S
SP38
Guest
Do those of you with kids on ADHD meds for school time keep them on the meds for the summer?
- Status
M
Mom_of_one
Guest
My son just went on his adhd meds and I will be keeping him on them over the summer. I stay on mine, why should he be any different? It’s not fair to treat it only some of the time. People with ADHD have a shortage of some chemicals in the brain and really can benefit from the meds, if they get the right one(s).
T
turboEDvo
Guest
Well, I have ADD, not ADHD, and I didn’t take meds all through high school, though I found that they still continue to help even in senior year. I don’t take them on weekends or vacations, only school days. But then again, I binge on coffee like all day when I’m home, so that might be a factor (though I find that coffee really doesn’t have much of an effect on me, I think I have become desensitized since I have been drinking it since age 7)
Eamon
Eamon
M
Mom_of_one
Guest
Do you know that people with ADD/ADHD often “medicate” themselves with caffiene?
T
turboEDvo
Guest
Momofone:
Eamon
Yes, I did know that, and I know that caffine is a stimulant, but it doesn’t really do anything to me. I knocked back 12 cups in one day, 4 after 8 pm and I was out like a light at 10. It really doesn’t phase me like it does some people. I don’t get headaches or withdrawl symptoms if I don’t have it, despite the fact that I drink about 4 cups a day on average. I just really like the taste. And I can completely tell the difference between my meds and coffee in terms of how I feel all day.
Eamon
U
urbana
Guest
While I do not have a strong opinion about maintaining these medications over the summer, I do have a request as a former camp counselor. Please do not experiment with changes in medication when they go to camp! Make any changes in medication either beforehand or afterwards, when you are around and can evaluate the effects and undo the changes if necessary.
B
BlestOne
Guest
I struggled with this issue for years. This is what I came up with:
Was it fair to my son to take him off meds and expect his behavior to be good? Will he suffer because he needs to gain weight if I keep him on meds? Will I suffer because I am too stressed out if I take him off and is it fair to his siblings? If I take him off his meds will he be out of control and hurt himself or others? etc…
Different years the answer was different. When he seemed the most ADHD I left him on the meds because it didn’t seem fair to punish him for bad behavior if it was due to lack of control. Other years I took him off so he could gain weight or to try to control his own behaviors. Finally I took him off for good in 8th grade. I probaby should have kept him on the meds that year but I wanted him to start accepting responsibilities for his grades and behavior. I was up at the school too many times that year to see the principal!!!
Was it fair to my son to take him off meds and expect his behavior to be good? Will he suffer because he needs to gain weight if I keep him on meds? Will I suffer because I am too stressed out if I take him off and is it fair to his siblings? If I take him off his meds will he be out of control and hurt himself or others? etc…
Different years the answer was different. When he seemed the most ADHD I left him on the meds because it didn’t seem fair to punish him for bad behavior if it was due to lack of control. Other years I took him off so he could gain weight or to try to control his own behaviors. Finally I took him off for good in 8th grade. I probaby should have kept him on the meds that year but I wanted him to start accepting responsibilities for his grades and behavior. I was up at the school too many times that year to see the principal!!!
S
Shlemele
Guest
the most common ADHD medication is Riddilin. It is a stimulant, hence some people self-medicate with caffine. When I was a substitute teacher I would send kids who firgot their meds to the soda machine and low and behold their behavior improved a bit.
Best thing to do is work with a psychologest and see what kind of behaviors work to curb your childs symptoms. chances are he will always benifit from medication but in my limited experiance if you can help him deal with the symptoms form a behavioral standpoint (i.e. find things that allow him to suceed while not being constantly medicated) that tends to be the best for all involved. Usualy ADHD children do exceptionally well at things that hold their interest. If you have him doing somthing that he enjoys you might be able to get through a day without needing any meds. Somthing you might notice is that things you might not like him doing (playing on the computer ect) tend to hold his attention and he can sit for hours, introduce homework and you get the flip side of the coin.
Before making any kind of decision talk with both the childs doctor and psychologest and make sure they are working together. ADHD children can grow up to be some of the most sucessful adults, the key is to let them know they arn’t dumb or slow. They just have to learn to do thing a little differently than other children. When you find a class that your child loves you will see the change, the key is getting him there.
Best thing to do is work with a psychologest and see what kind of behaviors work to curb your childs symptoms. chances are he will always benifit from medication but in my limited experiance if you can help him deal with the symptoms form a behavioral standpoint (i.e. find things that allow him to suceed while not being constantly medicated) that tends to be the best for all involved. Usualy ADHD children do exceptionally well at things that hold their interest. If you have him doing somthing that he enjoys you might be able to get through a day without needing any meds. Somthing you might notice is that things you might not like him doing (playing on the computer ect) tend to hold his attention and he can sit for hours, introduce homework and you get the flip side of the coin.
Before making any kind of decision talk with both the childs doctor and psychologest and make sure they are working together. ADHD children can grow up to be some of the most sucessful adults, the key is to let them know they arn’t dumb or slow. They just have to learn to do thing a little differently than other children. When you find a class that your child loves you will see the change, the key is getting him there.
T
turboEDvo
Guest
Yes, Ritalin is one of the more common meds on the market. However, there are also others (such as Metadate) which are in the same family of drugs but are time-release. There is also one called Strattera that apparently has a kind of “always on effect.” It doesn’t have the ups and downs that Ritalin or other fast-acting stimulants have, and I have heard that it works very well (never tried it, I like not needed to take anything during vaca’s and weekends, and Strattera requires that you take it daily for it to keep working). But of course, that’s for you and your doctor…
Eamon
C
convert_2000
Guest
Momofone:
Do you know some doctors suggest mountain dew as a medication which is just sweet caffiene.
T
turboEDvo
Guest
Well, that’s actually an interesting approach, because stimulants cause some children top lose weight. Drinking a sugary drink I suppose could actually help them from dropping the pounds left and right. Now, I’m lucky, they don’t cause me to do that, but at 5’11.5" and 145 lbs, I shudder to think what I would look like if I started losing much weight (as I don’t have any to spare
)Eamon
G
gadaii
Guest
Who wants to take medication. I know since my parents force it on me that the Lord is keeping me humble. The government too. The court says it is necessary, It is just a money-maker.
T
turboEDvo
Guest
Well, I can’t say I agree, but whatever. If you don’t want it, don’t take it. I will say, though, that it helps. But I suppose it could be one giant conspiracy…
Eamon
- Status