Anyone Other Moms with Children with ADD

My friend's son was put on that medication for school days only. His grades greatly improved. She has no complaints of side effects or anything. His self esteem greatly improved also.

Hi C.. I am the mother of an ADD child myself who has struggled through with her in a world run on the concept that "all kids should be identical", including a one sized fits all school system, a lack of insight from other parents, mean spirited relatives, and so on. I'm also a teacher who has worked with parents and children in a variety of settings, including parent education and preschool.

So the first thing I want to say is: all kids really are individuals. And it can be really -- REALLY -- liberating to realize that your child really is just extra different, and has special challenges, and that you are not just a bad parent who's been doing it all wrong! At the same time, sticking a label on a child doesn't always tell us what to do next.

Medication is always an option. But there are a number of questions to ask yourself first.

1) how much is your sons condition causing them problems

(Especially the 6 year old -- Do other kids shun him, is he so off the wall most of the time that he is a physical danger to himself, does he express frustration or anxiety about his own ability to calm down, or to fit in, etc.)

2)what lifestyle and parenting changes could you adopt to shave some of the edge off your sons levels of ADD (I'll come back to this one, as I have suggestions.)

3)what other therapies has your doctor suggested, if any.

Many doctors have two tools in their "tool kit": surgery and pills/medicine. Mainstream medicine has only begun to understand the value of other therapies (physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, diet change, allergy testing, meditation, and etc.)and to incorporate these. Just because the doctor is limited, doesn't me you have to be.

4) how comfortable are you with changing your sons' brain chemistry, and maybe creating long term problems by doing so, just so he can be "mainstreamed" without making serious lifestyle changes? (Honestly there are families, single parents, and etc. that just don't have room to make changes, making medication their best bet.)

Clearly you and your sons are the ones who have to deal with the hassles of ADD, as well as the consequences caused by how you address it. This means that you have ultimate right and responsibility to decide what approach is best for your family. So you'll have to ask yourself the questions above and try some alternative approaches and just evaluate as you go what works or doesn't work for you.

What worked for my family or another family may miss the mark for your sons and your family. Most of all...don't ever let some "expert" (including doctors) intimidate you into doing what doesn't feel right for your family. No one can observe your sons as closely as you can.

Now to go back to changes and approaches that might help... The first thing that I've observed about ADD kids over the years is that many of them are very sensitive to the emotional energy around them. So some things that help them are learning to recognize when they get that jumbly jittery feeling inside and to go find a quiet calming place. This might be their bedroom, or it might be another room-- or even some place outside.

In fact nature can be a great calming influence in itself. A woman I know who provided afterschool care, and study help, for a number of ADD boys told me that she got great results by having the boys study outside. They would find a quiet place in the grass or under a tree to do their reading, and got twice as much accomplished as when they worked inside. Thanks to her I used this trick with my own daughter, especially when we had to study together, verbally review, instruct. It really seemed to soothe her.

I also strongly recommend teaching relaxation techniques to kids, especially those with ADD. These help calm and focus the mind. Meditation, guided visualization, tai chi, yoga -- whatever works. A lot of fidgety kids seem to prefer tai chi and yoga as these use movement. Also these are an easy sell to kids who are impressed with physical aptitude -- being able to move like those martial arts guys or bend in unusual ways.

Journaling is another technique I have found helpful -- for when your sons are older, of course. (For now, you could use art therapy and dramatic play instead!) If a child says "what should I write about" tell him "anything you want", even if it's "wow this is boring" written over an over. Just set a min time or length limit (perhaps 5 minutes or 2 paragraphs, whatever works) and require that he do it at least 3 times a week. The trick is that once the kid knows they have to do it... their mind eventually starts pulling them in toward writing about something interesting or helpful. The real purpose is to connect your kid, eventually, with the his inner self, past all the white noise of his ADD, so that he can better know what he really wants and needs. It’s great for the parent of an ADD also! (Note that parents may want to have a small reward that their child earns for doing the journaling.)

The next thing, and this is probably obvious, is that your sons need lots of exercise. Exercise releases lots of helpful brain chemicals and it gives the antsy child an outlet for some of that emotional energy. The caregiver/tutor that I mentioned above swore by it. Study and quiet time came AFTER athletic outlet. For my daughter it was walking, but a friend's son needed swimming, basketball, and lots of active outdoor games.

