Generic Adderall or Concerta for 8 year old

[DinerBlue]

Hi everyone. Thanks for being here. I wrote a few months back about my 8 year old who was undiagnosed. Well my suspicions were confirmed this week and he finally got an official diagnosis of adhd (combined type) from the pediatrician. I've been on this forum for a while soaking up all the tips. Thank you! So before this I had already started trying to give supplements/vitamins like omega 3 and rhodiola gummies. He hated the texture and flavor of both. So that stopped. I even got the hardys daily essential nutritients which were not cheap! But can't figure out how to get them in him because the capsules are huge and full with powder, and there's too much in one to easily mix with apple sauce on a spoon - let alone the 12 capsules he's supposed to build up to in one day.

The 3rd grade teacher is amazing and very experienced and has tried many accommodations without any 504 in place (moving seat, using a sand timer, standing desk, privacy shield, bathroom breaks, fidgets....) but nothing seems to be helping him organize himself, or help him stay focused enough to independently complete desk work without tons of redirecting or prompting. Traditional desk work (which they do a lot of despite how great the teacher is) is prob not the best learning envirnment for him, but we can't afford the Montessori or Waldorf schools near us. And i tried homeschooling for part of kindegarten but he's too socal for that to work. And I have a full time job.

He's really social, talkative, funny, outgoing, sensitive, empathetic, gender expansive, and bright. The teacher describes him well as having "young behavior but a really mature mind". But she's concerned about an academic gap growing.

He's been in art/ play therapy for a few months which seems to really have helped with some anxiety he was feeling (which he reports as improved). He's already doing a play group at school with the social worker to work on managing emotions and sustaining friendships (all without any 504!). But none of this seems to be helping with the focus on work.

So here we are at the medication crossroads. We really didn't want to jump straight into meds but the pediatrician and teacher spoke, and because the teacher feels she's tried a lot, and because we're already working with a private therapist and school social worker, the pediatrician suggested 30 day trial of starter dose of Adderral or Concerta as the next treatment.

My insurance will only cover generic. I've been reading about the differences between namebrand vs generic for concerta. Apparently the shortage is not affecting the area I'm in too much so either would be available she said. So my questions are any suggestions for which would be better?

A once-a-day dose in liquid would prob be best for him. And id like to be able to take breaks on weekends and use mostly for just school times.

I'm worried about him losing his spark or some of the rough side effects I've read about on here. I don't want to do tons of trial and error. I mentioned genesight to the pediatrician and she said if this trial didn't work we could maybe try that before moving forward with different meds.

I'm ambivalent and anxious and not sure if we should jump in but another part of me is thinking we should just try. These decisions are so hard. But I want my child to thrive so I'm trying to make the best choices. Thanks for reading!

[Onthemove1971]

Thanks for being here with us on this journey.. boy have we been there. We sound like we have twins...

We were told when its the correct type of medication, the medication is taken at the right time and it is the correct dose 60% of symptoms of ADHD go away. It was a higher % for us.

I know, because I have been there.. we just want things to get better for our children.

It is important to understand the purpose of the stimulant is to decrease impulsive behavior. Yes, this is a start, but I have to be honest it will not make all behavior better. This means they decrease the amount of unnecessary movement, think before they act and not talk as much. This is huge when these impact learning in many ways.

These medication are fast acting so you "may" see a difference as soon after taking it.

The human body is complex so if the first medication doesn't work or the dose it not right don't be discouraged. It takes time to dial it all in and make the adjustment.

I recommend you try to the medication before you decide when to give breaks in medication. But his doctor may have advice about days of the week you give the medication. They may only fill enough for weekdays since they don't want medication sitting around not being used.

For our family and our child medication is life changing and we are grateful for the opportunity to give our son a tool to help him.

We are always here for you if you need us.

One more thing.. you won't know if the Generic works or not until you try it.

[DinerBlue in reply to Onthemove1971]

Onthemove1971 Thank you so much for this thoughtful reply! I've followed many of your posts and always find them helpful, and so I appreciate personal response We've decided to give a trial of meds a go. I'm sure I'll be back with with questions. I truly appreciate this supportive community. It feels good to be around people who "get it". Thank you again.

[Aloysia]

If you are considering Concerta, and want to avoid pills, liquid, powder, etc. Then try the Daytrana patch. One additional benefit of the patch is that many kids process an oral dose through their system very quickly - thus needing a booster dose in the afternoon - but with the patch we no longer needed a booster dose for my kids.

