My 5 year old son has just been diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. He is to start a low dose of Adderal today.

Does anyone have experience with this med for young children? I am told that it will effect his appetite but that is all.

Also, would it be okay to give this to him through the school week and not on the weekends or is this the type that has to have a certain amount in your system at all times to work?

I would ask the doctor these things but he left on vacation and won't we back for a week.

Thanks!

I used Adderall for Dustin for a while.

About Adderall. (this is an online pharmacy but it has GREAT information)

The medication has a fast processing cycle but it isn't good to start and stop the med, he needs to be consistant with taking it. It is like getting on and off a roller coaster ride, that just isn't good when you are dealing with the brain!

Adderol made Dustin lose weight quite drastically, but he also has Cerebral Palsy so he has a VERY high calorie burn and was under weight to start with.

Give it a couple weeks, monitor how he is behaving, monitor his weight and record all of that. Then talk to the doctor if you do not see changes for the better in his behaviors and concentration, and if you see significant weight loss for his size and build.

Currently, Dustin is on Risperdal and Luvox. We have seen major improvements in his concentration, redirection from obsessive behaviors and other things. It took quite a while for us to find this combination of meds, but it took an awesome doctor from Hershey Medical Center to help us do this.

I hope your son is able to be helped with this medication.

What meds has your sons doctor tried with him?

Is this a doctor who specializes in treatment
of ADD and Pervasive Developmental Disorder?

Sherasi,

This is the first time my son has been on this type of medication. His pediatrition(sp) sent him to a doctor who specializes in ADD and ADHD.

Since he started adderal on Monday, he has been a mess. He cries at the drop of a hat and then continues to cry for almost an hour at a time. The only thing that helps is if I hold and rock him.

I have noticed that he is able to concentrate a little better on his school work. I guess that is a little step in the right direction.

It hasn't slowed him down much though. When he talks to you, you can hardly understand him because he talks so fast. While you are trying to have a conversation with him, he is usually walking in a circle, bouncing up and down, or rocking back and forth. He is constantly doing things he knows is wrong. For example, the other day while walking home from school, he reaches and pinches a little girl. When I ask him why, he says he knew it would hurt her but he couldn't help it.

I just wish I knew what was going on in his head. We go back on the 21st so the doctor can evaluate him again.

Wish me luck!