Another trick is to consider removing a lot of artificial items from your diet. There are many who suspect that the high incidence of ADD in children is tied to the drastic increase in artificial ingredients -- as well as SUGAR -- and even hormones in our diets. I've even known parents who have had their kids tested for food allergies, by both mainstream doctors and homeopathic practitioners.

An important tool in all of this is to look at your home life and ask yourself, what in our home and our schedule seems to help my sons' condition, and what seems to set them off? There is nothing wrong with helping your sons to identify their own triggers and to take proactive measures to head off a full blown "incident".

Especially since the ADD seems to have a feed back loop. That is, your son is hyper, he encounters a trigger that gets him more hyper, now he's acting out and does stuff that provokes others; this negative feed back from others gets him even more emotionally jacked up; he needs to release this energy somehow so he does something-- and because he now really isn't thinking clearly it's something inappropriate... Well you know how it goes. Pretty soon everyone is screaming and crying!

So. Identify triggers. Identify what to do to avoid triggers where possible AND what to do once your child has been triggered. Now this becomes more and more possible the older your sons get. At four years old, and even six, you'll have to do a lot of the work for him. AND expect to repeat yourself over and over and over. The key is to do so calmly. Don't "load the system" by throwing more emotional energy at him.

The "broken record technique", where your repeat a simple instruction again in a calm and neutral manner while making direct eye contact is a big help I find. Also asking, "What do you think we should do now?", involving the child to participate in making things right, works well with some ADD kids. Most of all, keep your sense of humor! (Perhaps I should have mentioned that mediation/relaxation techniques are essential for the parent as well!)

Okay just two more items here. First there is: be open to the option of alternative schooling for your sons. There are charter schools, homeschooling (your district may provide you with all the books, plus curriculum and a mentor), and so on. Don't tear your hair out over getting your son to sit still in a standard classroom. It's just not worth it. Many of these kids, treated with TLC (that's tender loving care, not a new pill), straighten out by high school, or even well before. What I mean is, they will always be a bit different, but the self regulating skills that they seem to be lacking do in many many cases kick in -- just a little later than other kids.

This should not surprise us as child development experts have been telling us for YEARS that all kids develop at different rates, and that one child may lag in their fine motor skills (printing legibly) and race ahead in their creative or intellectual faculties. Meanwhile another kid may be a soccer and gymnastics "genius" at age 5 and not be able to learn numbers and addition worth a darn. Until later. That’s the key -- each kid has their own inner time table. All we have to do is figure out how to work WITH it, not against it.

And quite honestly, drugging a kid up so all his symptoms disappear may keep you and him from learning about who your child is and what skills he needs to acquire. You must ask yourself, will he take a pill all his life? How and when will he learn to identify his own signals -- and the useful approaches for dealing with his energy/emotions?

Finally, just as you are already doing, it's vital to reach out for support from other parents. A good resource for hooking up with other parents is the EMQ. Find them here on the web: http://www.emq.org/index.html

Also check out Parents Helping Parents: http://www.php.com/

And you can find some more good resources on my Special Needs webpage: http://www.earthskids.com/specialneedskids.aspx

Above all, remember that your sons are both very young. It is actually quite normal for a high percentage of four to six year old boys to be impulsive, extra active, loud, and etc. There is a concern that medical professionals are labeling such boys ADD when they are just being a thing we used to call "a typical boy". It’s just that some boys are calm and quiet while others are "action men", as my oldest daughter calls them. Don't despair!

Hope this helps!

-- L.

My son is now 7 (will be 8 in April) and has been on ADD meds for just over a year. A big hurdle for me in the beginning, and still everyone I talk to, was getting over the fact that Attention Deficit Disorder does NOT mean Hyperactive. My son is not hyperactive in the least bit, but he has about a 2 sec. attention span. He could sit in a classroom all day long... sit quietly at his desk and not disturb anything... but he wouldn't get a thing done. After half a year of him staying in during recesses daily, and coming home and telling me that he's not as smart as the other kids because he can't get his work done, I knew it was time to do something. He tests very well... if you can get him to take the test instead of play with the pencil you give him to write on the test with!
I was not "proud" to put him on medicine... I still don't care for it when I have to go get it, etc. But, I see what it has done for him... as do others that have said I was a bad mom for putting him on it.
However... this being said, I would not recomend putting a child under school age on medication unless he is totally out of control and fully diagnosed. A lot of kids just have the personality of "go go go go go go go" and it drives mom nuts... but, it subsides a lot when they reach school and are in that structured setting daily and know exactly what is expected.
I'm glad to talk if you would like. It hasn't been that long ago that I was faced with the same decisions... and I still get a lot of ridicule for putting him on anything, especially the one he is on. But... one major thing for me was that our doctor has been my doctor for over 15 years and my sons' since he was born... I completely trust him.

