medication for AS with ADD

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Hi there

My 14 year old son who has AS, ADD, sensory integration problems and dyspraxia has managed well without meds so far but he is about to start the run up to his GCSE exams (taken at 16) and is residential special school are mentioning possible meds to help him manage his work. He is not hyperactive or impulsive but has concentration issues and poor working memory so struggles to complete tasks - though he is very accurate and bright. Will Ritalin, Concerta help with his school studies? Or will they make him feel rubbish and strange. HIs school has helped him overcome a lot of challenging behaviour with non med strategies and I would hate for medication to reverse what he has achieved however I also want to make sure he is able to realise his potential -

Does anyone have any experience of this or have had kids start taking it in the teens to help with their school work? I feel very torn and need advice

In my own personal experience, it is unlikely that these would do anything useful for his test taking. Whether they will help otherwise, I don't know, but I was only turned stupid by such drugs. The one that did help me was very simple - Vistaril. It is like Benadryl, only stronger, and it really calms me down when taken occasionally.

G

The good thing about stimulants such as Ritalin is that you will be able to tell almost immediately (perhaps the first day, certainly within a week) whether there is an improvement, and if there is a bad reaction they are out of the body within hours. (Some of the other meds that treat anxiety take a few weeks to become effective, and longer to eliminate.) The bad thing is that it takes many people 6-12 months to find the right medication or combination of meds and the right dose. A responsible doctor will start "low and slow", making a change about once a month, and only changing one thing at a time.

Everyone reacts differently. There are many stimulant medications and they can be a serious help for many kids who have difficulty with focusing. I agree with what zette says. You need a good doc who will help you with your anxiety (which is natural), while you look for the right medication and dosage. The other good thing about this class of medication is that it can be taken on an as need basis. I have a friend whose son took it only when he couldn't settle down to write a paper or for exams. But you may have to spend some time finding which medicine he does best with. This can only be done through trial and error. Although some people are lucky, and find that the first thing they try works fine.

thank you for the excellent advice - it was very helpful

Just wanted to add that I would recommend working with a specialist (such as a developmental pediatrician) rather than your child's regular pediatrician. Someone whose practice treats a LOT of ADHD and ASD.

Attentive Child, which is a supplement blend, has helped my child immensly.