Ritalin in Aus

[Geduldige van der merwes!]

Thanks mandyc

For someone who has tried everything: Well after two weeks of meds, we cannot believe our eyes. My Boy 4.5 has wanted to build a puzzle for the first time in his life. He is drawing circles and triangles and has lost a game, without going crazy. His teacher says she cannot believe it. 80% of our days were usualy tantrums and screeming from his side. He is still quit busy, but a very happy chappy.

At last i know that was'nt naughty and i was'nt a bad mother.

He sleeps much better(no talking in his sleep the whole night) He even gets hungry now.

He still goes to occupational and speech therapy.

At last we have a family life.

[steynrr]

Hi Everyone.

I know I am gonna put my foot in it but here it goes. I am an Occupational Therapist and I have seen both sides of the story. In my private practice I have seen a lot of kids that was on Ritalin and didn't need it. I also have send some kids for assesment and where I have seen a definite improvement in their behaviour and work. (this however was the exception). I agree that for some kids it really is the best way but I would like to add it is not the only way. But if a child was really tested by professional and it was prescribed then Yes but sometimes it is done because it makes a teachers life easier.

But coming back to the question my advice is not to take your child of it during the move and all the crazy days as it is to stressfull for everyone and there is enough changes. I have spoken to a few OT's over in Aus and they have all said the same thing. Because of the lifestyle and the schools approach including smaller school, additional attention etc. most kids doesn't need to be on Ritalin. They suggest rather try your child without it so the teachers can also get an idea of your child without meds. This makes their assesments a true reflection of your child and they can make the recommendations according to what help there is and this also makes the whole teamwork better.

I agree that stress in schools but also at home here makes it a lot harder for our kids especially the ones that needs help.

You can always get them back on it if they really need it but then you will know.

Good Luck to everyone with special kids like these as I think it adds even more stress as we tend to be worried about them the most.

Ronell

[Nics]

We were told repeatedly that my son was ADHD and we need to get him on Ritalin when we were still in South Africa. Later he started getting seizures - so we defied the doctors and put him on the Ketogenic diet for 4 very very long years - to treat his seizures.

The result - cured 100% of seizures - and as an added benefit - no ADHD - he is top of the class now, super healthy (never had a sick day in Oz) and one very happy confident little guy. So what seemed like the worst thing that could happen turned out to be an absolute blessing in disguise. I don't know the right wrong answer - but have found that lots of parents who have tried the diet route have found it difficult to stick to it 100% for a long enough period because in reality it is very hard to keep kids on a diet and it's not a life/death situation with ADHD.

Either way - your move to Oz will be good for your kids and you might find that they are more relaxed and need less Ritalin. I wish you all the best of luck!

By the way - my son eats normally now - can happily eat rubbish every now and then - with no effect.

[Jeanne]

Hi Shirls, this is our experience with our daughter aged 10

She has been on ritalin for about a year because of severe concentration problems, could not sit still and got distracted easily. It worked well for her and she was a different child. She went from almost failing to doing pretty average.

We have taken my daughter off ritalin now for 3 weeks to see if she copes without it, and she is coping well. I think the difference comes in that they do physical activities as part of their classes every single day, and they have smaller classes and more individual attention. Many of the classes have volunteer mums or trained teachers as well as the regular teacher who help kids who need a bit of extra attention. And this is a govt school!

She is far more physically active here, can ride her bike in the street and we also do more things outdoors as a family.

I think all these things have made a huge difference, and also the fact that hubby and I are able to spend more time with them. We read with them almost every night. We get them to read to us , then we read to them. Mom and Dad are also FAR less stressed!

I am not an expert on this subject, but the general pace of life is more relaxed here and I am sure this has an impact too.

[BloemBoi]

We are also in the middle of a teacher led campaign to get help for our "ADD" boy.

I have attended school sponsored lectures by the Head Pediatrician of the local Med School.

My take on this

Rule out contributing factors ea

replace a bad diet with a good one - add here all the "proven" supplements that our consumer informed modern diets lacks

get the kids to be more active ea If they cannot play in the park or street and time is an issue- rather get a Wii than a playstation3, just get them more physical for longer

play more with the kid, YOURSELF!

