How do you feel about using ritalin for ADHD?

Hopefully this is 'appropriate' for this site.If not,please remove.
Anyway, I have a son that the teachers would just love for me to put on medication. He is finally reading at grade level and MOST of the time behaves well in class.Sometimes he will daydream or will occasionally do the class clown thing. He can be a slow processor-just takes him a little longer to "get" some things, like Math. But he is very talented in sports, directions(whereas I am directionally challenged)and has a big talent for being funny,telling jokes, writing stories and acting.He always wants to perform. They feel that ritalin or an equivalent would help him focus better in class.Sometimes it can be hard to get him to "get to work"...I think its when something is hard for him he'd rather avoid it.
I know that this could be a "heated" topic,but I really would like some input on this.Any one have any experiences or information would be great. I'm really worried about possible long term effects. Thanks!

I forgot to add that he is in the 6th grade. He is still quite immature.....He can be naive too.He still likes to play with action figures and is always making up imaginary games.He is very creative. He still likes to give hugs and hold my hand in public.He will also sing in public. He is the type that doesn't worry what others think of him. He is very friendly,sweet and kind.He has a decent amount of friends. He's even had interest from girls..eek!He is the eternally happy child. He wakes up with bright eyes and very happy. Great kid. don't know what to do.....am I hurting him by NOT trying meds?
I wish I was a cat. Life would be easier!!!!

As an educator, I only believe in medicating when the disorder is truly interfering with the child's ability to learn.

My nephew is ADHD and we thank whoever tried ritalin on a hyperactive kid every day! BUT! Before you even think about medicating him, have him examined by a SPECIALIST. I have talked to a lot of parents who's teacher suggested having their child put on medication, and the child was not ADHD. Too many teachers are relying on medication to do their job. I spent the day with one 2nd grade teacher and she told me more than half of her class was unteachable, ill mannered and should be on drugs. I saw none of that. I saw typical 7/8 yr olds.


PLEASE NOTE: I am not lumping all teachers into this catagory. I have the utmost respect for teachers that will work with their students. I've just seen too many teachers read last years report, hear that the student had a problem with last years teacher, and write the student off as unteachable.

Originally Posted by Deb25

As an educator, I only believe in medicating when the disorder is truly interfering with the child's ability to learn.

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Sounds like your son is quite likely doing okay without meds. However, you might want to look at a book called ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau for some ideas about behavior modification, just to give him a little extra edge. I just finished reading it (checked it out from the library but I will be purchasing it), and it had many good ideas that seem targeted for those of us who have some trouble focusing, including ideas especially for kids. I don't necessarily think you'd have to have ADD for some of the ideas to be beneficial, either.

I don't have a lot of knowledge on this subject but my cousin (who is now in 9th grade) is ADHD and was put on ritalin for a good number of years, but now he doesn't need to take it anymore. He has some permanent problem with his teeth from the medication, again I don't know much about this. But when he was a kid ritalin was something that really really helped to calm him down and help him concentrate. I'm not sure why his parents took him off of it but now they homeschool him so that they can work around his inability to concentrate. The way I look at it is, you can always try it out and he's old enough to vocalize to you whether he likes it better or not, then if he doesn't like it take him off of it. Good luck with your decision!

Put short & simply, I would say yes, since it is interfering with his education.

I used to work for a Gal that taught kids privately in her home who had ADHD. I was telling her that my garndson had the disorder and ask her about Ritalin, she said she never used to recommend it's use but over a period she saw that it did change Childrens lives, My Grandson did not do well on it though because it made him not want to eat, so after a bit they took him off of it, I think if the kids can take it and do well why not try it. You can alway's take hin off of it, Good Luck

I think that sometimes medicating is necessary, but that Ritalin is overprescribed. I was diagnosed (incorrectly) as having ADD, but it turned out that I actually had a mood disorder that was overlooked. I was on Ritalin for three years, and I never needed it.

It makes me SO ANGRY to see young children medicated like this. By young I mean under 10. I don't know much about your son, or what would be right for him, because I was not medicated until I was in my middle teens. In my option, as long as he is doing well in school, then there is a good chance he will outgrow his misbehavior.

