Is this Candy?!. Need Advise.

My 15 y/o son soon to be 16 y/o has been staying with his grandmother for the summer. School released on 5/24/ and on 5/25 he was there . It is always a big relief for me to have this break. School is in two weeks , and that is when he will return but I'm Not looking forward to the break ending unfortunately. but recently my mother gave me an ear full of some of his behaviors . Some of it is not surprising and she is familiar with his impulse behaviors (yes he is medicated). But when she told me that he ate some of her gummy vitamins , I was speechless not sure how many, he refused to say. In search of sweets my son actually ate a lot of gummy vitamins. I forewarned my mother about his behaviors for sweets,/snacks. But not to this level. He has ate a whole box of stale cookies, twice, sugar from the bag, old piece of cake and pies, if it's sweet or snacks , he wait for the right moment and eat it. Certainly when no one is around. It's not being hungry, he could have food and still seek it out. The odd thing this behavior didn't start until after age 14.5

It just hit a all time high!. Before he comes home I want to implement something; he has a medication consult soon after he return. I certainly looking to increase. Currently he is on Ritalin LA, and guanfacine. Any insight.

[Natasha_W]

My 12 (soon to be 13 yr old) started stealing really bad this year. It’s mainly sweets. I’m not a huge on making my kids eat nothing but healthy stuff. We have a mixture of junk and healthy stuff. My daughter can just get done eating and when she thinks no one is looking she will hoard handfuls or stacks of junk and sneak it up to her room. I’m trying to teach her all she has to do is ask and 90% of the time I’ll say yes but if I catch her stealing she will end up being in so much trouble. This has been a struggle lately!!!!! 🤦🏽‍♀️ It’s so exhausting and hard to explain to my friends that don’t have kids with ADHD without sounding like s psycho mom

[Hidden in reply to Natasha_W]

It is exhausting!, I too am not a healthy nut, I generally don't buy sweets that much because I have diabetes. But if I do, I will give it to both of my sons in moderation, diabetes run in the family of course. I just can't figure out how desperate you will get to eat a bottle and a half of women's vitamins. My mother said he had hidden some underneath the mattress for later. What's so ironic is my second son age 13, his sweet tooth is intense, once you give him something sweet he will devour it in seconds but he does not steal sweets if I have it around the house, he will ask or wait. The 15 y/o eats it slow and act disinterested around people but when you're not looking he steals it. I have questioned his behaviors but to this day, I have not gotten a answer.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to Natasha_W]

Our son is 12 years old, almost 13 years old. We have a number pad lock on our pantry and most things are in there. This has been a serious problem in the past but has, through patience and not leaving things out gotten much better, we think (or he has gotten better at hiding it). We have tried everything and his thearpist just says better to not have it in the house

This is hard becuase he still has gotten into things in the refrigerator or freezer.

This to us is about impulsive behavior and only happens at night when his medication has worn off.

[abryans]

Taking too many vitamins can definitely be toxic. The mineral iron, for example, can cause very serious problems if there is an overdose. Some doctors oppose using "gummies" for vitamins or other medications because they do seem just like candy! I think I would call poison control or your doctor and see if they think any follow up is needed.

[Hidden in reply to abryans]

Thanks, I will. My mother and I was having that very same conversation, how much is too much.

[abryans in reply to Hidden]

it will all get better. hang in there.

[anirush]

I would definitely talk to his doctor. First to make sure so many vitamins are not toxic. Secondly to find out why he is suddenly craving sweets to this extent.

[Mypl]

I have bought her a small bag of gummy bears and portion out for her to eat. You never know what this condition will pop up. She is exhausting and I worry about her mother because as her only child she has no clue how to deal with her. We all need to lobby the government health agencies to do more research on this. There has to be more funding made available for medical and educational help. I wish you the best of luck with your son. We need to stick together