I am so sorry you are experiencing such problems right now. If your son wasn't having these outbursts before his current medication, it very well could be a side effect of a medication that just isn't right for him. Not all children can tolerate all medications. Reference this wonderful article by Larry Silver, M.D. from ADDitude Magazine, ADHD Medication Strategies: Avoiding Side Effects of ADHD Drugs: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/957.html. Of course, you should always seek the advice of the prescribing doctor when you feel like you have experiencing trouble with prescriptions, and it sounds like you are doing just that. Medication trials can be extensive and daunting but you will figure it out with the help of your doctor. Hang in there!

Penny W., ADDitudemag.com & ADDConnect.com Community Moderator ADHD Momma to Luke, age 7 {a mom's view of ADHD} @ http://adhdmomma.blogspot.com

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I feel like we're the poster family for the Intuniv ads, but seriously, our son has been on Intuniv for three weeks now with zero meltdowns. See what your doctor thinks about it.

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Hey, thanks for your reply. We took my son to the doctor on Friday and they changed his medication to Vyvanse 20mg. We havent had any tantrums so far, but I still see him getting frustrated. I can already see, after 3 days ,. the difference BUT I can also see that the medication is not enough. He was up to 20mg of Focalin XR and is now taking the lowest dose (20 mg) of Vyvanse. I think that 1 step up with the dose will be just the change we are looking for! So far Vyvanse has been wonderful for my husband. So we are looking forward to new beginnings with our son. Thanks for the information. It's always nice to know that you're not alone in this.

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Ok, tantrums in AD/Hd is common. But meds don't do the whole job, only a part of it.

Is your son hypersensitive to sight/sound/frustration/pain/smell etc.... ? If he's hypersensitive to sight/sound/smell etc... work on it. Hypersensitivity is not doing comedy, it's so painful that you become easily very nervous.

If he's hypersensitive to frustration, punishing him will only increase the frustration, so the tantrum. Put him in a quit place, where he can't harm himself, and have a talk with him after. Ask how did he feel when doing so, and why he is not allowed to do so. Try to find solution to manage better a same or similar situation. For example, if he fought with the child because he was having a bully, explain to him that fighting will only worsen the situation and that if something like that happens, to go to tell an adult because he won't solve the problem by himself. If punishment increases the tantrum, don't cedate to the facility to punish him just to make a good impression to someone else, you know better your child than the mate's parents. If they don't like him, so be it : you won't choose an unefficient solution just to please them, you choose a solution which works for your child !

Ask the school to manage the situation like that. Increasing the meds is not the only response for frustration and tantrums, and meds work only in synergy with other behavior and environment management strategies.

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I am currently having a problem with my son having crying tantrums at school. We just changed him from Vyvanse back to Concerta which seems to have cut the edge. His main problem is getting involved in other kid's business and everything is unfair. Any ideas?

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