Directed attention Exhaustion and Adderall XR

My son has recently started Adderall XR and has said he gets tired and exhausted after focusing on tasks and assignments that aren't very interesting. Is this fairly common and what can be done to minimize this exhaustion? Thanks!

[Onthemove1971]

Children with ADHD do not like to do things they are not interested in..If I were in your shoes I would wait a little while and see if this behavior changes before I did anything. Glad he is getting a positive benefit from the medication.

[Hidden in reply to Onthemove1971]

Thank you for your thoughts on this. I agree we should wait and see if this exhaustion becomes less amplified. He tells me that he can quickly re-engage even if he feels the exhaustion by not engaging in the assignment for few minutes. Obviously the medication is working in this instance to help sustain concentration, but was wondering also if this could be a side of effect of high medication dosage.

I saw a you tube video of Dr. Russell Barkley on this topic and he mentioned needing to "re-fuel" to sustain concentration by adding glucose through sugary drinks like soda or Gatorade. Also taking frequent breaks.

I would also be interested in hearing from others about taking 2nd extended release in the afternoon for evening coverage and for sleep. I believe Dr. Dodson recommends this based on the fact that ADD/ADHD brain never pauses unless on medication. I sent my son's pediatrician this article by Dr. Dodson in ADDitude magazine that mentions taking 2nd ER because my son's Pediatrician believes that stimulant causes insomnia or sleep problems. Unfortunately it is not clear whether this practice is widely accepted among clinicians and in the ADD/ADHD literature.