adhd

[little coojy]

has any one got any oppinions on medication for this my sons age 11 and his school has asked for him to be tested for this so i'm waiting for appointment but wanted some advice so i'm more prepared

[sunflower68]

little coojy I can't claim personal experience but I have worked with lots of children with adhd who are taking the medication Ritalin.

There has been a lot of negative press about giving this out to children but in my opinion it gives the child a chance at a normal life. If your lad is showing the adhd tendancies then I presume you are under a lot of pressure and stress and will feel you are unable to control him. He will feel very lost, confused and similarly will not understand why he cannot behave 'normally.'

The medication may give him a chance to behave like his peers which is all he really wants. Be open-minded to the advice of your doctor who may suggest you give the medication a try.

[MrsJo49155]

you could also get him food tested at a local health food shop - my nephew had ADHD tendencies but it was down to an intolerence to wheat and sugar. Now it has been cut out of his diet the improvements are amazing! Ritalin only works for children with ADHD so if he takes it and it has no effect then you can be sure that something else is the reason. Giving him fish oil with omega 3 in it will also help concentration.

Good luck!

[sense4all]

Try the allergy testing first, you can save a packet on the epa fish oils if you pay attention to Holland and Barretts special offers !http://www.hollandandbarrett.co.uk/

[little coojy]

thanks for above advice i will certainly look into it.

[sappho1971]

Hello little coojy.
My son is 15 and has been on Ritalin(Methylphenidate) since the age of 7. I dont like the idea of him taking this powerful class A drug but knowing that his quality of life has improved so much by taking it,it seems the good points out way the bad points in our case.
Testing for ADHD isnt taken lightly in the UK and until it is proven without a doubt that the child has this registered mental illness only then will medication be considered. So I would rest assure that if your son does require Ritalin, he will have had a series of tests (ie given a dummy pill,called a placebo) and if you see a remarkable difference in him and he improves in areas of his life then let that be all you need, think positive and dont try to think its all doom and gloom. Its been hard I wouldnt tell you any other, but when I see Sam now growing into a confident young man Iam proud that he has turned out the way he is.

Please contact me if you require any more info and I will gladly try to help you all I can.
I remember the first book I read about ADHD was called "Understanding ADHD" by Dr Chris Green, just reading that and knowing there were other parents and kids going through the same thing helped tremendously.

[mw]

i myself have a 11 year old with adhd and is medicated. I also have a 13 yr old just diagnosed and awaiting a trial. As someone has said if they are not adhd and medicated it will not make a difference.
In my experience the medication helps with the symptoms and gives them a better handle on life etc.
If you are looking for information why not visit
www.adders.org
as they have lots of information on ADHD and have a forum where you can speak to other parents with children with adhd.
Good luck with your child