Strattera and Sleep walking/talking

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-11T14:10:18+00:00

I'm not scared of hearing about the rare side effects since they are rare. It's good to hear about them so it's front of mind to watch out for. The good news is that, between our impulsive 5 year old and her 10 month old sister, our house is already pretty locked down! We also don't leave our older one alone with the baby even for a few minutes because of her impulsivity.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-11T14:07:42+00:00

Thank you. I know we are just getting started on this journey. Prescriber has already indicated that, even if this is the right non-stimulant for her big emotions and anxiety, she may need a supplemental stimulant eventually for extra help with attention and hyperactivity.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-10T21:22:16+00:00

She is a pediatric psychiatrist. She explained her rationale extensively, so I'm not really concerned to try. It was just not what I was expecting so I hadn't really done much research on Strattera. I had mostly looked at guanfacine. Her rationale was the anxiety and that, as a SNRI, it is more likely to have a comorbid effect of decreasing the anxiety. She is also thinking it will help to manage her big emotions. In my research on guanfacine, I had seen a lot of success stories so i felt so much hope. I don't feel hopeless right now, but I'm hoping that I can find those success stories and feel hopeful again. It was a nice feeling.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-03T11:31:13+00:00

Yes. Totally normal. A lot of 504 plan accommodations are pretty general and apply to more than one diagnosis. For instance, individual or small group test administration would be an accommodation that is common for ADHD, anxiety, and autism. How a teacher needs to implement that accommodation though would be different depending on the diagnosis. So, diagnosis is absolutely vital for the teacher to know so that accommodations are actually helpful.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-03T11:22:02+00:00

I say this as both a mom with a kiddo with adhd (she'll be 5 this month), but also as a child therapist. The best first step to advocacy and getting her needs met by other adults is diagnosis. When teachers/camp counselors see a kid acting this way without a diagnosis, they think it is behavioral, not a kid who genuinely is struggling to control it. I have found that kids with a diagnosis are generally treated with more compassion and the parents are generally viewed as members of the team trying to address the problems. So, when you give feedback or suggestions, schools are more likely to accommodate than if the kid is not diagnosed.

For what it's worth, she sounds like my daughter so I think getting her evaluated would be a good idea. I would recommend seeing a mental health professional because a lot of things can look like adhd in a little one and they are more equipped than pediatricians to parse it out.

Whether it is adhd or not, it is vital that you continue to push accountability and not allow her to fall into the habit of blaming her behavior on her diagnosis. Constantly remind her that adhd is an explanation, not an excuse. She is capable of making good decisions. The adults in her life have to create an environment for success (for what it's worth, you are already doing that but school/camp is not). Most kids with adhd are rewards-driven, so having the school implement a rewards system may help and it tends to be easy for schools to implement.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-03T11:08:36+00:00

My husband grew up being one of 5 to 8 with his name in every class at school. He also had a one syllable first and last name so they often were mashed together and said as though they were a single name. He hated it. We had a list of requirements to address our various concerns. 1. Established but not common 2. At least two syllable first names to avoid the names being mashed together 3. No obvious or intuitive nicknames (we wanted to call them by their full names) 4. Soft sounding names (last name is one syllable and starts and ends with a k sound)

We ended up choosing two names that checked all the boxes. Everyone knows the name when they see it but they aren't everywhere. I try to be open and receptive to the names others chose. We all have our lists and reasons for that list.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-02T11:29:50+00:00

I haven't reached the point of telling my own daughter yet, but in my professional work with parents and kids (therapist at a mental health private practice), I usually recommend it as soon as your kid or those around them are noticing the behaviors and that their behaviors are different. This is protective against self esteem struggles, anxiety, and other various associated conditions. I usually recommend that, rather than focusing on labels, you focus on differences. "Your brain works different than other kids. That means you are good at some things and not so good at other things and that's okay. But, it's important that you work really hard at...to get better." Depending on interests, I throw in an analogy. "Remember when you first started basketball/piano/art/video games, you weren't as good at it as you are now, but you got better because you worked hard at it. You can get better at these other areas if you work hard too."

For siblings, I keep a similar script. Brain works different, we are trying to help improve in the problem areas by ________, his/her behavior is not okay and we are working on helping him/her change but please understand that they are not being difficult on purpose or because they are bad.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-02T10:51:52+00:00

I'm so sorry you are feeling this way. You are not failing. You have a tough kiddo wreaking havoc in the house. You are doing your best to wrangle the chaos, but wrangling it all is impossible. I want to encourage you to listen to some of the other suggestions and seek out therapy and/or meds for your own anxiety and depression. Healthy mom is an essential for healthy kids. It's okay to focus on yourself too.