Yes, My son is 8 and he was taking ridalin for 6 months. At first the drug worked fine but then he started having trouble with school again. So I took him off the meds because I felt like they werent helping and I told the doctor. He said see how he does for a month and get back to him. So I did. School got worse, attitude was awful and my sanity was gone. I took him back to the doctor and he prescribed Aderall. He takes 25 miligrams once a day in the morning. Stephen, my son, has done a 360. Perfect in school and attitude is much better. The only thing is his pupils get dilated but I waiting to here back from the doctor on that. So I think Aderall is the drug for my child. Lethim take it for two weeks and see how he does. Dont tell the teacher he is on meds and after two weeks conference with the teacher and you will be able to justify the meds. I read alot of books on add and odd and how meds affect the child but every other drug you take yourself that the doctor prescribes you dont blink an eye you just take it and all drugs have their pros and cons. Look at birth control adds on tv, at the end of the commercial it says may cause heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure. But most of us still take it, what gives? I say just try it with your son for two weeks, you will definitely tell a difference with his behavior. Its not fair to him if there is a drug to help him and we say no because of all the other people who dont believe in giving their children meds if its only going to help him to focus on school. Normal is when you can actually say have a good day at school and the child comes home with no note on his behavior and he actually gets work done in the classroom instead of asking to go to the bathroom 10 times , asking to get a drink of water 5 times and cant stay in his seat for anything. Stephens teacher said he forgot how to wonderful it was to teach and not be interupted with stephen asking things and not raising his hand and just blurting out what Stephen wanted to say at the time. That is what justified me to accept that the meds help him to focus. We arent drugging our children, we are merely administering a drug the doctor has precribed to help our sons illness. most likey once our children have matured we wont have to do it but until then I am doing it. Even Stephen says it helps what does that tell you!

I can so relate to you and your problems with ADD. My two older children have ADHD. My daughter who is 13 has been taking Ritalin LA 20mg, this seems to work the best because it lasts most of the day and is helping her to focus. I never wanted to medicate any of my children so for years we have taken all sugar and caffeine out of their diets. Cereals are limited to no more than 10 grams of sugar per serving, and they all (6kids in total) drink the sugar free koolaid,hawaiian punch and crystal light. Sugar free cookies,candies etc are a staple in our home and what I have found was when it is snack day at the schools I bring the sugarfree oreos and the parents even like them, so there is not a taste issue. Change things around with their diet first off then move to the medication. I am not one to promote the herbal suppliments because they are not regulated by any sort of government branch, I just dont trust them. Involve the kids in any type of extra outdoor activities as possible or even some type of karate to teach them how to control themselves. Little changes seem to work the best. Teach them how to read lables and how to turn down offerings of high sugar foods and drinks. My kids have been reading lables since they were about 4. Try these things out, I hope they work.

My oldest was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 3. My ex and I agreed that he would have custody because at the time he had the finances to take care of him full time. I get him when he turns 11. Our son turns 9 in June and is on Concerta. His meds were recently increased due to an increase in anxiety attacks and so far it seems to be working. At times it can be difficult because he also has OCD. But he is the most polite little boy and behaves himself for the most part. When he has to skip his meds he tends to have a hard tinme listening and paying attention. As for normal that is a good question. My brother-in-law has two sions who are close to mine in age and they behave horribly-rude, disrespectful, no regard for others. I've mentioned that the older on might have ADD to my mother in law but I think they may be in denial. I would try the meds at the lowest dose possible first. And make sure you get an I.E.P for your sons becasue most schools will give you problems if your child is diagnosed with ADD. Good luck.

You have a lot of reading to do so I will try to keep this brief. We just decided to put our 5.5 year old kindergartener on Adderall XR just 2 weeks ago because it was obvious his ADHD was affecting his learning and social life at school especially.

