My son's problems occur almost entirely at school, so I rely on his teacher's notes to determine if medication is helping.
So here is one of her notes before Adderall:
difficult child starts off the day in my room. He kept climbing on his chair and trying to stand on the back of it. I asked him to sit or stand- his choice. The pledge began and he stood half on his chair sticking his tongue out at me the entire time. I sent him down to Mrs. Romine's room (Special Education) and was told that he was making honking and beeping noises while the class was trying to do their calendar activities. He came back for math and acted the same. Participated very little and became disruptive and began throwing his pencils. We went to lunch a few minutes early to give a break. He was very very hyper and loud all the way to the cafeteria. He came in from recess loud and refused to stay calmly with the class. We stopped at the bathrooms and he started whipping his coat around in the air. The zipper hit my student teacher. Another student quietly came up and told me that he had hit her at recess and scratched her. I asked him if it was on purpose or if he was moving quickly around her and it was accidental. He shouted 'I don't know'. I said nevertheless she needed an apology. He yelled at her some garbled words and stuck his tongue out at her. I asked again for an apology and he did the same thing. He then laid on the floor so my class had to step over him. When another class came to walk by, he scooted and pushed his legs into their line almost tripping children. Mrs. Yung (Teacher) stopped to talk to him and discussed his cool socks, playing games, etc. and he proceeded to take off his shoes and dump a large amount of rocks in the hallway. She asked him to clean the rocks up so a teacher wouldn't step and fall on them. He began hitting her with his shoe and kicking the rocks around on the floor. She asked him if he wanted to pick them up with his hands or use a broom. He continued his behavior. She went and got a broom and dustpan and cleaned up around him. He grabbed the dustpan and tried to dump everything out. Mrs. Hall (Social Worker) came and he finally left with her crawling down the hall on his knees.
While taking Adderall:
Just wanted to touch base regarding this week with difficult child. difficult child is showing some different behaviors this week. He has not been as physically active as in the past (running around the room, climbing all over his desk and seat, crawling under tables). He has basically shut down in regards to participation or cooperation in simple tasks, especially first thing in the morning. He speaks very little, if at all, to me or my student teacher. He glares often with a very angry expression at both of us and holds the stare. Mrs. Romine has gotten these glares for no apparent reason also. I have heard him growl at me. Mrs. Romine has told me he has thrown a pencil at her. He does not comply with the simplest tasks (doing his lunch choice, answering questions, even just coming up to my desk when called) all of these situations were not issues in the past. He seems very moody (in a brooding kind of way) and does not socialize verbally. He does not always seem to hear when he is spoken to, almost daydreaming or inattentive at times. The biggest change has been his lack of speaking in general. He will work but, as in the past, only when he wants to work. Before, if he didn't want to do something he threw things on the floor and acted out very aggressively. Now when he doesn't want to work he pushes things off his desk, looks away, and sits without speaking or reacting to others. I will keep everyone updated on any other changes or improvements. Please let me know if anyone is experiencing anything similar or different.
His doctor said that if we could treat his hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness that it would help his ODD symptoms but it seems to make things worse. Yesterday was the first time he did not bring home his homework and when I asked about it, he said he did want to bring it home. We typically have no problems with homework.
I haven't noticed that he is having trouble sleeping and he hasn't said anything but I guess lack of sleep can cause moodiness. He takes the 10mg at 6 am, so it must be out of his system by bedtime and it isn't the extended release.
Has anyone else experienced this effect with Adderall? He has only been on 10 mg for 3 days, so maybe he is just being moody, do I need to give it more time?
So here is one of her notes before Adderall:
difficult child starts off the day in my room. He kept climbing on his chair and trying to stand on the back of it. I asked him to sit or stand- his choice. The pledge began and he stood half on his chair sticking his tongue out at me the entire time. I sent him down to Mrs. Romine's room (Special Education) and was told that he was making honking and beeping noises while the class was trying to do their calendar activities. He came back for math and acted the same. Participated very little and became disruptive and began throwing his pencils. We went to lunch a few minutes early to give a break. He was very very hyper and loud all the way to the cafeteria. He came in from recess loud and refused to stay calmly with the class. We stopped at the bathrooms and he started whipping his coat around in the air. The zipper hit my student teacher. Another student quietly came up and told me that he had hit her at recess and scratched her. I asked him if it was on purpose or if he was moving quickly around her and it was accidental. He shouted 'I don't know'. I said nevertheless she needed an apology. He yelled at her some garbled words and stuck his tongue out at her. I asked again for an apology and he did the same thing. He then laid on the floor so my class had to step over him. When another class came to walk by, he scooted and pushed his legs into their line almost tripping children. Mrs. Yung (Teacher) stopped to talk to him and discussed his cool socks, playing games, etc. and he proceeded to take off his shoes and dump a large amount of rocks in the hallway. She asked him to clean the rocks up so a teacher wouldn't step and fall on them. He began hitting her with his shoe and kicking the rocks around on the floor. She asked him if he wanted to pick them up with his hands or use a broom. He continued his behavior. She went and got a broom and dustpan and cleaned up around him. He grabbed the dustpan and tried to dump everything out. Mrs. Hall (Social Worker) came and he finally left with her crawling down the hall on his knees.
While taking Adderall:
Just wanted to touch base regarding this week with difficult child. difficult child is showing some different behaviors this week. He has not been as physically active as in the past (running around the room, climbing all over his desk and seat, crawling under tables). He has basically shut down in regards to participation or cooperation in simple tasks, especially first thing in the morning. He speaks very little, if at all, to me or my student teacher. He glares often with a very angry expression at both of us and holds the stare. Mrs. Romine has gotten these glares for no apparent reason also. I have heard him growl at me. Mrs. Romine has told me he has thrown a pencil at her. He does not comply with the simplest tasks (doing his lunch choice, answering questions, even just coming up to my desk when called) all of these situations were not issues in the past. He seems very moody (in a brooding kind of way) and does not socialize verbally. He does not always seem to hear when he is spoken to, almost daydreaming or inattentive at times. The biggest change has been his lack of speaking in general. He will work but, as in the past, only when he wants to work. Before, if he didn't want to do something he threw things on the floor and acted out very aggressively. Now when he doesn't want to work he pushes things off his desk, looks away, and sits without speaking or reacting to others. I will keep everyone updated on any other changes or improvements. Please let me know if anyone is experiencing anything similar or different.
His doctor said that if we could treat his hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness that it would help his ODD symptoms but it seems to make things worse. Yesterday was the first time he did not bring home his homework and when I asked about it, he said he did want to bring it home. We typically have no problems with homework.
I haven't noticed that he is having trouble sleeping and he hasn't said anything but I guess lack of sleep can cause moodiness. He takes the 10mg at 6 am, so it must be out of his system by bedtime and it isn't the extended release.
Has anyone else experienced this effect with Adderall? He has only been on 10 mg for 3 days, so maybe he is just being moody, do I need to give it more time?