Ideas on how to help kid on ADHD meds gain weight

[georgiegirl]

DS1 (8) has been on adhd meds for about 6 mo. It took about 5 months to find the right combination (concerta and buspirone). However, DS is now really thin. He has lost a few pounds since starting the meds, but he was small to begin with. Today at swim practice another mom asked if he had lost weight and asked if was okay. I thought DS was eating enough, but he’s definitely thinner than he was before. Any ideas of types of foods to give him and strategies for getting him to eat more? FWIW, he’s 48” and 49 lbs with clothing, but very muscular.

[California]

See if your insurance will cover nutritionist visits (preferably a series.) My DD was losing weight due to school issues, and a nutritionist helped me maximize DD’s calorie intake by making small adjustments to the healthy meals we were already making. She gained weight... and I did too. That was the one downside!

[Reyadawnbringer]

DS was having the same issue and his pedi recommended giving him an ensure shake every day to help his body get the extra calories and nutrients that he needs.

DS doesn't like eating breakfast so he usually has an ensure shake before he heads to school.

DS1 - 9!
DS2- Expected 07/18

[JBaxter]

We do Carnation instant breakfast ( same nutrition as ensure only cheaper and kids like them better) I do my heavy cream that I use for my coffee and whole milk to make them.

[jgenie]

We do Carnation instant breakfast ( same nutrition as ensure only cheaper and kids like them better) I do my heavy cream that I use for my coffee and whole milk to make them.

This is what we did with DS1. We also added olive oil and avocado to his food as we could.

[georgiegirl]

Thanks! What does Carnation instant breakfast taste like? He doesn’t like plain milk, but he likes smoothies and milkshakes.

[JBaxter]

It comes in Chocolate Vanilla and Strawberry ( maybe mocha) You can also add it to smoothies I buy the powdered. I've made a chocolate peanut butter ( powdered) banana and greek yogurt smoothie with it. that seems to be a hit here I have a milk frother on my Ninja coffee bar and mix heavy cream / whole milk with the Carnation powder and whip it up. He drinks one a day usually its like getting an extra meal into him. He's my pickiest eater.

[jgenie]

Thanks! What does Carnation instant breakfast taste like? He doesn’t like plain milk, but he likes smoothies and milkshakes.

I think the chocolate just tastes like regular chocolate milk. DC are used to us having it around so now we add a tablespoon to regular milk to make it chocolate. Costco and Sam’s carry it by the case. It’s expensive at the grocery store.


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[o_mom]

Thanks! What does Carnation instant breakfast taste like? He doesn’t like plain milk, but he likes smoothies and milkshakes.

My kids don't like the Carnation instant breakfast, but will drink the Boost/Ensure or store brand equivalent. You may have to try a couple of things to see what he likes.

[lizzywednesday]

DD has been on Adderall for almost a year.

We switched back to whole milk, allow her anything she wants for snacks, and add butter to her steel-cut oatmeal in the morning. I try to keep BabyBel cheeses in the house (these are so pricey!) and other healthful, but calorically dense, snacks on-hand.

Lately, she's been getting hot cocoa with whole milk, whipped cream, and mini marshmallows as an after-school snack.

[sariana]

DS was having the same issue and his pedi recommended giving him an ensure shake every day to help his body get the extra calories and nutrients that he needs.

DS doesn't like eating breakfast so he usually has an ensure shake before he heads to school.

DS1 - 9!
DS2- Expected 07/18

DS had a doctor who recommended shakes as well, but we use the kids' nutritional shakes from Costco because all of the adult-oriented brands I have found have artificial sweeteners, which I don't want to give to my kids. The Costco shakes are all organic. Unfortunately they come only in chocolate, but fortunately he likes them. They are pricey, so I stock up when they go on sale.

[pastrygirl]

My son liked the liquid Carnation shakes, but not the powder. After several months, he no longer liked it. After two years of zero weight gain on Concerta, we switched him to something else. Not as effective, but he’s gained a grown a bunch since July. I miss the Concerta dearly. Everything was so awesome with him on it. (Except for him being skeletal...)

ETA: the appetite suppression for him never waned. He was not hungry for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. He’s now on short-acting methylphenidate, and it lasts hours longer than it’s supposed to.

[StantonHyde]

DS is a really picky eater. Fortunately, he likes Cookie Dough Protein Bars and will eat lots of them. He will also eat a shake I make--frozen strawberries, a banana, 3/4 c of kiefer, Jay Robb Vanilla Protein Powder. Between that, pb&j, and ramen, he is doing well. And whole milk and chocolate milk. He doesn't need his meds on the weekends (he has ADD without the H) so that helps. When he hits high school next year, though, I think I am going to have to get him to do his weekend homework on one day and take his med that day or it will take FOREVER to get that homework done!!

[georgiegirl]

My son liked the liquid Carnation shakes, but not the powder. After several months, he no longer liked it. After two years of zero weight gain on Concerta, we switched him to something else. Not as effective, but he’s gained a grown a bunch since July. I miss the Concerta dearly. Everything was so awesome with him on it. (Except for him being skeletal...)

ETA: the appetite suppression for him never waned. He was not hungry for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. He’s now on short-acting methylphenidate, and it lasts hours longer than it’s supposed to.

He’s hungry when it wears off...like when he comes home from school or right before bed. I have no idea if he eats at school or not since he eats hot lunch. But once it wears off, it’s hard for him to focus enough to eat. He’s always wanting to do something more exciting. I wish I would forget to eat sometimes...lol.


