ADHD

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I tend to favor medicating children until they are old enough to decide for themselves.

Originally Posted by KDCat

My husband is ADHD and also doesn't medicate for it. He favors not medicating kids until they are old enough to choose for themselves. ...

That risk/benefit analysis is something every parent has to weight for themselves, though. I don't think there is a clear right answer.

This reminds me of the back-and-forth my husband and I had about how to treat our daughter. We wanted it to be her decision (whether or not to medicate), but we also knew it was our responsibility to help her succeed.

It was obvious that she was having difficulty maintaining focus in school - well beyond the "oh, she's just a kid" type of behavior. The teachers were great about working with us, and supported us in our initial decision not to medicate (until she could decide for herself). But it began affecting not just her academic progress, but her social progress as well. It was at that point that we decided to try meds. The first one we tried (Vyvance) pretty much zapped her personality, then progressed into teenager-like moodiness. (Aack!) We're now on extended release Adderall, which is nice since she takes one in the AM and then is done for the day.

KDCat hit the nail on the head when she said there's no clear right answer. It has taken us years of working with teachers, doctors and pharmacists to figure out what's best for our daughter. (It was a pharmacist who suggested we talk with the doc about a weekend caffeine regimen - we never would have even known to ask.)

amIblue?, I think it's great that you're getting feedback from others who have dealt with this, but I'm glad you've set up an appointment. The appointment itself is a big commitment - be prepared to spend an entire day (if not more) talking with the evaluating doc. If you don't spend a significant amount of time there, I would recommend a second opinion - this type of diagnosis just can't be made in a couple hours. I hope you find the doctor that's right for you!