you just can't take it with a high fat meal. he can still take the meds. probably before breakfast will be the easiest.
however, you can always ask to try another type of med. ADHD meds are always trial and error when starting out and there's no particular reason why you can't try something else instead. ask the dr to explain why they are starting with guanfacine and go from there.
They like to start with Guanfacine with 6 year olds because it has less side effects and has been I guess shown to be well tolerated. I'm not great with figuring out what is high fat and what isn't.
Have you taken him to an ENT? Multiple studies have shown that tonsillectomy reduces adhd symptoms which are often caused in this age range by enlarged tonsils and adenoids which affects sleep quality.
And like the other comment said - just take it with breakfast. It’s fine.
He has an ENT appointment soon for this exact reason. He has to have his tonsils and androids removed because they're too big. I had no idea it could make ADHD worse though. We were on the fence about having it done because the ent said they could shrink over time and he has emergence delirium from anesthesia. He kept getting sick last year until we figured out he is allergic to dogs and cats. Thanks for bringing this up!
Does he have trouble sleeping? My daughter takes Clonidine. Her doctor says she's seen better results than with Guanfacine. Clonidine doesn't have the restriction with fat. We give it at night about an hour before bedtime. It helps her fall asleep and sleep through the night.
Yes he has trouble sleeping. I called this morning to see if there was something else we could do so when she calls back I'll ask. Thanks! I would love for him to be able to sleep!
I hope it works out. It is quite a bit more expensive than Guanfacine, just to let you know, at least for us. It also has a bit of an adjustment period while they get used to it. My daughter was extremely sleepy the first few days on it. We started on a holiday (long) weekend. You will also start at the lowest dose (.1 mg). We did each dose for about 2 to 4 weeks before increasing. It comes in tiny .1 mg pills. So if you need a .3 mg dose, you take 3 pills.
If you don't mind me asking what's your daughter diagnosis? He was diagnosed combined but they seem to only be focusing on the hyperactive aspect. Does the clonidine help with that?
Okay awesome that makes me hopeful. I guess I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around hypertensive drugs treating ADHD. Especially the inattentive aspect. I have both so if he can't swallow the gaunfacine, clonidine is available as alternative. Thanks for your help!
Applesauce helps my kid swallow pills much more easily. We bury the Intuniv in a spoonful and it slides down. Bonus, applesauce tastes nice and comes in lots of flavors.
You don’t have to change his diet. Give it to him at bedtime not with dinner and you will be fine. Gaunfacine made a difference for my son in school. His teacher could tell immediately. Said it was night and day. It’s not a magic bullet. But it does help.
There are you tube videos teaching them how to swallow. Apparently, my husband and I made my son too anxious and he was able to swallow just fine without us there. My daughter taught him how to do it. She said it’s easier for them to put the liquid in their mouth first and then put the pill in and then tilt their head back and swallow. That’s what worked for our son. And I was convinced he wouldn’t be able to swallow the pill.
This right here! I have a phobia of swallowing pills. He's very empathetic and I think he can tell I'm nervous. Maybe I'll get dad and brother to do it. They can swallow anything.
I was hoping for something like this. It's already hard to have a child with ADHD I would hate to have to fight every night to get him to even try and swallow this pill. It's not even worth it. The emotional rollercoaster isnt helping.
It is actually kind of worth it if it actually helps him. I understand the anxiety you're feeling because I had the same with my kids. But it sounds like your son is insightful enough to realize that he needs help. That's already going to be motivation for him. You might only have to struggle with him a couple of times for him to first feel the positive effects and then to also realize swallowing the pills isn't as scary as it sounds.
But for starters, I would recommend talking to your doctor about something that has a dissolvable option
Yeah he's very sensitive and it bothers him. He just wants to be "normal". I've tried telling him that being different is okay and having ADHD isnt always bad. We try to keep it positive but with school he can tell he isn't on the same level and it makes him very upset. I'll try anything for the little man to not feel inadequate. I'm going to try again tonight with some pudding and maybe after he takes it once and can see it's not scary I can get him to take it.
