mina, another forum that has excellent information about ADHD medication and other ADHD issues is www.millermom.proboards107.com ~ several of us participate there as well as here.

I realize we've gotten off of the original question that was asked about activities that are good for kids with ADHD and/or LDs, so maybe the best thing would be to address medication issues on the above forum, and go back to the original topic of hobbies here. (Sorry, jonsmom, for getting side-tracked!)

I am going to say thank you very much to all of you for responding me, i don't feel am alone anymore :) i will search for a psychiatrist and pediatrician too, and of course for a reasonable insurance company first of all :) i have a lot to do!! Actually, Ritalin helps a lot but i am not sure about dosage( it was a long time ago that Dr prescribed) i wish, could use medication from first day, so we wouldn't had those hard times and years! Medication effects his appetite, but it is good for him b/c of having a few lb over weight.

dittos, Michellea!

I concur. It is a process to determine the best type and dosage of medication, and a specialist is best equipped to help you manage the ADHD and medication.

In addition to an adolescent psychiatrist, a developmental neurologist is another specialist that is often very experienced with ADHD and the treatment.

We have found that medication is the single most effective treatment for my son's ADHD. While it is not a cure all, it allows him to attend so that he can put in place the compensatory strategies he has learned in the area of organization and planning - his greatest areas of challenge.

Mina, I concur with italgirl, and recommend a child or adolescent psychiatrist for the most knowledgeable medication management. (Adolecent means "teen," and if your son is 12, he is probably close to puberty. The combination of hormones and his growth will probably mean that medication will need adjustment over time.)

mina,
you said your son tried the ritalin--did you see an improvement w/ his ADHD? if not, then perhaps a different dosage or different medication all-together, would be more effective for him. medication alone is not a cure-all. While many ADHD/ADD children show great improvement w/ medication alone, some children require additional behavioral or adjunct therapy. Did you stop the medication b/c it was just the whole idea of 'medicating' your son? Whether or not to place one's child on medication is often a difficult decision to make. It took years before we decided to place our oldest daughter on medication for ADD. I was fearful that it would somehow change her or cause scary side effects. But after seeing great improvement w/ her ADD once she started medication, i then asked myself why i waited so long! As far as 'who' can prescribe the medication, (and unless something has changed) it must be a medical doctor. I know some parents have their child's pediatricians do the prescribing of ADHD/ADD medications--some pediatricians are very knowledgeable about ADHD and ADD and parents often feel more comfortable working with their child's pediatrician. Personally, I prefer to bring my daughter to a pediatric psychiatrist who works with many children just like her, on an everyday basis. And then there are pediatric psychiatrists who SPECIALIZE in working w/ only ADHD/ADD children. Just make sure you find a doctor who is willing to work closely w/ your son (and you) in order to find the right medication or treatment.

Hi, my 12 years old son had diagnosed with ADHD when he was 5 years old, his Dr prescribed him Retalin but i haven't used it and tried other ways without medication till last year in the beginning of the school year began to use it but i am not sure it would be right for him and decided to visit a doctor but i am not sure about which kind of doctor i must consult, i am new in the United States, would you let me know about? It would be so helpful!!

witsendmom, in our case, my child would eat a hearty breakfast BEFORE taking the Adderall, so he didn't swallow it on an empty stomach, and since it's still 1/2 hour - 45 minutes before the bus arrived at school, the medication had enough time to start taking effect. As with italgal's child, we found the appetite suppression effects were not a major problem after he got used to them.

Thanks everyone for all of your helpful information. We go back to the doctor on wednesday for a new perscription. I don't know if he is going to keep my daughter on the Adderall 5mg. or change it. I will keep you posted.

witsendmom--have your daughter eat a good meal soon after taking the medication in anticipation of a loss of appetite later on. my youngest daughter lost her appetite at first but after she adjusted to the medication, she now has no problemm w/ her appetite. you may also find that the long acting may work in a different way for your child, even though it is chemically no different than the short acting one. my oldest daughter did better on short acting meds--my youngest daughter does best w/the long acting daytrana patch. you have to go thru trial and error to find out what works best for your child:)

witsendmom, yes, AdderallXR is the extended release version. Just recently, they've come out with a generic version of it, and some people feel that their children don't respond the same. (Generics are allowed to vary somewhat from the brand name.) If you'd like to participate in another forum where ADHD medications and topics are discussed in greater detail, please join www.millermom.proboards107.com

