I have been following posts on the forum for a while now, but this is the first time I have posted a question myself. I am trying to get some positive feedback and success stories for children who are getting positive results with the use of medications for ADHD. My husband and I have run the gammet over the past year and a half for our 10 y/o son. We have done testing, he has done neurofeedback and worked with behaviorist on building coping skills and management of the challenges he has which are mostly at school. However, he still has issues with focus and concentration and although he is doing well at school, his distractibility which leads to frustration and disruption at times poses problems in the classroom. We are consulting with a child psychiatrist regarding medication to see if this is the final piece that can help him. I have read many negative things about medications, side effects, etc. and would truly like to know if there have been positive experiences.

I am on the fence and I do not want to hinder my son by not trying medication, but at the same time, I am not willing to see personality changes and side effects that could be worse than his challenges are. I am trying to keep an open mind and know that we have sought out many alternatives for him and he has made tremendous progress. I guess I would like to hear from others who have had similar situations.

I went down that same path. I even did several years of amino acid therapy. His numbers looked better, but the behavior stayed the same. I have a kid with a variant so he needs a different type of medication. He is on just a smidgen. I want him to have success, but I also want him to deal with "who he is". It's a long road, I know. I also know that exercise and diet are helpful for all. You may have to experiment for what is right for your child. For example, we have to walk the dog before school. And he needs a breakfast with at least some protein. Good luck!

I too was very concerned about putting my son on any medications. I have been struggling with it since he was in second grade and he is now a Junior in High School.

Out of all the medications the one that has worked the best for him is concerta. I can always tell when he hasn't taken his medication and the change is a positive one. It slows him down enough to be able to allow him to think before he does. The side effects for him wore off as he got going and they were more of a discomfort to him physically, i.e. nausea and headaches.

Putting a child on medication can be a scary thing, but as long as your doctor is willing to listen to you and to work with you it can be a huge help. Don't get discouraged if the first medicine your child gets put on doesn't work. Everyone is different and it will take some time, but the feeling you get when your child does something wonderful that he/she couldn't do before are most rewarding.

Good Luck.

My son was bullied quite often in school right from the beginning. He was in the 3rd grade before we had him evaluated and found out he had ADHD and Asbergers Syndrome. I have a friend who is a doctor and has a son with ADHD also and got advise from her. I was very concerned about the long term effects of meds but when I saw how much my son was struggling physically and mentally, I owed it to him to try to help him. We tried several meds before we decided to stay with concerta. It worked wonderfully. The dosage had to be adjusted at first. Best time to try new meds is summer vacation or a very long holiday vacation from school. Appetite and sleep were a issue, but we worked through it. He was very focused and could concentrate and is now a successful senior. He stopped using meds a couple of years ago and now doesn't need it. We would have done our son a disservice if we didn't, at least, try meds as it is pure hell watching your child struggle on a daily basis. GOOD LUCK AND STAY STRONG!!!

i wanted to let you know that my oldest son, who is now 21, started taking ADD medicine, vyvanse about 1 month ago and it has totally transformed his life. he was very resistant to acknowledging ADD as a "real" issue for many years. i am so grateful for his acceptance and treatment. now he reads all about it, is totally motivated toward his future, and has a life full of daily productive activities. it is a growth path for him, which he is on, progress, not perfection.

I have been dealing with my son since Kindergarten. The programs here and therapy helped but we could never quite get to where we needed to be. School was a struggle for behavior, home was chaos. It wasn't until we used medication that our life started going in a more "normal" direction. My son says he can tell a difference in himself with the medication. He says that it just allows him to focus and hear what is in the now not everything that is going on around him. EVERYONE can tell when he has not taken his medication. It is like he wants to crawl out of his own skin he is so unsettled. Every kid is different when it comes to medications. And just because one kid takes X doses doesn't mean that they need more or less control, it has more to do with how it is crossing over into the brain and how they are metabolizing it. And just because one medication doesn't work, don't give up. Try a different one. I don't know where we would be right now if we didn't have such a great psychiatrist that has worked with my son and our whole family. Don't get me wrong, my son is still a challenge every day. But the techniques in the Total Transformation help with those challenges and I can deal with that.

I am a teacher (20yrs) who originally thought ADD/ADHD were just a parent's way of trying to excuse their child's behavior- boy was I wrong!! I have 2 who take medicine- one ADD and one ADHD. The youngest is in 1st grade, and I waited until the 2nd 6 weeks of Kindergarten to put her on meds- that was a HUGE mistake and I still feel horrible about it- she is still behind academically. I have worked with their doctor to find the right type of medication and the right dose. They both take the smallest dose of Vyvanse and it does not change their personality AT ALL! They are happy, energetic kids that can sit in their chair and focus in class. I still work with both of them to teach skills they need to develop to be successful off the meds eventually (Any kid really) such as making lists, organizing their binder, etc. They do not take their meds on weekends (I asked the doctor if that was okay) and we work on behavior and choices. It is tough, but will be well worth it!!!

I have 2 children, a son 8 and a daughter 10, who are both ADHD. My son has been on Adderall since he was 6 and today was just put on Risperidone as well and my daughter started on Strattera but is now on Concerta and Clonidine. Both my children are happy, energetic, smart, bright kids. Their personalities havent changed by being on the medicine but their behavior has. It's not a quick fix but it does help. Without it they will kill each other just about. They antagonize each other and push each other's buttons. But when they take their medicine they are much more behaved.

Every child is different so what works for one may not work for the next. As with my kids, my son started on a stimulant and my daughter didnt. Now she is on one because she has gotten older and her body is changing and the strattera just wasnt doing the job anymore. Deciding to put a child on medicine is one that shouldnt be taken lightly. As far as side effects, the only thing my son had was he lost weight which was good. My daughter didnt have any. Whatever you decide to do, just be sure to do some research on whatever medicine the Dr. is suggesting. I've done so much research on all these different types. If I dont feel comfortable with it then I wont allow it no matter what the Dr. suggests. You have to feel good with it first. But I wouldnt take the opportunity away from my kids to be successful by not trying the medicine. That would be just robbing them of trying to have a normal life. I cant even imagine what goes through their minds on a daily basis. But I know at least they are calmer and focused.

I wish you luck with whatever you decide for your son. Follow your instincts. Take care.

I am the mother of three children, each with the ADHD diagnosis. With my oldest son, we tried the Feingold diet as well as other types of non-medicinal therapies. He started medication when he was in the third grade. His freshman year in high school he stopped taking his medication. We had spent all those years teaching him how to "self-police" versus "self-please" and we were putting it to the test. We were not disappointed. While on the medication, he learned to realize what triggered his bursts of anger and would actually call a time out for himself to go to his room and chill out. He graduated from high school last year with honors and was accepted into the Navy's ROTC scholarship program.

We are still working with the other two children. My daughter is a freshman this year and is nowhere near ready to come off her meds, but we continue to work with her using the techniques we learned with our son.

Not all children on medication for ADD or ADHD will get the opportunity to come off their meds. We were blessed that at least one of our kids has that opportunity.