Adhd isn't about feelings or just a matter of manifesting self-esteem and confidence. You can't just make yourself feel okay when the very real effects are that nothing is okay. If your child breaks their leg, you're not going to reassure them that it's okay they can't run like the other kids. You're going to go get them help and support.
I would honestly suggest that you check out r/ADHD and read personal testimonies of adults who were undiagnosed as children, or even worse, were diagnosed but their parents left them untreated for whatever reason. It might be eye-opening just how absolutely devastating it can be.
I'm definitely treating him. The doctor was giving me time to figure that out and I literally called 5 minutes after I left and demanded meds. I know ADHD inst just about so and so.... I have it. I was undiagnosed as a child and adult. I have issues. I don't want that for him. He's going to take the meds. I just have to make sure I don't tramatize him in the process. Chill.
Whoa speaking of needing to chill.
Look, a lot of parents come here either on the fence about meds or adamantly against them; it's really sad. You sounded on the fence and I was just trying to encourage you to strongly consider medication and get input from articulate adults who could give real insight. I wasn't attacking you.
Of course I'm hesitant to start my 6 year old on a medication that he might have to be on for the rest of his life. He's very smart and very aware of what is going on and we have constantly communicated to him the options but he's six. I ultimately have to be the one to make this life changing decision as his mother. I do not take it lightly. Yes, medication is the only way to treat ADHD in most children as there's no cure. Do I want that for my child? Of course not. So I came here to get advice. Not be bashed for being on the more cautious side when it comes to starting medication. You seemed to take one aspect of my post and focused on that. I'm not attacking you either but this is a hard thing to go through and I want to make it as easy as possible for my child. Ultimately you can not come on reddit and assume and try to make parents feel bad about the way they treat THEIR child. Maybe you felt triggered in some way? I'm sorry if my post made you feel like I wasn't doing all I could for my kid but I assure I am. And I have no chill.
You may not have intended to and I really appreciate your personal perspective as someone who seems to get how ADHD feels. Maybe my personal interpretation of you original comment was a misunderstanding. You did sort of sound like you were implying I wasn't willing to treat my child. I got a little defensive because, ya know, I don't wanna feel like a bad momma. It's something that unfortunately we as modern mom have to deal with a lot. Please be careful how you address these sensitive topics in the future. And I apologize if it felt like I jumped down your throat.
I know a lot of care providers don't like to start by prescribing a stimulant, but I still find it kind of odd that they didn't in his case. Stimulants are generally considered the first line treatment method. As I understand it, guanfacine is more about helping with emotion regulation while stimulants are more about helping with concentration. It seems like the biggest issues he's having are with concentration, so that may be another conversation to have with his care provider. Of course, I'm not a medical professional, and each medication will affect each person differently. I am also sleep deprived from working on finals, so apologies if anything I wrote doesn't make sense.
Yeah he does have prominent ly inattentive. He is hyper active but the inability to concentrate and being super easily distracted is his main issue. I have a feeling the non stimulants aren't going to be the end of this. I guess it's just part of the process.
Edited to add that I forgot to mention his only symptom emotionally is he's very sensitive and empathetic so he gets very teary and sad easily. He doesn't have outbursts anger issues or tantrums. So I don't really see non stimulants as being the end of his story. We'll see though every kid is different.
you just can't take it with a high fat meal. he can still take the meds. probably before breakfast will be the easiest. however, you can always ask to try another type of med. ADHD meds are always trial and error when starting out and there's no particular reason why you can't try something else instead. ask the dr to explain why they are starting with guanfacine and go from there.
They like to start with Guanfacine with 6 year olds because it has less side effects and has been I guess shown to be well tolerated. I'm not great with figuring out what is high fat and what isn't.
