My ADHD child has trouble sleeping and eating any suggestions

[Jennifer Uriostegui]

We have been dealing with her ADHD with aggression for five years now. My daughter is 10 years old and has been on so many different medications I  do not remember them all. She is currently using the Daytrona patch which really helps her symptoms while she has the patch on, but it is really worrying me because she never eats. She takes a few bites of her food then refuses to eat anymore and she is hardly sleeping, she has really dark circles around her eyes. I am  very concerned for her well being and my husband wants me to change her medication. I was wondering if anyone had any insight on the medications that are out there. She use dto use Melatonin but that eventually stopped being effective so her doctor prescribed trazadone which she refuses to take, as she will not swallow pills she chews them. We had tried entex last year for a couple months while taking a break from the patch she gained 30 lbs then but her grades dropped and she was constantly getting introuble at school. She was up to 82 pounds and now she is down to 66. I am just so worried about her any insight is appreciated.

 

[doug puryear]

very very difficult - suggest you check with dr anhi ortiz

best wishes

[Jennifer Uriostegui]

How do I do that are they on here?

[Margaret]

Hi Jennifer

That is a lot of weight loss.

We don't have the patch in Canada, so I am not quite as familiar with it as with the other meds. However, here is what I tell parents when the kids are on extended release meds.

First, do your best to get breakfast of some sort into them. This of course, depends on when they need to take the meds (or put on the patch). If they need it as soon as they wake up (or as soon as you wake up!), then they  need to have something to eat with it, even if is a cereal bar or a protein bar (better, but some kids don't like the taste - however, there are a lot of protein bars out there, so keep trying). Lunch is a write off, but I usually say send stuff with her that she can pick at, and that she really likes. Don't worry if she doesn't eat it, she just need to bring it home.

Supper - she may or may not eat, depending on when her patch comes off. (okay, I just went and googled it - it says it should be on for 9 hours, is that what you do? )

If the meds are still in her system at supper, then put a teaspoon of food on her plate, and don't talk about whether or not she eats it. Supper should be about sitting at the table, practising her manners and conversation. However, before you serve supper, dish out a plate for her and put it in the fridge. When her meds wear off she should be really hungry, and then you give her her supper. She should be hungry again shortly - give what you would normally give a child for lunch. Then for a bedtime snack, make her a milkshake with milk, carnation instant breakfast powder, and ice cream. Most kids will drink a milkshake without too much trouble!

See if your pharmacy can make the trazadone into a liquid for her. Some can, the ones that can't should know a "compounding pharmacy" in your area that is able to do so. Just ask - explain the difficulties with your daughter. Sleep is really important for ADHD!!

OH, the melatonin - she can have up to 10 mg an hour before bed time - I don't know if you had tried going this high on the dose. 

If this is still not working, go back to your doctor. I always tell parents that I may be the expert in children, but they are the expert in THEIR child. If what we are trying is not working, then they need to come back and tell me - we need to work as a team!!

Good luck!

[doug puryear]

jennifer

margaret sounds very knowledgeable.

 for dr ortiz clik here

good luck

[Margaret]

Thanks Doug - I hope I do - I do at least 3-4 consults per week for "Possible ADHD?" (and that is on a slow week)!!!!

[zahir ibrahim]

Jennifer. It might be an idea to have a chat with your daughter and see what is affecting her.things like

noise,even a simple thing like a running tap.The chatter in the classroom, people in her space , is it because of this that she is losing her grades,due to the teasing from her fellow pupils? that arises from the classroom?

Do you have centres out there called IRLENS CENTRES ? IRLENS CENTRES look to see if the person has IRLENS SYNDROME , a syndrome that is a mixture of  factors which some people with adhd can have IT IS A MIXTURE OF DIFFERNT LABELS that medics cant quite work out. It looks at ENVIRONMENT AND DEPTH PERCEPTION, READING ,STRAIN AND FATIGUE AND LIGHT SENSITIVITY..A VISUAL ANGLE.

hopefully some help could be gained from here.

zahir.

[Despina Christidou]

To my poor opinion, I would as a mom (both me and my daughter are diagnosed with ADHD)  tried to take councelling as I did. I tried to acsept my situation and deal with it and then my daugther's. I foud out that my person-centered councellor stands by me during that journey....it's a life's journey indeed, no doubt it had great results without medication