It was explained to me that there is a slightly decreased blood flow to the area of the brain responsible for attention and other things and that stimuluants increase blood flow to that area increasing the ability to attend. Caffeine also worked for our son but it wasn't long lasting enough and I don't want him trying to self-medicate later in life either. There is a lot more research done on Adderall vs caffeine when it comes to ADD/ADHD and the side-effects are well documented.

I have a daughter with seizures that takes some heavy duty meds too. If the body can't regulate something on it's own, we need to help it and if it is an amphetamine, so be it. Just keep track of side-effects and you can do wonders for their learning, self-esteem and confidence. I think there has been a stigma placed on medicating that is very undeserving.

You should know right away if it works or not. My son went from dumping blocks and moving on to something else to sitting and building quite the "castle". Finishing tasks at school without constant re-direction. Actally getting his shoes on the first time asked without him getting distracted from the kitchen to the closet. Some ideas for what to look for but I don't think you will need to "look".

I liked my pediatrician's view to be open but skeptical of other treatments but try the proven first. One last thing, the Adderall time release comes in small doses so you can find the right dose with just a little trial and error and it wears off before bed (on ideal dose) so sleep shouldn't be affected and you can minimize the other side-effects like reduced appetite.

Trust your gut. You are a mom caring and with it enough to get some advice, you will do what is right for your children. Be confident in that. My thougts are with you - K.

I have some experience with this issue. Though mine might be a little different. I took custody of my nephew who is ADHD when he was 10. And I do think he had ADHD but I also think alot of his problems were from lack of stability and crappy parenting. As a young child they moved around alot. Now his older sister adjusted fine, so that isn't like an excuse, but yes since he's been with me and is in a more stable environment it has eased up.

Then there is my step-son who is now 10 years old, and I have been trying to get his bio mom to get him tested for ADHD or ADD since he was in kindergarten because of the way he acts, lack of attention span etc. He started getting into serious trouble at school and didn't respect teachers etc. I tried to get him tested when he was with us for the summer but the doctor refused to treat him unless he could evaluate him in school settings, which couldn't happen since he wasn't with us then. So I finally got his bio mom to take him in and they put him on the long acting Adderall (same thing my nephew was on) and he has been wonderful ever since. He pays more attention and can complete things, and he doesn't have the anger outbursts he is prone to.

I also babysit twin boys that are both ADHD and they are also on Adderall.

So, I would say to discuss the pros and cons with your doctor because every kid is different. But personally I have found Adderall to help all 4 of these boys, yet each of them in different ways. Helped avoid distractions, helped control anger, and help concentrate to learn the things they need to...

So, take it with a grain of salt, but it is ultimately your choice for your children! Good Luck!

I am a single mom of two boys. My boys are ages 8 and 12. My 12 year old was diagnoised a few years ago with ODD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Basically what this means is that a child, and it seems mostly boys get labled with this, are difiant with authority figures in their life. The only way I found to deal with this with my son was to get him in with a councelor who had behavior therapy training and learn what triggers him to be defiant. My 8 year old on the other hand is a totally different child. He has been diagnosed with failure to thrive, short stature, and developmental delays (not mental retardation, just delayed) when he was around 21-22 months old. Somewhere between the ages of 3-5 he was diagnoised with ADHD. I had him in counceling also with a behavior therapist/councelor. I tried many many things before medication. I am not one who will opt for medication first, it was a last resort for me. My son is on Aderral XR 10 mg once a day. He also has some stress issues that stem from anger towards his father whom he doesn't live with but has visitation 2 days a week. He is also on a medication for stress issues. The doctor tried other ADD/ADHD medications inculding Concerta. The other medications pretty much wore off by early aternoon, like around 2 pm. which would leave him hyper and uncontrollable for several hours. The Aderall XR holds out the entire day and he is able to focus and function well in school. He is in a special classroom at school that has 10 or less students. His classroom is a behavior intensified classroom with a teacher and two certified teacher aids that have specific training to work with kids with ADD/ADHD or other behaviors that affect their learning ability. I stronly recommend Aderall as we have had a good result from this med and no bad outcomes from it. I live in the Spokane area, if you want to contact me by email feel free. ____@____.com Also one more thing you should know. The Aderall does cause my son to loose his appetite, so make sure if you go this route that your doctor follows your child regularly and monitors his weight. My sons doctor sees him every three months to follow up. Because my son is underweight (he now weighs 43 lbs at 8 yrs old) the doctor and I have together added a medicine called Zyprea in a very small dose. The Zyprexa causes him to be hungry and helps him maintain a steady weight. I wish you well.

