When To Increase Dosage
Q:
"My son has been taking the minimum dose of a stimulant for a week and we've seen no improvement. The doctor says to wait 30 days before increasing the dose. Is this standard?"
A:
Usually, it's possible to tell almost immediately whether a stimulant medication is working. Many physicians start at the minimum dose and increase the dose every five days until the correct dose is established (or until it becomes clear that another medication should be considered). Discuss this with your doctor.
Larry Silver, M.D., is the author of Dr. Larry Silver's Advice to Parents on AD/HD and The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping with Your Child's Learning Disabilities. He is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
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