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Author:
Angie Dixon

I know some of my readers are up in arms that I even wrote this article. You think there is no question about ADHD medications. The funny thing is, some of you think there's no question that your child SHOULD take ADHD medication, and some of you think there's no question that your child SHOULD NOT take medication for ADHD.

The truth is, it's a very individual decision, and there are a lot of things to consider. First, just to be fair, let me say that my son takes ADHD medication and will as long as I have anything to say about it. For us, not medicating is not an option. It helps him handle his ADHD symptoms and he does better in school and at home. He stays out of ADHD-related trouble caused by impulsive behavior and gets better grades than before the ADHD medication. He also has more friends because he's easier to be around. That's why we decided to medicate Jack's ADHD in spite of side effects like lack of sleep and lack of appetite.

When deciding not to medicate ADHD kids, a lot of parents talk about fear of side effects. This is a legitimate concern and one you should discuss with your doctor before deciding for sure against medications. Since ADHD medications affect different people in different ways, it's possible to mitigate side effects.

Some parents just don't want to give their kids medication for something that is "normal kid behavior." To this I would submit that if you're concerned enough about ADHD to be discussing medication, it might not be "normal."

Other parents really want to try natural remedies/diet/alternative therapies for ADHD first. Again, I would say do your research and know what really works in treating ADHD and what you're getting into.

Some parents believe every ADHD child should be medicated, and don't investigate very thoroughly what medication might work best for their child, but just go with the first thing the doctor suggests. I would suggest that ADHD medication is at best an art and not a science, and sometimes ADHD is very hard to medicate correctly.

My point in all this? There is no right answer. There is what's right for you and your child, and the best judge of that is you, once you've researched all the possibilities and are making informed decisions.

For me, the informed choice is to medicate my son and myself. For you, there may be something that works better. But you need to do your homework first.

Angie Dixon is a writer and ADHD mom of an ADHD son, Jack. For a free report on helping your ADHD son, see Angie's site "That's My Son!" at http://www.Raising-the-ADHD-boy.com

| Article Keywords: ADHD News

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to ADHD News... About Attention Deficit Disorder ( ADD ) & its Symptoms Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a condition that is usually characterized by behavioral and learning disorders. ADD generally diagnosed in children, mostly affects the boys than the girls. ADD not only occurs in childhood but also continues till adulthood in some cases. Some of the characteristics that are commonly cited among the children with ADD are hyperactivity, distractibility and impulsivity. ADD results in children finding it difficult to perform a task assigned to them and focus on some of the important aspects of conversations. ADD is a neurobiologically-based developmental disability that usually affects children. The actual cause of ADD is unknown till date. Research has shown that ADD is caused due to the genetic transmission of the condition from the parents to the children and also can be due to the result of a chemical imbalance or deficiency of certain neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters are chemicals that help the brain regulate the behavior of an individual. A recent study has shown that the rate at which the brain uses glucose, its main energy source, is lower in individuals suffering from ADD than in individuals without ADD. The important features associated with ADD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Some of the symptoms due to inattention include making careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities, facing difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities, not listening when spoken to directly, facing difficulty in organizing tasks and activities, and mostly forgetful in daily activities. Some of the symptoms due to hyperactivity include fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat, running about or climbing excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate, facing difficulty playing...