Hi italgal-yes, this is the first time my daughter is on Adderall. The first time I gave it to her she had a slight headache and said she felt a little weird, but then the next few days she was fine with it. The only side effect I see is that she has no appetite when she is on it. We have another dr. appt. next week so I will see what he says. My daughter takes the lowest dosage 5mg. and it is not the time release one. When she starts school in Sept. I may ask the dr. to prescribe the time release adderall because I think it lasts longer.

witsendmom--is this your daughter's first time taking the adderall? taking the med at 10am during the week she's off from school should not be a problem; if it's long acting and your daughter goes to bed early, then she may have some difficulty falling asleep. the long-acting adderal doesn't really last 8 hrs. when my daughter took adderal, she took it before school (around 7am); but on the weekends, she took it when she got up and sometimes it wouldn't be until 10-11am. she didn't have any probs sleeping b/c often she went to bed later on the weekends.

just start w/ lowest dose--there's no need to give it a couple weeks--you should know after 3 days if the medication or dosage is right for your child. it's important to find a doc who is willing to work closely w/ you to find what works.

I take Adderall for adult ADD and from experience The Adderall I take @ same time everyday if the meds are taken any later in the day you will have extreme difficulty going to sleep... I try not to take my meds no later than 9 or 10 am or I will never be able to sleep that night....

Metadate is for inattentive ADD only .. My daughter eats less and is less talkitive when taking her meds but that is the only change I notice .. She is monitored by her Dr every 3 months to make sure she is gaining the weight she needs to gain.. Yes Metadate is by prescription only and is known as a controlled substance which I think most ADD meds are "controlled" substances... Hope it helps

You're very welcome!

healthy11, thank you so much for the information, it helped me a lot, I feel better now. The pill is not a time release. I also checked out that sight and it is helpful thank you

witsendmom, are you talking Adderall or AdderallXR? (XR is extended release) If Adderall, then it's generally only effective for 4-6 hours, and it won't matter if she takes it at different times each day, depending on when she needs better focus and concentration. If it's AdderallXR, which can last 8-12 hours, depending on a person's metabolism, then you don't want to be giving it at noon, since your child might still be alert at midnight! My son, now in college, has a fast metabolism, and if he takes Adderall XR at 8:00 a.m, it seems to wear off by 4 p.m., so he also may use a regular Adderall for another 4 hours of concentration if he's got a lot of studying to do at night.
My concern is if you've never even given your daughter ANY medication for ADHD, you'll have no way of knowing if 5 mg is even effective. It may not be. Please join and post in the www.millermom.proboards107.com group, where there are alot of past discussions on starting medications; I'm sure you'll find the support you need.

I have a problem and hope someone can answer it for me. My daughter has a break next week before starting summer school and likes to sleep late usually until 10 or 11:00 o'clock in the morning before summer school starts. I have to start her on the Adderall starting next week before summer school starts and was wondering if I have to give her the pill at the same time everyday, because when she starts summer school, I will give it to her around 8:00 o'clock in the morning and next week will probably be around 10:00 A.M. when she wakes up. Please help and let me know.

Hi Healthy11, thank you so much for replying back, I feel a little bit better now. The dr. put her on the lowest dosage 5mg. just to try it out and see how she handles it. Thanks also for telling me about the website. It helps to talk to other mothers and fathers also who are going through similar situations.

witsendmom, my son has taken Adderall for his ADHD for over 10 years. While it seemed to reduce his appetite initially, he makes up for that by getting a good, hearty breakfast before he takes the medication, and he eats almost constantly after it wears off. As Michellea mentioned, if you'd like to discuss more about ADHD treatments, please join the www.millermom.proboards107.com forum

To michella, I am so nervous putting my daughter on Adderall, because I don't want her to walk around lathargic. I read that it also would kill her appetite, but she has to go to summer school and I don't want her to struggle, so I have no choice. I am just really scared and nervous about this whole thing.

The medications you are all speaking of are stimulants. There are two "families" of stimulant medications: Adderall belongs to the Amphetamine family and ritalin/ concerta to the methylphenidate family.

If one or the other causes melt downs, it might make sense to try a drug in the other family. My own son has done very well on Concerta, which is an extended release methylphenidate. Occasionally he will use Ritalin if he needs the meds for a shorter period (like for tutoring during the summer). We have found that the let down from Ritalin is much more harsh than the concerta. Concerta seems to slowly wear off, without any noticeable side effects. On Ritalin, he gets very quiet and wiped out. The neurologist has said that this is most likely due to the differences in the delivery system of the medicine.

Don't be afraid to ask questions of your doctor. I've found that this website has some very knowledgeable people in the area of ADHD, Medication and LD"s millermom.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general

My daughter had just been diagnosed in April with inattentive ADD. My daughter is going for biofeedback help which are excersices she does on the computer. Then dr. put her on the Adderall. She has never taken any medication for her ADD.

