Ritalin in Aus

[SHIRLS]

Hi,

was at my GP yesterday and had a general chit-chat as he is also a friend and I wanted to know if he could make sure that I had enough supplies of Ritalin for my son until we got settled.He advised not to give him his Ritalin in Australia and rather wait to see what happens at school and wether he really needs it there.It is his theory that saffers are in general high on adrenalin naturally as we live in highly stressed environments including our school children,he reckons that this adrenalin high will decrease when we get settled and he will no longer need to use Ritalin.

Has anyone found that their children that used Ritalin in SA, suddenly not requiring it in Australia?This is an interesting theory and would value anyones input with this regard.

Cheers

[Nilo]

Shirls, somewhere on the forum a while back it was mentioned that a members kiddie didn't need the Ritalin anymore!!

I truly hope that this will be the case for your son. I am not a Ritalin "fan" but do understand the need for it.

Dr's advised me to put two of my children on Ritalin and I did LOTS of research and eventually decided against it. They are both healthy adults now, well adjusted, with no ill effects for not taking it.

Here's holding thumbs for you!!

[SHIRLS]

Thanks Nilo,

you are an early riser I see !

Lots of peer pressure at his private school and we put off using the stuff for 18mths and he has now been using for about 21/2 years.Not convinced that it has helped as he is still the same 'C' aggregate student he was before Ritalin.My concern is that he may be put into a grade above his ability but relative to his age ,in other words skipping a grade because Australian schooling starts earlier than SA.We have been sending him for extra lessons which he is objecting to but I just want to do the best I can for him in order that he feels he can fit in comfortably academically when we eventually reach OZ.

AAISHH! As if we don't have enough worries heh.

[Queensland Girl]

My son was at a private school in Durban. He was placed on Ritalin for his entire grade two as he was " unteachable" according to them without.

We arrived in Ozz and the male teacher at his new school asked me to send him to school unmedicated for one week, and medicated for one week.

After our experiment, the teacher agreed that my son was less restless on the medication , but that he felt that as long as my son was not made "to sit still" the whole lesson, he would be fine. The teacher encouraged alot of movement for the class. Clapping the times tables etc.

My son is now in Grade 10 and has not had one Ritalin tablet for 7 years.

[sonnetjie]

Have a look at www.mindd.org and www.movetolearn.com.au they have a completely different approach.

Edited June 25, 2008 by sonnetjie

[AndreaL]

Hi,

was at my GP yesterday and had a general chit-chat as he is also a friend and I wanted to know if he could make sure that I had enough supplies of Ritalin for my son until we got settled.He advised not to give him his Ritalin in Australia and rather wait to see what happens at school and whether he really needs it there.It is his theory that saffers are in general high on adrenalin naturally as we live in highly stressed environments including our school children,he reckons that this adrenalin high will decrease when we get settled and he will no longer need to use Ritalin.

Has anyone found that their children that used Ritalin in SA, suddenly not requiring it in Australia?This is an interesting theory and would value anyones input with this regard.

Cheers

Hi Shirls

I am a little surprised at your Dr's advice, surely he would not be prescribing medication to your son unless he has assessed your son and feels he needs it?

As to suddenly stopping the medication...... would there not be side effects?

Perhaps there is a way to gradually decrease the dosage.

I'm not a fan of medicating kids, to my mind if a kid can't sit still for a time in class then the teacher is not engaging him.

Obviously some do need medication, but my opinion is that ritalin is over-prescribed in South Africa.

That said, I feel that the schools in Australia have a far more holistic approach in dealing with children and their behaviour.

It will be worth discussing the issue with the school, perhaps having a chat with the school Psychologist and coming up with a plan that works for everyone.

The school my daughter is at have a diverse range of students with physical disabilities, behaviour disorders, autism, at risk children etc and there are therapy rooms, aides and care plans in place for each child- all this at a government school.

I do hope you find a good supportive school.

Good luck to you and your son both.

