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Main Forums => Father's Issues => Topic started by: ineedanswers on Dec 01, 2003, 11:06:44 AM

Title: concerta
Post by: ineedanswers on Dec 01, 2003, 11:06:44 AM
I am not a father, but I am speaking for someone who is that doesn't have internet access.  Our question is related to a father's right to have a choice in whether his child takes concerta.  He has half custody, pays child support, has his child the same amount of time as the mother, claims him every other year.  His son is taking concerta and if anyone knows about it, it basically affects a child the same way that cocaine affects adults.  We do not think that she should have the right to give their 4 year old this "medicine" just because she thinks he is too hyper.  So does anyone know if he can stop her from making their son take this.  btw, when he has his son he does not give it to him.
Title: RE: concerta
Post by: Brent on Dec 01, 2003, 11:16:22 AM
> So does anyone know if he
>can stop her from making their son take this.  btw, when he
>has his son he does not give it to him.

Unless he has joint-decision making authority, he probably won't be able to prevent her from giving the child prescription medication. He'll need to go to court and have a judge order her to cease medicating the child. An evaluation may help, but this kind of thing is always an uphill battle. :(
Title: RE: I don't know about this medication...
Post by: Indigo Mom on Dec 01, 2003, 11:26:14 AM
But it sounds like she went and had him diagnosed with adhd.  The only thing I can suggest is that the father ALSO give her the medication.  A child shouldn't be given such hard core medication only half the time.  (i shouldn't even say it's hard core, but i feel any adhd meds are)  Prescribed medication (even if you think she shouldn't have it) must be given when it needs to be given or it could end up being worse for the child.  

The child is 4 years old?  She shouldn't have even been TESTED for adhd yet.  She's a damned LITTLE girl, they're all hyper in their own little way.

Get this father to speak to the doctor.  Have him call a few others, too. Find out when she was in for the hyper thing, find out why she is on such hard medicine, find out if she even needs it (i doubt she does).  

You can even post on the board titled, "Dr. D".  
Title: Concerta
Post by: Brent on Dec 01, 2003, 11:28:43 AM
From: http://www.familyeducation.com/experts/advice/0,1183,1-18564,00.html

It's mostly "rah, rah, what a great new drug", but there is some useful info there.


There is a new form of medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) which was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in August 2000. The brand name of the new drug is Concerta. It contains methylphenidate, the same medication found in the the brand-name drug known as Ritalin. The difference is that the Concerta tablet has been formulated with a special drug-release system that allows the medication to be released slowly over time. The tablet has an outer coat of the medication, and then two small compartments of medication inside. When swallowed, the outer coat of medication dissolves quickly. Over the next several hours, the inner two compartments are gradually released as well. The result is that the methylphenidate medication is released gradually into the body, reaching its peak level in the bloodstream at about 6 to 8 hours after ingestion. One dose will supply enough of the medication for a full 12 hours.

Without this special delivery-system tablet, methylphenidate doesn't stay in the bloodstream for long. That's why many children need to take medication two or three times a day. Even with Ritalin SR, which has a longer duration of action than regular Ritalin, peak concentrations occur at four hours and, for many children, it has worn off significantly by the early afternoon. This new formulation in Concerta was designed to last all day, even through the late afternoon hours when children are doing their homework.

Studies that compared Concerta to a placebo showed that children taking Concerta had a significant reduction in inattention and overactivity. Studies done to monitor blood levels of the drug showed steadier levels for a longer duration in patients taking Concerta versus those taking standard methylphenidate. There are no studies, however, showing a significant difference in teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms in children on standard methylphenidate vs. Concerta. The presumption is that if the drug levels don't fluctuate as much, and it lasts for a longer time, then it will improve control of the ADHD symptoms -- but I could not find proof of this.

In Concerta's clinical trials, the type of side effects seen were similar to what has been seen for traditional methylphenidate: headaches, stomach pain, loss of appetite, and insomnia. An important difference between this and the older medication is that the Concerta tablet isn't completely digested, even though all of the medication is released. The remnants of the tablet can often be seen in the stools. This isn't usually a problem, but Concerta isn't recommended for children who have any type of severe gastrointestinal narrowing. Concerta hasn't been studied in children under six years of age, so it's not recommended for use in that age group.

Since the drug was just approved, most physicians don't yet have enough experience with it to make specific recommendations. It sounds like a great innovation but may have drawbacks. For children who have difficulty with their ADHD symptoms later in the day, or have difficulty taking medication, a once-a-day dosage may be the perfect solution. For children who have less need for the drug outside of school hours, it may not make sense to give something that lasts for 12 hours. Also, we don't know if there is any long-term effect of having methylphenidate in your bloodstream for many more hours per day.