What about side effects? do you notice anything?

That's so good to hear, I thought it was just me. It was breaking my heart to see him go through it.
THANKS SO MUCH

Wow that seems like so much for a little kid. I'm just so frustrated and want him to do well in school, but don't know what else to do. He's also developmentally delayed so he has that working against him too. He really has the mindset of a 5 year old and he's 7.

I don't mean to scare you, because I've heard GREAT things about it, but the meltdowns my son is having at night are just not worth it for me. He was on Concerta for a few months and helped him greatly, but I wanted to let him have a break, but I think I'm going to try it again. 18mg. My niece is on it and has been for 4 years and she's 10 now. She tells me that she doesn't notice anything weird and is able to concentrate in school.
Hope this helps
Addyb2

Is that by perscription only and what is it used for other then ADD? I'm in desperate need for my son to do better in school and the Adderral is NOT it.
THANKS EVERYONE

Has your daughter ever taken Metadate , my daughter has been on this for a few yrs now she is 12 the meds made a huge improvement in her concentration and attention also retaining info.. I don't hear of many kids taking it for ADD but it has helped my child tremendously .. I don't notice "coming off " symptoms at all ... Just a suggestion ..

Just yesterday, I had gotten a prescription for adderall for my daughter but didn't get it filled yet. I am scared now that I am reading about the meltdowns and side effects about Adderall.

definetly the medication! alot of kids get really edgy as the med wears off---kinda of like 'coming off' the med. sometimes, doc will prescribe a small dose of a short acting med in the midday (like around 3pm) to counteract this of side effect.

yes! my daughter had MAJOR meltdowns on the adderall too. 2 days on adderall and i took her off of it b/c there was no doubt in my mind that the adderall was causing it.

yes, my daughter got very agitated and angry w/ the adderall. we've tried several different meds--now my daughter is on the daytrana patch and that seems to be working the best. sounds like your son's doc needs to try something else? i don't know if there is a minimum age for the daytrana patch use, but it seems that, for our daughter at least, it gives a steady release of the med and she doesn't have the irritability associated w/ all the other long-acting meds she's tried.

So you've experienced with a lot of meds? How about concerta? I had him on that also about 6 months ago and it seemed to help him in school, but he was going to the bathroom like 10 times an hour. not really going pee just kept going thinking he had to go. He was on 18mg/day. He's now taking the Adderrall and the meltdowns in the evening are horrible and I feel so bad. I'd love some feedback....

Yesterday was his first day on it and at about 7pm he had a total meltdown and cried for an hour and obsessed about things..yada yada....Totally out of charachter for him. He was angry and I didn't know if it was becasue he was tired or it was the medication. Any thoughts???

It seems to me that when he was diagnosed w ADHD he got worse. He was on Vyvanse before the Adderall, however, I didn't like the side effects. He lost 2 lbs in a month. So, his doctor switched him to Adderall XR, 10 mg. Now, it seems that he is so angry and I don't know if it is one of the side effects, or what have you's.

Look forward to any and all feedback.

hi mamaofalec-
did your son become destructive before or after he started adderall? the reason i ask is b/c our daughter didn't do well on adderall--her mood changed greatly and she became very agitated as the medication wore off. adderall works well for alot of kids, but not for all. also, could his destructive behavior be due to the frustration he feels from the ADHD? i mean, he's only 5 and he's still kinda little to express the confusing thoughts and feelings associated w/ the ADHD. frustration

i believe our 12 yr old daughter has tried about 15-20 things! she's still trying new things. she loved water polo b/c it was intense and she had to keep moving every second. but most recently, she wanted to join a competitive cheer team...this one i'm not so sure about...she's already complaining about it--probably b/c its very structured. she has ADD (inattentive type) and we are rather used to her wanting to change activities. we always make sure she keeps the commitment for the whole session/season before moving on to something else. actually, i'm rather proud of the fact that our daughter can say that she's tried so many different sports/activities! eventually, she'll find her way. our oldest daughter is 23, has ADD inattentive type, and has found her way in the world quite nicely. eventually, they all do, as long as we just go with the flow and help them discover what works best for them:) let's not worry so much about what others think!

Hey,

Does he have any friend's who live down the street? I send my son outside to play with his little friend every day. He comes in to check in, but, at the end of the day, he's tired, and he sleeps soooo well!

