momma mommy bwuh

Deciding whether or not to medicate your child is an intensely personal decision, fraught with considerations and weighing of pros and cons. No parent takes this choice lightly. After much thought, we decided to try medication to address Boy1’s attention-deficit symptoms.

This decision wasn’t easy. We’ve heard concerns about how ADHD medications might alter a person’s personality, and some adults have shared their discomfort with the way these medications affect them. We were particularly uneasy about making this choice for Boy1, rather than with him, especially given his communication challenges and limited understanding of his condition.

His attention-deficit is significantly impacting his ability to learn, creating a barrier between his brain and the world around him. We felt it was crucial to try something to help him break down that barrier and improve his learning experience. While the seizure medication has been a positive step, we now need to explore further options.

Following the recommendation of the developmental pediatrician, we started him on a low dose of metadate (methylphenidate), with a 10mg capsule each morning.

After a few weeks on the medication, I initially noticed some promising changes. During the first week, he showed an improved ability to follow complex, multi-step directions. For instance, after camp, I gave him a series of unrelated instructions (like “do this here” and “do that there”), and he completed every step—a first for him. I was overjoyed to see this progress.

While it’s possible that the initial improvements were partly due to a placebo effect, there have still been some positive changes, though not as dramatic as that first week. Importantly, the medication has not affected his vibrant personality or energy levels. He remains the same lively, happy, and spirited boy we love, just a bit more attentive and ready.

We’ll have a follow-up appointment with the developmental pediatrician after 30 days, and I’ll provide an update on how things are progressing.