Can ADHD Get Progressively Worse? | ADHD Information

My ten-year-old son was diagnosed with a very mild case of ADHD about a year ago. We put him on the lightest dose of Vyvanse that exists and his behavior improved dramatically. His behavior has been acceptable over the past year, while he has been on the medication.

My question is this: can ADHD get progressively worse over time? His medication has not changed (nor have any other significant factors) yet  his conduct grades at school are slowly decreasing and at home, HE IS OUT OF CONTROL LATELY. I don't know how much of this might be due to hormones or something else or if it's due to the ADHD.

Should I consider increasing his dosage?  HELP, please.
I would guess that it may have more to do with emerging into pre-teen-age-hood. (is that even a term??)

Everyone is different but it has been my own personal experience being ADHD myself that I've learned coping skills over the years to help manage my symptoms.  Of course, there are some things that will never go away, like the feelings of hyperactivity or the impulsiveness with certain activities or the exhuberance and excitement over things I'm happy about.  But there are some things that have indeed gotten better.  I no longer blurt things out, I've learned not to interrupt people (most of the time), I am able to think sometimes before acting.  Repeated mistakes have taught me well with some things too.

I think many people with ADHD learn strategies to cope.  Granted there are some people who have such severe symptoms that their ADHD is a true disability and there are some who have such mild symptoms that you wouldn't know they're ADHD unless they tell you (kinda like me).

Rather than just uping the dosage, I would talk to the doctor first.  Also, have so communication with him.  Is he bothered by his lack of control?  Does he have concerns about his grades and conduct?  What does he want to improve?  He's certainly old enough to ask and answer these questions and if you involve him, he will feel more like he has a voice and more in control of his life. :)

When ADHD is ineffectively treated or not treated at all indeed life in general can take a downward slide. There is no such thing as mild ADHD because the behaviors affect a persons ability to functiion normally on a daily basis. There is nothing mild about that and if symptoms are mild then a person is not even diagnosable. Mild doesnt send parents into a doctors office looking for help for their child. This is a big misconception.  Having said that, based on what your saying, the medication and/or dose is not working for your child. I suggest that you seek out a specialist who will then determine whether the dose should be increased or perhaps the med changed. Those with ADHD go through a trial of medication before the right med and dose is found. Vyvanse is one of many stimulant meds that can be tried. Very often it takes a while before the most effective dose and med for the individual is found More doesn't mean better. Reaction and response to medication is very individual. Also, its critical to continuously educate yourself about ADHD and the meds for it. Knoweldge will allow you to make informed decisions for your child.

 

Welcome to the board and feel free to post any time Please keep us posted.

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If you say his behavior improved dramatically when you put him on a the Vyvanse a year ago, then it obviously was working. It's definitely time to have him reevaluated. Our son is only six, but we put him on Focalin xr over Christmas break and it worked wonders in school...that is until the last few weeks. Now, in the afternoons his behavior is just like it was pre med. I don't think it has anything to do with his ADHD getting worse, it has to do with the medicine becoming ineffective. Our doctor has advised us to first try and up his dose and see if that helps. If not, then we will try an afternoon bump up of short acting focalin in additon. Then, if that doesn't work, we are going to try a different medicine. It's all trial and error and it's very unrealitistic to think the first medicine and the first dosage anyone tries is going to be the final answer.

I do agree you should talk to your son about it, but most importantly you need to have his doctor make some changes in his medication. Good luck!

There is a lot of variation in the symptoms, not day to day, but more like month to month or year to year. Don't worry it doesn't snowball worse and worse. It's more like a mild roller coaster.

You need a med adjustment or change.

It certainly can snowball doward pretty quicly depending on personal circumstances, self esteem issues, puberty pressures and lack of effective treatment. Lack of impulse control during the teen years can bring on a storm of problems in the absence of effective treatment. When children are younger its easier for parents to control their choices , monitor their friends and advocate for them in the school system but as children grow into adulthood, parents can no longer protect them when they are acting on impulse and willing to do anything to keep friends and be accepted. Everyone is different and has different family and personal dynamcis so how often symptoms worsen or improve depend on the individual and whethewr they are getting effective treatment.

 

Since your child is borering puberty, I strongly urge you to speak to a professional about the medication issue because the earlier you get your child effective treatment, the better the outcome down the road.

My son had that sort of up-down swing. We first did environmental
changes that worked as well as medication - until they didn't. So we
started medicating him and he went back to spectacular. Now he's
having a dip again, but it's because he's being bullied at the school, so
we're trying to take care of that before we adjust his meds.

Definitely I'd take note of what's going on in his life, including maybe the
meds not working as well anymore.

Remember, he's grown, so he might need more medication, and puberty
could be kicking in, which could mean his brain chemistry could have
changed, so he might need a different medication.

We know what a pain sorting the meds out is, and we know the
frustration of having everything figured out and then it stops working and
it feels like you're back at square one. Maybe worse than square one,
because now you know how stressful it's going to be. That's not true
though, because you have knowledge about the process that can limit
your search - this time it will be quicker to get answers.

Hang in there. Keep talking to us - we're great to vent to. You can do
this!

I have noticed as my son has gotten older, the time before meds and after they wear off has changed, to say the least! He is MORE ADHD during these times than he was when he was younger. I too thought the same thing, that it is really, and I mean REALLY coming out!

Your son is probably beginning puberty and meds that worked can change, either the dosage or all together the one you are using no longer is the right one.

I now have said to my almost 13 yr old that I can't wait for your meds to kick in, and he is always apologizing, I am sorry he tells me. Some mornings can be crazy. He has also been eating a lot, meds no longer get in the way of that!