|
 |
| monitoring your child's progress on adhd medication: a weekly diary |
 |
 |
| From the first day your child takes his or her medication, you take on the important role of becoming the eyes and ears of your child’s doctor. It will be your responsibility to monitor your child’s behavior and speak frequently with your child about physical and emotional changes caused by the medication. You should also seek input from your child’s teachers, babysitters, |
friends and siblings. It’s critical to uncover any changes in behavior that may provide hints about whether the medication is working, or in some cases, making things worse.
Taking a daily medication requires careful monitoring on the part of the prescribing doctor and the patient. As the parent, you may observe minor or major changes that could signal a need to change the medication dose or stop treatment altogether. Noticing the subtle signs and quickly reporting them to your child’s doctor is important, and may help change the treatment to better help your child.
This section of the Kit provides an outline of the physical, emotional and behavioral changes that may be seen in children taking medication for ADHD. It is designed to help you take a closer look at the symptoms and behaviors that will assist you and your child’s doctor to evaluate your child’s response to the medicine. Your child may experience other symptoms or behaviors not included in this list. After your child starts taking the medication, complete the diary on a daily or weekly basis. Add additional behaviors or symptoms that you notice are not on the list, and write in detailed comments, descriptions or questions as often as possible. If there’s nothing urgent, then print out the list and bring it with you to your next follow-up visit. If you notice something serious, immediately contact your child’s doctor.
Psychological/Behavioral
| |
• |
Social interactions with friends and siblings |
| |
• |
Seems withdrawn, with lack of interest in peers |
| |
• |
Appears engaged and enthusiastic with home and school life |
| |
• |
Seems sad and unenthusiastic about home and school life |
| |
• |
Respectful towards authority (parent and teacher) |
| |
• |
Follows instruction at home (i.e., chores, rules, etc.) |
| |
• |
Follows instruction in school |
| |
• |
Seems defiant towards parents and/or teachers |
| |
• |
Displays anger or aggression towards family, peers, pet or objects |
| |
• |
Displays physically violent behavior towards self or others |
| |
• |
Talks about doing harm to self or others |
| |
• |
Ability to manage temper (i.e., doesn’t get easily upset and lash out, etc.) |
| |
• |
Reports having delusions or hallucinations (i.e., seeing things that aren’t really there, etc.) |
| |
• |
Change in academic performance (i.e., test grades, teacher reports, participation in class, etc.) |
| |
• |
Ability to focus in school and retain information |
| |
• |
Ability to adhere to a schedule (i.e., wake up, homework time, bedtime, etc.) |
| |
• |
Ability to concentrate on and complete a task (i.e., homework, chore, test, etc.) |
Physical
| |
• |
Anxiety23
|
| |
• |
Decreased appetite24 |
| |
• |
Decreased weight25 |
| |
• |
Dizziness26 |
| |
• |
Dry mouth27 |
| |
• |
Fast heartbeat28 |
| |
• |
Headache29 |
| |
• |
Mood swings30 |
| |
• |
Nervousness31 |
| |
• |
Stomachache32 |
| |
• |
Tics33 |
| |
• |
Tremors34 |
| |
• |
Trouble sleeping35 |
| |
• |
Vomiting36 |
These are the more common side effects seen with medications used to treat ADHD. This is not a complete list of potential side effects. Talk to your doctor if your child has side effects that are bothersome or won’t go away. Also, talk to your doctor or seek emergency medical treatment if more serious side effects occur with ADHD medications.
|
|
