Concerta for my son...time for a dose increase?

[harleychick]

My 9 yr old son has been on Concerta since July 07. He has done better in school but after school during homework time he gets very frustrated. He hates to write. He can do the work and knows the answers. When I can convince him to just do his home work(which amounts to 1 paper) he knows everything. At first I thought it was just simply he didn't understand but he would interupt me when I was explaining it to him and finish the work. He is playing baseball for the first time and is beating himself up if he isn't perfect at it. I tried to explain its only for fun and to learn baseball. He has never played before so its not like he should know everything of the game. I wonder if there is something we can ask the dr. to add to the Concerta or increase the dose. He is taking 18mg right now.

[janewhite1]

Maybe you could adjust the dosing so it works better during homework time, possibly adding a quick-release medicine in the afternoon.

Me, I just can't function at the "medicated" level for more than about 6-8 hours per day, no matter what I do, and I'm 27 years old. After the dose wears off, I'm just so tired I can't function any more, and my frustration threshold is very low.

[harleychick]

thanks, he is seeing his dr. on tuesday for his monthly visit. He takes the time released and it supposed to last thru homework time. It doesn't seem to. I will mention it to his dr. and see what she says.

[MSmomof2]

My son is also on Concerta (36 mg) and has been since 2nd grade - he is now in his second year of 6th grade. Our doc tried a small dose of Strattera last year for a "pick me up" in the afternoons and we hated it. My son would cry or get upset at the drop of a hat. That's just him, though, and thought I would pass it along. I have a few posts under "ADD Inattentive Type" if you want to check those out.

Also, it's interesting that you said your son doesn't like to write. My son failed Reading last year and this year he's struggling with / failing English. Got progress reports yesterday and he had all 80's and 90's except for a 57 in English. They only have 3 weeks of school left so I don't know that he can pull it up. When I asked him what the problem was, he said, "I don't like to write." I wonder if this is just another "symptom" of ADD???

Anyone?

MSmomof2

[janewhite1]

Not liking to write a symptom? Dear Lord, yes.

I was, according to my parents, speaking in complete sentences at 19 months, and reading chapter books at five and a half. I was about ten before I could compose a single written sentence without horrible stress and trauma. Every paper in high school was done day-before, except for the ones that were done morning-of. It wasn't until I was 19 years old and on meds that I got comfortable with writing, and I still find some kinds quite stressful.

Not that I wasn't good at writing when I did it, just that I wasn't capable of doing it unless I was extremely stressed first

Note to family members: adrenaline has the same effect on the brain as Ritalin. They're not putting off a disliked task until the last minute because they're lazy, they're putting it off because they can't do it without the pressure of a deadline.