulthood (his extreme impulsivity have put him in near death situations in more than 1 occasion), he would not be able to function enough to get and keep a job, maintain relationships with others(friendships, business and love). He would likely get into drugs, alcohol and/or other risky behaviours. For my son the only option is to utilize meds on a daily basis. He has been on them for 5 years so far and will need to remain on them for life.

 

For my dd the situation is different. She is still not on meds and while things got extremely difficult and required me to have her hospitalized for assessment I am starting to notice a change for the better in recent weeks. I do not think we will need to make the choice between meds and college(or any sort of future). For her supplements, and a change of some things around here have been enough.

 

Based on what you said about his potential yet struggles with daily stuff I would consider another drug trial. I am not sure how oldyour son is, but if old enough include him in the decision. My ds is 11 and while ultimately I have say in whether or not he takes his meds, I include him in parts of it. He knows when he has missed a dose because he feels different and can recognize that so we discuss how he feels off it vs on it. WHen we make dosage adjustments, I look at not only the outward behaviour but also have him let me know how he is feeling etc on it to decide if the dosage is right etc.

 

The nice thing about ritalin as opposed to some of the other meds is it is fast but short acting. I can tell the difference withint 20 minutes of when he takes his dose of him on meds vs off. After 4-5 hours it is worn off. He actually takes a fairly small dose relatively speaking for his severity of ADHD, but that is due to me more than anything. He gets enough to function academically, and on occasion a half dose before an event, game etc that requires his complete focus. Otherwise by dinner time it is out of his system. The worst time of day for us is wake up as he has then been 15 hours or so without meds and is an out of control bear until his morning dose kicks in. We have never had other side effects. We see the ped every 3 months for a full physical to make sure I am not missing something, check his weight etc just to be sure.

[Peela]

I am pretty anti medication myself, but I do understand sometimes its the best thing. My step dd21 is ADD and her mum put her on medication for her teen years...but in her case, it really seems to have damaged her brain. It's hard to explain but she is so spaced out and unreasonable its hard to communicate or have much to do with her. She is 21 now and long off the medication. The medication didnt help her school marks but maybe nothing could have. She now has OCD quite badly as well, which she didn't have as a child.

 

Anyway, what I thought to say to you is that....many of us find that our boys' brains turn to mush during those middle school years, anyway. You might have seen posts here with subjects like "what happened to my boy's brain?" or "how do I get my boy to be interested in his work? " or "how to get my son to be organised?" These posts tend to come when the boy is preteen/early teens. It is common.

I just thought I would throw that into the mix for you, since we all tend to be a bit isolated as homeschoolers and often don't realise that behaviours can represent developmental stages.

 

I might as well share that my husband is also ADD, severely, although undiagnosed (he is 55, I am not even sure there was such a diagnosis back then). He was expelled from 3 kindergartens, and from highschool. He was a nightmare of a child- the oldest of 5. He wasn't allowed home from boarding school only 3 miles away on weekends, because his mother couldn't handle him.

 

However by the age of 28 he was a retired millionaire. At age 33 he got seriously ill and re-evaluated his life, and left all his businesses. He has had an amazing life and now lives to serve others. When his daughter was diagnosed with ADD he was very very strong on not medicating her, because he feels that being ADD is not a condition or disease- it simply makes someone learn and think differently, and he would never change that in himself.

 

I know every situation is different and it can be an agonising decision for parents..just thought I would share.

[Lovedtodeath]

I have had ADD symptoms at different times in my life and I found and treated the cause with EDS (causes can be yeast overgrowth, food allergies, environmental allergies, parasites, malabsorption, hypothyroidism, insulin imbalance, hypoglycemia, adrenal fatigue, energetic or emotional imbalance.... the list goes on and on). I have also found that supplements help, but only a little, for a short time, or with unacceptable side effects.

[catalinakel]

by the way, the medication I now take is life saving....truly a gift.

[nrg]

My oldest son is profoundly gifted/ADHD. The ADHD was diagnosed before age 1 as one of several neurological issues. His condition, like your son's is severe, the most severe our experienced pediatrician has ever seen. We did not medicate after a short trial at age 6. We homeschooled and did many of the things you listed an dsome others. Looking back, I would have done some things differently.