Andrea L

[Kerry-Lea]

Hi

My son is also a "ritalin kid" (He's actaully on concerta - same thing), and like Nilo, I did loads of research and it was a whole year of trying the alternatives before I eventually agreed to a ritalin "trial".

Needless to say, my son is a different child on the drug. He is calmer, more balanced, and can actaully interact with other people. If we have a mad morning and "forget", it is immediatly noticable to both us and his school - which by the way is extremely progressive and holistic, and dont have the kids sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time. (goverment school - www.sunvalleyprimary.co.za - they have been a lifesaver during the ordeal with my son!)

Although I am "anti" ritalin, I have had to admit defeat in that it really is the right thing for my child. I cried and cried the day I went to fetch the script from the doctor.

I think the main problem with ritalin - as mentioned above- is that its often prescribed for the wrong reasons. I have never heard such "rubbish" (apologies if I offend) of prescribing ritalin because South Africans live in a stressed environment. ADD or ADHD is a neurological disorder - the neurons in the brain do not "speak" to each other properly, and Ritalin corrects this. Just like you would take insulin if you were a diabetic, or heart medication if you had a heart condition, Ritaliin medicates a specific condition. Many parents have reported that when thier kids hit puberty, there was no longer a need for the drug - there seems to be a link between ADHD and hormonal changes. If your child does not "rectify" here, they will need the drug for life, and there are many functioning adults on the drug.

the reason the drug has a bad name is that it is over-prescribed. parents are often pressurised into medicating "disruptive" children. Just because your child is a live-wire - does NOT mean they have ADHD! and of course its bad news to be giving such a highly controlled drug (often compared to cocaine!) to someone who doesnt need it!

I would advise all parents to take control and stand up for your child. Do your own research and dont be bullied into doing something you're not comfortable with. My voice was the only one my child had when we went through it, and I made sure it was heard. Yes, I had to swallow my words, and am the first to admit that its the right thing for him, but no way was I just going to "accept" what I was being told.

There are many children who respond to alternative treatment such as natural remedies, OT, etc, and then there are those that dont.

If your child is truly ADD / ADHD, I cannot see any reason why moving country/ school etc would miraculously cure them. Its a physiological thing, like a blood disorder, and can't be changed by changing the environment. By all means - its important to do unmedicated "trials" to see if you're one of the lucky ones who grows out of it.

I cannot think of anything worse than a poor child not only going through the trauma of moving country, but then being sent to a whole new schooling environment without their meds.

ADHD parents should ALWAYS consult a proper paed (not just a GP) and get holistic feedback regarding their childs condition - OT, Diet, Alternative treatments etc will ALWAYS help.

Sorry - this is a touchy subject for me - but it really worries me that some parents will so easily medicate their children with a cocaine equivalent without making sure its the last option.

With my son - he is a completeley different person on and off the meds. I can see it with my own eyes, and insisted on doing the initial trial during holidays so that I myself could monitor his behaviour. I know for a fact that he cannot function without it, and its not fair to make him try. He gets frustrated with himself as he is physically unable to controll himself unmedicated, and he knows that his behaviour is disruptive and unacceptable.

I would never, ever, in a million years take my son off his Concerta just because we are moving...

[Christina]

As to suddenly stopping the medication...... would there not be side effects?

Hi Andrea

There is no side effect on taking a child off Ritalin. My daughter was on it for 1 year, off for 2 and now back on again. She showed no side effects when we took her off. The doctor explained to me that, only when they use an anti-depressent such as Toferanol, which is a mild anti-depressent for children with anxiety, would she have some side effects. In those cases, I was told, do you take them off gradually.

Hope this helps

Christina

[Kerry-Lea]

And sorry - yes - there is no need to 'wean' kids off Ritalin. The daily dose lasts a certain amount of time (my son is on 54mg Concerta daily, which lasts 12 hours on a slow release form) and once the medication is used, its finished - out of their system completely and immediatly.

Thats why some kids on really high doses have a "come down" once thier meds run out.

Trust me - if you child is on ritalin for the right reasons - you can tell the moment the drug has worn off . My son turns into a whirlwind tasmanian devil !

