Hi,
I have a 13 yr. old with ADHD. He was diagnosed in 1st grade with inattentive and hyperactive combined ADHD. Over the years, my son has progressed with the help of medication, beautifully. As he has matured, much of the impulsitivity has gone away, however; he still has problems with his attention span, hyperactivity/fidgeting, organization, and not losing focus when his meds wear off. The current doctor we have is of the opinion that ADHD goes away when the kids hit puberty, and in slight respect, I have to agree with this. He says the kids learn to compensate for their lack of ability to focus as they mature, again, I agree - somewhat. I have a very smart kid. He is naturally smart and can easily make A’s and B’s. My frustration is the hours it takes him to complete homework, etc. He is taking some advanced classes, which require more at times, but he has the ability to handle these well. When he can concentrate in school, and after school - we don’t have hours of homework to do and fight over each night. After his meds wear thin - he’s sunk, and stuck doing homework 3-4 hrs a night (at times). Our doctor feels that my child’s grades are good enough in school, and that since he no longer has conduct/behavioral problems, he needs to be weaned off of medication. I’m for trying that — BUT - what I’ve seen is when he goes off meds, he can’t pay attention in school, his grades slip to C’s and D’s, and we spend hours on homework, or correcting him to get him to complete tasks. I’ve heard there are gifted kids with ADHD, do they take medication? I really liked this doctor and his conservative approach, but now that my son is getting older — I’m beginning to wonder if this doctor and I are having different opinions. What’s your take on this?
Does anyone have an ADHD Doctor in the Dallas/Ft Worth area you like, who works well with teens? If so, please reply.