 

In high school, he should have gotten a 504 for testing. This would have allowed for accomodations for the SAT, etc. He really did need a quieter environment, breaks, etc. He scored very well, but not as well as he could have.

 

When he had reached his full height, we should have investigated medication more thoroughly. Today he is 23 and on powerful medication, which, as his doctor says, brings him to where they start medicating most adults. He is a senior in college, and it wasn't until his junior year that he visited the disabilities office. They assessed him and were astonished he had made it thus far. He was a B+ univeristy student then, and now, with meds and accomodations (quiet room for testing, etc.) he is an A student again. They offered him the moon!

 

Sometimes as parents we have been so involved with our children that we don't know how they match up with the rest of the world. What we could handle with plenty of theraphies, exercise, homeschooling tailored to his needs, required interventions to work in the greater world. When and how that happens depends on the individual.

 

Were I to give you advice, I would say investigate the variety of medical options without fear or reservation. Allow all possiblities into your researchand then follow your instincts.

[Sonshine]

As a mother of a 20 year old son in college, I wish he had had the option to try medication. My husband was very strongly against medication, and when he found them, threw out the supplements I was trying on him when he was younger. My viewpoint is that you should try whatever you are comfortable with now, when he is under your control. If you can help him figure out what works best for him to succeed in spite of AHHD, that is great. He may not want to work with you on this when he is 18 and older.

 

My own personal caution about medication is you may want to be extra cautious if there is any genetic history of a more severe type of mental disorder. Sometimes ADHD meds can jumpstart those. A friend of mine had this happen with her 2 daughters. The increased ability to pay attention wasn't worth the years of mental illness and subsequent street drug and alcohol addiction.

[TravelingChris]

MY dd has a double whammy. She is severely ADHD and also has PMDD. For her, the choice is between medication and success in life or no medication and total failure and I mean total. That is no choice for a parent who loves their child. She is a very successful student and can she her going very far with her medications.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I didn't medicate my daughter until she was almost 16. I wish I hadn't waited so long.

 

Why not try a medication trial? One REALLY good thing about trying medication with an older child is that they can give you THEIR take on how the medication makes them feel and perform. If you don't find the right med and dosage, then at least you tried. For us, my daughter started on Concerta. The difference was immediate. After 2 weeks, she needed the medication dosage raised. She's been there since. There are no negative side effects, just the positive.

 

Anyway, I started out pretty anti-med. In the end, some kids, for some issues, need medication for a time or even long term. Such is life at this time.

[EKS]

I too didn't want to medicate. We did all sorts of things short of medication and saw varying results. At the start of 7th grade, when it was taking him 5 hours to complete a 1 hour math assignment, I knew we had to do something. We finally broke down and tried medication.

 

Day and night. His ability to complete his work, and to do it well, completely reversed.

 

We do a very small short acting dose of Adderall on school mornings only. We've been doing this for about a year. Side effects here are a diminished appetite and some crankiness. From what I understand, the crankiness is unusual.

 

My son is also very intelligent, with a very high IQ. And he is a bit of an intellectual too. I can't see him being happy in any field other than one that requires a PhD. The medication is allowing him to soar academically. We have also put paperwork in place for testing accommodations and will be requesting accommodations for the SAT.

 

Please feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

[unsinkable]

I'm curious if anyone else on this board has faced a similar decision.

 

Our oldest is severely--to a debilitating degree--attention challenged. Its difficult to explain how bad it is and I won't get boring by listing every issue--just take a typical case of ADD and triple, maybe quadruple, the severity. As far as dietary or nutritional interventions--they've been 110% in effect for many years--so that isn't the issue. They have, BTW, REALLY helped and we follow his diet and supplements very faithfully. He has been in Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Tomatis Therapy, Interactive Metronome Therapy--among other things--so I think we've covered the 'Therapy' options as well--although I'd love to hear suggestions if anyone has them.

 

We've been able to avoid medicating him for most of his life by adjusting our expectations and setting up an ADD friendly environment for him. A short trial of Ritalin proved to be extremely helpful, but at the time I wasn't comfortable with the risk/benefit.

