Day 1

This blog is meant to help other parents understand the long process for help, and to know that with good help, hopefully even with and ADHD diagnosis, we can raise functional smart individuals.
Today is the first day of my son's adventure on ADHD medication.  This has been a long process and somewhat stressful.  Hopefully today is the start of a great thing for him.
To give some backround of what has led up to the decision to medicate:
He was born 5 years ago, as a tiny 5lb little bean.  Since his birth, he's been a fiesty but entertaining child.  Literally has unending energy and can't seem to gain a pound!  He's literally skin and bones since day 1. 
At 3 years old, he was old enough for preschool.  I just knew he wasn't ready socially.  He had issues keeping hands to himself, and wasn't potty trained yet.  I knew it would be a frustrating process for the teachers and myself so I held him home for that year.  As I've heard from many people, with boys, it's better to hold them back and I'd never regret it.  So last year, as a 4 yr old, he did his first year of preschool.  This year, he should be in kindergarden, but he is in his second year of preschool and I'm glad we went this way. 
So in preschool last year, I kept getting "bad reports" from the teachers with problems keeping hands to himself, or difficulty redirecting him.  I kept asking if he was too energetic, as at home, it just seems like he has unendless energy.  I just kept getting told "He's a boy, they have a lot of energy".  I just KNEW he had more than usual.  So finally, at the end of the school year, the head of the preschool talked to me about getting him evaluated.  Not so much for ADHD, as no one even mentioned that, but just seeing if there's any issues with the aggression and such.
So during the summer, we got him evaluated by the pediatrician at his 5 yr checkup.  That was proceeded by a trip to the neurologist for his recurrent migraines.  Then, to the optomotrist to get his eyes checked as one last ditch effort.  The optomotrist said he has perfect vision, but his muscles are working hard to achieve that.  Usually it's not treated with glasses, but since he has migraines (to the point of throwing up and screaming in pain), we tried the glasses, and so far, so good!  Then it was off to Children's Developmental Center to get him evaluated for the aggression and high energy.  They found him to be lacking in his fine motor skills and recommended him for therapy.
As soon as the school year started, we got him right in with the public school system to get him evaluated by the school psychologist (the school cycle-olologist per Gabriel).  She went and watched him at preschool, and we went to her and he was evaluated by an interventional specialist, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and the psychologist.  Both myself, and his teacher also filled out a loooong questionaire regarding his abilities and tendencies of behavior. 
When I went back for the review, it was without a doubt that my child has ADHD.  The school system now sees him once a week for therapy on his fine motor skills, and teaching him how to focus himself and control his impulses.  My next homework was to go to the pediatrician for the official ADHD diagnosis.
Our pediatrician, bless him, didn't want to see him regarding this issue and referred us to a neurologist that specializes in ADHD.  I'm not going to lie, at first I was frustrated.  Why another doctor that doesn't know us?  We have all through all these evals first, just give us the diagnosis and give us some medication.  But regardless, we went to the neurologist on Tuesday.  Let me tell you, I'm so happy we did.  From what I'm hearing, a lot of pediatricians are quick to diagnose medicate kids that aren't truly ADHD.  My pediatrician made sure that my son gets the proper care.  And I appreciate that. 
The neurologist made me do yet another questionaire.  It stated you had to have 6 of the criteria to qualify (out of at least like 12 criteria).  I checked all but 1 of the criteria.  In the office, my always curious and entertaining Gabriel was just as energetic as usual, but also the talk of the office.  I'm telling you, he is quite the little charmer.  So the neurologist is starting him on Adderall.  An amphetamine that is 24 hour lasting and just  the lowest dose possible.  The issues I have?  It states he can loose weight and drive to want to eat.  Let me tell you, he looses anymore weight, he will disappear!  My other worry is that any medication will change my fun loving little boy's personality.  he is just so entertaining and the things that he says truly makes me laugh.  I don't want to loose that.  I just want my boy to be functional in life and be able to focus on his school work and not be known as the bully or the "stupid kid" because he can't concentrate.
So tomorrow, he has an EEG scheduled to watch the electrical impulses in his brain.  We will do one month on the medication and follow up with the neurologist.  Since Gabriel is only 5, Adderall is the only medication available.  Once he is 6, there are other options.  So the neurologist will follow him carefully. 
We gave the medication for the first time today, as I was told not to give it to him on a school day so I could monitor him closer.  We broke the capsule open and added it to yogurt, as he can't swallow pills yet.  I took my daughter to school and kept waiting for signs that the medication is working.  he just said that his belly hurts.  But now, an hour later, he has no complaints. 
So follow me as we go through this process.  I hope that he will start to see some improvement and he will start to know his letters and spell his name.  I hope he can sit down and listen to a story or color a picture.  i hope he can make friends and play sports.  We have tried sports in the past, thinking they would help give his energy and outlet but they were all "boring" and didn't want to listen to the coaches.  We shall see how the future goes, but I'm hoping for the best!