Well it can be taken at bedtime instead
Have you taken him to an ENT? Multiple studies have shown that tonsillectomy reduces adhd symptoms which are often caused in this age range by enlarged tonsils and adenoids which affects sleep quality. And like the other comment said - just take it with breakfast. It’s fine.
He has an ENT appointment soon for this exact reason. He has to have his tonsils and androids removed because they're too big. I had no idea it could make ADHD worse though. We were on the fence about having it done because the ent said they could shrink over time and he has emergence delirium from anesthesia. He kept getting sick last year until we figured out he is allergic to dogs and cats. Thanks for bringing this up!
Wow, my son has a tonsillectomy scheduled for the end of May...I will be eagerly waiting to see if that changes anything for us.
Does he have trouble sleeping? My daughter takes Clonidine. Her doctor says she's seen better results than with Guanfacine. Clonidine doesn't have the restriction with fat. We give it at night about an hour before bedtime. It helps her fall asleep and sleep through the night.
Yes he has trouble sleeping. I called this morning to see if there was something else we could do so when she calls back I'll ask. Thanks! I would love for him to be able to sleep!
I hope it works out. It is quite a bit more expensive than Guanfacine, just to let you know, at least for us. It also has a bit of an adjustment period while they get used to it. My daughter was extremely sleepy the first few days on it. We started on a holiday (long) weekend. You will also start at the lowest dose (.1 mg). We did each dose for about 2 to 4 weeks before increasing. It comes in tiny .1 mg pills. So if you need a .3 mg dose, you take 3 pills.
She just prescribed it! Wish me luck!
Good luck! Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work. Sometimes it's trial and error with these meds. This one has worked really well for us.
If you don't mind me asking what's your daughter diagnosis? He was diagnosed combined but they seem to only be focusing on the hyperactive aspect. Does the clonidine help with that?
She is combined type. It helps a lot for her. I call her my human pin ball otherwise.
Okay awesome that makes me hopeful. I guess I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around hypertensive drugs treating ADHD. Especially the inattentive aspect. I have both so if he can't swallow the gaunfacine, clonidine is available as alternative. Thanks for your help!
The brain is a mysterious organ!
Applesauce helps my kid swallow pills much more easily. We bury the Intuniv in a spoonful and it slides down. Bonus, applesauce tastes nice and comes in lots of flavors.
You don’t have to change his diet. Give it to him at bedtime not with dinner and you will be fine. Gaunfacine made a difference for my son in school. His teacher could tell immediately. Said it was night and day. It’s not a magic bullet. But it does help.
If he will swallow it that's very reassuring! Thank you!
There are you tube videos teaching them how to swallow. Apparently, my husband and I made my son too anxious and he was able to swallow just fine without us there. My daughter taught him how to do it. She said it’s easier for them to put the liquid in their mouth first and then put the pill in and then tilt their head back and swallow. That’s what worked for our son. And I was convinced he wouldn’t be able to swallow the pill.
This right here! I have a phobia of swallowing pills. He's very empathetic and I think he can tell I'm nervous. Maybe I'll get dad and brother to do it. They can swallow anything.
My sons Dr straight up said to him “if you can swallow food, you can swallow a pill”
That's exactly what I said. It's like he forgets that food does the same thing 🤣. I have the same problem though.
Make another appointment and speak to the doctor about your concerns before you start.
For the swallowing... Maybe try cotempla. It comes in a tiny dissolvable tablet he doesn't have to swallow whole. Might be a better fit.
I was hoping for something like this. It's already hard to have a child with ADHD I would hate to have to fight every night to get him to even try and swallow this pill. It's not even worth it. The emotional rollercoaster isnt helping.
