How to Avoid the “Rebound Effect” from ADHD Meds
“Stimulant medication works well for my 10-year-old son during the day, but he experiences severe rebound – whining, crying, and so on – as the medication wears off in the evening. What can we do?”
Work with your doctor to see if a different dosing schedule might help. This could mean adding another short-acting dose at about 6:00 p.m., or using an eight-hour dose in the morning and a four-hour dose at about 4:00 p.m. If you try either of these options, monitor your son closely to make sure the second dose doesn’t interfere with his sleep. If neither option works, ask your doctor about trying a non-stimulant medication.
