Page 153 - The Intentional Parent

to be measurable improvement, proceed through another period. The worst thing a parent can do in a situation such as this is use the pediatrician to write the prescription and then not carefully monitor
(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 to be measurable improvement, proceed through another period. The worst thing a parent can do in a situation such as this is use the pediatrician to write the prescription and then not carefully monitor progress. Pediatricians shouldn't write prescriptions for Ritalin without clear treatment goals and a lot of information about the child's day-to-day functioning.
SUGAR AND HYPERACTIVITY
Can sugar be making my child hyperactive?
Several studies have looked at whether processed sugar makes kids hyperactive. The results have been fairly conclusive in that this does not appear to be the case. Be aware, though, that sometimes other foods that happen to contain sugar do contain substances that could "wire" certain children. These substances include additives, food dyes, and caffeine. Sugar does promote
The Intentional Parent by Peter J. Favaro, Ph.D. 153