Edited June 25, 2008 by Kerry-Lea

[Lizel]

Hi

Probeer miskien natuurlike produkte vir die oorgangsfase. Ek gebruik NRG van Herbalife om my te help fokus (regtig 'n hele paar dinge wat in my kop draai op die oomblik). Google: Natural Raw Gaurana. Gee dit sommer vir die kids in hulle sap saam skooltoe (dis in poeier vorm).

Iemand het voorheen gevra oor Resque Remedy en Biral. Wel mense glo my probeer "5htp". Google dit ook sommer! Een advertensie sê dis "Hawaii in a bottle". Die produk van SOLAL het nogal Vit B5 wat ook nodig is in die stadium van die wedstryd.

Word Herbalife in Brisbane versprei? Kan nie sonder Aloe concentrate klaarkom nie. Hoop iemand kan help as ons eers daar is - hopelik Oktober.

Lizel

[MandyC]

Kerry-Lea, I completely agree with what you are saying, my daughter is on Concerta and without it she is a walking time bomb, the house is havoc if she does not have her meds. She was going to a main stream school, no concerta and was so far behind with her work that she was going into depression.

I eventually took her to a child psychologist and she was diagnosed with ADHD, and recommended that my daughter be placed in a special school, this we did and what a difference. She became Head Girl this year, she gets 80% for her subjects and has so much more self confidence in herself. She no longer sits at the bottom of the class, closer to the top. Giving her concerta and moving schools was the best thing I have ever done for her. The school has recently had a test to see whether the children can move back to main stream. I am quite confident that she will be able to maintain in a mainstream school, but that would only be with the assistance of Concerta. If I moved her to main stream and took the concerta away, there would be no telling what would happen....big concern for if and when we move to Oz.

Added to this my son has also been put onto ritalin, but in his case I feel it is unnecessary he is as bright as a button and active, but all kids are active. I have decided that to not continue giving him the meds. Yesterday was his first day without it and he says he was fine he finished all his work. I will have progress updates from the teacher and she will have to deal with a child that has a little bit of energy. He can sit for long periods of time concentrating, I feel that in his case he was misdiagnosed.

So to add my humble opinion on this hot topic, parents know their child/children and have this wonderful gut instinct that no Doctor can compete with and with this ammunition, we can decide what works best for our children.

For me it is going to be persuading a Doctor in Oz to give my daughter concerta. I just cant see it working out for her without it. I will have all medical and school reports for this. So I wish myself good luck on this issue.

Mandy

[Johnny & Rene]

You guys there is a all natural product available for "hipper-active"kids if it is really necessary its called BIO-STRATH all natural and a superb vitamin add as well. Our son was a Ritalin baby but the results we got from Bio-strath was far better than Ritalin and he had super energy that was put to excellent work in his rugby games

[Christina]

You guys there is a all natural product available for "hipper-active"kids if it is really necessary its called BIO-STRATH all natural and a superb vitamin add as well. Our son was a Ritalin baby but the results we got from Bio-strath was far better than Ritalin and he had super energy that was put to excellent work in his rugby games

Hi Johny & Rene

I have used Bio-Strath for both my children. I have used it in combination with Omega 3&6 - aparently the combination makes it work doubletime. It is a wonderful product and still works wonderfully for my 7 year old son. However, after about 8 months it was not enough for my daughter. She started struggeling academically - and therefore her emotional state went rock bottom. The doctor explained that, some children can handle the pressure etc until, one day it just gets to much. It is only then, that you need to start medication. I did not want to let my daughter go back onto medication again, but realised that I had to do something to help her as she started struggeling and made life extremely difficult for the rest of the family. She has been back on Ritalin (20mg) for the last 2 months, and doing very well - both academically and emotionally. I am just glad that there is medication that I can give her to help her through her school years and therefor help her emotionally (especially her selfconfidence).

Christina

[Kerry-Lea]

Hi Guys

It is a hot topic - and a very emotional one for me.

