Scared to get meds for DS-- UPDATE

amother

Cobalt

Sun, Feb 03 2019, 12:41 am

amother wrote:

Ritalin has been a lifesaver for my DS.
He doesn't take it on shabbos and it's a really hard day for us. He is not hyperactive but he gets so impulsive, hurts his siblings, can't calm down and is just wound up and ready to pop all day.
During the week, he is a normal child who is now at the top of his class (which is crazy because he couldn't read until he started Ritalin!), he has friends and is helpful and sweet. He reads books for pleasure and is brilliant in math - it's a world of a difference and I feel so bad for all the years he struggled in school academically and socially, while we first tried out all the alternative treatments, none of which helped.

OP here.

Thank you
Why doesn't he take it on shabbos?

amother

Cobalt

Sun, Feb 03 2019, 12:43 am

heidi wrote:

Very similar to my story.
I have had 3 kids on Ritalin. None are hyperactive. They are all scattered, some have social issues. None struggle academically. But none do brilliantly on tests, either bcz. they forget to study or bcz they can't really sit to study.
OP, before my first started Ritalin I sat on the edge of my bed and cried all night. I couldn't believe my perfect baby needed medication.
Within a week I was thanking Hashem that if he had to have something it was something that could be so easily treated.
We have had our ups and downs over the years. One kid got tics and had to go off and restart a few years later, with no side effects except diminshed appetite. One kid got aggressive on too high a dose but does brilliantly on the the lower dose.
One kid outgrew the need for Ritalin by the age of 17.
Good luck OP.
For our family it's been a miracle

OP here.

Yeah I'm worried about tics.
So when he stopped Ritalin for a few years, what did he do that? Did you take something else instead? How quickly did the tics go away when he stoped?

amother

Cobalt

Sun, Feb 03 2019, 12:44 am

amother wrote:

Personal story of DS.
He constantly got into trouble in school, he had no friends, doing crazy stuff all the time. Me and all kids were a wreck at home due to his constant fighting with siblings and misbehaving...
I didn't want to go with meds, I wanted to avoid it at all cost, we tried every natural alternative. We spent thousands on promised vitamins, natural remedies, therapies. Just not to go onto medication. Nothing worked long term.
Until I came to my senses and started him on Meds.
He is a new child!!! Our home became a fun serene place to be in and we spend great quality time together.
He still couldn't read and we tried many tutors, therapies, professionals and excersizes that promised results... without luck. He was sitting quietly in class but really had no clue what they learned.
Until we upped the dose of medication. Boom!!! This child reads, he understands, he is part of class! He opened up and is a changed kid.
We can only Thank Hashem for this amazing invention that is our childs lifesaver.
For those who hesitate, learn from my mistakes. Do it for yourself and for your childs benefit.

Thank you

FranticFrummie

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 8:59 pm

amother wrote:

OP here.

Thank you
Why doesn't he take it on shabbos?

Doctors recommend giving the meds a "break" every now and then, so a tolerance doesn't build up. It's a good idea to not take them on weekends and vacations, so that when the meds are really needed, you know that they'll have the maximum effectiveness in the system.

It's pretty hard on the parents, once they get used to having such a well behaved child during the week, but that's the price you pay.

amother

Goldenrod

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 9:03 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

This is not true for every child and every medication. Please follow the guidance of your own psychiatrist for the right advice for you.

amother

Chocolate

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:20 pm

I’m in this bind now. Dd was diagnosed with adhd today although I’ve been suspecting it for a few months now.
For us it’s more an issue of social skills, emotional regulation, and her being disruptive in class. Bh she is at the top of her class academically, even though she sometimes can’t be bothered with homework and even when she does the homework she forgets to hand it in.
The psychiatrist says she’s young and he doesn’t want to push for meds since she’s doing great academically. But he’s concerned about her self image due to all the punishments and lectures she’s getting at school.
We really have to sit on this and think about what we’re going to do.