A Mom Shares What She's Learned About Medication

When my son was 4 we were told that there were only a few people that could really diagnose ADHD in a child that young. My pediatrician sent us to Texas Children's Hospital ADHD Clinic. Even though it was written that he was in the "clinically significant range" for ADHD they were not willing to give him that "label" at that young age. (They said he was Bright, Strong Willed and Hyperactive, nothing new to me!) Most doctors are against medicating very young children. However, upon the urging of his pre-K teacher and in consultation with a friend who is a psychiatrist, I went back to my pediatrician and asked for Ritalin. Most people think that because they are not in school yet that they don't need medication but I felt that if the preschool years were some of the most formative years of a child's life that it was very important for me, as a parent, to be able to teach my child, and in order to do that I had to be able to get his attention.

We noticed a difference right away and I can remember the first real interactive conversation I had with my son sitting on the porch of his grandparent's house. His teacher also said she went to the principal's office and cried because she had not realized that he knew as much as he did, because he was not able to slow down long enough to let her know. He could not even do an art project before he had medication. He did it beautifully afterwards! I encourage you that if your child needs to be medicated don't think he is too young. I do agree that you need to proceed with caution and learn as much as you can so that you do not overlook some other problem and also so that you don't just depend on the medication to do your job for you as a parent. There is lots to learn and I'm learning everyday how to work with my son because I want him to be ALL that God intends for him to be.
--S.G.

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