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difficult child acting no different off his medications??
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 185273" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>Just a word of caution - there can be two reasons you may not have seen a difference:</p><p></p><p>1) if the medications really ARE making no difference; or</p><p></p><p>2) the conditions under which you are observing him do not challenge his ability to stay focussed, on task and with impulsive behaviour controlled.</p><p></p><p>In other words, if he has his X-Box and has spent the entire weekend playing computer games unchallenged, then medicated or unmedicated, you would probably not see a difference. What can make a BIG difference is how he seems to you in a challenging environment or with a difficult series of tasks to accomplish.</p><p></p><p>Before you totally dismiss the medications, talk to him about how he feels. If he WAS playing games all day, ask him if he will work with you in a scientific experiment.</p><p></p><p>Ask him to choose a computer game which is challenging but which he enjoys. Then ask him to choose a complex but stressful game (one with a lot to accomplish in a short time-frame, a game you can't pause at all), then another complex but introspective game (Myst, for example) that he can take his time with and think before he does anything. You need games which have scores that can be monitored - you are going to get him to report on his success (or otherwise).</p><p></p><p>Next - test him, unmedicated (preferably when he's been unmedicated for several days at least). He needs to play all three games, at three different times of the day:</p><p></p><p>1) first thing in the morning before breakfast</p><p>2) after lunch</p><p>3) evening, an hour before bedtime.</p><p></p><p>You need a chart to show his scores. You also want his opinion on how easy he found it with each game, at each time. Get him to score this at the time he plays, not later on.</p><p></p><p>Now repeat this test on a day where you medicate him.</p><p></p><p>And again - on the first unmedicated day after being medicated on previous day(s).</p><p></p><p>Score each day using the same methods.</p><p></p><p>If you can, do other tests too, such as take him to a noisy shopping mall on each of these days. See how you cope, see how he copes. Ask him to score how he feels each day as well as how he thinks he is coping. (I've found that often my kids will score themselves as doing great off their medications, it's just that EVERYBODY ELSE is being horrible to them).</p><p></p><p>If you're right and the medications really are making no difference, this test will show it. Besides, it will not only give him an excuse to play games, it will involve him in a positive way in investigating his own symptoms. He needs to learn to be a part of this.</p><p></p><p>Testing him this way does not replace getting him properly assessed, but it IS something you can do yourself in the meantime.</p><p></p><p>The reason I suggest this - it was only this evening that difficult child 3 said to me that he is increasingly aware that he doesn't do as well when his medications have been missed or when they've worn off. He has actually measured this himself by testing how well he can score on his computer games.</p><p></p><p>OK, it's maybe not standard testing in any textbooks, but I think this is certainly a valid way of trying to empirically determine the effectiveness (or not) of medications.</p><p></p><p>If the medications really aren't making any difference, then there's no point persisting. But talk to the doctor about it before you stop. (any evidence you have gathered to back this up could speed up the process of finding out exactly what IS the problem).</p><p></p><p>We talk about the WOW factor. You really should see something that makes you sit up and take notice. And it mightn't be that stims in general don't work, it could be just THAT one. </p><p></p><p>Good luck and have fun! </p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 185273, member: 1991"] Just a word of caution - there can be two reasons you may not have seen a difference: 1) if the medications really ARE making no difference; or 2) the conditions under which you are observing him do not challenge his ability to stay focussed, on task and with impulsive behaviour controlled. In other words, if he has his X-Box and has spent the entire weekend playing computer games unchallenged, then medicated or unmedicated, you would probably not see a difference. What can make a BIG difference is how he seems to you in a challenging environment or with a difficult series of tasks to accomplish. Before you totally dismiss the medications, talk to him about how he feels. If he WAS playing games all day, ask him if he will work with you in a scientific experiment. Ask him to choose a computer game which is challenging but which he enjoys. Then ask him to choose a complex but stressful game (one with a lot to accomplish in a short time-frame, a game you can't pause at all), then another complex but introspective game (Myst, for example) that he can take his time with and think before he does anything. You need games which have scores that can be monitored - you are going to get him to report on his success (or otherwise). Next - test him, unmedicated (preferably when he's been unmedicated for several days at least). He needs to play all three games, at three different times of the day: 1) first thing in the morning before breakfast 2) after lunch 3) evening, an hour before bedtime. You need a chart to show his scores. You also want his opinion on how easy he found it with each game, at each time. Get him to score this at the time he plays, not later on. Now repeat this test on a day where you medicate him. And again - on the first unmedicated day after being medicated on previous day(s). Score each day using the same methods. If you can, do other tests too, such as take him to a noisy shopping mall on each of these days. See how you cope, see how he copes. Ask him to score how he feels each day as well as how he thinks he is coping. (I've found that often my kids will score themselves as doing great off their medications, it's just that EVERYBODY ELSE is being horrible to them). If you're right and the medications really are making no difference, this test will show it. Besides, it will not only give him an excuse to play games, it will involve him in a positive way in investigating his own symptoms. He needs to learn to be a part of this. Testing him this way does not replace getting him properly assessed, but it IS something you can do yourself in the meantime. The reason I suggest this - it was only this evening that difficult child 3 said to me that he is increasingly aware that he doesn't do as well when his medications have been missed or when they've worn off. He has actually measured this himself by testing how well he can score on his computer games. OK, it's maybe not standard testing in any textbooks, but I think this is certainly a valid way of trying to empirically determine the effectiveness (or not) of medications. If the medications really aren't making any difference, then there's no point persisting. But talk to the doctor about it before you stop. (any evidence you have gathered to back this up could speed up the process of finding out exactly what IS the problem). We talk about the WOW factor. You really should see something that makes you sit up and take notice. And it mightn't be that stims in general don't work, it could be just THAT one. Good luck and have fun! Marg [/QUOTE]
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