Has anyones child outgrowm ADHD? - ADD / ADHD Message Board

earthg · 09-14-2003, 10:58 PM

My 9 year old was diagnosed upon entering school at age 6. Im just curious if anyone has a child/children who have outgrown ADHD and could stop taking the meds all together? If so at what age and how did you taper off meds and what kind of meds. Repercusions?
Thanks for any and all....

Markie Mark · 09-15-2003, 05:57 AM

I have a nephew that was able to go off his meds once he had gone through puberty. He is now going to college at Purdue in Navy ROTC. doing quite well. So yes sometimes you can out grow ADD. your son my be lucky.

7islandsweet · 09-15-2003, 10:22 AM

Hi,

My brother was diagnosed "Hyperactive & gifted" back in the early 70's and put on Ritalin. He was on the Ritalin for awhile, but not overly long. My parents also tried the Fiengold diet with him. Now he is 38 and doing fine. He has a photographic memory and is a hilariously funny person to be around. He does, however, have a lot of symptoms of OCD...but, I guess it doesn't cause him too much concern. He is able to function in life and is very responsible. He is definitely a person that others like to be around.

I think the hyperactivity of childhood ADHD mellows into a restlessness as an adult. I think the ADHD brain is wired a little differently than the average brain, but I think those differences become less apparent (at least to others) as a person matures and is able to handle themselves as an adult. A lot of adults do try to self medicate with cigarettes, caffiene and alcohol. If this "self medication" isn't abused, it becomes a socially acceptable way for the adult ADHD person to handle their uniqueness.

09-15-2003, 11:23 AM

If a kid outgrows their ADD after puberty that most likely means they never had real ADD, they were just an extra active/slightly immature child. I dont think the people who truly have ADD ever outgrow it. Some people learn little coping tricks. Of course the older you get the more time youve had to learn new coping tricks and the more "normal" you seem to function. Sometimes stimulant medication can cause some horrible side effects, expecially if it is used long term then the child goes off it. An addiction medicine specialist/MD told it to me this way. The average level of working dopamine in the brain is 10, an ADD/ADHD childs working dopamine level is a 7. When on stimulant medications the working dopamine level goes up to a normal range of 9-10. After several years of use the brain is dependant on the medication to work normally so when the person goes off the medication rather than the original 7 that they started with their brain will now only function at a 4 or 5. This is because of damage to the brain from the medication and a dependancey on the medication. If there is any treatment other than stimulants that will work for your children then you should definantly try that instead. Like natural alternatives, biofeedback, etc. Also when a kid is on medication they dont learn the tips and tricks that they would learn if they werent on the meds. Good Luck