One of the triplets has SID and also diagnosed as severely developmentally disabled. You wouldn't know it if you just saw her, but in time you would see that the pistons weren't firing right.

Anyway, we have been seeing a neuro-psych, and he said Maggie is "all over the place". She cannot concentrate to get the testing done, she is thinking of the next 2,3 things to talk about even before she's done with this thought and she has frontal lobe issues. He really thinks ADHD drugs are the answer---at least preliminary answer to get her to slow down and hopefully focus.

Who has had this happen, what are the results and what type of drug is your child taking? He wouldn't give me a specific name because he wanted to talk to our pediatrition. I asked if it came in liquid form and he didn't know (because he's a psychologist and not psychiatrist).

Please give me your thoughts. I hate that this is an option and according to him, a good one, but I need to get over this guilt and give it a try to see if it helps....right?

Karen

Mom to 5 Beauties
Allison,10,Grace,6
Margaret, Melissa, Michelle (6/20/02--34weeks 1day)

Showing other MOMS how to stay home and earn extra income!
www.ImagineBALANCE.com/TakeChargeNow

Hi Karen,
My son had different issues than your daughter but I think the feeling of not sure if you want to give medication to you child is the same.

My son has high functioning autism. Ashe got older werealised he also had som OCD (obsessive compulsive issues). We tried many different ways to keep this under control but it made life difficult for him and us.

At 4 years old we asked our developmental ped about meds. She also felt it was woth a try since we had tried to do with out and it was controlling his life. Once he started taking the meds the obsessiveness pretty much went away. We still have a moment here or there but the benefits definitely outweighted.

It's hard to make that choice but you have think about if your child could like the dr said maybe slow down and learn on the meds and than maybe over time be taken off.

Anyway that was my experience. My son is now 7yr old and still on the meds, but his OCD was quite severe.

God luck!

Julie

Karen,
Has Maggie ever had a sleep study done?

My little Ian was recently seen by an ENT for ear tubes for poor receptive hearing. The ENT noticed how hyperactive he was at the appointment (due in part to the two hour wait I should add.)

The doctor told me that the trend now is to never give meds for ADHD until sleep apnea has been completely ruled out with a sleep study. He also mentioned that taking out the tonsils and adenoids completely eliminates the need for meds in many children.

One of my friends had four children on ADHD meds due to severe problems. She had a T and A done on each of her kids and was able to take 3 of the 4 off of all of their meds with great results.

I did not know any of this before speaking ot the ENT, so I wanted to mention it to you. Good luck and HTH!

Cynthia
DS-7/99
BBB born 8/04 at 31 4/7 weeks

Karen, both of my older boys are on medication for ADHD. We have tried just about every medication out there and the only one that has worked for us is Adderall.

As others have mentioned, medication is not right for every child, and if medication is the answer, not every child needs the same medication.

Our boys doctor first had us try Concerta, which is a long-acting Ridlin. It worked for concentration, but our oldest boy started to act depressed and stopped eating and sleeping.

We then started Adderall, which works great, but when Stratera came out we gave it a shot. All was well during the summer, Daylan was very well-behaived and seemed happy. The problems came when he started back to school and his school work was proof that it was working on the outside for everyone else, but not for him.

When Austin started Kindergarden his we together with his teacher made the observation that he was having the same problems as Daylan. We started him on Adderall. I think it was the best thing for him. He never had the chance to fall behind in school and is, in his teacher's opinion, her "model student."

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.

Jonna

G 25
B 17
B 13
G (Stillborn Angel 4/16/05)
BGB 1/06 @ 27 wks
Grandaughter 3

my 8 yr. old gs who lives with us has add.

we have known something was wrong/different for several years, but he was not given a proper diagnosis until last year.

we did get a second opinion after the diagnosis, just to make sure before putting him on medication for it.

he is old enough to understand what is going on, that the pills don't "fix" him, they just give his mind enough peace to concentrate on making the right choices. there is no on or off switch in his mind without the medications.

he is on concerta (1 pill a day!), and trazodone in the evenings. we had to get the trazodone because the concerta kept him up too late, the trazodone also helps with depression.

I keep a good eye on his appetite, and he understands that sometimes you have to eat even when you are not hungry. I also keep assure or it's equivalent in the house for when he has no appetite at all.

whether you choose to medicate or not, there is light at the end of the tunnel. there is so much information on add/adhd now, and treatments, both medical and counseling!

my gs is improving all the time.