Rene - trust me when I tell you i tried every natural product availabe, including those you mentioned and more. The fact is that every child is different and what works for one, will not necessarily work for another. Its all about finding a balance and what works for your child. It took us a long time to find the right dose for our child, and any good paed will tell you that it needs to reviewed at least every year as your child grows (weight change).

My main concern is kids being prescribed such a hectic drug when they are not properly diagnosed with the condition - that in itself is very scary. And as for doctors suggesting that moving out of SA can lessen the symptoms of ADHD - that person needs thier degree reviewed! Does he even know what ADHD is??? Obviously not - or he would not be making such ridiculous statements.

I agree Christina - I hope I dont have too much trouble in Aus getting the Concerta - it is a lifeline for my son - like you said its not just the physcial problems but the psychological / emotional ones that are important to address.

I'm sure, like me, you've held onto all the reports / reviews by the teachers and doctors (We have clinical psychologist annually, OT, speech therapy, Paed and educational optometrist reports) and you will be able to substantiate your request for the drug. But I agree - it SHOULD be that difficult to get a prescription. Its a serious drug and gets its bad name from being overprescribed to kids who need a little discipline and parents / schools are too lazy so they drug the kids instead.

[noodles]

Hi,

was at my GP yesterday and had a general chit-chat as he is also a friend and I wanted to know if he could make sure that I had enough supplies of Ritalin for my son until we got settled.He advised not to give him his Ritalin in Australia and rather wait to see what happens at school and wether he really needs it there.It is his theory that saffers are in general high on adrenalin naturally as we live in highly stressed environments including our school children,he reckons that this adrenalin high will decrease when we get settled and he will no longer need to use Ritalin.

Has anyone found that their children that used Ritalin in SA, suddenly not requiring it in Australia?This is an interesting theory and would value anyones input with this regard.

Cheers

[/quote

This is a hot topic - you either love Ritalin or hate Ritalin

I used to be the latter until I saw what it did for our son

We tried every remedy you could imagine - herbal - homeopathic - natural etc etc

After a year of him struggling we decided to take the plunge and opted for a trial run of ritalin (after consulting an educational specialist / his OT specialist and our gp

What a difference - before he had no self confidence, battled to make and keep friends, felt worthless and could not cope at all with the work

now he has a "follower" of friends, oozes self confidence, plays first team rugby, and gets stars and praises for all his work he has also been made a computer monitor - such a difference!

There definitely is a place for ritalin!

Annette

[SHIRLS]

Thanks to everyone that replied and some very valid points were made.My GP is a very up-to-date person and was an ADHD child himself therefore he has no need to intentially mislead me with his opinion.He has done a lot of research on ADD/ADHD and it was not something that we rushed into puting my son on Ritalin.Like most parents,it is a last resort after investigating natural remedies and diet but those of us who have had to concede regarding it's benefits, have not looked back.

When I said that there has been little change with my son is probably not strictly true as on weekends and holidays we do not give it to him.During these times he often displays lack of concentration,forgetfullness and mood swings with tearful episodes but they are not big issues as he does not have to focus on school work then.It would be interesting to have had a glass ball as to wether he would have totally lost the plot and continued a downward spiral of failure as opposed to just keeping his head above water as is his current state.This is where my dilema comes in as to Ritalins usefullness so far and with forthcoming changes I would be reluctant to just stop dead especially in a new environment.

My interest is therefore based on the experiences of parents who have moved to Australia already and wether they have continued/discontinued using Ritalin with their children.I did read some previous threads a while back but cannot remember the exact line of enquiry but I do remember that some mums had been stock-piling their supplies so that they had enough for 1 or 2 months.My GP said that because of it's schedule,it cannot be prescibed as a repeat prescription but rather renewed and reviewed on a monthly basis to avoid misuse!

[Shelly]

My son was put on Ritalin in SA, and we totally fought against it, before we allowed it.

The moment he started taking the trials, we could see the change immediately, and realized that no matter how much we were against it, it was definately the best for him.

