After trying Vyvanse for my 9 yr old son, and his related depression and wanting to discuss death several times, his Dr switched him to Concerta 18 mg extended release tablets. The good news is that he has improved in ability to focus, following directions from teachers, and completing his work. He's very intelligent, but just could not function in the classroom well enough to turn all his work in, which jeopardized his grades greatly. And this has been ongoing K-4th grade, with 7 different teachers reporting these issues. The really bad effects for my son from Concerta are irritability, decreased appetite (which he can't afford), and tooth decay. His Aug 2010 dental checkup showed NO cavities. He started Concerta in early September. His Feb 2011 dental checkup, last week, showed, in a 6 month span, FOUR cavities, which will need removing and replacing with fillings on Wednesday. The dentist said that some ADHD meds cause mouth dryness/decreased saliva. She suggested increase in water, no fruit juices, no soft drinks, no drinks with high fructose corn syrup. Plain water (which he abhors) or flavored water w/ Splenda (which I can't find anywhere...) I will say, however, that my son was a preemie and has always been underweight, and never finishes his drink, no matter what it is; he is rarely thirsty. So, in a nutshell, he really needs a non-stimulant ADHD med, and I am searching again. Best of luck, and blessings to you and your son in this journey.

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Hi, I am new here. I just started believing my son has ADD less than a year ago (he's now in 8th grade). ADD was first mentioned to me by his 6th grade counselor. He has always struggled accedemically and been very chatty, but as a teen, the problem has become way worse than I coud have ever imagined. I just came home from a 504 meeting and was asked to reduce him to part time "so he can be more successful for the time that he is there and because he is just way to distractive for the teachers to be able to teach." He is very down about this and so am I (as I have tried to homeschool and failed miserable at it). We tried concerta, but had bad results with moods and risky behavior. If you find anything that works, PLEASE let me know. My best to you in your efforts.

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