If you are a caregiver, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with the decision of whether or not to medicate a child for ADHD. We found that many of the articles and studies we studied did not provide us with any information about what families can expect when they begin this journey, or what will happen if they don’t. Numerous studies and statistics indicate that medication therapy combined with ADHD treatment can be beneficial. It’s something I believe, but it hasn’t always been true. Each child, each family and every situation are unique. As you read this post, it is important to keep in mind that every child, family and situation is unique. I would like to share information about ADHD and its treatment as well as my experience growing up with this diagnosis.
Background on ADHD and Medication
ADHD is also called short attention span disorder. It is characterized by impulsivity, and an inability to focus on tasks. Over 70 years of medication have been used to treat it. Ritalin, the first stimulant used to treat ADHD was introduced in 1955. In some cases, it worked. Teachers noticed that the kids’ grades improved, and they also saw a shift from inattention to motivation. Ritalin had side effects. Ritalin has many side effects, including headaches, nausea and vomiting, as well as increased anxiety. Many medications are available to treat ADHD, both in adults and children. These drugs are often controlled substances. It is clear that ADHD medication can be used in children.
Researchers have discovered that these common treatment areas are beneficial.
Self-esteem accounts for 90% of results
Social function results accounted for 83%
71% of Academic Results
67% of drug addiction/addictive behaviors outcomes
Antisocial Behavior: 50 % of cases
50% of outcomes are based on service use
33% of products used in the workplace (Shaw, et. al., 2012).
The above study included both medication as well as therapy. The American Academy of Pediatrics, a sort of parenting manual for many, also recommends that you treat and medicate your child as soon as they are diagnosed with ADHD. You have to make a lot of decisions at once! You have to go down a rabbit-hole to discover how to start treatment. The process usually involves lots of trial-and-error. You should try different approaches until you manage ADHD successfully.
I will tell you about my childhood and how I dealt (or did not deal) with my diagnosis. It’s not something every family will experience, but I think it is interesting to see what we did and how my reaction was. I hope that you can understand how it feels to go through this process and see the positive outcomes.
ADHD Management
A behavioral neurologist diagnosed me with inattentive ADHD at the beginning of adolescence. I was soon diagnosed with inattentive ADHD by my family. We then started to look for the right medication. Ritalin (Adderall), made it difficult for me to control emotions. Focalin did not make a big difference. Concerta was a great way to focus and it had few side effects. In my teens, I struggled to sleep because of the medication I took. We tried other drugs. Strattera is the ONLY medication that treats ADHD without stimulants. After I started taking Strattera, my ADHD symptoms became worse. Each time I entered a new room, I forgot why I was there. I would often stop in the middle my sentences, and couldn’t remember which textbooks I needed to bring home. I worried that my ADHD had gotten worse. I was afraid that this would be how I lived the rest of my days.
On the bottle, there was a label. The label stated that “may worsen conditions among teens.” Instantly, I was filled with righteous anger. How could my doctor miss something so obvious? Ridiculous! Then, I stopped taking ADHD medication. My caregivers seemed to respect my decision, but I noticed a decline in school performance.
In college, I used coffee to treat my symptoms. I also apologized profusely when I missed a due date. After I became an adult, I realized that coffee wasn’t enough. My symptoms affected my productivity in my first two jobs. Even though I felt that everything was falling apart, I was insistent that I did not need medication. I could manage my symptoms on my own and only needed to “try really hard.” I considered medications to be a crutch. I did not want to take pills just to feel better. When I finally realized that I needed medication for ADHD, I was shocked to find out that I didn’t feel bad about taking it. I didn’t feel weak when I took my medication. If I had asthma then I would’ve taken asthma medications. Now I see my ADHD diagnosis the same way.
This story doesn’t aim to convince you not to trust your doctor or to take medications. My journey was to demonstrate that ADHD management can be messy and continual. When families begin treatment, they can expect to see immediate improvements. Some families are more open to changes and take a longer time to manage symptoms. ADHD management can be affected by changes in circumstances, expectations, and interests. ADHD management may involve medication, but also discipline, commitment, and effort from ADHD people, caregivers (and significant others, shout out to my husband! ).
What You Can Do
What can we do Ben? If you’re a parent of a child with ADHD, I have some tips I believe will help both you and your child to succeed:
Pay attention to the reactions of your child when you are trying a new ADHD treatment. Discuss these observations with your child.
Ask your child to describe the feelings they have when beginning their treatment. It will help your child understand what works, and what does not. This question, along with your observations, may result in “I don’t Know” responses. However it will give them some insight into their diagnoses.
Understanding ADHD in children can be challenging. Children who are diagnosed with ADHD may feel inferior because they have difficulty with tasks their peers don’t. This is a topic I could blog about for days, but to summarize, we need both compassion and accountability.
If something does not work, you and your child need to develop a mindset of problem solving. When your child is late for school deadlines, ask yourself “what can you do about it?” You can help prevent your child from spiraling into the “I’m never enough” spiral.
Encourage them! Encourage them! You used to forget _____ quite frequently, but no longer. You can do it!
