I have an 8 year old daughter who was diagnosed with adhd at 6 years old. She is currently on 18 mg of concerta. Her dad and I are divorced and he does not agree with her being on medication but will give it to her for school. He decided that he does not want her on it during summer vacation and even though her pediatrician agrees with me that she should stay on it I am not allowed to give it to her because he won't. My question is... Is it better for her to be on it all the time? I have 2 other kids and she is impulsive and gets sidetracked so easily. By the time she is done eating breakfast it is time for lunch. I get so frustrated and I know its not her fault but I can't help feeling like if it will make her life better she should be on it.
2015-02-03 05:48:07
Hello You are not alone in this dispute with your child's father. Issues like medication tutoring therapies are almost always of concern in contentious co-parenting arrangements. Sometimes these arguments over treatments can lead families back to court but clearly the best option is to work it out together whenever possible. The decision to medicate or not over breaks can be tricky. Stimulant medications are processed by the body fairly quickly and thus you can take breaks from them safely (unlike other medications--parents should always ask their physician before deciding to "take a break" from a psychotropic). If your daughter is mostly happy and her behavior manageable you may decide this is not a battle you want to have with her father right now. There are pros to taking breaks off-meds such as letting your daughter eat more and perhaps catch up on some growth. If her father feels that he has gotten some say over medication decisions he may be more likely to be agreeable the next time an issue comes up. The important thing in managing joint custody is to respect the other's opinions even if you don' agree with them. People are often much more willing to work together if they feel you are listening to them. However if you are seeing real problems from your daughter not being on her meds keep a log describing what you observe. You may see things like more impulsive behavior or trouble following the rules at camp for example. If you have evidence that trying the summer without meds is harming her your ex may be more willing to listen (can't promise though!) Additionally keeping symptom logs on and off medications is very helpful to the prescribing physician. You might also want to have your ex-husband take her to her next appt with the physician so he can learn more straight from the professional. Best wishes
2015-02-03 05:49:17
