question about ADHD (adderall)?

Question

My 7 year old son is ADHD and they put him on ADDERALL and i was just wondering if anyone elses kids were on it and if they have had any trouble out of it....any side effects? if u know anything about it let me know...thanks

Answer 1

I am a school teacher and though as educators we are advised to not advocate for medication for students with ADHD or ADD, if monitored carefully it does make a tremendous difference at school. It is a long process to find the right dosage or the right medication. Then as students grow older, the body changes and the chemicals needed have to be changed as the child grows. Parents often get frustrated with the whole process because it seems like an endless journey. But..........if it helps a child learn, it is totally worth it. Most of the side effects that I have seen are sometimes upset stomach and being tired or sleepy, but that usually passes after the child adjusts to the medication. Good luck, don't give up! If Adderall is not the answer, there are many other medications that might work. Everyone's different, you are going to get the horror stories and success stories.

Answer 2

Okay, after reading everyone's responses essentially begging you to not give this drig to your son, let me give you a different opinion. My daughter was dx w/ ADHD when she was 7 (she is almost 12 now). She has been on adderall XR since she was 7. When she first began taking it, she did have a smaller appetite, but did NOT lose a bunch of weight. The first day she started taking it, she was a bit "zoned out", but once her system adjusted to it, she was fine. She takes gifted classes in school and is better able to focus. Anytime I forgot to give her her meds in the AM, I would get a note from her teacher after school saying " She didn't have her meds today, did she? She couldn't sit still and wouldn't stop talking". Any drug has side effects, and alot of the effects listed above are often due to being prescribed the wrong dose. This is obviously a very sensitive subject and EVERYONE has an opinion as to whether or not to medicate a child, and yes ADHD is over-diagnosed, but parents with kids with this disorder KNOW. When your kid can't even sit long enough to read them a story, and you often find yourself wondering "why isn't my kid like every other kid I know? THEY don't behave this way", you seek help. Also, it is proven that parents with a child dx's w/ ADHD are 50% more likely to have another child with ADHD. My siggestion to you: ask your doc for the lowest dose available and see how your child's behavior changes. Good luck. I am pulling for you!

Answer 3

my daughter has taken Adderall XR (the extended release formula) it worked better than just the regular Aderall, plus she only had to take it one time a day that way. Biggest side effect for her was appetite loss. She wouldn't eat breakfast or lunch, but scarf down food when she got home from school. She isn't very big and it did have a slight effect on her actually losing weight. Cetera (sp?) is a newer drug with less side effects for the ADD kids, might just give Adderall a good trial period (30-45 days) then see if he's okay on it. If not, consult the Dr. about that Cetera.

Answer 4

My son has ADHD and was on Adderall XR. The doctor switched him to Concerta because on the Adderall he lost his apetite. He usually is a very good eater, but on the Adderall he lost his appetite and did not eat much at all. He began losing weight on it. It made him also very tired, and did not actually help his attention span improve much or with his hyperactivity. The Concerta is a better fit for my son.

Answer 5

This isn't my child or anything but I do know a boy that is 14 on Adderall and he had bad mood swings and lost a lot of weight and could actually be considered anorexic from his weight lose. It says that anorexia is a side effect, although not sure how rare it is.
In my opinion, I'd get something else but I mean you could always try for alittle because everyone is different.

Answer 6

That funny you ask. I work for a company that deals with ADHD or ADD patients. I used to be ADHD myself. Adderall does have some side effects to it. It does tend to make you concentrate, but it also makes you sleepy too. Some of my clients have come back saying that they cant take this medicine because it was causing them to have stomach aches. Some other clients say that the medicine is too strong and is causing them to be a little more lazy then what they want to be. It has many side effects, but it works great though.

Answer 7

My son has been on it and has also been on Concerta. It works well for helping children maintain control while they are in school. However by the time they are home it will have lost its effect. The long term goal of any medication like that is to help the child remain attentive and help with their decision making skills. Over a period of time he should be weaned off the medication. However, there will be a period of “bad days” when you first reduce the dosage. Its best to try any reduction in medication over a week or more school holiday. The only side effect I have seen so far is that it does reduce his appetite. I have not seen any problems with sleeping.

Answer 8

The little boy I nanny for was put on this last year and had serious side effects. I am not saying that yours will but this is what happened to him. He started becoming agitated more than usual. Licking his lips over and over. There was swelling of his lips, and he looked blue around them. Then he started complaining of stiffness to his neck. I would tell his mom every day that he was telling me he was hurting, and didn't she think his lips looked swollen. He continued to complain with his neck hurting him, and with me telling mom. Finally after 4 days of nothing being done, I called his dad because now his back was also hurting, and he said he couldn't turn his head. His father took him immediately to the ER. The doctors treated the symptoms with Benadryl as his was an allergic reaction. He complained of chest pain for almost two weeks after that with us getting him and EKG. Everything turned out okay, but please, the minute he begans to complain of any pain or have swelling contact his doctor.

In response to the one answerer wrote that they are saying TV could be contributing to the problem. This little boy never watches TV during the week and is only allowed 2 hours on the weekend. He also is not allowed on the computer during the week. What we have noticed, that though it may not contribute to them getting it, it may make the problem worse if they have it. IThe visual effects seem to overstimulate him, and he becomes obsessive afterwards.

Answer 9

adderall is a strong drug used to treat adhd---some people like it and some don't

it is a very effective drug for the treatment

however, there can be side effects and this will vary per person

there are other drugs such as ritalin and concerta that you may want your son's dr. to look into

Answer 10

If you have any effects you don't like, you should talk to your doctor. Beeware with stimulants: they suppress seratonin and make people depressed. You would be better off cleaning up your child's diet (google "Fiengold Diet" and "GFCF diet"), though this is much more difficult thatn giving him a pill. I learned the hard way that this is far better for your child, though. Red dyes in partuclar really sent my son around the bend. I also recommend the blood type diet (Eat Right 4 Your Type"). This has improved my family's health dramatically and my son went from special ed and an "emotionally disturbed" label to regular ed. You really are what you eat.