Hi! My name's Karla and I have a 5 1/2 year old son with ADHD. He's on Adderall XR and it doesn't seem to be helping him.
I am soooo stressed out right now and I don't know what to do. He doesn't want to listen to mama, and is extremely destructive. Any thoughts?

Hi Jonsmom, I was so thrilled when I found this site. I use to cry and think that I am the only one with this problem, until I found this site. It was such a relief to talk to other parents who are going through the same thing I was going through with my 12 yr. old daughter. She was failing all of her tests, but she use to study all of the time and I couldn't understand why until my husband and I got her tested for ADD and found out that she has inattentive ADD.

My son is 7 and is developementally delayed and recently dianosed with ADHD this past year. We've tried Soccer, swimming, gymnastics...Swimming lasted the longest, but ended up losing interest. He does have a DS plays that off and on, but doesn't watch TV/movies. I'm not sure what to have him try next???...Help

Isn't it a relief to talk to other parents whose kids have trouble finding and sticking with a hobby or activity? For years I felt so alone in my frustration, because my family, friends, and even my husband at the time couldn't understand why I couldn't "make" my son stick with something. As you can all attest, it just isn't that easy! You've all come up with some great ideas for helping you kids find their way -- or allowing your child to find her way (a natural outlet, like the piano) and honoring it. Kudos to all of you!

our 12 yr old daughter has ADD and she's always had a hard time sticking w/ one activity. b/c of this.we have encouraged her to try a variety of sports & activities w/ hopes that something will appeal to her for the long term. over the years, our daughter has enjoyed a wide variety of activities; it's kept her busy and she's more 'worldly' as a result of these experiences. over time, we've learned to become less concerned w/ something 'sticking' and increasingly amazed how versatile our daughter has become!

We just found out that my daughter has ADD and we find that when she gets frustrated or angry, she plays the piano. She never had any lessons, but she taught herself how to play. I guess that is her way of escaping.

Swimming and rowing were my daughter's sports and she competed through high school. We started swim team at age 5--I did not know when we started but it was cheap occupational therapy. She could not pull both arms evenly out of the water for freestyle in the beginning. With daily practice, her stroke became even and effective. Crew (rowing) was beneficial as a club sport because it is a team sport--all 8 have to row together or the boat doesn't go. And, in both sports, no one cared about the reading, writing or math skills which were still developing in the classroom.

Other kids with LD take up horseback riding and compete at rodeo or show circuits. Others become competitive divers. Some make rugs, design jewelry or create websites. The most successful hobbies/activities that seem to stick for kids with special needs involve either (or both) physical competition or creativity. Many kids with ADHD or LD excel at thinking outside the box--helping them find a passion that suits their unique way of looking at life is a challenge but once found, is most rewarding.

My daughter will be 12 in 3 days .. She is an only child w/ ADD and being tested soon for a poss LD.. She does not seem to find interest in any one thing for more than a few weeks .. She does sports ( soccer, gymnastics, and swimming .) The longest was swimming 3 weeks and 2 days was the time she said she didn't want to do it anymore.. She isn't in to video games ( which I am greatful for ) She does have a Nintendo DS and enjoys that when all else feels. If anything she is involved in seems to challenge her in way. She gives up and says she doesn't want to continue.. Thats w/ sports, education, or video games.. What can I do to hold her interest in anything that will benefit from ??? Concerned ...

My son with ADD/LD had a consistent pattern with sports. He would show intense interest for a year, then he could care less. He took baseball, karate, soccer, gymnastics, and diving. Finally, he asked to start body building last summer, and we got him a personal trainer. This has made all the difference in the world. It seems that one-on-one attention is what he needed, and he never got that from coaches. I think his hyperactivity caused them to overlook him because he has a lot of athletic ability, but no coach took an interest in him. His personal trainer is amazed by him, and the two of them have really bonded, with the trainer talking my son into going out for track and field next year. My husband and I tried to get our son to do this for years, and he wouldn't, but the trainer was able to convince him. I hope that the coach pays attention to him because, if he doesn't, my son will lose all interest by the end of the first semester. If the coach does pay attention to him, then I truly believe my son could be a track and field star at the high school. I really do. So does his personal trainer.

I wonder what you mean by "something might happen to him"?

It sounds like the gaming design class is a perfect idea. He may be anxious the first class or two, but he probably wants to be able to do it.

One idea that might help would be to make his access to his home electronics contingent on taking this class. And put limits on it as a general rule also. These games can just suck these insecure kids into a too comfortable cocoon.

My nephew was like this, shy, insecure and perfectionist. He refused to take classes or find jobs. Now he's in a college for gaming technology and blossoming. He's discovered, as we had told him all along, that he was more than "good enough".