He is definately not a naughty or problem child - in fact he even won a few certificates at school for Good Manners.

His problem is that he just can't sit still and get through all his work.

After the first day he came home with everything completed, and all correct.

We only give him a tablet on the days that he is going to school, and do not give it to him on weekends or in the holidays, or even on Sports Days etc where he will not be required to sit still.

I slowly built up a supply from extra tablets each month, before we left SA, as the Pharmacist was not allowed to give me a few months supply.

I then got a script from my doctor, and a short note saying it was for ADHD.

( I kept these notes with the extra tablets that I brought in, so that I could declare it at Customs )

I took my son to the doctor here, with the scripts and note.

She did a quick health check on him, anf then wrote me a new script for 100 tablets.

She did not make me have him tested all over again.

( In SA I could only get 30 tablets at a time. )

I think that if your child really needed it in SA, then they will probably still need it here.

[noodles]

Thanks for that info!

We also don't give Cameron his ritalin on weekends or holidays and with the june hols coming up I should be able to stockpile a months supply to take in with us. Also plan on getting a note from the doc with a copy of the script to take through customs. Hope that is sufficient.

[Kerry-Lea]

My son has to take his on weekends / holidays - he just cant manage without it.

I think I'll just ask my doc to prescribe 2 or 3 x the dose in the last couple of months and stock pile that way. That way the medical aid can pay for it (the small contribution they do make, that is!) He is only on 1 x 54mg Concerta tablet a day now - which is about 10-15mg of Ritalin, so a small dose, so if I double or triple up the last few months I dont think it will raise any eyebrows.

I'm sure if you explain the situation to your GP, and you have a good relationship with him, he will understand and help you out.

[Glenda]

Don't want to get into a hot debate of use it or not, but from what I understand, the natural remedies work for some kids and not for others. It's a case of trying the various options and seeing what works for you. Bearing this in mind, there is also a diet that one can follow, which has proven to be very effective as well, but having said that, the diet is hard work, and requires a LOT of discipline from both parent and child. Ritalin is just 1 option of many.

What I have found is that the school lifestyle in Oz, is way more laid back than in South Africa, and I can see whysome children may not require ritalin. The teachers are very well equipt for children that need a little extra encouragement, attention and motivation.

[Geduldige van der merwes!]

I have been crying, praying and crying some more. Forever knowing that i boy (4) has adhd all the therapist has told me to get medication On Wednesday they put him on Risperdal: this is uasually for schetzo, but apparently it helps with children who is adhd with aggresion. I am so scared am am hurting him instead of helping. on the one hand people is saying medication and on the other hand they are telling me not to drug my child. Not sure what is best.

[MandyC]

I have been crying, praying and crying some more. Forever knowing that i boy (4) has adhd all the therapist has told me to get medication On Wednesday they put him on Risperdal: this is uasually for schetzo, but apparently it helps with children who is adhd with aggresion. I am so scared am am hurting him instead of helping. on the one hand people is saying medication and on the other hand they are telling me not to drug my child. Not sure what is best.

Please dont cry, do you know that ADHD kids are as bright as buttons, once you have found a medication or alternative, you will be amazed to see the difference in your child. I think alot of Moms out there would agree with me when I say how did we cope without the aid of medication, not only that the children feel better in themselves, more confident.

My daughter is 14, ADHD with mild aggression and takes Concerta, she is old enough now to give me a view point on the tablets she is taking. She will often say to me that she needs her tablet, because she feels there is a difference when she goes to school, she says that she cant focus on her work as she should be doing, is easily distracted and distracts others. Without, she cant cope with school work.

Yes, I agree I dont like having to give this schedule 7 drug to her and I have tried every alternative and diet out there (costing thousands), admitting defeat and giving her the dreaded stuff, I read up on the medication and it scared me to death. But once on it, wow, what a difference.

This is my opinion and others may disagree, but give this medication a try for a couple of months and see what happens. You will be amazed at the difference in your sons behaviour. He will feel better in himself, although he will be too young to divulge info to you.

