Page 152 - The Intentional Parent

HYPERACTIVITY
Last year our son was diagnosed as hyperactive. We have gone to counseling, worked closely with the teachers at school, and tried our best to structure our home in a way that addresses his needs. Our progress seems to have leveled out, and we are wondering whether medicating him with Ritalin is a good idea. How do you feel about Ritalin?
Ritalin is prescribed to thousands of children every year, and it has helped a good many hyperactive children settle down. Some research suggests that Ritalin works better in mild to moderate cases of hyperactivity. Some parents tout it as a wonder drug, but few drugs out there actually live up to that title.
This decision should be discussed carefully with your pediatrician. Like all medications, Ritalin does have some side effects. Two of the most common side effects are that it tends to suppress appetite (mostly during the initial phases of administration) and also tends to slow a child's rate of growth. It doesn't stop a child's growth, but in some children it will take them longer to reach their full height. (These side effects don't occur in all children who use the medication.) An additional concern for parents is something we call Ritalin crash. At the end of the day kids who are on Ritalin can become irritable and edgy as the medication wears off.
If you are satisfied that you have tried everything else, sit down and have a conversation with your pediatrician about the possibility of using Ritalin on a trial basis. Work with a child behavior expert who will observe and measure certain behavior before you begin the trial, and then again after it has started. The observations should be as objective as possible. If there appears
The Intentional Parent by Peter J. Favaro, Ph.D. 152