I have my own theories about young kids being medicated, and why I think they become hyperactive, but I don't want to start anything.

I take Adderall daily and Ritalin when I feel I need it. This is fine with my psychiatrist. Her attitude is that I'm an adult and I know what works for me better than anyone else can.

My personal feelings about them? Well, Adderall changed my life. If you can imagine a radio that's tuned between two stations that are very close on the dial, so you can hear identifiable words coming from both stations but it's all mish-mashed with a bunch of static, then you have a pretty good idea of what it was like to live in my head before. Yes, it is technically possible to focus on one of the stations so that you can understand what they are talking about. But it's simply not possible to keep it up for more than a couple of minutes. You just end up with a headache and frustrated because even though you are trying your hardest, you are still missing important things and it's hard to keep up. When I started taking Adderall this disappeared, and if I skip a dose it's right back. It's really quite dramatic.

I personally add Ritalin when I want to be able to zero in and focus on just one thing, or one train of thought. I might take it before class, for instance, or before driving a long distance. But to be honest, I don't really like it. It makes me feel sort of like a zombie or a computer. I feel less able to think creatively or "outside the box". So it's a bit of a double edged sword.

The medications do have side effects. The only ones I have had are loss of appetite (honestly not a big deal for me since I needed to lose a few pounds anyway) and mild insomnia. Neither were a big deal for me but everyone is different.

I think the first and most important thing is to have your son evaluated by a licensed professional (either a psychiatrist or a neurologist, who specializes in and enjoys working with folks with AD/HD). Based on your description, it does sound to me like your son may have some degree of inattentive type AD/HD. This kind is much less often diagnosed because the kids with the disorder are pretty much like your son - they're basically well behaved but are very daydreamy. That was me as a kid. The teachers thought I was just lazy or "spacey". They didn't know that really smart kids with good grades could have AD/HD, they didn't know girls could have it, they didn't know there were manifestations of the disorder other than the boys who were running around the room crazily and disrupting everything. I do feel like I was cheated out of "normalcy" as a child but I don't blame anyone for it. But I know that even though I did well in school and extra-curriculars, I still struggled in other ways. Being called lazy when you are really trying your hardest hurts. Constantly being reprimanded for losing your pencil or your folder or handing in an assignment that looks like it was mauled by a pack of tigers is embarrassing. If your son is experiencing any hurt relating to his symptoms, then it is a disservice to him to not have these symptoms addressed. His self-image is forming at this age and what happens now can affect the way he views himself for the rest of his life.

I do think AD/HD can be overdiagnosed and Ritalin can be overprescribed for kids who are really just very high energy and active. But your son does not sound hyperactive. In fact, he sounds more typical of the type that may struggle with undiagnosed AD/HD for a lifetime and never actually be diagnosed. Inattentive type AD/HD is underdiagnosed, not overdiagnosed.

If the tests do show that your son has AD/HD, then it is important to keep two things in mind. First, stimulant-type AD/HD medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta (which is just time-released Ritalin), are short-acting drugs. Ritalin is out of the system in 4-6 hours. Adderall lasts anywhere from 8-12 hours depending on whether the immediate release or long-acting form is used. Concerta lasts 10-12 hours. Once it's out of your system, it's gone until you take more. So you can try a drug and if you absolutely hate it, it's over in half a day and you never have to take it again. Similarly, you can adjust your meds depending on your needs for that particular day. If I'm cramming for finals I might take a little more medicine. If I'm lazing around the house on a Saturday, I might not take any.

The second thing is that decisions can always be revisited later. Maybe you decide that for now his school issues are mild and can be addressed with just a math tutor and his teacher making sure he has his homework assignments written down and the materials needed to complete them before he leaves school each afternoon. That's fine. But maybe when he starts high school in a few years and the work and organizational demands become more challenging, he will begin to feel that he will benefit from medication. That's totally fine. One of the hallmarks of inattentive type AD/HD is that someone with the condition is able to function fine until one point in his/her life when demands start to exceed the person's organizational and attentional capabilities. That point is different for everyone and it depends on many different external and internal factors. But my point is that it may be perfectly legitimate to put off starting meds until this point is reached. If your son does not feel like he is struggling in school, at home, or in his extra-curricular/social life, then he may not need meds at this point. Just be prepared to re-evaluate every year, or more often.