As a parent this is a difficult thing to go through, but rest assured there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Mandy

[Ready2go]

My 2c guys.

When my son (now 14) was diagnosed with ADHD in grade R, I felt that my world was falling apart.

He started in a mainstream school for grade 1, just couldnt cope. I was called in every second day. We did the diet thing, we did the homeopath thing, you name it we tried it. Eventually he started ritalin and his medication really helped. He tried two years at a remedial school where we were told he needed more years of remedial schooling. He was accepted at the Browns school in Pinetown Durban. I had friends and family tell me not to put him into Browns, I did what I thought was right and my son really enjoyed his years at this school. Mixing with children who really have problems, cerebal palsy, polio etc, he has turned out to be a very thoughtful young man.He spent 5 years at Browns. At the end of last year we had our medicals done for AUS and the Aussies requested we get an assessment from a specialist paedeatrician. The paedeatrician suggested my son start his new school - Hillcrest High Lsen unit - without medication for the first term. My son was a bit hesitant at first but agreed to give it a try. We are now starting the third term without medication. June results he got 77% for math. I am so so proud of him. So what im trying to say, there will always be a hype around Ritalin and its generics etc, but you do what you think is best for your child. I went with my gut feeling. ADHD children are not stupid children, there brains are too busy processing too many things at once and they just need a little help. My son is not stunted, eats like a horse, and a happy child. I believe in AUS it is not made into such an issue as in SA. Children attend mainstream schools and have an extra teacher assist them - any one heard if this is true ?

[Ozzie Girl Now]

Hi,

was at my GP yesterday and had a general chit-chat as he is also a friend and I wanted to know if he could make sure that I had enough supplies of Ritalin for my son until we got settled.He advised not to give him his Ritalin in Australia and rather wait to see what happens at school and wether he really needs it there.It is his theory that saffers are in general high on adrenalin naturally as we live in highly stressed environments including our school children,he reckons that this adrenalin high will decrease when we get settled and he will no longer need to use Ritalin.

Has anyone found that their children that used Ritalin in SA, suddenly not requiring it in Australia?This is an interesting theory and would value anyones input with this regard.

Cheers

Hi

I would just like to say that my son was on Ritalin from grade 1 until we left in 2005 he was then in year 6 and he could not be without it as he was diagnosed ADHD plus ODD. We were also very worried, but can I mention since we have been he has never had it so sometimes I wonder??

Yes he is coping very well without them. Hope this information helps.

Thanks

[Johnny & Rene]

HI,

I agree with the opinion that different things work for different people. My husband actually replied previously and just as I could imagine he didn't really give the bigger picture.

My son which he said was to go on ritalin / concerta is turning 18 in 2 days.

In primary school he was on ritalin and I agree 100% it worked wonder for him, everybody was happy he did well at school. People just always listen to the bad things that ritalin can do to your child, but the amount of good is never really weighed up against that. In my opinion the good is far better than the bad.

When he went to high school the school said we must do a trial without the ritalin, which we did and up to the beginning of this year they were 100% satisfied. Yes his school worked suffer a lot. As you can see from his age he should be in grade 12 now but is only in grade 10. This had nothing to do with the fact that he was taken of ritalin. This was due to another medical condition that they only diagnosed the beginning of this year which was caused by glandular fever that he had a couple of years ago.

The school immediately thought that ritalin would solve this problem which after speaking to all the doctors would not have helped at all. To keep the school happy we started with Bio-strath also after speaking to all the doctors involved. This might not be the nicest thing to do but the school is under the impression that he is taking ritalin and they couldn't be happier.

He gets extra help from study groups and activities that we have to do to work through the medical condition. I believe all of this is helping him. And I believe every parent wants what's best for their child. And everybody has the best plan they can think of in progress to do just that. Our planned as mentioned above is what is working for us, and again I agree this wont necessarily work for the next person.

Thank-you for all the different opinions viewed, here and there I have even picked up a couple of pointers to think about.

Rene