If you need to go with something else, you can purchase empty tiny capsules on Amazon. I had to take the pills they gave my daughter and put the powder into the smaller capsules. This was after trying many different ways of taking a powder (applesauce, jello, yogurt, etc) and giving up. She had trouble swallowing pills so we started with mini-M&Ms, tic-tacs, etc, then moved on to the tiny capsules I bought online. I filled them with sugar to give them some weight while she learned to swallow them.

[DinerBlue in reply to Aloysia]

Aloysia Thank you!! This is super helpful! I will keep this capsule idea in mind if we go back to the Hardy's or any other meds that would benefit from reducing the size of the capsules. I've suggested the m&m thing to try to swallow pills. He's resisted so far. I'm still not sure what form this trial med run will be. Waiting to hear back from doc. But I may mention the patch to get her thoughts. Thanks again for the ideas!

[Mamamichl in reply to Aloysia]

We usually emptied out the capsule in a spoonful of pudding or ice cream. The cream hid the flavor and made it easier to swallow as long as it wasn’t chewed much.

[DinerBlue in reply to Mamamichl]

Great idea! Thanks. When we first tried the Hardys Essentials I did a squirt of apple sauce on a spoon, then the emptied capsule, then another squirt like a sandwich. But by the end it was a heaping spoon and he only ate half, and screamed how awful it was. I ate the other half to taste it and it was truly disgusting and chemical tasting! But I can see how the cream could help mask it better.

[Mamamichl in reply to DinerBlue]

You will have to melt the ice cream a bit to get it inside. Just squeeze between spoons or dirty a bowl.

[Aloysia]

Find something he really wants - a lego toy or video game, etc. Use this as a reward for him learning to swallow pills. Have smaller rewards for milestones along the way.Example:

- watch this video with you (hardynutritionals.com/video... => earn small reward like ice cream

- every day for 2 wks, commit to trying the techniques in the video, try twice for each method - using mini M&Ms => earn medium reward like a book

- at this point he should know which method he prefers. Now commit to trying that method twice every day for 2 wks. Moving up to tic-tacs. => earn medium reward

- continue, moving up to larger capsules.

[DinerBlue in reply to Aloysia]

Awesome. Thank you for these detailed steps! I look forward to watching the video with him. He used to swallow whole raisins so hoping now that he's 8 he'll get over the resistance and realize he can do it!

[Aloysia in reply to DinerBlue]

Keep reminding yourself that swallowing pills is a life skill. So whatever you need to do to help him through this is worth it.

[Mamamichl]

if it helps, the meds have a half-life short enough that they are out of his system in less than 24 hours.

[alexwinters]

I really feel for you and understand your concerns about medication - it's such a big decision for a parent. Having worked with families in similar situations (and from discussions on raadsrtest.net), I can share some thoughts that might help.

First, you're already doing so many things right:

Working closely with the teacher

Trying various accommodations

Supporting his emotional health through therapy

Being thoughtful about medication options

Regarding medication choice:

Concerta tends to be smoother throughout the day, but Adderall also has a good track record

For a first trial, either can work well - the key is starting low and monitoring closely

Generic versions can be effective, though with Concerta specifically, some parents prefer brand name due to the delivery system

Some reassurance about your concerns:

Most kids maintain their personality on the right medication

Weekend breaks are totally fine and common

You can always stop if you're not happy with the results

Starting now doesn't mean "forever"

Consider keeping a simple daily log of:

Appetite

Sleep

Mood

Focus

Any side effects

This will help you and the doctor evaluate how it's working.

Remember, you're not "jumping in" - you've tried many other approaches first. You're making a careful, informed decision for your child's wellbeing. That's good parenting. ❤️

[DinerBlue]

Thank you so much for reminding me of all this!! It helps to see it so thoughtfully spelled out. I really like the daily log suggestions, and will share that with his teacher as well, so we're on the same page in terms of what we're observing. I so appreciate the wisdom shared in this group. A million thank yous. 🙏💜

[Lion_Creek]

My daughter started Focalin at the same age, for the same reasons. When Focalin is unavailable, she uses Concerta, and that seems to work well also. It was a night and day difference for us. The first half of third grade was so hard: she was beginning to dislike school because she was always being scolded, and it seemed impossible for her to get through any tasks. Then, the medication freed her to do more easily what she'd been trying to do all along, and she started loving school again. We didn't lose any of her spark or creativity or humor. She still very much has ADHD but it's manageable for her and the rest of us. Best of all is that she recognizes the difference when she takes medication, and she prefers life with it. So it's not a struggle at all. We started with the pill in some ice cream, and then she realized it was easy to swallow the pill. She still sometimes asks for a bite of ice cream after though!

[DinerBlue]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm thrilled you've found something that works for your whole family! Hoping to have similar results.