ADHD Medications for Picky Eater with Sleep Problems

Actually, the meds will probably HELP with sleeping... and it's 50/50 as to whether any med will suppress or increase appetite.

We adhd'ers all have sensory "schtuff" that manifests in different ways. A common one is surrounding food... because

1) many of us are "super tasters", and even those that aren't tend to have texture/heat/coolness fixations

2) Forgetting to eat/ forgetting that we're hungry (When I'm not on meds or OTC stimulants -like coke/pepsi/mtndew... I'm NEVER hungry, and never full. It just doesn't register. I mean, I can feel my heart beat and the blood flow 18 inches in every direction, but my stomach just sort of didn't wire into the "notice me" system.) >>> The converse of this one is people who forget that they already ate and just kind of eat 24/7

3) Other things are just more interesting than eating (conversation, remembering something cool, trying to get back to something cool, etc)

So while stimulants DO tend to suppress appetite (even for us), if the reason we've been eating poorly is related to sensory overload, forgetting, distraction, or hunger not "queing up" properly, meds will *appear* to increase appetite.

The helping with sleeping is a side effect of the whole "opposite stimulant reaction". Stimulants perk us up AND calm us down (by streamlining the constant flow of information). The 2nd *fastest* way to put myself to bed is to drink a quad shot espresso. ((First is Benedryl)). So finding the balance with the RIGHT med is pretty key. When our thoughts and bodies aren't racing, it's easy to get to sleep. Meds do that, but it has to be the *right* med, at the right dose. Same token, too much of a med will "zombie-fy" us in the daytime, and the wrong med (at any dose) will spin our emotions wacky.

I often think of finding the *right* med, as picking your side effects. EVERYONE'S brains work differently in the details, so one never knows until trying how a particular med is going to react. It takes trial and error and paying attention to the side effects of each particular drug at EACH particular dose.

Some few get "lucky" and find the right med, and the right dose fairly quickly. Most have to experiment over the course of several months. Usually several drugs will "work" for the whole focus/attention thing... but the side effects of each are different. Takes a bit of playing around and a LOT of paying attention. Since you never want to play with your brain unsupervised, it's one of the reasons working closely with a psychologist and psychiatrist for the first 6mo-year is highly recommended, and working with a GP is strongly warned against.

My son has ADHD and is also small for his age. I can only support what the others have said--finding the right meds and not giving up if you aren't successful on the first try. I also make sure ds has his breakfast BEFORE his morning dose, and that the meds are out of his system before I serve dinner. So lunch/daytime eating is the biggest issue. When he is home he gets a morning (10 AM) and afternoon (3 PM) snack. At least one of those is the Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials, sometimes with ice cream and/or an egg blended in. The other snack is something with calories, since he burns up meals at a tremendous rate.

My son also has ADHD and was very active. He is on concerta for the days, and as well over the counter melatonin at night. He used to take Rhispodol (sp), perscription, which increased his appetite. Not to worry they will find the right combo, that will work for your child as well. To be calm during the day and sleep at night, be patient. My son is now 12 and doing very well. He has been on meds since 4 or 5 years old. Dont be afaid after a few weeks to tell them this is or is not working.

Our son was an extremely picky eater and had trouble getting to sleep before his ADHD diagnosis. He's been on medication since he was four and has done great. The medication did dull his early day appetite in the beginning weeks, but it greatly improves after that (we go through this when increasing dosage, too). Not a big deal because we balance it out with fatty foods he will eat (like regular milk and full fat ice cream) the rest of the day. His ADHD leaves him WAY too active at night to fall asleep (medication is out of his system by nighttime, so not an issue, although the medication calms him and I think would only help if it was active), so he takes a dosage of melatonin at night and that solves the problem. I'm not sure if it would be beneficial in your son's case, but it's worth talking to the psychiatrist about it.

Best of luck to you as you begin this process. I'm so glad you're open to considering medication because we've seen first-hand what a tremendous difference it can make. Just keep in mind that it can take some trial and error to find the right medication and dosage, so don't get discouraged if the first try isn't great. Talk over medication carefully with the psychiatrist to get fact-based information. There's a lot of misinformation online (don't get me started on the "natural remedy" hype) so it's best to talk to the doctors with the specialized expertise.

If you are concerned about the side effects of pharmaceuticals, perhaps you want to try something natural first. Ask the Dr. if you can try that route first.

Fish oil is supposed to be very good for the brain and ADHD.

Here is one that is pharmaceutical grade and ultra pure: http://K..myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20244

You can also try calcium/magnesium at bedtime as a natural relaxant.

