How to explain ADHD medication and evaluation to DS6

amother

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 11:38 am

My son is having an evaluation after Pesach as we suspect he might have ADHD. He is impulsive, can get out of control, and has a hard time focusing with his reading and learning.

Wondering how to explain this evaluation to him. He has been to speech and OT evaluations, but those were very playful and I told him we are going to a morah that will play games and also learn. He bh loves going to therapy.

But with a doctor it will not be so playful and he will probably be prescribed medication.

Any child friendly way to explain long term psychiatric medication?

Also, I don't feel 100% comfortable within myself that he is starting medication, so I don't want him to sense that. He is so young but also he is struggling so much and hope this can help him. How can I feel more confident and calm? I myself have been on medication, but to start with such a young developing child, feels like different ball game.

Thank you and Good YT!

mummiedearest

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 12:13 pm

Question: if he is undiagnosed, why are you assuming medication is warranted? And if you are uncomfortable with it, why are you set on doing it? I suggest you take things one step at a time. First you are going for a checkup. Leave it at that. If there is a diagnosis, look into all options with your husband before deciding to medicate. Once a decision is made, take it from there.

amother

Broom

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 6:23 pm

There's a medicine that help children concentrate better so they have an easier time learning in school. We're going to a Dr who's going to ask you a bunch of questions and see if it could help you.
It might also help you not get upset quickly and lose your temper.
(Personally I would then ask: do you think it's a good idea to find a medicine that can help you with that?)

Keep it simple. He knows he's having a hard time!!
Hatzlacha rabba!! It's a hard decision to make but the results are so drastic with the right meds that it's worth it! Hang in there, you might need a few tries before getting the right formulation for your child!!

amother

Cerise

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 6:31 pm

I would ask your son what he has a hard time with in school. If he will be given medication, tell him the medicine should help him. That what I told my son in the middle of first grade. He hated/hates the medication but he knows it helps him. We also chose to give him a stimulant that he only gets on school days. If the doctor suggests a non stimulant like intuniv, then its a different story. Each doctor has a different approach. For kids that have hyper/impulse control there is often a non stimulant suggestion or combined approach. It sometimes takes a few months to figure out what they need.

amother

Brown

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 6:54 pm

I told DS 9 that's its medicine to help you focus (he knows he has a very hard time focusing). I told him the medicine might not make him feel good the first few days but afterwards he will feel fine and it will help him a lot (DS had headaches and generally feeling 'funny' in the beginning).

amother

Whitesmoke

Mon, Apr 29 2024, 1:48 pm

For if he needs meds.
We explained to my dd who started just before turning 6 that it's medication to see if it will help her with concentration. we explained just like she has glasses to help her eyes work like people who don't need glasses, the medication works with concentration for people who struggle with concentration and will help with learning.
Please explain from the beginning that they might have side effects especially at the time the pill wears off.
We told DD that our brain likes taking the concentration meds so when it's finished working our brain can get angry and it might make you feel angry or sad without knowing why. If you feel angry or sad it's ok. Talk to us and we can help you. It can also be coz you don't feel hungry when you have the medicine and then suddenly you can be very hungry etc.
When I would fetch her from school it was the time her meds wore off and she would be really 'mean' to me. I would remind her her brain needs to remember how to behave with out meds and if she needs time to herself she should let me know and can walk ahead of me.
Once she knew there was options of feeling in different ways and we won't judge us she was able to explain how the meds made her feel.
My nephew was feeling extremely depressed from one type and because he knew to tell his parents and wasn't afraid they were able to change the meds.
Hatzlocha and well done for taking care of it before it effects when they are older.

amother

Mimosa

Thu, May 02 2024, 5:57 pm

amother Trillium wrote:

My adhd kids were diagnosed at young ages, the tests were still pretty playful. They played games/did puzzles etc as part of the evaluation. Also, you don't have to mention medication until you're about to actually have that discussion.

what type of professional did the evaluation?
Do you live in Brooklyn?