I am thinking of asking the doctor for ADD meds

[Olioxenfree]

Is he in any kind of behavioral therapy? I would try that before medication.

[Pjmm]

I'm not a fan of adhd medication. I've tried it for yds. I would get an in-depth evaluation for your son and have anything prescribed and monitored by a psychiatrist not the pediatrician. I honestly feel counseling, time and maturity did more for yds than medication. Plus he wouldn't keep weight on. Also these meds are trial and error to find what works the best. I agree with everyone if he does well at school cut out the video games, no one needs the damn things. Get him involved in scouts or something active instead. let him talk- boys do. Getting distracted with chores is a kid thing. Really try other avenues first.. this is from my experience with the medications.

[LiveWhatULove]

Good luck. I hope you find something that works for him!

[jas]

I'm not a fan of adhd medication. I've tried it for yds. I would get an in-depth evaluation for your son and have anything prescribed and monitored by a psychiatrist not the pediatrician. I honestly feel counseling, time and maturity did more for yds than medication. Plus he wouldn't keep weight on. Also these meds are trial and error to find what works the best. I agree with everyone if he does well at school cut out the video games, no one needs the damn things. Get him involved in scouts or something active instead. let him talk- boys do. Getting distracted with chores is a kid thing. Really try other avenues first.. this is from my experience with the medications.

Actually it's not trial and error anymore... There's a simple blood test that's been pretty spot on for several members of an ADHD group I'm in on FB. Genesight. I wish I knew about it before we did the trial and error with my son - however...

From another perspective - my son has been on a few different meds before we found one that works. And it works. According to him, without it, his mind is like a computer will hundreds of tabs open at the same time, all trying to work on something different. He can't shut it down, not even to sleep. It's distracting and completely frustrating. He's on Concerta which helps him focus. He's never had issues with school work.

Get him evaluated and go from there. I would limit his screen time though. My son can't handle more than an hour before he becomes a total jerk, so that's all he gets.

[Pjmm]

I'm not a fan of adhd medication. I've tried it for yds. I would get an in-depth evaluation for your son and have anything prescribed and monitored by a psychiatrist not the pediatrician. I honestly feel counseling, time and maturity did more for yds than medication. Plus he wouldn't keep weight on. Also these meds are trial and error to find what works the best. I agree with everyone if he does well at school cut out the video games, no one needs the damn things. Get him involved in scouts or something active instead. let him talk- boys do. Getting distracted with chores is a kid thing. Really try other avenues first.. this is from my experience with the medications.

Actually it's not trial and error anymore... There's a simple blood test that's been pretty spot on for several members of an ADHD group I'm in on FB. Genesight. I wish I knew about it before we did the trial and error with my son - however...

From another perspective - my son has been on a few different meds before we found one that works. And it works. According to him, without it, his mind is like a computer will hundreds of tabs open at the same time, all trying to work on something different. He can't shut it down, not even to sleep. It's distracting and completely frustrating. He's on Concerta which helps him focus. He's never had issues with school work.

Get him evaluated and go from there. I would limit his screen time though. My son can't handle more than an hour before he becomes a total jerk, so that's all he gets.

I don't know anything about genesight. I do know ds never felt the medication did him much good other than make him nauseated so after about two years we stopped it. His grades didn't get any worse. Maybe at the time it benefited him but I think the counseling did more. Being distracted or talking a lot were things my older son did as well as act really pissy over video games. He doesn't have adhd. Yds does.. he'd forget to use the bathroom if I didn't restrict his game playing. He did hyperfocus. Now he can stop himself. I guess an evaluation wouldn't hurt but if medication is necessary it should be done by a psychiatrist and carefully. Pediatricians in my experience just don't know enough about them.

[jas]

I'm not a fan of adhd medication. I've tried it for yds. I would get an in-depth evaluation for your son and have anything prescribed and monitored by a psychiatrist not the pediatrician. I honestly feel counseling, time and maturity did more for yds than medication. Plus he wouldn't keep weight on. Also these meds are trial and error to find what works the best. I agree with everyone if he does well at school cut out the video games, no one needs the damn things. Get him involved in scouts or something active instead. let him talk- boys do. Getting distracted with chores is a kid thing. Really try other avenues first.. this is from my experience with the medications.

Actually it's not trial and error anymore... There's a simple blood test that's been pretty spot on for several members of an ADHD group I'm in on FB. Genesight. I wish I knew about it before we did the trial and error with my son - however...

From another perspective - my son has been on a few different meds before we found one that works. And it works. According to him, without it, his mind is like a computer will hundreds of tabs open at the same time, all trying to work on something different. He can't shut it down, not even to sleep. It's distracting and completely frustrating. He's on Concerta which helps him focus. He's never had issues with school work.

Get him evaluated and go from there. I would limit his screen time though. My son can't handle more than an hour before he becomes a total jerk, so that's all he gets.

I don't know anything about genesight. I do know ds never felt the medication did him much good other than make him nauseated so after about two years we stopped it. His grades didn't get any worse. Maybe at the time it benefited him but I think the counseling did more. Being distracted or talking a lot were things my older son did as well as act really pissy over video games. He doesn't have adhd. Yds does.. he'd forget to use the bathroom if I didn't restrict his game playing. He did hyperfocus. Now he can stop himself. I guess an evaluation wouldn't hurt but if medication is necessary it should be done by a psychiatrist and carefully. Pediatricians in my experience just don't know enough about them.

That's for sure! It's been mine as well.

[Sassy762]

I hated putting my son on meds but he couldn't concentrate in school without them. Its going to take time to figure out which medication or medications will work for him best

[Anonymous 2]

Why bother with anon carters?

[Hot4Tchr-Bieg]

I have seen meds work wonders. And I also wish my parents had worked more towards a diagnosis and an intervention with me. I started Strattera at age 40something.

That said, you said the boy is 11, right? At that age, the hormones get started and even kids on meds have regressions or find that whatever adaptations/strategies they've learned or invented to help themselves become inadequate. I would first focus on tightening up the structure of the day and employing external memory devices, like a day planner, checklists, etc.

And that video game thing...if you want him to learn to manage his emotions when playing the games, he may need more practice, not less. I really found with my son that taking it away for an hour when he lost his shit over getting shot or whatever was way more effective than taking it away for a week or more. And yeah...it was when I noticed that he always RAN to the bathroom after shutting down the game that I recognized that we were having more than just a temper problem.

[Anonymous 3]

does he have a therapist? If no than start there I think meds should be a last effort.