A child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) might struggle in school, home, relationships and even in medication. One mom shares her struggle in medicating her son. For her, medicating a child for the disorder was not a straightforward decision.
"Medicating your child is not an easy decision," Heather LeRoss wrote in a blog post at Scary Mommy. "For some, it is a life changer and the best decision ever. For others, like me, it helped some but was not the game changer I'd hoped," she added.
LeRoss's child was diagnosed as having an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. The child must take medicines for the condition and, for LeRoss, opting to use meds for ADHD is not so easy. She thought of it as one of the toughest days of her life.
LeRoss tried all the natural approach: restricted food dyes, bought costly "natural light" bulbs, bought a small trampoline, made him run around the living room, read stories to him and loved him, but it did not turn well. That is when she decided to give her child pills. However, the child did not want to take the meds.
To convince the child that the pills are safe, LeRoss have to tell lies that the meds are safe and okay. "I told the biggest lie of my life, 'This is safe. You will be fine. I promise,'" she wrote in her post.
Convinced by his mom's promises, the child swallowed the meds, that day and the following days. Since then, his mother noticed that the child's impulsiveness and hyperactivity decreased, and has reduced appetite.
LeRoss hates the changes happening in her son. Though weird, she hates seeing the baby calm and quiet. She would rather prefer her son being wild, loud, vibrant and crazy. That's why she decided only to give the pills during school days and not during weekends or even summer.
Since then, things have changed, according to LeRoss. The child was enrolled in an alternative school and started learning ways which work best at his bound. The largest change, as per LeRoss, is that the child no longer takes those pills but still carries her cape of guilt.
Meanwhile, around 10.2 percent of children ages 5 - 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD from 2012 up to 2014, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Doctors diagnosed ADHD in kids after a child has displayed six or more specific signs and symptoms of hyperactivity or inattention daily for over six months in a minimum of two settings.
