Results of the coffee experiment

Malika

Well-Known Member
Well, I duly gave J half a cup of black coffee this morning. Firstly, don't count on an oppositional child to be predictable... He was obviously happy when I told him he was a big boy now and could have some coffee. But it didn't make any difference in terms of drinking the stuff - well, fair enough, and he is SO fussy about what he will eat and drink. I, however, am just as (alas) "fixed" as he is on certain things and having got it into my head that I wanted to do the coffee experiement today, I duly got him to do it, with some difficulty.
Anyway... not only did it not have any calming effect, he was HYPER hyper all morning - took him to his usual Wednesday morning session with the pscyhomotricien and his first comment was "J is very speed today!" He was really spinning. So I don't think that I will be giving him coffee on Saturday... On the other hand, in the car back home he was very quiet and concentrated for half an hour, writing numbers and letters on a new writing board I had just got him. He may be like that anyway - they tell me he is like that in class at school. But he obviously wasn't so completely hyper that he couldn't concentrate on anything.
So I don't know whether this tells me that stimulants would probably have no effect on him.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
So I don't know whether this tells me that stimulants would probably have no effect on him.
Probably more accurate to guess that stims may NOT have the intended effect... which is probably worse than NO effect...
However... not all stims work the same way. We've been "told" that caffeine and the whole Ritalin family have a similar effect... and for our family, that holds true. So there may be other stims - and/or other non-stimulant adhd medications - that will work.
 

Malika

Well-Known Member
Yes, of course I meant not the intended effect, lol.
Funnily enough, or not, I do feel somewhat differently about medication now than I used to. I am sure that that turnaround has happened to quite a few of us here. I see two things - that J is actually eager to please, wants to love and be loved (as any child) but also that he keeps on saying rude things, either as a "joke" or when in the heat of the moment, keeps on being aggressive, mostly in play (and that is mainly socially inappropriate) and occasionally in the midst of a temper tantrum, keeps on not really being welcome most places we go because he is too loud and manic and hyper. If there were something that could help him calm and help him learn impulse control, help him be socially accepted and actually become more often the truly delightful, loving and creative child he is, well, I would be open to it. Also the next school year is going to be instrumental in showing how he copes with school when things get harder... It may be that the concentration and attention falls apart to some degree.
But... In France, only Ritalin and Concerta (based on the same molecule as Ritalin, I know) are licensed to treat ADHD, none of the other things that are available in the States. Unless we hop across the pond to get prescribed in the States...
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Really all it tells you is that the coffee didn't have the hoped for results. All three of mine had results from stims..although not the exact same medications. Just chalk it up as an experiment. When the time comes I'm sure you'll find the right medication to help him chill and more consistently function well. Hugs. DDD
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Ritalin and Concerta are evidently in the same family but Concerta had good results with no side effect in our family. I know in some Countries Dexadrine is used with success...at least one former member from Canada had success. It is curious how so many things differ from place to place. Hugs DDD
 

Malika

Well-Known Member
So surprised I am even having this conversation and thinking like this :sigh: But that is what happens when you parent a difficult child, I am sure.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Malika... very parent in the world goes through some version of this... not the exact topic, but the "I/my-child will NEVER..."... oops, maybe, on second (third, fourth, 25th...) thought, I'd better take that back.

My child will never eat commercial baby food... oops, mom got sick for 3 weeks and dad doesn't know how to make it so...

Know what I mean??

None of us came into parenthood expecting to medicate our kids. Even parents of diabetic kids will tell you that. But we all just do what good parents do everywhere... you plan for the best, prepare for the worst, take what comes... and do what you can to smooth out the bumps in life.

<grin>
 

aeroeng

Mom of Three
We had some luck with dark chocolate (70% kind). A small piece would calm difficult child down when he was being aggressive and angry. It never lasted real long only for a couple of hours. But, I believe it did help. He is calmer so we only give it to him because he loves it now.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Malika, he's sounding more like Kiddo at that age. ADHD was her first diagnosis, too. Then the social skills really began to show lag... you might want to watch for signs of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and keep an open mind about that one, it would require less medications and more Occupational Therapist (OT)-type things.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
LOL, Malika... husband and the school counselor decided to try this with Onyxx to see what would happen... I was not a happy camper about it! And guess what - she didn't sleep any better, in fact it was worse. And she like to made us crazy bouncing off the walls.

Same general effect with Jett, too. So... You never know, but...
 

exhausted

Active Member
Caffeine is used as a medication booster. When there were no time release stimulant medications around or your child did not sleep well on time release medications. or a second dose, the psychs would often recommend a coke around 3:00 when needed. I had several students in my early years do this so the bus ride home was peaceful and mom got a bit of a break through homework. It worked hand in hand with the stimulant (mostly ritalin then). Most did not do it daily. It did not work for my son-made him hyper also but ritalin did work for him.
 

Malika

Well-Known Member
That's useful to know, exhausted. And thanks for the dark chocolate tip, aeroeng. Something else to try! As I say, I am surprised that I am considering trying J on medication - accent on trying, perhaps - in due course, but apart from anything else I think I am curious to see how it may help or affect him. But first I have to find a psychiatrist whom I trust, and I am far from doing that. Curiously enough, i think we might almost be better served in Marrakech where there is a doctor who is famous in Morocco for his work on TDAH. And I wouldn't have to go through the absolute labyrinth of possible sources of help that exists here. The grass is always greener, but for the moment I feel that time is running away, no-one is really taking J's ADHD or hyperactivity/impulsivity whatever the source seriously. I need to battle to get anywhere and that is a familiar theme of the parents on this French forum for parents of ADHD children that I belong to.

PS Sorry, TDAH - French for ADHD!
 
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Marguerite

Active Member
We found that while stimulants had the desired effect on our kids, caffeine was a disaster, hyping them up and even making difficult child 1 violent. They all tolerate caffeine now.

Marg
 
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