Hi everyone! I am wondering what you think about stopping medications like Ritalin and Guanfacine over the weekend, resuming them Monday for school? I have been doing this to allow her to get her appetite back and get better sleep but I am not sure if I am doing a disservice to my kiddo. I have heard that some providers say to continue it daily for better results, but our NP says it is fine.
I wanted to hear from parents who live through this feel about it! Thanks in advance!
Our child only takes the stimulant on school days as his biggest issue is inattention. The guanfacine he takes year round as we were advised that going on or off requires a very slow and lengthy taper to avoid rebound blood pressure effects.
Hi there! We do the same thing as Aspen797. Many people give stimulant breaks although I’ve heard different things about the impacts of taking them off and on. You should never do that with guanfacine. it takes a slow titration to build up in the blood and if you take them off for a couple of days a week it could have dangerous efforts ects on their blood pressure. Best to not give breaks for the guanfacine. It has a totally different delivery than stimulants. The guanfacine doesn’t impact appetite or sleep negatively.
Good luck!
Came here to say the same thing about guanfacine--it's dangerous to skip it.
totally depends on the kid and the medication. Only do this with stimulant medications. They are usually out of the system within a day, but the constituents need to be taken over time so they do work well.
My partner accidentally forgets to do his refills sometimes. He ends up going several days without medication. Usually what happens with him is he gets unmotivated and sleepy. It’s also extra hard for him to get anything done. It doesn’t hurt him really, but it frustrates him I have several days when he wants to get housework done and a few other things.
You really have to weigh the benefits and drawbacks.
As a counterpoint, as someone who lives with it and has at least one kid with it, adhd doesn't take a day off.
If your only concern is school performance, then drug holidays seem appealing. Adhd doesn't just impact focus though. It impacts emotional regulation, planning, memory, and a collection of other things.
Putting it another way, if meds are only taken for school, your child won't see the benefits of the meds in other aspects of their life (e.g. Socialization, leisure, housework) and thus might be more likely to see it as something they will quit once they are done with school.
My son actually realized he had forgotten his med when he realized he was struggling to focus on a board game we were playing and he was getting frustrated with himself.
As with any medical decision, however, you need to weigh the benefits and the risks. Clinically, there is no evidence that there is any benefit to med holidays, so it entirely comes down to things like side effects. Ask yourself, though, why side effects are worth tolerating for school, but not for other aspects of their life.
I think it is a bad idea. My friend is a principal. He said the kids who don’t take their medicine over the weekend don’t get back on track until Tuesday afternoon. If your child was a diabetic would you not give them their medicine over the weekend? No.
Dear RSpurple:
Thanks for contacting CHADD's National Resource Center on ADHD. Here is helpful information if you are considering a drug holiday for your child.
chadd.org/adhd-weekly/time-...
If you have further questions, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Jami
Health Information Team Manager
CHADD's National Resource Center on ADHD
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