But honestly, all things considered, I am what I never thought I would be: an advocate for meds. I can't see spending literally hours each day trying to compensate for faulty brain chemistry when I can take a very safe medication that will correct the imbalance of neurotransmitters and make my brain work like a "normal" brain. To me it's like bailing out a boat vs. plugging up the hole in the bottom of the boat. Sure, both approaches will keep you from sinking, but if you don't have to spend all your time bailing then you get to spend that time doing other, more important things. I know that for me, life is too short to spend all my time bailing!

Wow, I've rambled quite a bit here. I'm going to direct you to someone else's ramblings (ha ha) for some really good information: Ed Hallowell and John Ratey have written three excellent books, Driven to Distraction, Answers to Distraction, and Delivered from Distraction. I strongly recommend all three since each approaches AD/HD from a slightly different angle and I think that they are really very complementary.

Good luck to you and your son. Feel free to PM me if you'd like.

Teachers should not be able to diagnose ADD or ADHD, nor have more influence over whether a kid should be medicated than the doctors. Have your son assessed by an impartial specialist, with no mention of the recommendation from the teacher. There are far too many kids on medication than need to be, simply because the children don't know how to focus not because they are unable to.

You know what's weird about ritalin (at least what I've heard)? It is actually makes a normal person 'more hyper'. But in those that are ADHD it has an adverse reaction which calms them down. Kind of hard to explain without going into lengthy paragraphs

I would see a specialist first... drugs can have ever lasting effects and we are only in the " first wave of " drugged kids being adults and so far it aint pretty... Read the PDR before giving a child any drug( I do before I take it ...lmao this may be why I am on only homeopathic meds )

Originally Posted by lizch6699

You know what's weird about ritalin (at least what I've heard)? It is actually makes a normal person 'more hyper'. But in those that are ADHD it has an adverse reaction which calms them down. Kind of hard to explain without going into lengthy paragraphs

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Ritalin is a amphetamine... think cousin of Meth and speed... in a child for some reason it only speeds the brain to the pt it should be... see to my best understanding from a neurology book and class I took ADD kids brains are moving in a slow motion of some kind..

Thank you all! You all made some very good points that I need to stop and consider. I am also going to check out the books recommended. I have been considering getting him checked out by a specialist. Our family doctor,going on the teachers say alone, has said that she would prescribe something like concerta for him to try. I don't think it should be judged on just the teachers alone. His social life is good and some of the teachers say his attention is fine,others aren't. It tends to be the classes he struggles with...math and english. Unfortunately,I've heard a lot of bad press about the meds and I am so leary because of that. There was a chromosome study done where they took an "x" amount of children...sorry,cant remember....and they tested their chromosomes before treatment and then three months later,after treatment of ritalin(or an equivalent)...they found chromosome changes that would indicate a greater chance or mutation or cancer in the future. They are now testing on a greater number of children to see if the same thing is found. I also read an article that stated that,even though at the beginning of treatment of stimulants, the "patient" made good gains in impulsivity,attention,school work completion,etc....compared to a child that did not take meds......but 5 years later,there was no difference or benefit between who had taken it and who hadn't. So I think,is it worth the possible risks of giving it to my son,if in 5 years time....it all equals back out and he's not doing any better than if he hadn't taken it at all???But then I do hear testimonies about how wonderful stimulants have worked for their children. He is happy at school and enjoys going.He doesn't seem to have a problem with how he is doing...just the teachers. My husband could be the same way...when he was in school,if he didn't find something interesting,he would put NO effort into it. Today he is very driven and responsible and does wonderfully at his job.So,who knows. I really value all your inputs on this topic. Thankyou. Especially the personal stories.

Originally Posted by sharky

Ritalin is a amphetamine... think cousin of Meth and speed... in a child for some reason it only speeds the brain to the pt it should be... see to my best understanding from a neurology book and class I took ADD kids brains are moving in a slow motion of some kind..

