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Hello. My 6 year old daughter was diagnosed with ADHD. Her school wants her to go into a special ed class and see a neurologist. The doctor said she has all of the classic symptoms of ADHD. I do not want her on ritalin or any other medication. She is smart but gets easily distracted. When the doctor was testing her, he would tell her to touch her right knee and she would touch her left. He said that she knows what to do but is being defiant.
Anyway, I wanted to know how you handled it and how it is working for you. I appreciate any input you can provide. Thanks.
I don't blame you for not wanting her on ritalin. My grandson was and still is a cantankerous always in motion child. He's 17, and I wondered about him but his parents just said he is full of energy. He's very athletic and a smart student in 11th grade and working toward college.
I worked in a private school for a few years and the couple of students on the drugs were like little zombies. The one 10 yr old also told me he took Prozac before he left home for school. His father was an MD. One mother was doing all natural remedies to keep her son off the suggested drugs.
There are many alternatives you can look at besides the drugs.
I would not rush to the drugs. This is my opinion and my experiences.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 05-17-2017 at 04:10 PM..
AD/HD can interfere with a child's education. If she is not paying attention, she is not learning. She may be distracting other children with her behaviour, that she cannot control, so they want her in Spec Ed where classes are usually smaller. Thetr are many new meds, Ritalin is old. Vyvanse and Concerta are more commonly used. Don't let your fear of meds blind you to what your child needs.
Hello. My 6 year old daughter was diagnosed with ADHD. Her school wants her to go into a special ed class and see a neurologist. The doctor said she has all of the classic symptoms of ADHD. I do not want her on ritalin or any other medication. She is smart but gets easily distracted. When the doctor was testing her, he would tell her to touch her right knee and she would touch her left. He said that she knows what to do but is being defiant.
Anyway, I wanted to know how you handled it and how it is working for you. I appreciate any input you can provide. Thanks.
Many years ago, yes. I have an adult child with ADHD who probably should have been treated in Elementary school but was not. In Middle School he started taking Ritalin but it did not particularly help, probably because it was short acting and he did not take it at lunch time. There are now different drugs that treat ADHD and not all of them are amphetamines.
Do NOT let the school place your child in Special Education classes. Instead, consider asking the school for Section 504 accommodations. It is possible your child will need further testing to support the request for accommodations.
Your child is smart, and likely bored with the style of public education.
My child went through the same thing.
I regret putting my child on ritalin.
He is a grown adult and has never had a comforting nights sleep..
he stays awake half the night, and we've always wondered if the ritalin from childhood
did something to cause this.
We homeschooled him. This is a tough situation to be in, and although homeschooling may not be an option, read all you can from that point of view so it doesn't seem like whatever the government run schools are telling you ought to be gospel.
Protect her from the discarded way they might like to treat her nonconformity.
If you honestly think your child has a real problem (or is she just a discipline problem?), take her to an appropriate professional.
Defiance is NOT ADHD!!! Why do you think she's being defiant- what's going on at home? Is she angry because you've now suggested there's something wrong with her?
Don't be swayed by by snap diagnoses.
Last edited by Hollytree; 05-18-2017 at 09:23 AM..
My son has ADHD and was on Ritalin for several years. I did not want him on it, but it was what he needed in order to be able to learn the techniques to manage his condition without drugs and to be able to function in school. He has been off meds for this entire academic year, and is about to finish out the third trimester of 7th grade of being on the honor roll all year. But he never could have gotten where he is now if he hadn't been on Ritalin (along with other therapies and seeing a counselor) during elementary school.
But you should take your child to a neurologist and get her checked out. There is such a thing as Oppositional Defiance Disorder...so maybe that's what's going on.
If your daughter DOES need medication, it's not the end of the world. And you're walking a fine line here. How long are you willing to let your daughter fall behind because she can't concentrate?
Not all kids turn into zombies when they're on Ritalin. Get the dose right, and that won't happen. Plus, like someone else said, Ritalin isn't the only drug out there.
I know you'll do what you think is best, and I'm not faulting whatever you decide. You know your daughter better than any of us do. But I used to know a family whose son always did poorly in school, had problems with behavior and concentrating...through out his school career. Had to repeat his junior year of highschool twice, and dropped out his senior year. When he turned 18, he got himself tested, diagnosed, and treated for ADHD, and for him, it was like a lightbulb turned on.
I just always thought it was so sad...all those years wasted, because his parents couldn't accept the ADHD label, and thought his problems could be prayed away.
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