Re: Advice on Adderall Medication

[Guest guest]

I know this may sound really horrible and sneaky.....

but......

Tell the teachers that you've started the meds up again. Ask to continue getting reports on your son.

See if what you hear changes.

We've done it over the years and were never really shocked that the teachers who thought he was "out of control" or "hyper", amazingly saw a difference when he supposedly started taking the meds.

Sorry about sounding kind of "down" on teachers............I have those days sometimes. ha ha

Robin

From: marcontheroad <marcontheroad@...>Subject: ( ) Advice on Adderall Medication Date: Thursday, January 7, 2010, 9:47 AM

Hi I am new and looking forward to getting some valuable advice.

My ex-wife and I are currently re-evaluating the need for my 12 year old son w Aspergers to take Adderall. He currently also takes Zoloft in tandem. We have taken him off for two weeks and in the last week, my son has returned to school. (The teachers knew in advance of the break in meds so it is not a blind test). The teachers are giving us a very detailed daily report, mostly describing my son as being more hyper, more talkative, more hungry and more figety. Some of the teachers take it one step further and state that he is distracting. In contrast, a few teachers do say that he is doing a good job and getting his work done and that his friends do not seem to notice or be affected.

My ex is very pro drug and likes to have a quieter child and I prefer to see my son off as soon as possible IF he does not need them. My personal observations is that he does seem a bit more hyper but also displays some positive benefits of being definitely more hungry and he seems to have less compulsive behaviors (e.g. coughing or spitting every five minutes). My son is very skinny.

I am inclined (even though skeptical of a teacher's bias for quiet students) to maintain his meds. I do not think he needs the meds to maintain his grades or perform his school work. I do not like the side affect of his stunted appetite. My son has said he feels more hyper but he also very suggestive and cannot help but think that he is partly echoing his mother's opinion. To repeat though, I do sense he is a bit more hyper without the meds but is it enough to warrant continued medication. The doctor offers little help IMHO.

I would appreciate any advice on the above, lessons learned, or your road traveled that might help me be a more informed father. Also, do any of you provide a shake supplement to your child to help with some weight gain. My son is very active in sports and loves football. I am not pushing him to excel in sports but I would like to remove obstacles that may prevent him from excelling. I have heard that the long term effects of Adderall is that these children do not get the height or weight growth back.

Thank you for your help.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/7/2010 8:21:29 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jrisjs@... writes:

the only problem that I can see with this is if the teacher asks the child if he has had his meds and the child says no. Many years ago I remember a family who had a child with ADHD and had run out of the meds and gave the child little candy mints to see if that would make him think he was on his meds. I don't know if it worked or not switched jobs and don't remember if I ever heard if it worked or not.

I know this may sound really horrible and sneaky.....

but......

Tell the teachers that you've started the meds up again. Ask to continue getting reports on your son.

See if what you hear changes.

We've done it over the years and were never really shocked that the teachers who thought he was "out of control" or "hyper", amazingly saw a difference when he supposedly started taking the meds.

Sorry about sounding kind of "down" on teachers............I have those days sometimes. ha ha

Robin

[Guest guest]

This is a tough decision. I have always tried to judge it through the filter of

my sons needs not mine or the teachers (although of course you cant disregard

them). When my son does not have his stimulant medicine he is extremely

impulsive. This leads to him doing A LOT of " bad " things. What is most

important about this to me is how it affects him. When he spirals down the road

of bad behavior he begins to really hate himself and always refer to himself as

a terrible kid. After a while he starts to shut down emotionally and really

take the approach that nothing matters because he will fail no matter what. So,

despite the side affects my son is better off on the meds rather than off.

I guess that what I am saying is that you have to look at your son and his

behaviors on and off the meds and decide which is the best overall for him. And

don't worry about the teachers but also understand that if he is behaving

outside the " accepted " way there will be concequences for him socially and

emotionally. If he is upsetting some of the teachers they WILL take it out on

him. That is a sad reality that you will have to deal with.

Vickie

>

>

> Hi I am new and looking forward to getting some valuable advice.

>

>

>

> My ex-wife and I are currently re-evaluating the need for my 12 year old

> son w Aspergers to take Adderall. He currently also takes Zoloft in

> tandem. We have taken him off for two weeks and in the last week, my son

> has returned to school. (The teachers knew in advance of the break in

> meds so it is not a blind test). The teachers are giving us a very

> detailed daily report, mostly describing my son as being more hyper,

> more talkative, more hungry and more figety. Some of the teachers take

> it one step further and state that he is distracting. In contrast, a few

> teachers do say that he is doing a good job and getting his work done

> and that his friends do not seem to notice or be affected.

>

>

>

> My ex is very pro drug and likes to have a quieter child and I prefer to

> see my son off as soon as possible IF he does not need them. My

> personal observations is that he does seem a bit more hyper but also

> displays some positive benefits of being definitely more hungry and he

> seems to have less compulsive behaviors (e.g. coughing or spitting every

> five minutes). My son is very skinny.

>

>

>

> I am inclined (even though skeptical of a teacher's bias for quiet

> students) to maintain his meds. I do not think he needs the meds to

> maintain his grades or perform his school work. I do not like the side

> affect of his stunted appetite. My son has said he feels more hyper but

> he also very suggestive and cannot help but think that he is partly

> echoing his mother's opinion. To repeat though, I do sense he is a bit

> more hyper without the meds but is it enough to warrant continued

> medication. The doctor offers little help IMHO.

>

>

>

> I would appreciate any advice on the above, lessons learned, or your

> road traveled that might help me be a more informed father. Also, do

> any of you provide a shake supplement to your child to help with some

> weight gain. My son is very active in sports and loves football. I am

> not pushing him to excel in sports but I would like to remove obstacles

> that may prevent him from excelling. I have heard that the long term

> effects of Adderall is that these children do not get the height or

> weight growth back.

>

>

>

> Thank you for your help.

>