Then

Take your kid to a pediatrician that have studied ADHD/ADD and who have seen the long term effects of medicine on kids.

As with any serious medical condition- get an alternative opinion.

This will confirm/or not, whether your kid have a neurologically condition in his brain that needs medication.

In this case- by all means medicine has a role to play

Then lastly

my advice to headmasters with teachers prone to moaning about busy grade 1, 2 or 3 kids

Either get them on Prozac, or get them to retire!

Edited August 10, 2008 by BloemBoi

[Christina]

We were told repeatedly that my son was ADHD and we need to get him on Ritalin when we were still in South Africa. Later he started getting seizures - so we defied the doctors and put him on the Ketogenic diet for 4 very very long years - to treat his seizures.

The result - cured 100% of seizures - and as an added benefit - no ADHD - he is top of the class now, super healthy (never had a sick day in Oz) and one very happy confident little guy.

Hi Nics

Do you have a website that I can look at re the Ketogenic diet? Would love to look at it. I make sure that both my children eat very healthy - have tried a lot of stuff to help my children (especially my daughter). She however still needs the medication as she can not cope with the school work without it. If there is anothe alternative that I have not tried, I would most certainly want to look at it.

Regards

Christina

[Markus&Susan]

Has anyone had their visa application delayed or rejecte dbecause of an ADD or ADHD child? If there was a delay, what additiional documentation was required? Our visa has been accepted, three of the medicals have been finalized but our daughter who has mild learning problems and is on Ritalin says medicals outstanding. Has anyone had any experiencewith this. I just want to know what to anticipate and where we go from here.

Susan

[Sharon]

If you go to the Carte Blanche website you can download a text from the programme on the Ketogenic diet - fascinating stuff.

http://www.mnet.co.za/Mnet/Shows/carteblan...ory.asp?Id=3413

[Eva]

Did you get a letter from the pediatrician before you went for your medicals?

This was posted today by Ready2go... "son has ADHD and his medicals also were "referred" and were only finalised about 3 months after ours. We were asked to go and see a specialist paediatrician for a report. Once they received it, his meds changed to finalised."

Hope it helps.... contact her if you want to ask more questions.

[Leon/Lou]

Has anyone had their visa application delayed or rejecte dbecause of an ADD or ADHD child? If there was a delay, what additiional documentation was required? Our visa has been accepted, three of the medicals have been finalized but our daughter who has mild learning problems and is on Ritalin says medicals outstanding. Has anyone had any experiencewith this. I just want to know what to anticipate and where we go from here.

Susan

My daughter is also on Ritalin, sent in a medical report from the Paed who prescribed it along with our medicals, hers was only finalised a week after the rest..but no problems there.

Lou

[Nics]

Hi Nics

Do you have a website that I can look at re the Ketogenic diet? Would love to look at it. I make sure that both my children eat very healthy - have tried a lot of stuff to help my children (especially my daughter). She however still needs the medication as she can not cope with the school work without it. If there is anothe alternative that I have not tried, I would most certainly want to look at it.

Regards

Christina

Hi Christina

Sorry about the delayed response - haven't been in the forum for a while. Unfortunately I don't have a specific website - it has been absolute years since he was on it. But I am sure if you research the net - you'll get some information.

Principles are basically high fat (all the right fats only!) and no sugar - low carbohydrates. I think its the high RIGHT fats is what got rid of his ADHD as well....

It is super hard - but we were 100% committed to it and I thank my lucky stars everyday now when I look at how healthy my son is now!

Good Luck! I hope you find some answers....

[noodles]

Cameron starts school in Aus next Monday. When I enrolled him I informed them that he had been on ritalin back in school in Aus but since leaving school in Aug and up to now he is not on the ritalin. They said to leave him off and see how it goes so I am eager to see how this does go. I have also heard, read and seen that Ritalin is not a biggie here in Aus but I wonder how Cameron will cope without it. I supose time will tell.

Annette