Anyone With A Child Who Has ADHD???

my son has ADHD and the doctor put him on adderall and i keep on questioning whether this was the right option or the right thing to do. He cries for no aparent reason since starting this medication which i know is one of the side effects but still.... Do you think ADHD can be treated without meds or do you think they are the only way and do you think that there is a possibility that too many kids are misdiagnosed with this disorder?
My son takes 20mg a day and he seems a bit sluggish and not as hyper, do you or someone you have a child on this medication or a similar medication and did it make a difference in the long run? Did you see any improvements in school?

my son is 12

I am not an advocate for meds. I would rather see someone working with the child than on meds. I have seen kids. Well let me just say, I would look for alternative ways of dealing with this. Now if your child is out control and this is the only way to keep him safe or from hurting other I might say yes. Please search in your area for treatment centers. Please be careful this illness is very serious. May you and your child be Well.

yes my son is going to be a 7th grader now and his been taking ritalin for 2-3 years and i since a impovmenet on his behaver when his takes his meds, maybe you should take a summer break from the meds and seee if you see a differnt or in the 1st 2 weeks of school he should go with out them

Yes, there are non-drug ways. It involves watching what you eat etc. There are scientific studies conducted to prove their effectiveness. But for a holistic approach to treatment, you may want to throw in physical exercises, behaviour management in as well. I suggest you read this report up so that you will know what your options are:

http://www.adhdquestionsandanswers.com/A...

Adderall made the difference from C's and D's to A's and B's. The crying probably won't last and i don't think it has anything to do with Adderall.

I have adhd and i do not take medications. I changed my diet, which helped alot.What set me off was sugar and red food coloring.

The medication puts you in a daze and doesn't help very much, school wise.

I am not sure but you could allways get a second appion.

My brother has ADHD but he's not on meds.

uh how old is he?

If you don't like the side effects discuss it with your doctor... I have seen great results with my students who have been put on Stratera... If you feel the dosage is making him not act himself ask to have it reduced to 10 or 15mg...
I have seen students improve their school work... Sometimes it is difficult to find the right schedule for giving the pill... Sometimes it is better for the students to receive the pill around 8AM so it is effective while they are at school however 'wears' off by the time they get home so that things remain normal at home...
Discuss your concerns with your doctor... You don't have to medicate for ADHD if you don't feel comfortable with it!! You can do others things as well such as taking red dye completely out of his diet or limiting his sugar intake...
Yes I think there are way too many kids that fall under the ADD/ADHD category... I have spoken to 'older' teachers and they say its due to lack of parenting and lack ot making children responsible and/or respectful...
My opinion- the world is changing and we need to change with it! There are a lot of parents who do not medicate their children for different reasons...
My sister was medicated for about 2 months before my mom decided she didn't like the way it 'changed her'... My mom was told my sister would never be an A student, would never go to college and would most likely drop out because she was too distracted to learn... My sister is a teacher like me!!

Do what you believe will help your child the most!!

This is a tough situation for all of us parents with ADHRers for kids. I am ADHD and did not find out that I was such until my son was diagnosed at 6. I survived (w/out meds)and though I have bouts of depression due to my mistreatment at the hands of teachers who desired a contrite and quiet learner, I have chosen to raise my son without meds. I took him out of school and am homeschooling him. It gives me the ability to structure his social life and academics to fit his needs and abilities. Not all families have this luxury though.
Please don't continue him on any medication that seems to be making him "cry for no apparent reason". If you are going to use the medical route, pester his doctors until they make him comfortable, not just malleable.
There are lots of natural ways to help you son. A healty diet and lots of exercise work wonders. A behaviour specialist can help too. Please don't look to the behaviour specialists that are not used to treating ADHDers. They will expect something from your son that he will not be able to provide until he is older.
He will learn to adapt to the linear world around him. For now just remember that inside our (ADHD) heads there is a lot going on. I always knew I was "different". My thoughts go about my head like a ping pong ball (somedays 'balls') but, I could always see the rest of the world working in a straight line.
A book that freed me from many preconceived notions about ADHD was 'Attention Deficit Disorder in Adults, A Different Way of Thinking' by Lynn Weiss. I was able to get it at the local library. I hope it helps you as much as it did me.

Well not my son...but my 14 yr. old brother has ADHD. Yes, he's always hyper and wont calm down. But i know that he takes some kind of medication every morning. I don't know what its called because my parents say its none of my business. It actually HAS made a difference in school. I know that he makes better grades now and focus's more on his work. But in the behavior category its still kinda shakey...he doesn't cry like your son. I don't know why tho. I'm not going to lie but his hyperness doesnt go down at all!!! He's always wild, making noises, and all that stuff.
He can control it at school, but not at home with his family. =[
Idk why.

you should have been offered different options of things to try with him and lots of testing should have been done to him to properly diagnose him.
sometimes tweeking the enviroment and diet will go along way and adaptations to your lifestyle will help also.
if he is sluggish i would be concerned. some parents with mild ADHD will give thier children a mellow yellow in the morning for the caffien dosage and then pack thier lunch and breakfast and snack with things that work well with thier child.
i would get a second opinion and make sure that you are doing the right thing and that the positives of being on this medication outwiegh the negatives.
good luck