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7 May 2008 @ 9:50 AM
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| Kathy M |
Join Date:
Wed 7th May 2008
Threads: 1 Posts: 1 |
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Teenage Help
My son is 16 and has always been very active and couldn't sit still for long. As his school work was always very good we didn't really worry. We noticed a change when he turned 14 , hes very small for his age and all his friends were passing him out in height and size. He was always one of the best in all sports and then because he wasnt growing like his peers he couldnt keep up, and he wasnt the star on the team anymore and was in some cases not even picked for the team. He started loseing interest in some of the sports and started hanging around the friend who didnt play sports. When he entered the 9th grade ad turned 15 he starting hanging around with a different crowd and got into a lot of trouble at school. He was suspended and his grades hit an all time low he wasnt even bothering to do homework. he started smoking pot and smoking cigerettes. He had taken my car out when we were all asleep one day after he got his learners permit and crashed it Then in November of this year while in 10th grade he was diagnosed with ADHD and put on Aderall xr. but only during school days. Almost immediately we could see a difference, he started doing all his homework and the grades started to get much higher, his last report card showed all A's and B+'s He seemed happier even his teachers told me they couldnt believe the difference. My concern is still for the weekends and on school holidays . Since hes been ungrounded and has been let out again he has gone back to his old (Nogood friends) and I know that only last week he smoked pot again (I test him) . He stole money from my purse and is smoking cigerettes and I know he has had a few beers. Should I have him on Adderallxr all the times . Anyone out there with similar issues. |
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7 May 2008 @ 7:58 PM
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| Sally V |
Join Date:
Wed 7th May 2008
Threads: 0 Posts: 1 |
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Teenage Help
Wow - you could be describing our situation exactly. Just diagnosed 6 months ago. Same path you shared, except my son can't take Adderall or the other faster acting stimulant ADD meds, bc he has a history of muscle tics and they won't prescribe bc it makes the tics worse. So we didn't see any relief yet on the grades, attention/impulsivity, or self esteem issues that have pushed him to the wrong (older) crowd & some bad habits in 9th grade. Very scary & sad times. I'm trying to find options for help before it gets worse. Most substance abuse programs are voluntary -- his consent and he doesn't think its a problem 'lots of people do it & lots of their parents are OK with it (which I'm shocked to say I'm finding to be true). ADD is tough enough...I don't want him hooked on top of everything else. We have to keep searching & and keep the faith. Its hard to share because of the criminal aspect of this but as a new ADD mom, I've learned its a very common path for our children. Especially when school isn't accommodating of ADD needs which ours hasn't been at all -- need help too!!! |
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7 May 2008 @ 8:00 PM
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| Anni |
Join Date:
Thu 25th Oct 2007
Threads: 1 Posts: 39 |
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Treating ADHD in Children
Hi Kathy: Thanks for posting your question. I know a lot of parents face the challenge of tweaking of ADHD medication so that it does the most good with the fewest side effects, so you are definitely not alone. ADDitude actually has a lot of stories about ADHD medication for children that you might find helpful... Index of articles: http://www.additudemag.com/topic/adhd-treatment/treating-adhd-children.html About Adderall: http://www.additudemag.com/topic/adhd-treatment/treating-adhd-children.html About fine-tuning medications: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/741.html Top 10 Questions about ADHD Medications... Answered!: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1592.html I hope these help! |
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8 May 2008 @ 8:35 AM
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| Kathy M |
Join Date:
Wed 7th May 2008
Threads: 1 Posts: 1 |
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Re Teenage Help to Sally V
Im not sure if Im doing this right , Im new at this. Thanks for replying to my post Yes our situations seem to be very similar. It was great to hear someone who actually understands what Im going through and not just thinking "What a little punk" which I know a lot of people think. Im looking into a phd who works with teenage adhd kids and Im going to a support group next Monday. Im thinking about asking the doctor to put him on the Adderall xr over the summer because Im dreading the long summer ahead . Ive tried getting him a job but he is so small for his age they take one look at him and tell him they will call him.. Anyway thank you for your reply and I will pray for you as well as for me. At the moment hes grounded (Yet again) and Im praying And I agree there is some stuff I cant even talk about here |
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8 May 2008 @ 5:53 PM
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4
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| ann |
Join Date:
Thu 8th May 2008
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teenage help
My 18 yr old son has been on meds most of life. It would be my worst nightmare if someday in the future, I find out something really bad was going to come out of this! But, I'd tried lots of other things, and ultimately it didn't seem like there was another way to keep him in school, with a reasonable self-esteem, other than on meds. He is graduating this year and I experienced some of the same things you reported, and worried if he'd make it this far! But, the good news is that it got better, but always with the help of compassionate teachers, therapy from time to time (for him and me!), and always staying informed about this condition and alert to his activities. I learned early on that my son couldn't take a medication vacation. He's too impulsive and has no fear! He also couldn't maintain friendships being so hyper and distractable. My son didn't just experience the ADHD symptoms at school. It's a condition that he deals with 24/7. Sometimes he forgets his meds on a week-day, and I tell him he can't drive my car! Sometimes he makes a decision to not take his meds for a day of a week-end or periodically thru the vacation, but he knows to evaluate the plans for the day and if it's needful. He's also experienced how he feels when he hasn't taken them for several days, and he's uncomfortable with how difficult it is to make good choices and follow directions. So, I hope this helps you and he with this decision. Good luck! |
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