Welcome to my world! I have two sons ADHD (hyperactivity added in, too) and they were this way when they were born. Although most clinical psychologists dont agree they are diagnosed until about age 7, I believe a mom knows. I have had my sons medicated for over 4 years now, and what a difference! The ADD kids make immediate changes, and are able to focus, sit still, stop tapping and banging, and stop non stop chattering! If they dont have the meds, they have severe social problems when in school, and fight wtih others, and cannot respond to social cues from other kids. My ex fought me in court for 4 years on medicating the boys, and i finally won after years of testing and meeting several doctors and psychiatrists. The meds only stay with them until dinnertime, and are completely OUT of the bloodstream by bed, so they are not addicting at all. Its worth a try to see if they will help, and I believe they are a MUST for kids in school. My oldest had to learn to make friends all over again, once he had meds. It's like a new boy moved in, and the old son was gone. EVeryone now remarks at what quiet, polite boys I have...If only they knew the trials we went through as he was thrown out of 3 schools in first grade! TAke my advice and follow the doctors wishes...You'll be so glad you did. I hope this helps anyone reading this, as i struggled so hard for several years. I dont wish that on my worst enemy!
T. in CA

I really just have to say...wow. My oldest son was diagnosed (by his pediatrician when I called after the teacher hinted towards it) with a mild case of ADD last year (he was in kindergarten). It took us more than a talk with the doctor for an hour to get a diagnosis. We, and his teacher, had to do a Connor's test, take it back to the ped and let her evaluate. She told me it was my choice whether or not to medicate. I chose to only medicate on school days (he's on ritalin and it's not a long term med) as I can control him at home just fine.

My middle son who is going to be 5 next month was diagnosed by a psychologist he has been seeing for about a year. She sent us to a psychiatrist who then had us and his teacher, do a Connor's test. We are just now (3 weeks later) going back in to see if it's enough to medicate him. He is a lot worse symptom wise then his brother is and our mental health center doesn't like to medicate, or diagnose AD(H)D for that matter, until at least age 5.

So, as I DO have 2 boys with AD(H)D, I also don't really know what "normal" is, but I do know they are special compared to other kids.

Hi C.,

I have ADHD and take adderall. I wonder, is he giving the child a small dose? I would get more than one opinion for sure. My husband has ADD and he has taken medicine, but not thst one. It does not work for everyone and is a narcotic as well. Again, I would do A LOT of research before giving it to a child. Hope this is helpful...

Blessings,

K

I have three kids and only two of them have ADD/ADHD. One is on Focalin XR and the other on Adderall XR. My husband is ADD and he takes Straterra. Straterra isn't a stimulant. You may have to try different doses and/or medications before finding the right one. Hang in there. There are some great books on the subject that you may find at your local library. Also you can check out the medication websites. Sometimes they will send you infomation on ADD/ADHD. My kids doctor specializes in ADD/ADHD and he has a web page with info. www.add-pediatrics.com is his web page. You could also go to www.ADHDinfo.com for more info. I don't like to label my children as abnormal because who is to say what it normal and what isn't. ADD/ADHD people tend to have higher IQ's. Alot of famous people are or were ADD/ADHD. Like Abe Lincoln, Einstien, Whoopi Goldberg. I wish you luck and please ask if you have anymore questions.

Hi C.. I have ADD. My son seems fine. Just a couple quick tips. When I was in 2nd grade my teacher put my desk in the back row and left my chair as an option. I was able to get the physical energy out without disrupting the class. I asked questions that were already answered but she was great about it. As I got older I was finally tested. I never took meds but my mom also wasn't honest with me or my teachers in fear of making it worse for me. I wish we all knew. I had a horrible time in school because I couldn't focus but I didn't understand why. If I had known, things would have been very different. You're going to get mixed opinions on the med end of things. Ultimatly it's what you feel is best for you and your children. You may try it and not like it. Try as many options as you can that works with your family. I really hope all goes well. I'm glad you found out while they're at young ages. Best wishes.