Keep in mind that this new formulation is more expensive than generic methylphenidate. When I priced it at our local pharmacy it was about $40 to $55 more per month. Concerta comes in 18 mg, 36 mg, and 54 mg tablets.

If you are interested in this new medication, you should talk with your child's doctor, and decide together if it's worth trying.
Title: RE: um....
Post by: Indigo Mom on Dec 01, 2003, 11:41:17 AM
rah rah?  more like blah blah.  No offense meant to you, I just have a real problem with all these "new" drugs being offered to kids.  It just doesn't seem right to me.  

Kids are friggin active.  Kids bounce off the wall.  I think the problem now a days is....adults forget what it's like to be a damned child.


Title: RE: concerta
Post by: kiddosmom on Dec 01, 2003, 11:45:29 AM
[em]FIRST:[/em]
Make sure the child is taking the medication as perscribed as advised above. It can seriously hurt a child if medications are not givin correctly. AND, his ex can have fathers butt for neglect if he refuses to give the medications as a DR perscribed.
[em]SECOND:[/em]
Have Father look in his CO and find out exactly what the orders are for the medical wording there. If Father refuses to give the child medication and she has the sole responsibility of that part, she can have him up not just for neglect, but contempt.
[em]THIRD:[/em]
If he has equal right, find out who the DR. is and get copies of the medical report. And he can then object to the DR. If Father has equal rights, then he also has the right to put a contempt against his ex for making decisions without his consent.


Title: RE: Concerta
Post by: msme on Dec 01, 2003, 11:47:19 AM
First I want to agree with the poster who said that a child shouldn't even be tested for ADD/ADHD that young. I believe that the ideal testing age is considered to be around 8. It sounds more like a parenting skill problem.

My 11 yo granddaughter was on concerta for over a year & it was a God send but it did not fulfill all her needs. If she had an evening activity, we had to give her a dose of adderall to get her through.

This past summer, she switched to strattera & that has been so much better. It lasts 24 hours so she has much better control. Also it is not the same type of medication & is supposed to have less side effects. She is doing good on it. It doesn't work on everyone but is worth a try.

I would get copies of all the child's records & take them to another doctor for a second opinion & then go from there. Also it is important to find out just who made the diagnosis & prescribed the concerta. If her pediatrician did it, I would challenge that. A pediatrician or Family Practice physician is not qualified to make that diagnosis.

Good luck & God bless
msme

You never get a second chance to make a first impression!
Title: aaaannnnnddddd...
Post by: kiddosmom on Dec 01, 2003, 11:48:44 AM
I do not feel that any young child should be put on an experimantal drug when noone knows what the longterms effects will be.
Title: I agree with others here...........
Post by: Kitty C. on Dec 01, 2003, 12:06:18 PM
My son has been on ADHD meds for 7 years, but wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until FOURTH GRADE.  JMO, but 4 years old is WAAAAAAYYYYY too young to be giving these drugs!

No child should be prescribed ADHD meds without THOROUGH testing by practitioners who are specifically trained to do so, and that does NOT include pediatricians and GP's.  Best bet is a child psychologist who specializes in ADHD and CANNOT do the actual prescribing, but can only make the recommendation to the child's regular doctor.

Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall, and all the other controlled substances that are being used for ADHD only account for PART of the treatment.  Without behavior modification, parental education, and cooperation with the school, it is doomed to fail.  Strattera is the FIRST medication specifically designed for the tratement of ADD/ADHD that is NOT a controlled substance, tho it will not necessarily work for all kids, either.  In fact no one drug will.

Also, as far as not treating the child while in the father's care, any court would be hardpressed to find fault with him, since many parents will give their kids on medication a 'holiday', either on weekends or over the summer.  Many use it ONLY for school.

If the father has joint custody, and he has the child in his custody long enough for the medication to leave the system, I STRONGLY recommend getting an evaluation by a competant practitioner, NOT some GP or peds doc who takes 5 minutes to make an 'evaluation'.  My son's evaluation took ALL DAY, running him thru batteries of tests.

If the evaluation comes back that the child is NOT ADD/ADHD, file for modification based on the mother's inability to adequately parent, based on her 'perceived' need for the child to be drugged.  And make sure you have an atty. who is well versed in ADHD.  I also recommend the father (since he doesn't have Internet access) to go to any library and start reading or using the web access there.  He MUST educate himself on the issue so that he can be a strong advocate for his child.

