Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New profile posts
Latest activity
Internet Search
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
Duct Tape
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 155617" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>"You use what works" - exactly. It's a shame he had no energy. Did the doctor try a lower dose? I have three kids on the same medications (and one never on medications) but all three are on quite different doses. easy child 2/difficult child 2 cut hers back because she felt it damped her down too much, she felt 'flat'. The doctor was OK with it and she still functions well (maybe not quite as well, but well enough) on the lower dose. Her younger brother takes more than twice as much and needs every skerrick of it. The eldest one on medications, difficult child 1, is one the same dose as difficult child 3, just over half his age and size.</p><p></p><p>We have also found problems with one stimulant, but not the other. difficult child 1 was started on the other stimulant and did OK (not brilliant, but better) for a few years. Then we changed doctors (the first one was getting a bit too weird) and the second doctor doubled his medications. He was immediately much better in class, but we noticed the beginning of rebound problems.</p><p>Then a few years later we had to change doctors again (find one who could treat all three kids - doctor No 2 had a full caseload) and because of the rebound problem, difficult child 1 was switched to the second stimulant and the other two went straight on to the same one also. Hey presto - no rebound any more for difficult child 1, and no problems for the other two.</p><p></p><p>Then last Christmas, after the doctor suggesting it for a while, we switched difficult child 3 to Concerta. The doctor suggested it also for difficult child 1, said there shouldn't be a rebound problem with long-acting, but we've found that yes, there are problems. Initially he seemed OK and there were no rebound issues, then as he had a growth spurt he seemed to lose a lot of focus too. The doctor checked, said he'd miscalculated and only given him half the dose he should have been on (one of the perils of seeing the doctor for three kids at the same time - he'd calculated it for difficult child 3's older sister by mistake) and increased the dose. OK, difficult child 3 was able to concentrate really well, but we got rebound problems. So we're back on the previous stimulant.</p><p></p><p>Every kid is different. But we have noticed that you can sometimes compromise and balance problem side effects with positive benefits. Sometimes.</p><p></p><p>Another possibility - have you considered diet? Not necessarily the full-on elimination diet, but sometimes there can be other things in their diet that can make their concentration worse. For example, our kids had problems with caffeine, it made them worse and it was as if they had no medications on board. difficult child 1 is not bad with it these days, difficult child 3 we're not even going to try.</p><p></p><p>And yet - we have friends who refuse to use stims, but who reckon caffeine works for them in the same way.</p><p></p><p>Both my boys are skinny. difficult child 3's friend also doesn't eat when he's on stims. Even without stims, he is a headache about food. The only time difficult child 1 gained weight was when he was put on risperdal as well. He eventually went off the risperdal, and a lot of the weight came off.</p><p></p><p>A friend's daughter was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy (facio-scapular). She was only three years old, very small and very thin. Too tired and too weak to even eat much. So her mother changed a lot of the rules abut eating. She would let her daughter up to play or look around while she was eating. Then she would follow her around with food, pop another mouthful in while the girl was playing with her dolls or whatever. Slowly the meals got eaten. Mum packed in the nutrients as efficiently as possible, kept the food as easy to eat as possible (so the little girl wouldn't get too tired from chewing). There was always food on tap, mostly healthy (and fattening) snacks. Lots of freshly popped popcorn, with double butter for the little girl. Car trips - food always there for her. Vitamins. Protein.</p><p></p><p>And it worked. She is now an amazing, extremely capable, young woman.</p><p></p><p>I admit I try to do similar things with my kids, especially the boys (easy child 2/difficult child 2 can manage well). If they're watching a movie, I'll make popcorn. Tonight I made fresh pasta (I use eggs and flour, no other liquid). The boys got double serves. It's easy to eat, it's nourishing, it's easy to digest.</p><p></p><p>As you said - whatever works.</p><p></p><p>I hope you can find something that will help your son, one way or another.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 155617, member: 1991"] "You use what works" - exactly. It's a shame he had no energy. Did the doctor try a lower dose? I have three kids on the same medications (and one never on medications) but all three are on quite different doses. easy child 2/difficult child 2 cut hers back because she felt it damped her down too much, she felt 'flat'. The doctor was OK with it and she still functions well (maybe not quite as well, but well enough) on the lower dose. Her younger brother takes more than twice as much and needs every skerrick of it. The eldest one on medications, difficult child 1, is one the same dose as difficult child 3, just over half his age and size. We have also found problems with one stimulant, but not the other. difficult child 1 was started on the other stimulant and did OK (not brilliant, but better) for a few years. Then we changed doctors (the first one was getting a bit too weird) and the second doctor doubled his medications. He was immediately much better in class, but we noticed the beginning of rebound problems. Then a few years later we had to change doctors again (find one who could treat all three kids - doctor No 2 had a full caseload) and because of the rebound problem, difficult child 1 was switched to the second stimulant and the other two went straight on to the same one also. Hey presto - no rebound any more for difficult child 1, and no problems for the other two. Then last Christmas, after the doctor suggesting it for a while, we switched difficult child 3 to Concerta. The doctor suggested it also for difficult child 1, said there shouldn't be a rebound problem with long-acting, but we've found that yes, there are problems. Initially he seemed OK and there were no rebound issues, then as he had a growth spurt he seemed to lose a lot of focus too. The doctor checked, said he'd miscalculated and only given him half the dose he should have been on (one of the perils of seeing the doctor for three kids at the same time - he'd calculated it for difficult child 3's older sister by mistake) and increased the dose. OK, difficult child 3 was able to concentrate really well, but we got rebound problems. So we're back on the previous stimulant. Every kid is different. But we have noticed that you can sometimes compromise and balance problem side effects with positive benefits. Sometimes. Another possibility - have you considered diet? Not necessarily the full-on elimination diet, but sometimes there can be other things in their diet that can make their concentration worse. For example, our kids had problems with caffeine, it made them worse and it was as if they had no medications on board. difficult child 1 is not bad with it these days, difficult child 3 we're not even going to try. And yet - we have friends who refuse to use stims, but who reckon caffeine works for them in the same way. Both my boys are skinny. difficult child 3's friend also doesn't eat when he's on stims. Even without stims, he is a headache about food. The only time difficult child 1 gained weight was when he was put on risperdal as well. He eventually went off the risperdal, and a lot of the weight came off. A friend's daughter was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy (facio-scapular). She was only three years old, very small and very thin. Too tired and too weak to even eat much. So her mother changed a lot of the rules abut eating. She would let her daughter up to play or look around while she was eating. Then she would follow her around with food, pop another mouthful in while the girl was playing with her dolls or whatever. Slowly the meals got eaten. Mum packed in the nutrients as efficiently as possible, kept the food as easy to eat as possible (so the little girl wouldn't get too tired from chewing). There was always food on tap, mostly healthy (and fattening) snacks. Lots of freshly popped popcorn, with double butter for the little girl. Car trips - food always there for her. Vitamins. Protein. And it worked. She is now an amazing, extremely capable, young woman. I admit I try to do similar things with my kids, especially the boys (easy child 2/difficult child 2 can manage well). If they're watching a movie, I'll make popcorn. Tonight I made fresh pasta (I use eggs and flour, no other liquid). The boys got double serves. It's easy to eat, it's nourishing, it's easy to digest. As you said - whatever works. I hope you can find something that will help your son, one way or another. Marg [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
Duct Tape
Top