My son comes home every day just plays on his Computer or x box . I try to help him make friends it is so hard he is very shy , I thought about joining him in a computer program for ggame diesgning durning the summer but because of his shyness I am afraid something will happen to him he is 16 any suggestions

Thank you all for sharing your experiences! My son found solo sports (swimming, karate) much better for him than team sports. He's also always struggled a bit working in groups in a classroom. He's very bright and social but has a hard time sharing responsibility like one needs to do as part of a team. He wants everyone to carry an equal part of the burden, which (as we adults know all too well) isn't always realistic. Sigh....

My girls have always been into everything, in several senses of the phrase.

Their pattern with sports, is to be very enthusiastic for a year or so, then begin to pull away, eventually refusing to participate anymore. Then they sign up for something else, and the cycle repeats. They've been through numerous sports this way. Swimming and ice skating have each repeated a few times.

Right now, they are, for the first time, in different sports. Horses for one, soccer & tennis for the other.

Both of my kids are also very creative, but prefer not to take lessons outside of the school arts programming. It's like they don't want it to be ruined by regimentation. Fortunately, I used to be a designer, and we're surrounded by other creative professionals, so they can find encouragement and mentoring easily.

One of my twins is very interested in fashion design right now. But I know that she hasn't the patience to learn how to sew quite yet. But we did visit the bridal boutique at the big Macy's downtown, and she had a lovely chat with the manager.

I've always had them in girl scouts too. I think it's a great way to expose kids to a broad array of possibilities, as opposed to signing them up for a series of expensive lessons in something they might hate.

Getting involved in social activities has been a challenge for us at times. We tried basketball and karate after he showed an interest but they were not things he excelled at, and soon became more like chores than fun for him. During elemenary school Cub Scouts was an activity that he enjoyed but moving up to boy scouts and one of his friends that had been in scouts with him since 1st grade moved away, this too became something he focused more on avoiding than enjoying.

His on-going passion has involved computer gaming but it becomes more isolating than socializing and needs to be balanced with other activites. Persueing some of his other interests were limited due to living in a rural area. As he gets older he is finding others who aren't sports buffs and not socialites, but it can be challenging.

What a great story about your father and daughter - very touching. Our kids with challenges are often very compassionate beings, knowing what it means to struggle and be "different." My son too has a knack with animals. He's now a big hulking 19-year-old who wants to get involved with kitten socialization at our local SPCA!

My daughter has a way with people and animals that has been ever present.

My father had a stroke when she was only three. She loaned him her favorite teddy because, according to her -- even though it was going to be hard for her to sleep without him, her grandpa needed him more than she did. She did make it clear to him that as soon as he came home from the hospital -- teddy was all hers again. Although my father coudn't yet speak at that time, his expressions conveyed he understood. He clung to that teddy while tears streamed down his face. She reassured him, "Don't cry Poppy, it's going to be OK."

Can't explain it, but she has a way with people and a certain magnetism with animals.

Right now, she is learning to train dogs to work off leash and enjoys spending time with and riding horses. She has "rescued" various creatures including lizards and kittens. She truly stepped up to the plate when a friend found kittens that neither the friend or the mother cat were able to take care of. She spent all her free time helping me bottle feed and keep their bedding clean. Not only that, but when they were old enough -- she found new homes for two of them. The 3rd has become a permanent member of our family.

Through the years, we will continue to expose her to various activities and hobbies. As they wax and wane, I believe she will ultimately find her own voice.

(404351)

My son LOVES:
1. The outdoors
2. Golf

He enjoys Boy Scouts, on the track team.

His passions emerged very early. From the time he could walk, he enjoyed playing outside in the sand, snow, woods. He began hitting golf balls at age 2 with his Little Tykes golf set. When he started pre school, he was king of the sand box.

Boy scouts came later and I wouldn't call it a passion, but it is a strong interest that nurtures his love for the outdoors. The troop is very supportive and it has been a way to keep him connected to the community even though he goes to a private school. When he is tired, he needs encouragement to go - but he is always up for taking part in the camp outs, hikes and special events.

This year he joined the track team at his school. Again, it is VERY supportive and he loves the social aspect as well as the physical exercise. While he doesn't love to run, he likes it. And being with the group on a team is an important bonus.

We've tried other things - Karate which he did for 3 years, baseball, lacrosse. He did not have a passion for these sports and was not able to get the energy at the end of the day to participate.

As far as encouraging him - we took cues from him. It was evident what he enjoyed and did well in. And he makes it loud and clear when an activity is not up his alley!