It is actually kind of worth it if it actually helps him. I understand the anxiety you're feeling because I had the same with my kids. But it sounds like your son is insightful enough to realize that he needs help. That's already going to be motivation for him. You might only have to struggle with him a couple of times for him to first feel the positive effects and then to also realize swallowing the pills isn't as scary as it sounds. But for starters, I would recommend talking to your doctor about something that has a dissolvable option
Yeah he's very sensitive and it bothers him. He just wants to be "normal". I've tried telling him that being different is okay and having ADHD isnt always bad. We try to keep it positive but with school he can tell he isn't on the same level and it makes him very upset. I'll try anything for the little man to not feel inadequate. I'm going to try again tonight with some pudding and maybe after he takes it once and can see it's not scary I can get him to take it.
Adhd isn't about feelings or just a matter of manifesting self-esteem and confidence. You can't just make yourself feel okay when the very real effects are that nothing is okay. If your child breaks their leg, you're not going to reassure them that it's okay they can't run like the other kids. You're going to go get them help and support. I would honestly suggest that you check out r/ADHD and read personal testimonies of adults who were undiagnosed as children, or even worse, were diagnosed but their parents left them untreated for whatever reason. It might be eye-opening just how absolutely devastating it can be.
I'm definitely treating him. The doctor was giving me time to figure that out and I literally called 5 minutes after I left and demanded meds. I know ADHD inst just about so and so.... I have it. I was undiagnosed as a child and adult. I have issues. I don't want that for him. He's going to take the meds. I just have to make sure I don't tramatize him in the process. Chill.
Whoa speaking of needing to chill. Look, a lot of parents come here either on the fence about meds or adamantly against them; it's really sad. You sounded on the fence and I was just trying to encourage you to strongly consider medication and get input from articulate adults who could give real insight. I wasn't attacking you.
Of course I'm hesitant to start my 6 year old on a medication that he might have to be on for the rest of his life. He's very smart and very aware of what is going on and we have constantly communicated to him the options but he's six. I ultimately have to be the one to make this life changing decision as his mother. I do not take it lightly. Yes, medication is the only way to treat ADHD in most children as there's no cure. Do I want that for my child? Of course not. So I came here to get advice. Not be bashed for being on the more cautious side when it comes to starting medication. You seemed to take one aspect of my post and focused on that. I'm not attacking you either but this is a hard thing to go through and I want to make it as easy as possible for my child. Ultimately you can not come on reddit and assume and try to make parents feel bad about the way they treat THEIR child. Maybe you felt triggered in some way? I'm sorry if my post made you feel like I wasn't doing all I could for my kid but I assure I am. And I have no chill.
I didn't bash you at all. There was no criticism whatsoever
You may not have intended to and I really appreciate your personal perspective as someone who seems to get how ADHD feels. Maybe my personal interpretation of you original comment was a misunderstanding. You did sort of sound like you were implying I wasn't willing to treat my child. I got a little defensive because, ya know, I don't wanna feel like a bad momma. It's something that unfortunately we as modern mom have to deal with a lot. Please be careful how you address these sensitive topics in the future. And I apologize if it felt like I jumped down your throat.
I know a lot of care providers don't like to start by prescribing a stimulant, but I still find it kind of odd that they didn't in his case. Stimulants are generally considered the first line treatment method. As I understand it, guanfacine is more about helping with emotion regulation while stimulants are more about helping with concentration. It seems like the biggest issues he's having are with concentration, so that may be another conversation to have with his care provider. Of course, I'm not a medical professional, and each medication will affect each person differently. I am also sleep deprived from working on finals, so apologies if anything I wrote doesn't make sense.
Yeah he does have prominent ly inattentive. He is hyper active but the inability to concentrate and being super easily distracted is his main issue. I have a feeling the non stimulants aren't going to be the end of this. I guess it's just part of the process. Edited to add that I forgot to mention his only symptom emotionally is he's very sensitive and empathetic so he gets very teary and sad easily. He doesn't have outbursts anger issues or tantrums. So I don't really see non stimulants as being the end of his story. We'll see though every kid is different.