Minimum Age For ADHD medication.

Hi Chris, the reason to delay ADHD meds as long as possible are two fold

1) they are appetite suppressant and the younger the child the greater the risk of low appetite affecting growth. It's the commonest reason for ceasing meds 

2) Even older kids struggle to give useful feedback on how they feel on medication. Observing calmer behaviour could be a good drug response or it could be a child feeling unwell on the meds.

Having said this if there's discussion about not starting meds then you need to ask for assistance on a behavioural program... totally get how exhausting a wired kid is and I'm dealing with teens! We attended a course (we are in NZ) on behaviour strategies and we are already getting benefits...and this is with teens.

With behavioural programs you need to be a bit of a detective. There will be some things that hold his attention. What are they? Use them and visual prompts in learning e.g. a poo chart with a reward for sitting after a meal on the potty with a something that interests him (e.g. a spinning toy) for a few minutes and a reward for a poo.

If he's non-verbal consider using BSL so he can connect the visual sign for a poo and the action. Likely you will have to use the sign several dozen times but with luck he will eventually use it to tell you he needs one!

QF,

Thanks for the informative reply. I assume my sons pediatrician won't prescribe the ADHD meds anyway due to his age. The vitamins Jo mentioned look worth trying, with fish oils helping brain function and a number of people reviewing them saying them help with their child's behavior etc

I need to learn more about bringing up a child with Autism, got a lot of other stuff going on in life at the moment so hard to make time... but that should be changing soon.

He's being assessed by the councils special education team at the moment. He's on Pathway 1, which is for children with Complex needs. They've not decided to do his EHCP yet, which is a statement declaring what support he'll require at school. But anyone who's seen him says they will agree to do it when they have all the evidence they need... so when he goes to school I guess his education should be more extensive.

But I will work a lot harder at it myself... in terms of toilet training. He hates sitting on the toilet. I try to time it after he's eaten... I even give him a spinning toy such as a fidget spinner or helicopter for sitting there. But it's like he holds it in, and two minutes after being taken off the toilet, his nappies full.

I'll persevere though... eventually it'll sink in.

Thanks,

Chris

Go back to a potty if toilet sitting is trouble. Seriously, I know lots of autistic kids who worry they are going to fall in. It also allows a better position for gravity assistance which is working if he's pooing a few minutes after :-)

Also consider a sparkly shiney toy only used for toilet sessions...bribery but justified.

I found a couple of great BSL dictionaries online that will give you sign language to try. In my experience use them as single words and reinforce with the spoken word. Eventually it will connect.

It's hard to know where to start but focusing on toileting using all the tools, visual reminders, sign etc is a great start

Go back to a potty if toilet sitting is trouble. Seriously, I know lots of autistic kids who worry they are going to fall in. It also allows a better position for gravity assistance which is working if he's pooing a few minutes after :-)

Also consider a sparkly shiney toy only used for toilet sessions...bribery but justified.

I found a couple of great BSL dictionaries online that will give you sign language to try. In my experience use them as single words and reinforce with the spoken word. Eventually it will connect.

It's hard to know where to start but focusing on toileting using all the tools, visual reminders, sign etc is a great start