Medication Update - Month 1
As promised, I wanted to share my reflections after Smiler’s first month on ADHD medication.
The First Dose
We were really nervous about giving him the first dose! We waited until the weekend so that he could be at home, where we could watch for any side effects - something I was particularly anxious about. We gave him breakfast, and then he took the first pill - we wanted it to take effect early in the day so that it would hopefully wear off before bedtime if he didn’t feel quite right.
I tried not to hover or pass on my worries, so I told him to let me know if he noticed anything unusual and that I wouldn’t bother him. After a few hours without any reaction, we decided to go out for a little shopping trip to shift our focus and just enjoy the day. It turned out to be a lovely outing, and Smiler seemed really happy. I have no idea whether it was a placebo effect (the current dose is the lowest possible) but he was very content!
How the Medication Affected School & Homework
The next day at home was also a good one, and then it was time to see how the medication might affect him at school. Interestingly, Smiler noticed his concentration seemed to dip around 3pm, something he’s never reported before. I wondered if the medication had helped him so much earlier in the day that he could actually feel the difference when it started to wear off.
Later that week, something remarkable happened - Smiler sat down to do his maths homework and not only completed that week’s work but also the homework for the following week! On top of that, he has started going to lunchtime study support sessions at school, something I really can’t imagine him doing before.
Ups and Downs
Of course, it hasn’t been perfect. A few days in, he did lose his cool in the evening over something fairly minor. It feels like life is running a little more smoothly for him during the day, and by the time the medication wears off, it might feel frustrating for him to notice the difference. We have noticed a slight effect on his appetite too. On a recent family outing, he couldn’t finish his burger (completely unheard of) and the same happened with a favourite meal at home. It doesn’t happen every day, but it’s something we’ll continue to monitor.