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[Kindra178]

Up the fats. Will he eat avocado? Tons of recipes for avocado in smoothies as a milk replacement. Can he eat two dinners? Like at 5 and then again at bedtime?

[georgiegirl]

Up the fats. Will he eat avocado? Tons of recipes for avocado in smoothies as a milk replacement. Can he eat two dinners? Like at 5 and then again at bedtime?

He likes guacamole, and I sometimes make it for him. But he only eats a few bites before running off. I can try using avocado in his smoothies. He’s pretty good about drinking those. I usually do heavy snack after school (like 4:15) and then he eats a ton after swim practice, which is before bed.


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[AnnieW625]

DD2 is 7 (will be 8 on 4/29) and has inattentive ADHD (aka ADD) and was diagnosed at 6/1/2.

We do chocolate milk (Quik) with almost every meal and only do whole milk and full fat dairy. We tried Pure Protein chocolate shake and she didn’t like it. Last week we bought PediaSure chocolate and she drinks about a bottle every 2 days. I will definitely try the Instant Breakfast as well.

We also started medication holidays in November so no medication on most weekend days and during time off from school. She has gained about 4 lbs., but her doctor wants her to gain at least 5. She is 49” tall and about 52 lbs. fully clothed.

Oh and if we want her to eat chicken or pork we have to offer ketchup or ranch as well (we use organic or one w/o hfcs).


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[petesgirl]

I recently found the website MyMunchbug (https://mymunchbug.com/) which is run by a feeding therapist and her main goal is to help picky eaters! I actually follow her on facebook and she has a bunch of videos and articles posted and also does live Q&A sessions and has written a few books. I've just been browsing about starting baby solids so can't link to anything specific for older kids but she has a ton of content. Just thought I'd throw that out there in case it helps someone!

[icunurse]

My child doesn't have ADHD or anything, just a great metabolism and is constantly active. She has always hovered around 3%ile on weight chart, just fell off recently. She already eats a lot. I mean, A LOT. So I am trying to up her protein and get one calorie-heavy shake in right after school, so she has room for dinner. Like others, I now use whole milk, a carnation powder, and peanut butter. I sometimes use Greek yogurt, a banana, or avocado. I can't tell you if it is working yet, it hasn't been that long, but I'm honestly not sure what else to try with her.

[gatorsmom]

Ds3 is on Concerta with a Ritalin booster. Whenever his medicine is effective, he has no appetite. In fact, one of the ways we can tell he hasn’t had his pill or that it’s time for an increase in his dosage is if he is hungry during the day. For the first few months of taking his medicine he lost weight. But since then we’ve found some ways to increase his weight. First thing in the morning we give him nesquik cchocolate milk but add whipping cream to it. He sometimes has 2 of these in the morning (they are delicious!!!). Most of the time, though, I make the kids smoothies in the morning with kelp, spinach, avocados, juices, Greek yogurt and frozen fruit so he’s getting some greens. He won’t eat during the day. I don’t even bother packing him a lunch during the day. He has a lunch box with shelf stable snacks IN CASE he might need a snack at school but he never eats them. At night once the medication starts to wear off, we feed him a nice big dinner. It’s usually what we ate for dinner. I just reheat it for him. It’s funny too, when he gets hungry at night he’s suddenly famished. So he’ll eat reheated food. His weight has been stable and increasing normally ever since we started to add the cream and smoothies to his diet.

[mom2binsd]

DS is on Ritalin, but luckily has a good appetite, however, because he is so active playing hockey etc we have done things like switching back to WHOLE milk (he also likes that mixed with the Carnation instant breakfasts). He has a peanut and egg allergy so we can't do PB sandwiches, but he loves making himself a Nutella and honey sandwich on whole wheat bread. He eats a lot of cheese (makes his own cheesy roll ups with turkey or ham, although he prefers the Taco Bell cheesy roll ups!). He also loves lots of yogurt (not fat free) and ice cream. He's a good eater and eats school lunch without any issues.

I will say, he loves his whole milk, and drinks a lot of it! He adds Nesquick to it sometimes, but usually it's just plain white milk.

[jgenie]

Ds3 is on Concerta with a Ritalin booster. Whenever his medicine is effective, he has no appetite. In fact, one of the ways we can tell he hasn’t had his pill or that it’s time for an increase in his dosage is if he is hungry during the day. For the first few months of taking his medicine he lost weight. But since then we’ve found some ways to increase his weight. First thing in the morning we give him nesquik cchocolate milk but add whipping cream to it. He sometimes has 2 of these in the morning (they are delicious!!!). Most of the time, though, I make the kids smoothies in the morning with kelp, spinach, avocados, juices, Greek yogurt and frozen fruit so he’s getting some greens. He won’t eat during the day. I don’t even bother packing him a lunch during the day. He has a lunch box with shelf stable snacks IN CASE he might need a snack at school but he never eats them. At night once the medication starts to wear off, we feed him a nice big dinner. It’s usually what we ate for dinner. I just reheat it for him. It’s funny too, when he gets hungry at night he’s suddenly famished. So he’ll eat reheated food. His weight has been stable and increasing normally ever since we started to add the cream and smoothies to his diet.

I forgot that - we used to make DS1’s chocolate milk with heavy cream too!

[georgiegirl]

Okay, I bought carnation instant breakfast in chocolate and mixed it with a cup of whole milk and a scoop of ice cream. He just finished it after 4 hours of sipping it leisurely. [emoji23]. He burns a ton of calories since he’s on swim team and swims 4 hours a week. I need to get creative with smoothies so he gets greens and lots of fat.

Thanks for all of the ideas! I really appreciate them!


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