Newbee parent of 11 y/o boy w/ Adhd combined type

[kaoskrsp]

Hi all! I am a single parent of an 11 year old boy with ADHD combined type. He currently takes 25mg of Focalin XR every morning. I would appreciate advice on what other parents are doing regarding problematic home behaviors. Within the last month he started pulling out his hair on his head and eyebrows. When questioned he initially lied and said he fell but when I confronted him and questioned him he admitted that he pulled it out himself due to anger issues.

[GoDukes]

Hey kaoskrsp, I'm sorry to hear about the struggles your son is going through. I know it's hard to watch and how helpless we feel sometimes as parents. I have an 8 yr old son who is on a low dose of Focalin as well. Anger issues have always been a problem for him too. A couple of years before he was diagnosed with ADHD we took a shot in the dark and removed artificial food coloring from his diet. (Red 1, Blue 3, etc) Within a week or so we noticed a huge difference in his behavior. He wouldn't rage for no reason anymore and would get over whatever was bothering him quicker. I don't know how common this is, but it absolutely made a difference for us. Then awhile back he seemed to be flying off the handle a lot more and I noticed he had been playing with that colored slime a lot. Food coloring soaking in to his skin. We took that away and he was calmer within a few days. He is no angel now, LOL, but the anger is a lot more controlled. Maybe worth a try. Be prepared though. Artificial food coloring is everywhere! White marshmallows, jars of pickles...ugh. Good luck!

[anirush]

My grandson was on Focalin XR 4 years with great results. So we had to adjust the dose periodically as he grew. Self-mutilation is a sign of anxiety. My younger grandson scratches himself till he bleeds when he is not stable.

Your son may need additional medication for anxiety or an increase in the Focalin XR. My grandson had 25 mg in the morning and 10 at lunch time as he got older. Middle School the Focalin suddenly stopped working so now we're are on different medications