ADHD meds are not miracle drugs that instantly get rid of all ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) symptoms. And the hardest part of all is that the meds may not work properly and can also cause side effects. To find the right levels and types of meds can take time in order to get good results.
Here are five tips on how to best work with your doctor in order to obtain the best results from ADHD meds.
Tip#1: Get Your Child a Good Doctor
You need to find a doctor who is willing to monitor the medication and your teenager on a regular basis. You may need to find a doctor who specializes in treating ADHD or other mental health disorders so you can ensure that the treatment given is appropriate and that you find the right type of treatment or ADHD meds.
Tip#2: Begin with lower doses and adjust as needed.
The doses of ADHD meds are prescribed without basis of age and weight. The usage of the lowest dose possible and the adjustment as needed are the things that a good doctor will do to start a medical treatment. Doctors will usually allow three to seven days to elapse between adjusting doses and then run an adhd test.
The side effects of increased doses are the reason why giving of the lowest dose possible is important. And also the parents will avoid over medicating when giving their child the medication in order to prevent zombie-like state.
Tip #3: Use the medication every day, consistently.
Some parents tend to give the meds to their child during the week only and not on the weekend. This has been more true when giving the medication to adolescents as parents tend to believe their growing teenager is outgrowing the ADHD, which in reality isn’t true at all. This method of erratic dosing will not bring about good results.
The new research suggests that not giving the medication consistently, can cause the medication to not work as efficiently. It can also cause problems with getting your teen to attend school because they don’t want to take the meds.
Tip #4: Ask everyone to get involved in watching for side effects of the meds.
Most children are diagnosed with ADHD as a result of combined efforts of people around them such as teachers, doctors and parent. It only makes sense in giving medical treatment as a group effort. The medication effects of the child should be watched by everyone. To improve the chances of ensuring the right meds are found and used, teachers, doctors and parents should all be on the lookout for side effects.
Tip #5: Recognize the effects of diet on ADHD meds.
Foods may have an effect on some meds given for ADHD. High fat diets can reduce the efficiency of meds. Ritalin can’t be absorbed into the body properly when drinking acidic drinks or drinks with a lot of Vitamin C. You should also watch out for any other add symptoms or side effects that may occur with other possible interactions.