R is for Ritalin

A day late but here goes . . . My lovely son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was between grades 1 and 2. He also has a whole other myriad of diagnosis but this is the one that is the hardest to manage. We have tried diet, routine, environmental shifts and finally medication. He has extreme ADHD and we must use diet, stimuli control, behavior supports and a lot of patience on top of the meds to manage. The Ritalin is a savior. As he is getting older and understands the biology of his brain we are looking at other solutions. So far the meds are still essential. I am sad that meds like this get abused because they give certain people the ability to live a productive life. I used to have a prejudice against stimulant medication until it came into our life and allowed my son to function.