C.,

Kids his age have no attention span to begin with. You have to teach them that. I had to with my son and both of my bothers were that way too. Their diet has a lot to do with it too. If you would like to try herbs and nutrition before you result in meds give me a call. There are a lot of other options out there. I have had a lot of success with this in other clients as well as my own son.

Here to help

L. C
Personal Nutritionist
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Dear C.,

Being able to pay attention is number one in being successful in school and in making good relationships. For goodness sake, you are thinking that 'medicating' him is bad. I tell you straightforwardly, it is a Godsend to be able to live in a time that has medications for this condition. How do you think that they are going to be able to learn if they are constantly finding it hard to attend to the world. The world is confusing enough without having to battle inward problems.
If you continue to hesitate, then you are doing your child a disservice.

I wish that my daughter in law had not been so concerned about being 'medicated'. She refused medicine for a Bipolar condition and succeeded in making our family life extremely difficult. The medication allows people to be normal, like your doctor said so that they can lead a less stressful life, and so that their families can communicate with them in a loving way.

I hope you think about what I have said.
Sincerely, C. N.

Hi C....my brother has ADHD....wow. The only thing you can do is maske sure that your kids understand you love them NO MATTER WHAT. They don't want to be told they are bad kids...my brothers school just expelled him and he cried to me...he said, "T., why am I a bad kid?" Just be patient, work with them, give them extra love, and let them know you will always be on their side. Good luck, and God be with you..T.

My daughter (who is ow 23) has ADD. It took me years to get her diagnosed. It was ADD/Dyslexia. I have several other kids in the family who also have the disorder. The thing is....sometimes ADD is actually absencia seisures. Two years ago my daughter went in for testing again and they said it was seisures. No big problem really. They last 30 seconds and are over.

My experience with the kids in our family is that it takes alot out of Mom to help them get through the learning process. There wasn't anything they could prescribe back then. They must have quiet for studying, you have to constantly get them to refocus. Most end up in a type of special education program called Indivudual Education Program (IEP). They get smaller class sizes so they can focus.

The medication has helped several of the kids. They perform at a more regular level in school which is the big bonus. I don't want our kids to fall behind. They say that they out grow it or learn to function with it. Had the medication been available I would have put my daughter on it. She fell behind in shool and thought she was stupid. Once they are stablized they can reduce the medication and eventually ween them off it.

Hope this helps.

Hi - I have a 10 yr. old son with ADD. He was diagnosed about 2 yrs. ago, so I know what you mean when you say you don't know what "normal" is. :) It is often challenging for our family, although the worst part of my son's ADD is getting him to focus and retain the information he reads/hears once he is focused. He has no problems w/ aggression, etc.
Our MD put him on two or three meds, with the next choice being Ritalin. We decided at that point that this was something that we were going to have to work thru as a family, with the schools assistance, etc. We made the choice to no longer medicate him and he still struggles, but he is doing ok. Aderall helped him but not enough where I thought it was worth it to continue medicating him. Please know that if you have an actual "diagnosis", you have to legal right to talk to his teachers about modifying his work load, etc., at school. I just read a very informative book called Healing ADD by Daniel Amen, MD., that may be helpful to you as far as understanding ADD and the meds, etc. Make sure your son takes lots of breaks to get himself refocused, ie: my son likes to run around the couch or go throw a ball around for about 5 minutes. He says it just helps him release some extra energy and helps him re-focus. Also, look for signs of when you think your son may need a break. I can tell when my son starts to itch his legs and neck that it's time for a break...I ususally need to give him a break every 15-20 minutes. For your son, it may be sooner because he is so much youner than mine. I know it sounds like a lot of time wasted, but not if he's able to re-focus and retain more info.
Sorry, this was probably too much info, or maybe not what you were looking for, but I've done so much research and have dealth with it for awhile, so I'm pretty passionate about it. Just remember, he'll be just fine and it's not the end of the world...although, trust me, I know there are some days when it feels like you don't know what else to do! You're not alone!!Good luck and best wishes!

Since you asked about the drug, I feel compelled to tell you that Aderall is amphetamine aka stimulant. While it is common to use stimulants to treat ADHD, I have a hard time thinking about children on amphetamines. I would at least ask about trying something like Strattera (which is the first non-stimulant FDA-approved medication used for the treatment of ADHD.) I probably sound like a commercial, but I personally know a 10 year old boy that is on Strattera and he's doing wonderfully!

Good luck!