OP, if you haven't had DS do a complete neuropsych evaluation, I would insist on that.
As as for the ADHD meds, once we found the best medication for DS, and we managed to control the side effects, it has been working very well for us. It did make a huge difference for us almost immediately, but the side effects needed to be successfully dealt with. His appetite was gone and the meds caused his OCD to increase. When we dealt with that, it was by far the best of the ADHD meds for us. All the others we tried came with far worse side effects that DS just couldn't live with.
eta- yes, you can absolutely tell when the medicine is taking effect and when it's exited his body. Not only does his behavior regress but he becomes RAVENOUS! DS is taking Concerta which is another form of Ritalin, if I understand correctly.
Last edited by gatorsmom; 08-21-2016 at 08:02 PM.
" I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." Mahatma Gandhi
"This is the ultimate weakness of violence: It multiplies evil and violence in the universe. It doesn't solve any problems." Martin Luther King, Jr.