Title: RE: concerta
Post by: StPaulieGirl on Dec 01, 2003, 01:12:23 PM
I've never heard of Concerta.  My son was on Celexa and then Paxil.  While he was on drugs, he was running around clucking like a chicken...in his boxer shorts....in the front yard.  That was three years ago.  I took him off his meds.  If he's going to act like an asshole, he might as well be a healthy asshole.  Pardon the language.

I think that it's better to drop out of the school system, rather than submit our kids to arbitrary, drug induced behavioral control.
Title: RE: concerta
Post by: 4honor on Dec 01, 2003, 01:14:45 PM
PLease go buy him the book "The Hyperactivity Hoax" it will help him to help a professional to properly diagnose the child. 4 is too young, but there are many problems children have that mimic the symptoms of ADD/ADHD... heart and lung problems, sleep deprivation, genetic disorders, heavy metal poisonings, etc. Vision problems are the most common ailment that is misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD.

Also, just a personal observation... Children tend to be "diagnosed" ADHD two to 4 years following a divorce when there is a high conflict on the part of one or both parents.

Concerta is not cleared for a child as young as that. Get the child taken through a battery of tests at the local children's hospital. Take time off to get it done. Methylphenidate is HARD on the heart... if the child has pre-existing heart problem, it could cause a heart attack. (Worst case scenario.) Better safe than sorry.


Title: RE: concerta
Post by: StPaulieGirl on Dec 01, 2003, 01:29:19 PM
Also, just a personal observation... Children tend to be "diagnosed" ADHD two to 4 years following a divorce when there is a high conflict on the part of one or both parents.


[p]Good point, but never discount the "genetic quotient".  Hook up with psychos, repent at leisure.  

[p]My son was in diapers, and learned how to disable the childproof things on the wall outlets.   After he popped them off, he'd stick something into the outlet, which would then blow out all the power in the house.  I have been through hell with this child, who is now 16.  Lock up your daughters, because he's good looking :(
Title: Have to get a court order
Post by: nosonew on Dec 01, 2003, 06:19:03 PM
Went thru this.  SS was put on Ritalin, Risperdal, Concerta, Adderal, etc.  He was on Ritalin and Risperdal at age 5.  It took 4 years to get it court ordered that our states' "foremost expert on ADHD" be his one and only physician for this problem. (She currently was taking him to a so called psychiatrist working out of a garage).  The NEW psychiatrist who specialized in children with ADHD, found "very mild ADD, NO other psychiatric disorders, and could not believe he had been on Risperdal for 4 years as it has not been tested in children."

We literally had to force the court to do this, and the court agreed just to "get us off her back about it".  However, we prevailed and got him off of the Risperdal, and the doctor changed the med to Concerta from Ritalin and then now is on low dose Adderal.  We take ss to him 1xyear, and expect to be able to get him off all drugs by 10th year in school (he is now in 8th).  

Most behavior problems with children of divorce/separated parents come from the stress this brings the kids.  They don't know how to react, and react in a defiant way and/or "just leave", thus people think they don't pay attention.  

Our ss went off the meds for 2 weeks, his grades improved, but behavior declined.  Until he has safely been with us (yes, just recently custodial parents), we will not take him off meds prescribed earlier this year.

Best of luck and just a suggestion: "Don't ever say the child "doesn't have add/adhd" as you are not a physician.  Just state, "I am just concerned these behaviors are some how related to the stressful situation the child is in". Etc.

Good luck
Title: Just a humble FYI....
Post by: Wi-Mom on Dec 02, 2003, 10:41:37 AM
>[em]FIRST:[/em]
>Make sure the child is taking the medication as perscribed as
>advised above. It can seriously hurt a child if medications
>are not givin correctly. AND, his ex can have fathers butt for
>neglect if he refuses to give the medications as a DR
>perscribed.


I have recently put my 12 year old son on concerta just two months ago. Honestly, it's been a god-send (despite how defeated I feel about it) although I do agree with everyone else that having a 4 year old on ADHD meds is absolutely absurd! I just wanted you all to know that when my Dr prescribed the concerta he said that my son should NOT take it on weekends or holidays when he is not in school. When I picked up my prescription, I asked the pharmacist about it and she said that it is recommended that the child be OFF the medication when they are not in school. That's what I've been doing, and it's a relief with the holidays coming up he'll have some extended time off the medication. Thanks.