Son starts Strattera - ADD / ADHD Message Board

Btrcup · 11-08-2004, 12:22 PM

Hi all, my almost 8 year old son is going to start Strattera this coming weekend. He started having problems in Kindergarten and was unofficially dx with ADHD. His pediatrician said they do not usually like giving meds to young children unless absolutely necessary. They said most children with ADHD begin having problems in 2nd grade with their school work and they would wait until then to discuss meds. Well he's now in 2nd grade and not doing well. He is very intelligent and knows the work, he just can't focus or sit still. His Pre-K teacher summed it up..."he will find a cure for cancer, but won't be able to find his keys."

I am scared to death of the thought of my baby being on meds, but we don't know what else to do. He's become a problem at home and with his playmates. It breaks my heart when he comes in the house and says no one wants to play with him

.

I would appreciate any feedback on children taking Strattera. He's an otherwise healthy child, but we are so afraid of side effects. Thanks for listening.

Linda

mudhound · 11-10-2004, 05:41 AM

My child is 18 years old now. There are others that can be of help.

bashful · 11-10-2004, 06:59 PM

My son is 6 and is taking ritilan and has been on it since he turned 5. At first we tryed others even the med your son is starting but it didnt do a thing for him. I have found the med he is now takeing is doing wonders. He started taking med in headstart and the teacher he had then became his kin teacher and she says there are major improvements she says he is a totally differnt child. So i really would not worry about your son but remember it does take time and alot of work to get the med right this may not even be the right med for him i know of three others besides the one he is starting.

JT95 · 11-12-2004, 07:13 AM

While your son is too young for this to be an issue, a lot of adult men have complained of sexual side effects when taking strattera. I got my first prescription for ADD meds a couple months ago and my doc gave me strattera. Before going to the pharmacy, I investigated and decided I'd rather not try this drug due to the wide complaint of these adverse sexual side effects.

Now, those should not be of concern to a 2nd grader, but since the drug company hasn't really investigated these claims yet, as a parent (and I too have a second grader) I would worry about a possible ill effect on sexual development at the onset and during puberty. The drug probably doesn't pose a problem there, but I wouldn't want to take that chance.

I can understand your concern about your son saying no one wants to play with him. As a parent, we hurt more from our kids' social problems than academic any day. As far as school, if his grades/academic development is going well, I'd think again about medicating...unless the problems seem severe. Our educational system is NOT designed for males (and I'm a teacher), so it is common for boys in the lower grades--ADHD and not--to get in trouble for not sitting still. God did not make little boys to sit still. Granted, ADHD can cause some serious academic and social problems. Medication works wonders for some families, and for some it doesn't seem to help as much.

Before putting my child on a medice--one that will be a long term daily routine--I would get that diagnosis from a specialist and not rely on my family practice doc.

Is he finishing his school work? My son was having a lot of behavior problems at school, but it was largely due to the fact that the kid has no control of himself when his mind is left to wander. He started a new school this year--second grade. By the second week his desk was already scooted beside the teacher's. His problem is that he has to keep his mind engaged. At his previous school he had extra work to do or he was allowed to get away from his table and go the "centers". (He almost always got in trouble after finishing an assignment/activity.) Now he has been moved to a third grade classroom and is doing much better behavior wise. The work is harder for him, but it keeps him under control. If he keeps busy and is challenged, he keeps focused on work and leaves people and things alone. Well, for the most part he does...Might it be a challenge/boredom issue with your son?

I'm not saying don't medicate him. If you haven't looked into presenting him with a different academic approach or haven't had that official evaluation by someone who specializes in ADD/ADHD children, then do so before starting him. Medicine can be a blessing for many, but I have also seen family doctors rush to put school kids on a medicine for ADHD rather quickly.

PatriciaB · 11-12-2004, 10:38 AM

Btrcp, please don't worry. As another poster said, this may not wind up being the right drug for him but at least you are on the right track to getting him some help. My "just turned 15 year old" daughter started on meds for ADHD in 4th grade and what a difference it made for her and for us. I had resisted starting her on them for various reasons but none of them were really valid. I didn't want her labeled "ADHD, I thought it would change her basic sweet personality into some kind of unrecognizable zombie, and I wasn't sure that drugs would really help. As I said, none of those reasons turned out to be valid. It turned her around in almost every aspect of her life. It didn't happen overnight but her grades picked up drastically, she was able to gradually start making and keeping friends, and mainly she gained confidence in herself that had just plummeted.
She didn't start out on Strattera but wound up on it a couple of years ago, and while she loves the affect of it on her, she hates the side effects. It makes her sooooo nauseous for the first hour after she takes it.
Anyway, good luck with your son, as his mom you will know the best thing to do for him and way down the road you'll both know you did the right thing!