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Actually, Adderall is amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. It is speed in very low doses. Ritalin and Concerta are both methylphenadate, which is related but not the same. Adderall works at four neurotransmitter receptor sites while Ritalin works at just one.

The brain being in slow motion is a fairly accurate representation. It's more like the brain can't regulate its processing speed adequately. Sometimes it's moving too fast and sometimes it's moving too slow. It's sort of like watching a movie where the picture and the soundtrack are a little out of synch.

I know I wouldn't be so leary if it wasn't going to be working in the BRAIN!
I mean,if it was my son's left arm or something,I wouldn't worry.Or if it was insulin because he was diabetic,I would also not be concerned. He doesn't have a shortage of ritalin and we(scientists and others)have admitted that there is a vast amount of info left to know about the brain. His brain is maturing and growing at a fast rate and I'm afraid it might mess it up. I don't know. I guess I'll just proceed to getting him seen by a specialist and take it from there!
He doesn't want to take it because one of the kids in his school does,and all the kids make fun of him....telling him to go take his "chill pill"...and my son doesn't want to be made fun of. I talked to him about it and said that we probably need to go and talk to a doctor to run some tests and even if the doctor felt he needed to try it, he could take a once daily type of pill and not have to take it at school.That seemed to reassure him. For whatever reasons,the long acting pill doesn't work very well with that particular child at school.
If he was miserable or had low self esteem because of all this,I would be more worried also.

From your description, he sounds like a normal boy. Sorry if I come off too strong on this, but I feel that most people diagnosed with ADD or ADHD don't need ritalin to help them but rather a more understanding society that DOESN'T require children to learn in one fashion that may or may not work for them.

I am NOT saying there aren't people out there with the problem and who need medication, but I would DEFINITELY get him checked by a qualified medical person before you decide to give him medication.

Your son sounds like a delightful BOY who is cheerful, active and friendly.

If your son is aware of the problems he's having in math and english, there are plenty of other ways to catch him up or help him in those areas without putting him on medication! (I went in for help with math every morning in HS. I graduated with a 4.0 and although I may have trouble focusing I am definitely NOT ADHD.)

Just my

Originally Posted by smokiethecat

Hopefully this is 'appropriate' for this site.If not,please remove.
Anyway, I have a son that the teachers would just love for me to put on medication. He is finally reading at grade level and MOST of the time behaves well in class.Sometimes he will daydream or will occasionally do the class clown thing. He can be a slow processor-just takes him a little longer to "get" some things, like Math. But he is very talented in sports, directions(whereas I am directionally challenged)and has a big talent for being funny,telling jokes, writing stories and acting.He always wants to perform. They feel that ritalin or an equivalent would help him focus better in class.Sometimes it can be hard to get him to "get to work"...I think its when something is hard for him he'd rather avoid it.
I know that this could be a "heated" topic,but I really would like some input on this.Any one have any experiences or information would be great. I'm really worried about possible long term effects. Thanks!

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Nonononononononononononononono!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is exactly what i was like in first grade, and my teacher wanted me to be on meds. She thought i never did anything, until i scored a ninety-sixth percentile on the standardized test. hehehe. There is definitely nothing wrong with my intelligence, and i learn just fine. It was just not the school for me, and i was different. It was not a problem later. I try to tell them that the so-called daydreaming was actually complex thought and theories. And btw, i am now a student that usually scores all A's and one B.

There is no reason to med your son, he just hasn't shown his true skill yet.

Originally Posted by lizch6699

You know what's weird about ritalin (at least what I've heard)? It is actually makes a normal person 'more hyper'. But in those that are ADHD it has an adverse reaction which calms them down. Kind of hard to explain without going into lengthy paragraphs

Click to expand...

I actually took it some 30 years ago, went to the Dr complaining about being exausted all the time, and man oh man it scared the crap out of me I cleaned the whole house like a bat out of hell, scared me so bad I put it up in the cupboard and didn't take it again, I was like in my 20s then, yes I hear it works different on adults then children