How do you handle your kids medication holiday?

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10-28-2017
AnnieW625

How do you handle your kids medication holiday?

DD2 needs to gain about 5lbs as her psychiatrist says she is borderline underweight at 52” tall and 47 lbs. so she suggested a medication holiday (she takes Vyvanse 20mg) at least one day a weekend and during any other time she doesn’t have school. DD2 has Kumon work everyday and the Kumon is helping her a ton with reading and grammar so she is going for the time being. Without her meds it is a pain for her to get her work done even first thing in the am after breakfast; she is also a misfit in church on Sundays, which is unacceptable for a 7/1/2 yr. old imho so I am not really wanting to give her a holiday on Sunday, but might try it this weekend to see how it goes. I am hoping she can focus in art class today because she loves her art class. I feel like I need some sort of motivating tool for her, but I am at a loss as to what to do to get her to get her work done.

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10-28-2017
bisous

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnieW625

DD2 needs to gain about 5lbs as her psychiatrist says she is borderline underweight at 52” tall and 47 lbs. so she suggested a medication holiday (she takes Vyvanse 20mg) at least one day a weekend and during any other time she doesn’t have school. DD2 has Kumon work everyday and the Kumon is helping her a ton with reading and grammar so she is going for the time being. Without her meds it is a pain for her to get her work done even first thing in the am after breakfast; she is also a misfit in church on Sundays, which is unacceptable for a 7/1/2 yr. old imho so I am not really wanting to give her a holiday on Sunday, but might try it this weekend to see how it goes. I am hoping she can focus in art class today because she loves her art class. I feel like I need some sort of motivating tool for her, but I am at a loss as to what to do to get her to get her work done.

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Can you structure her schedule to have one true day off on the weekends? Does she have to do Kumon on Saturdays? Could you make Saturdays all about family health? Maybe do really active stuff, and stuff she really enjoys so she doesn't have to be quite as motivated as she does for school and church to behave? I have to tell you, as a local-ish girl to you. The LA ZOO is my favorite place ever for my ADHD kids. Why? Because it is really big and really contained. My kids can wiggle and move and run ahead (but I can still see them) and it isn't usually too crowded so I feel like they don't really get in anybody's way. They get a ton of exercise, fresh air, and sunshine. A season pass for a family can usually be had for less than $100. It is my favorite place in the world for my kids to go on an ADHD holiday. So maybe find a place like that for your family? It can be a sports park, or an indoor gym (though my ADHD kids might not act appropriately in a place like that) or something. Or is that completely unreasonable for your family?
10-28-2017
lizzywednesday

What kind of med is Vyvanase? Stimulant?

We were told with DD only to give her the Adderall when she "needed" it, which works out to be school days and, right now, soccer games.

Over the summer, we took the week between the end of the school year and the start of summer school, the week we were on vacation, and the week following Girl Scout summer camp off meds until school started up again.

It doesn't sound like your DD has that kind of break. I tend to agree that a 7.5 yr old who does not have ADHD/ADD should be able to make it through Mass without acting out, but it's still embarrassing when your obviously old-enough-to-know-better child cannot control her behavior to be appropriate to the occasion. (I haven't taken DD to anything in a Catholic church since she was a preschooler.)

As for the weight loss, we've changed DD's diet to include high calorie but nutrient-dense foods so she's kept her weight fairly steady, though she'd lost some weight when we first started the meds.

This means a breakfast of steel cut oats & butter and whole milk, whatever she wants for lunch, and as much dinner as she wants to eat.

We've also allowed her McDonald's after soccer games.

I tend to notice more difficulty with her behavior if she's had a lot of screen time or hasn't slept enough, but she's generally OK for things she enjoys.