Ping, you've got quite a bit of experience with this, haven't you?
What's the matter with your Boy?
Can you spell out his behavior?
Get a second opinion from a doctor who you know doesn't pass this stuff out like candy!
Have you ever talked with a nutritionist? They don't recommend ritalin. My friend Di's son was on it for years and it may be effective but it also can leave the child drained and lacking in energy, etc. Diet can help. Sometimes a child is allergic to something, too, that causes severe reactions. I saw that once on TV. The child was fine until he ingested something with red dye and then he went right off the wall. Investigate this with a good nutritionist before you let him go on that stuff. A drug is not the best thing for a child, IMHO. Check www.hacres.com for a diet that is supposed to help with any kind of problem like that.
Change his diet instead.
I've read that it takes numerous observations by a trained doctor to properly diagnose ADD. Was your doctor's diagnosis based on a single office visit? If so I'd get another professional opinion.
How much OUTSIDE EXERCISE does your little boy normally get?
Sure, here is my .02 ......NO!
It'll be tough to tell your child to "Just Say No" to illegal drugs, but no problem with saying "Yes" to these happy pills.
Do this experiment (if you haven't yet):
1. Get some sort of video game system (Playstation, etc.)
2. Sit child in front of video game and tell him he can play for as long as he wants.
3. Come back in an hour. If child is still playing, he DOES NOT HAVE ADD!!
Yeah, you might have to spend $150 or so on this experiment, but you'll easily determine if your child is either ADD-impaired or just bored. Plus, if you buy a PS2, you'll have a DVD player to boot! This $150 will be much cheaper than an 8-year prescription to some stupid pill.
Good luck!
We had our older son on Ritalin from about 2nd 'til the middle of 6th grade. It DID help him focus and he did well on it. Until puberty hit and it didn't work anymore.
Dr. switched prescriptions a couple of times and there were side effects. I put my foot down and said "no more."
Read up on it. Some kids DO need Ritalin. But the vast majority of boys who are put on it are just...boys.
I wouldn't do it again and have already informed my wife that the doctor will NOT drug our younger son.
Ping.
I would first eliminate sugar (sweets, soft drinks, etc.) for at least a couple of weeks, and see if the behavior changes before I let any doctor prescribe Ritalin. Then I would seek a second and even a third opinion.
ADD shouldn't be treated with medication unless it is really causing major problems.
Explore all other options. At least that is how I feel.
Sometimes I think enrolling a kid with ADD in a sport that requires them to pay attention helps... martial arts maybe?