PSA: ADHD meds | Imamother

amother

Sun, May 16 2021, 8:46 am

I want to start off with saying that I was hesitant to put any of my children on medication. But once I got past that I have an important observation that I think some of you would benefit from hearing.

I currently have two children on medication. We will call them Beryl and Shmeryl.
Beryl is in first grade and has been in meds since he was 5. Shmeryl is in the middle of high school and started medication this year. Long story about how that happened.

Anyway, Shmeryl keep stopping and saying that he's doing fine without it even though the school always sees him sliding back into his bad habits a d having trouble in class and with rules. It's very on and off and it's very challenging for him and for us and for the school and for everyone involved.

Beryl is still young and he started the medication when he was even younger and to him it's a fact of life! When I tell him to go take his medication in the morning he just runs over pops it in his mouth and has no problem with it! It's as normal to him as brushing your teeth and getting dressed each morning. If I had realized that my older child's needed it when he was so young, I really wish I would have started younger because I think we could have avoided so much of the heartache that we have now.

So that's my psa. That if you think your child could benefit from it please start them now. The longer you wait in the older they are when they start the figure of a deal it is and the more they resist and at that point they're old enough to just stop taking it and you don't even know about it for a certain amount of time.

I'm not saying that tons of kids need to be on medicine but when you're making your decision keep in mind that sometimes waiting can hurt and that the younger you start the better it is for everyone.

amother

Pink

Sun, May 16 2021, 8:52 am

I had children that started young like your Beryl but when they got to Shmeryl's age they also stopped because they decide they didn't need it anymore!!!
I wish it was that easy but teenagers grow up and they decide that if most of their friends manage without it, why shouldn't they?
The good news is once they had a job and decided to behave like responsible adults a few of my kids realized medicine was helpful after all and went back on it!

amother

Sun, May 16 2021, 8:55 am

amother [ Pink ] wrote:

I was considering this point before I made the post. You are completely correct that my young child has not yet become a teenager and I don't know what they will do or think when they get there. However, even if it is a problem I anticipate it will be at least a smaller problem than it is with my older child.

Being that I don't want to wait another 10 years to make this post, I want to share what I know now because I still think that people will find it helpful.

Even if he decides to stop in high school, he still had much more early success in his schooling and then he would have without it and that does a lot for his confidence and his initial study habits and so many other things! Of course I'm hoping he'll just continue it but we'll have to wait and see.

amother

Pink

Sun, May 16 2021, 9:31 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

True!!!

FranticFrummie

Sun, May 16 2021, 10:15 am

DD was the same way with Zoloft. She felt better, then decided that she didn't need it any more. She can be lazy about doing things daily and on time.

Then she ended up under a lot of stress from finals, and started taking it again. Now that she realizes the difference, she's totally compliant. It had to come from her, because no amount of lecturing from family or therapists was going to work.

amother

Indigo

Sun, May 16 2021, 10:40 am

I agree 100%
my oldest is adhd and suffered a lot as it took a lot for me to agree to put him on meds

I have 3 younger boys that I put on as soon as we realized they need it and they are saved a lot of trouble that my first suffered with

adhd meds can be lifesaving
benefits often outweight the risks when the meds are really needed