 

Now that middle school is upon us, I'm finding that the attention issues are so pervasive that I'm considering medication. He is a great kid who honestly has no other behavioral problems and is extremely compliant. He wants to please so badly that I know his inability to get his schoolwork done is making him feel terrible. I hate to be hard on him because he tries so hard to stay on task--its just a battle he can't win under the current circumstances. Every single day I feel like I'm asking him to run a marathon on crutches.

 

I don't want to lighten his load because he is gifted in many areas, and he is academically able to do the work. The problem lies in the literal hours lost each day from mentally 'checking out' and the careless mistakes that go along with it. He spends more time correcting mistakes and being reminded to stay on task than actual productive work on the majority of days.

I feel like we're at a crossroads, because now that his academic schedule is more demanding I realize there is no way he will be able to handle a college-prep HS curriculum under these circumstances. He is a brilliant kid with a pretty high IQ (140) and I beleive he has enormous potential. In everything but spelling, he tests years above grade level--but he can hardly function on a daily basis well enough to meet even the lowest expectations I could set up for him.

 

We have been opposed to medication because of potential side effects and the concern about creating a 'dependence' on drugs--all the usual concerns. When he did try Ritalin in the past, we didn't see any negatives that would concern me at this point--I just felt like we should try to manage without it if at all possible.

 

I'm thinking if we do it, we would try the short-acting, very low dose only on school mornings--but I'm very open to any other suggestions people have found success with.

 

So my main question is--Has anyone else here had to choose between avoiding mind-altering drugs and being college bound? I have a nagging feeling that by refusing to medicate, I am basically cutting off his academic potential and future college/career/life options. I don't know anyone else in real life who is in similar circumstances to ask, and I also want to protect his privacy among people we know--so I felt like asking here was the best option.

 

Thanks in advance for any input anyone may have!

 

My dd has absence seizures and does this, too.

 

It sounds like you covered all your bases but I wanted to let you know that in case it is a long-shot chance your ds can have them plus ADD.

[Ottakee]

I would say that if you have ruled out seizures then TRY THE MEDS.

 

If he had a thyroid problem, diabetes, or other chemical imbalance you would give him the meds. I don't think the brain is any different.

 

Meds are not the first thing to try but I would also worry about him self medicating as he gets older---coffee, alcohol, drugs, etc.

 

If there are problems with the meds, you can stop. Otherwise they are very likely to help him academically, socially, his relationships and stress level in the home, etc.

[MBM]

--although I'd love to hear suggestions if anyone has them.

 

I'm sure you've read many books already, but if you can manage to squeeze in another, I'd highly recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey, MD (psychiatrist and prof at Harvard). He explains in the book what is happening in the brain -- not just with neurotransmitters but how certain parts of the brain can be physically altered by conditions and what can be done to change that.

 

Ratey has ADHD himself which he addresses as well as anxiety, depression, stress, learning, addiction, aging, and hormones and the effect exercise has on them. He is not anti-medication at all but suggests using it in conjunction with exercise.

 

The book is technical and thus a slow read (for me at least). The results mentioned are so compelling, though, I'm going to write up a summary for our school's principal to see if we can implement some of the suggestions. (We afterschool.) Other schools have done this with great success.

 

For all I know, you might be using exercise already, but I thought I'd suggest this for others who might be reading. My son now goes for a short, easy run before school and a longer, more intense one after. He sometimes has trouble focusing, so it should be interesting to see what happens.

 

Good luck and don't feel guilty if you need to use Ritalin.

[homeschoolally]

:DI truly appreciate all the input everyone has given.

It has been so helpful!!!!!!!!

I will investigate the absence seizures asap. The last time we attempted to screen for seizures (he had frequent episodes of shaking his head quickly a few times like he was trying to wake himself up) he was so jumpy that the results were inconclusive. He's grown up quite a bit since then--and I'd like to give it another try.

I will read the books recommended as well--

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your personal experiences. Each and every one was very helpful.

[Lovedtodeath]

If he had a thyroid problem, diabetes, or other chemical imbalance you would give him the meds. I don't think the brain is any different.

:iagree:

 

You would let him take medication for diabetes, a heart condition or reflux right? A medical condition originating in the brain is no less of a medical condition.