Before putting your child on meds, I would think about taking him to see a naturopathic doctor and having him tested for heavy metal toxicity, which in some cases will also show if he has pesticide/chemical toxicity as well. There are studies coming out that are conclusively showing that many children who are showing signs of having ADHD actually have severe heavy metal posioning and/or heavy chemical/pesticide residue in their bodies. It is relatively simple to cleanse the body, and to continue to take supplements that detox the body--including switching over to organic food and nonprocessed food (to cut down on the pesticides, chemicals, toxins, etc.).

My daughter has Sensory Processing Disorder. We switched over to all organic food almost 3 years ago, and it made a profound difference in the way she acts--helped enormously!!

I would urge every parent to check out every possible way to help their children rather than putting them on pharmaceutical drugs. The side effects from the drugs are worse than what the drugs offer or promise. What's worse, many doctors won't tell you that in addition to taking drug XYZ you should also make sure your child is taking supplement(s) A, B, and C to make up for their body being depleted in that specific thing because of the pharma drug they're taking.

I used to take 12 pharma drugs. By going through a naturopathic doctor and revamping my lifestyle, I am down to one drug and want to be off that one so bad, I can taste it. It has taken me three years to get off those 11 drugs, and I am still dealing with the aftereffects/side effects from having been on those pharma drugs (the aftereffects/side effects those drugs bring). Because I now know what the doctors don't tell us, I will be extremely cautious and leery--and investigate to the nth degree--if I'm ever told I have to take a pharma drug. My research tells me that there is always something natural that can be taken that does the same thing a pharma drug does--cheaper, easier on the body, with far less--or no--side effects.

His small statute could also be because his body is malnourished or suffers from malabsorption--which mine did. My malabsorption was because my body is allergic to casein (cow's milk products), and severely intolerant to gluten and soy, among a few other foods. It is suspected that I've been allergic to casein since a child, which no one knew (constipation as well as diarrhea can be a sign of dairy allergy, as are throat and nose congestion and recurrant sinunitis and rhinitis, which I had plenty of growing up). If the body isn't getting enough nutrients to enable it to grow, the body is going to have a hard time. I was always small, short, extremely thin, and suffered a lot from sinus infections and lung problems. It's definitely something worth looking into.

Good luck.

my four yr.old has trouble sleeping,as well a as VERY picky eater,can't sit still & is in the middle of being evalutaed for adhd he wears glasses and is tiny very thin for a 4 yr. old has no short term memory if asked did you eat lunch he says he can't remember I asked what did they serve you for lunch he says i don't know,at night we must give him melatonin (a natural herb)he's constantly in trouble at the daycare,and pees in bed at night,yet very smart & articulant,wants to be a firefighter & plays this constantly almost ocd he needs meds he too played soccer (in season) not sure what the answer is sorry

My son was on many of the ADHD meds. The one that worked the best with the least side affects for him was Straterra. It is not amphatimine based so it does not have the the same side affects as the amphatemine based medications.
My son also had what is know as pititary dwarfism. There are blood test they can do to check on this as well as bone age scans ect...
He was placed on Human Growth Hormone which allowed him to grow to 5'8". It is a daily injection - but for him it was worth while.
Some kids just hit thier growing spurt later than others. I would look into causes for the lack of growth and then be patient if there is not a medical reason. One other thing to look into before ADHD meds - Narcalepsy - same symptoms as ADHD - different treatment options. Hope this helps.

I am an adult with ADD and was on Adderall for four years before I finally got off of it because I was tired of the sleeping issues and significant weight loss. I tried different amounts and tried combos with anti-anxiety meds to temper the issues, but they always added a handful of other unwelcome side effects. After going through this, I personally would do everything possible to avoid giving my children ADHD/ADD meds because I feel that they are less able to articulate their side effects and self advocate. My younger brother just started Adderall, but he is 21 so at least I feel like he can adequately monitor his health and make the decision whether or not to stay on (he's already changed doses twice since he started a few months ago due to shakiness and sleeping problems). Your son sounds like a successful little guy, so I would ask myself whether he *really* needs these heavy-duty meds. They may help with concentration, but they are not free from serious side effects.

My cousin has a child who also was small for his age and a very picky eater...also diagnosed with ADHD. The meds actually made the situation worse, and after my cousin really studied up on ADHD and really pursued some diet modifications (avoiding artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives, etc) and also adding some supplements--as mentioned, fish oil Omega 3's to his diet (helps with ADHD), etc., she was able to take him off his meds and he is eating better. She just really did alot of research and tried alot of different receipes for him and found some things he really likes, and just sticks with those, and his growth has improved alot. Also, I know you can try some alternative sleep things to help aid sleep, like lavender-scented massage rubs (badgerbalm.com) and melatonin for sleep.

Might want to check this out. Let me know if you have any questions. I work with this and it's very exciting - and kids really connect with it. Good luck.

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