I hope you look into what he is eating. Try eliminating all dyes,artifical colors and sometimes they react to wheat and should be gluten free. But I would definitely try to elimate the dyes and color first. This was helpful for my child. Thanks,

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I hope you look into what he is eating. Try eliminating all dyes,artifical colors and sometimes they react to wheat and should be gluten free. But I would definitely try to elimate the dyes and color first. This was helpful for my child. Thanks,

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My daughter was quite mean and nasty and disagreeable and arguementative on Concerta. When we switched her to a different stimulant - it disappeared completely and I got my daughter back.

Also - I would agree completely with diet issues.... changing my daughers diet - had a bigger impact on her than the meds ever did!!!

keep pushing until you get it right! e

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when my she was coming off down a dose of concerta - she was a NIGHTMARE of screaming, raging, hyper, mean, arguing...it would last 1+hour when the dose was wearing off.

In this period of time of coming off the drug - I saw FAR WORSE behaviour than I ever saw unmedicated. Concerta was not a good fit for her...

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Your son sounds a lot like my 6yr old. We also had problems with his behavior on meds. It sounds like your son is taking a lot of medication. Try pulling him off of all artificial dyes. We did this with my son and the difference in his behavior is dramatic. We were even able to lower the dosage of his medication. Keep in mind of everything you buy. Read all lables for ingrediance, from soaps, handsanitzer, shampoo, toothpaste,even crayons. If my son touches crayons he breaks out in a rash. If he eats something with artificial color it's like his meds aren't working at all. Some childen with ADHD have allergies to dyes and these allergy symptoms mimic ADHD symptoms. I know it sounds like a lot of work but the end result will be worth it.

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I know it may seem unlikely because of a lack of "scientific" evidence, but I have found that eliminating artificial colors and flavors has made a major difference for my 13 year old daughter. We are still working on developing a consistent routine with avoiding these triggers, and I am reminded very succinctly why it's worth the effort when she is acting up. She can be extremely oppositional, aggressive, and behave oddly if exposed. Each time it takes about three days for the artificial stuff to work it's way out of her system. Today she put on some vanilla scented lotion at a friends house and lo and behold...here we go again. I joined the Feingold Association and plan to go gung ho with this because I have seen it make a difference. Even eating salicylates (google that, maybe with Feingold) can trigger her awful behavior, so I will be doing an elimination diet soon. Anyway, good luck! I hope this helps. I really think it could.

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One more thing- I reread your post and meant to mention that the whole reason I looked into the Feingold diet was because I knew the meds (Concerta) weren't doing the trick. I have gone in circles, racking my brain, trying to figure this child of mine out. I even took her to a developmental pediatrician an hour away for monthly visits to try to help her improve. All that happened was that she was put on two additional medications (with no improvement). After 6 months of that and more research, I read a line in an ADHD article that struck me: If there is no improvement with medication, reconsider the diagnosis". I thought, well, geez.... there is certainly no improvement. So, out of desperation, I joined what I thought were quacks and tried as best as I could to eliminate all artificial things. That's the only time I have seen a real difference. When we initially adhered to it, I actually enjoyed my daughter's company for the first time since she was about 18 months old...

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and mom doesn't think my behavior is impossible !!! Thanks God, because I'm a big fana of coca-cola (caffeine free, because since caffeine and Ritalin are tonicardiac, and use of two substance with the same chemical properties has to be made with great cautious). This story of diet is only a way to make believe you help, but instead, you don't help your child : all studies published in peer-reviewed journals say that it has no impact. It's only a way for guru to have more money from desperate parents, who want the best for their child. No one can blame parents to want the best for their child, but it's also my duty to put you in guard because when an illness can't be healed from medicine, you always have one or more guru who try to sell miracle pills, diets etc.... But first, there is no diet who change ADHD behavior and also, you can't change a diet without being careful : for example, if you suppress all dairies just because you believe it'll make this and that (like otitis), you can create lack in calcium, for example, and lack of calcium makes your bones becoming fragile and break easily (osteoporosis). Lack in vitamins are called avitaminosis (from Greek : a is privative, and vitaminosis is derived from vitamin), and if you lack C vitamin for example, you get the scorbut (like marines in Ancient times, when they were on the sea for months without fruits and vegetables). If a child lacks vitamin A, he can become blind (in third world countries, the most frequent cause of blindness is the lack of vitamin A in their food) and an adult loses the ability to see at night. And also, food fashion always changes : 20 years ago, they said that bread is a no no when you have to lose weight, now they say it's a yes yes. The only good diet is a diet where you eat a bit of everything, without excess : no abuse is healthy, even if you abuse of vegetables or fruits, called healthy food. If you want a cake, that's ok, but 10 cakes in an hour is a no no because it's too much. Take one cake, and take the time to get all the flavors, the textures etc... : you'll feel satisfied without guilt.

Did you try first to understand if something special happened : bullying at school, if someone asked him to do something wrong ? Did you try exercise like walking, swimming etc.... Exercise is advised to everyone, and not only ADHD patients. And physical exercise is even healthier than a so-told-miracle-diet, because there is no miracle cure in medicine. I am under Ritalin, it helps for sure, but it's not a miracle, like any therapy in medicine. And then, seek advice from his psychiatrist. If you and/or your child don't feel comfortable with the psychiatrist, try to know why, and first, talk with him/her. If nothing happens, it's clearly time to get another one, because even the best therapy won't work if there is no confidence between the patient and the physician.

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I feel the same way, actually I am having the same problem right now ! I know he can't help it and that makes me feel sorry for him. I feel helpless as a mother cause I can't figure it out. my son takes Focalin XR 20 mg which now they have 30mg which he will start in school. that is the only meds he can take that work for him. he only takes Clonodine at night .2 mg before bed to help him sleep. but he takes it with Periactin to also help for sleep but also helps him with his appetite during the day when he's on meds. I try to not put him on his meds during the summer b/c during the school yr it doesnt work as well but I cant take it. It's like I don't know this kid anymore and I don't want to be around him. I feel awful as a mother in that I want him to go away sometimes but also I feel sorry for him and feel like I have failed him b/c I can't help with the outbursts, anger. and he seems to get worse as well. I have spoken with other parents that have this problem and they say the hyperness just goes away one day. other problems still exist. we are seeing a psychologist now so I hope that helps. ADHD is a 24 hr issue and I guess our kids need to be medicated the whole time. it's sad and I pray that one day they will find a cure for it. my son also takes generic focalin in the afternoon at school 10 -20mg. my dr says to try not taking things away from him but to always make him earn it. it does help. I also put my son outside if he is having a fit and yelling or argueing. we live in the country so it's okay. he cannot come in till he says he's sorry and cleans up his mess. but making him earn everything seems to help some. and sometimes if I didnt like how he acted today I just don't let him have anything. I'm hoping eventually he realizes that I am the BOSS and he cannot speak to me that way. he listens very well to his father which we do not live with so I know he can listen to me too but maybe b/c I am his mother he knows I feel sorry for him. Good Luck to all of those.

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