:iagree:

 

Only after years of taking prescription meds that ultimately made me worse, I have gone the natural route. I am still getting things treated by a doctor, a test, prescribed things, not guessing and trying things on my own. ;) Guessing and trying things usually ends up with the same result as prescriptions. (temporary relief, side effects, or ultimate worsening of the condition while symptoms are getting treated) The natural route is harder at first, and stigmatized so I try to avoid it, but about every 5 years I am amazed at the results. It "cures" the problem in that it will put it in total remission for years at a time with no medications, supplements, diets, or strategies. Then it comes back and gets worse until I get desperate enough to go back.

[homeschoolally]

do you mind telling me if you found the right med the first time around, or if you had to experiment at first? Did your dr. give you a specific reason for choosing one med over another? Do you have any strong opinions on the benefits of one vs another?

 

For some reason I'm stuck on Ritalin--I think because its been around so long, and I've seen that there weren't any immediate, freaky side effects for my son. We didn't use it long enough to see if anything came up over the long term..but I'm not quite as 'afraid' of this one. Both my kids have had serious side effects from medication for reflux of all things. Bizarre, rare side effects seen in less than .1% of users. Since we had such a bad experience with that--and reflux seems so harmless to treat--I'm extra nervous about making a decision here. Any extra info about your experience with this would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

 

I'm curious what makes different docs choose different stimulant meds--if your dr. explained to you why they were choosing Concerta or Strattera over another med I'd be interested in hearing about it. Its been many years since I looked into this and I see lots of new options, and some that have been around long enough now that I'm more comfortable with their safety record.

 

I really appreciate your time on this--typically I'd just research it myself on the internet but reading all the negative things that are inevitably there--even on the mfr's webpages is very unsettling to me. It literally makes me feel sick. I'm liable to talk myself out of this if I read too much--and especially after reading the responses here---I do think it is in my son's best interest to give the meds a try.

 

Thanks again for the feedback--appreciated so much!

[Ottakee]

We did not find the right med the first try. My girls though also have a mood disorder and a host of other medical issues.

 

We went with Dexedrine as it isn't likely to trigger mania in people with bipolar.

 

If Ritalin worked well for your son, then that would be the first one I would try. It has been around a long time and is fast in and out of the body.

 

Some people end up going to a longer acting med as they need something that lasts all day long without having to give another dose in the middle of the day.

 

I know there are risks to everything and you do need to be aware of the risks/side effects but if you read about Tylenol you would never take another one in your life, or eat out, or buy food at a grocery store, etc.

[TravelingChris]

I have two with ADHD plus myself. Currently my oldest child isn't taking anything and declares he isn't ADHD and never was. His entire family disagrees but he is on the moderate side and is able to function somewhat okay without any medication. I am not taking anything now either and the only medication I have ever taken for it has been Paxil, which did help a lot. But I haven't been on it for at least ten years. I self -medicate with large amounts of coffee.

 

My dd has been on medications since she was almost 4. Her first medication was dexedrine, I believe, but she also has been on Adderal, COncerta, and Vyvanse. I am not sure we ever did ritalin with her. I know my oldest had that. Basically the doctors try one thing and see if it works and how well and then they try another or a dose change as necessary. I know my dd was on Adderall for a number of years but we were having too many problems with it. We switched doctos and he decided to try a patch (complete failure- it didn't deliver anything for hours and then she got a superdose and we had to rip it off), Concerta which didn't work that well, and then Vyvavnse. That has worked the best.

 

All the stimulant medications work the same basically though they have shorter or longer times they last, or take effect, or better or worse side effects or better control by one or another. Byvanse is metabolized differently and seems to work better for our dd since it has stabalized the peaks and valleys much better than her previous medications. Strattera is a different type of drug and I am less familiar with how well it works. I believe it is more helpful for the solely inattentive type of ADHD rather than the combo type or impulsive/active type.

 

Hope this answers some of your questions.

[EKS]

We did a short trial with Ritalin when my son was 11. It made him focus on his schoolwork better but it also made him really angry an hour or so after he took it. The doctor was convinced that this was because he was suffering from anxiety so we took him off of Ritalin and put him on Celexa.

 

He was on Celexa for about 6 months with no relief from the ADHD symptoms, though he was very pleasant to be around in other ways. Coming off of Celexa was horrific. I will never again put him on a medication like that just because of the withdrawal issues.

