Comments on: Dr. Bob on ADHD: To Medicate or Not to Medicate?

By: Carole Banks, Parental Support Line Advisor

Carole Banks, Parental Support Line Advisor — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:12:52 +0000

Dear Nikki:

The best place to start is your pediatrician. They are usually able to do this testing but they also need to rule out any underlying medical problems. Or you could go directly to a child psychiatrist, who is a medical doctor and can do this physical exam. Child psychiatrists specializes in behavioral issues. The third option is a child psychologist. These highly trained PhD’s frequently specialize in ADD and ADHD, but they are not medical doctors so you would need that physical exam first.

The usual practice is for the doctor to ask you what you have observed regarding your son’s behaviors. They will then send a questionnaire to the school and ask your son’s teachers to fill it out and return it to the doctor. The teachers will report what behaviors they observe in the classroom.

There is a difference between ADHD and ADD as they are currently characterized. ADHD includes hyperactivity and difficulties with impulse control in addition to inattention. ADD is primarily inattention that looks like daydreaming, passiveness, sluggishness or social quietness.

By: nikki/lansing

nikki/lansing — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:29:01 +0000

I always knew something wasn’t right when I kept receiving statements from my 7 year old daughter’s teachers about focusing and paying attention. My husband and I have done everything I could think of to help understand the importance of focusing and paying attention. I truly believe she has either ADD or ADHD. I still haven’t garsp the difference between the two. I need to know where can i take her to have a tested and what type of test. Please help a concerned mom!

By: Dr. Bob

Dr. Bob — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:12:42 +0000

Dear Offia/Chicago:
Scoring high on a state exam does not necessarily mean a child will not qualify for an IEP. It is based on a discrepancy between his academic ability (usually IQ) and his academic achievement (reading, math, written language scores). Even if a child is gifted he may qualify for an IEP if there is a significant difference between the standard scores on ability versus achievement (usually must be 23 points or more). Even if a child does not meet the criteria for classification as Learning Handicapped, a child with ADHD should qualify for what is called a 504 accommodation. (Be sure to check out the US Department of Education Q&A on 504s and IEPs. You can find it online.) Unfortunately, parents often have to be forceful advocates to get help from our schools due to their tight budgets.

By: Offia/Chicago

Offia/Chicago — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:07:17 +0000

I am the mother of a 12 year old Africian American child who is bright in so many ways and knowledgable in so many things, but it seems that his brain will not connect to the actual writting that is necessary for academic achievement. He has been taking Concerta and Risperdol for 2 years now. My concern is I am subjecting him to weight loss and it seems to not be working so well. I feel bad because he know that school is important and I feel like I have exhausted my resourses and the school doesn’t understand this condition. I don’t know if removing him will help him but what else can be done? The school says he doesn’t qualify for an IEP plan because he scores so high on the state exams but the daily school work is the problem, especially in social science and reading work not reading itself but writting. HELP SOMEONE!

By: ADHD to medicate or not - Netmums Coffeehouse

ADHD to medicate or not - Netmums Coffeehouse — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:39:39 +0000

[...] topic from Dr. Bob, he is the father of an ADHD child and the creator of the Total Focus program. Dr. Bob on ADHD: To Medicate or Not to Medicate? Reply « Previous Thread | Next Thread » addthis_pub = ‘netmums’; [...]

By: Marianne

Marianne — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:43:14 +0000

I found the forum helpful;in that I no longer feel alone in coping with an 8 year old on meds who has F.A.S.D and A.D.H.D.

By: Kris

Kris — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:33:21 +0000

Medications are a mixed blessing. They do help, I see a huge difference in both my sons. However, there are side effects and we’ve been on almost every one of them. What I have also noticed is the coming down or withdrawl. At the end of the day, the mornings, and weekend medicine breaks, my boys are much more miserable than in the summer when they just don’t take the meds. I think this is withdrawl, just as the first week of summer when we take them off. The meds do help and we have decided that it would be impossible or near impossible for them to succeed in school without the meds. However, I sure wish they could find a way to teach these boys without having to medicate them. It seems to me that there are resources available for every other type of learning difference from giftedness to retardation. Why do they leave out our ADD kids? Especially when on any given day, 5-10% of each classroom is ADD, on medication or not. It seems to me that children with ADD would better learn to manage their differences given a supportive school environment. They would better learn coping skills than when we medicate their differences out of them. On meds they’re ok, off meds they’re in withdrawl which is worse than if they didn’t take the meds at all? Are the meds keeping them from growing mentally as well as physically? On meds they are learning all the academics they need, but are they really learning to manage their differences? It seems that we are just setting them up to be on meds forever. THIS IS THE DILEMMA WE FACE AS PARENTS OF ADD CHILDREN! It’s so frustrating. In summary, we chose to do meds simply because we believe that they would be left behind in school and that the teachers in a mainstream classroom would not have the time or want to give extra attention to them, this has been our experience. SO, darned if you do and darned if you don’t, this is my opinion of meds. As parents, weigh the pros and cons and do what is best for your child. After all, they are what its all about!

By: EP Year in Review: Top 10 Blog Posts of 2008 | EmpoweringParents.com

EP Year in Review: Top 10 Blog Posts of 2008 | EmpoweringParents.com — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:33:47 +0000

[...] ADHD: To Medicate or Not or Not Medicate? by Dr. Bob [...]

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:58:11 +0000

It feels good to hear that other parents go through the same things that I have. Sometimes you feel alone in your frustration and desperation. My son is 9 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD and ASperger’s syndrome at the age of 5, although he had behaviors as early as age 2. Of course everyone says at that age that it is ” the terrible two’s but I knew that it was something more. He has been on Adderall, Dexadrine, Zyprexa, Ritalin, Depakote, etc. etc. He is currently on and has been on Concerta for almost two years. It works about as well as the Ritalin but his appetite is much better. He is very small for his age and weights about 55 pounds now. It seemed like he weight right around 40 pounds for about 3 years. We could not get any weight on him. He still has alot of behavior problems such as anger, defiance, impulse and aggression. We are looking into other avenues currently to see if he has a chemical imbalance or neurological disorder. It is hard to know through all of the trial and error whether or not you are doing the right things or not. You have to keep trying though and know that you are doing the best you can for your child or children.

By: Jacqui

Jacqui — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:33:37 +0000

Valerie***I may have read your post before, but had no experience with the meds you described. My 7 yr old is now on Concerta. Everything I’ve read states that the stimulants are the way to go for ADHD. It seems that stomach upset/”belly ache” are common side-effects of these meds. Our Dr. has suggestted that if they continue, to try half of a Zantac. If you are still trying the stimulants, please ask your Dr. if this may help. Please be sure to ask how long it can be taken, and ask about any medical reason your child can’t take it…current medical condition, etc. We’ve “run the gammitt” for 5 1/2 yrs now…hang in there!