 

A year later (last September), we started with dextroamphetamine. This drug was amazing. He was incredibly focused. His grades jumped up because he wasn't making careless mistakes. In fact, he basically wasn't making *any* mistakes. But after a month of things being good, he began to get crankier and crankier. And he was getting skinnier and skinnier. I finally decided to take him off of it in January.

 

We finally went back to the doctor in February and he told us that the crankiness was hypoglycemia. He said that our son was in the process of starving. Yeek! He prescribed Adderall, which he said didn't induce hypoglycemia as strongly. Since then, we have been very careful to be sure he is eating enough. The Adderall hasn't affected his appetite as much as the dextroamphetamine did.

 

As far as I know, he hasn't had any sleep problems. He takes one short acting dose in the morning. He could use another in the afternoon because he has a lot of schoolwork these days and he generally needs to work into the late afternoon, but it's not worth it to him. We try to get the subjects that need the most careful focused attention done in the morning.

 

At the moment, we've achieved a good balance.

[homeschoolally]

Thanks again to all who replied. I truly appreciate hearing your insight--it was very helpful!

[WishboneDawn]

 

We have been opposed to medication because of potential side effects and the concern about creating a 'dependence' on drugs--all the usual concerns. When he did try Ritalin in the past, we didn't see any negatives that would concern me at this point--I just felt like we should try to manage without it if at all possible.

 

I'm thinking if we do it, we would try the short-acting, very low dose only on school mornings--but I'm very open to any other suggestions people have found success with.

 

So my main question is--Has anyone else here had to choose between avoiding mind-altering drugs and being college bound? I have a nagging feeling that by refusing to medicate, I am basically cutting off his academic potential and future college/career/life options. I don't know anyone else in real life who is in similar circumstances to ask, and I also want to protect his privacy among people we know--so I felt like asking here was the best option.

 

Thanks in advance for any input anyone may have!

 

As someone with ADD and who first tried ritalin at 15 I'd encourage you guys to try it.

 

Honestly, I don't know if a lot of people realize how hard it is, from the inside, to deal with attention problems and what a real blessing meds like ritalin can be.

 

Sure, there are some risks associated with ritalin but fortunately they're fairly easy to manage and very short-term. If they pop-up, discontinue the meds. If they're managable, manage them. Personally I lose my appetite when I'm on ritalin. All that means is I have to be a little more disciplined about eating well. Not difficult.

 

I really tend to think that one thing that often gets left out of the equation when parents are debating meds is the internal struggle an ADD child has to go through every day to get through tasks others take for granted. It's exhausting, frustrating and sometimes, when there's a perfectly good tool in the form of meds that's very easily monitored, pointless.

[Ottakee]

I really tend to think that one thing that often gets left out of the equation when parents are debating meds is the internal struggle an ADD child has to go through every day to get through tasks others take for granted. It's exhausting, frustrating and sometimes, when there's a perfectly good tool in the form of meds that's very easily monitored, pointless.

 

I think this is VERY important to consider. If a child needs glasses, we get them for them---even if the "could" do the work without them (but straining, etc). If they needed a hearing aide, you would get that for them as well--again, even if they could live without it by just struggling to hear, etc.

 

Meds can be like glasses for those with ADD. The difference is VERY dramatic here. My dd went from hardly being able to read a few sentences without getting off track to being able to sit and complete all of her work with little problem.

[EKS]

As someone with ADD and who first tried ritalin at 15 I'd encourage you guys to try it.

 

Honestly, I don't know if a lot of people realize how hard it is, from the inside, to deal with attention problems and what a real blessing meds like ritalin can be.

 

Sure, there are some risks associated with ritalin but fortunately they're fairly easy to manage and very short-term. If they pop-up, discontinue the meds. If they're managable, manage them. Personally I lose my appetite when I'm on ritalin. All that means is I have to be a little more disciplined about eating well. Not difficult.

 

I really tend to think that one thing that often gets left out of the equation when parents are debating meds is the internal struggle an ADD child has to go through every day to get through tasks others take for granted. It's exhausting, frustrating and sometimes, when there's a perfectly good tool in the form of meds that's very easily monitored, pointless.

 

Thank you for this.