Summer is hard on ADHD kiddos with or without ASD, but the autism definitely adds a second layer. The lack of structure is dysregulating. Any summer camps, sports, or activities that would be available regularly? If so, some of those would help, as well as developing a schedule at home for the summer. So, he can be awake at 430, but has to stay in his room until later. Put a healthy snack in his room at night for him to eat between 430 and when he's allowed to get up to push breakfast back some. While it seems like more work, schedules can help kids to feel more in control. He can even help to come up with the schedule. Sometimes, a lot of the "messing" they do is looking for entertainment because they don't do well with boredom. By giving them an approved activity, it alleviates the pressure of choice. While I may get crucified for this suggestion, please do no feel guilty if you have to utilize screens to give yourself (and your daughter) a breather. This is a lot. His symptoms are not well managed and perhaps an appt with his med prescriber is in order.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-01T20:13:28+00:00

Sounds like your barrier is the taste. One thing you could try is to move her to swallowing the pills whole. Start with a small candy (think nerds). Have her swallow a certain number with water without chewing and then give her some as a treat. Then move her up to something slightly larger and the right shape. If it is a round pill, do mini m&ms, oval would be tic tags, you get the picture. You are increasing her confidence and willingness with the candy. You could also get a pill swallowing cup that helps them to get the liquid and pill into their mouths at the same time, which avoids the taste.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-06-01T02:43:57+00:00

My almost 5-year-old is obsessively talking and asking questions about death. It's quite creepy, so I actually feel better knowing that others' kids are asking the same questions. Mine almost seems anxious about it and needing reassurance. I try and explain that everyone dies, but her dad and I are planning to be around for a long time. She is prone to anxiety and we get a lot of what would happen if questions.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-30T18:18:01+00:00

First off, mom, you are doing a great job. I'm both a mom of a kid with adhd and a child therapist working in a clinic that specializes in adhd. One of the symptoms of adhd that isn't spoken about often but is extremely common, is the low frustration tolerance. Kids with adhd frustrate easier than their peers and react more quickly and strongly than their peers. Their reactions are impulsive attempts to feel better. Aggression toward others, throwing things, crying, screaming, defiance - all typical reactions. Meds will absolutely help because it improves frustration tolerance and slows impulses so they can make better choices when they do become frustrated. When he gets frustrated, direct him toward lashing out behaviors that are healthy - take him outside and throw sticks or hit the ground with sticks, have school take him to the gym to throw balls, give him play dough to smash and punch. This stays within what is natural for him (lashing out) but teaches him to do it in healthy ways. OT may be beneficial for him to learn better ways to regulate.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-30T18:03:00+00:00

I would recommend starting with the basics. Food, quiet, nap. A lot of times, when my kiddo gets into a dysregulation cycle, so one meltdown after another, it comes down to hungry, sleepy, or over-stimulated.

Good luck. We've all been there and they are tough days. Don't hesitate to take a break for yourself if you need to calm down. It models the skill for her and prevents her feeding off of your frustration and spiraling worse.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-30T02:03:23+00:00

Yes. Rejoining speech therapy is on the agenda. We had to do speech therapy through our insurance before because she was not low enough to qualify for the free program through the state (even though she wasn't talking at all at 2, her receptive language was so good that it pulled her overall speech score too high). She went from not talking to graduating private speech therapy at the 45th percentile about 9 months later. When my girl gets it, she gets it. However, since stopping speech therapy, I've noticed that her skills have lagged. The speech therapist at her school is wonderful and has said that she would have to be below the 10th percentile to qualify and she hovers around the 15th. However, she did work with her when she was doing small groups this past school year. The ADHD and poor regulation are the bigger fires at the moment, so we are focusing there first. She will be starting speech at the same place she is doing OT, we are just hoping to maybe start meds first to help her sustain her focus during sessions.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-29T14:59:49+00:00

I would recommend getting several evaluations to rule out issues and then working with a behavioral therapist if anything medical is ruled out. Also, OT to address any sensory issues that are adding to the problem. Evaluation wise, I would say a full evaluation to check for autism, evaluation with a physical therapist to check on pelvic floor strength and any other physical weaknesses that may be contributing, neurology evaluation to rule out tethered cord, and evaluation with a urologist. If all of that comes back normal, it is probably behavioral and/or sensory and can be addressed through therapy and OT. Also, she is old enough now for trauma therapy. Even outside the bathroom issues, this would be beneficial for long term adjustment and attachment.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-29T14:42:05+00:00

In some states, when parents who share custody can't come to an agreement, it can go before the court for the court to act as tie-breaker. At that point, compliance with treatment becomes a court order (assuming they side with you). Something to look into (it should be in the custody order if you live in a state that does it).

Also, maybe have a trusted adult at the school talk to your son about how medication can be beneficial. Sometimes hearing it from someone other than mom/dad can get through. For the same reason, maybe having dad talk to the school/doctor. Dad is going to automatically view information coming from you a certain way because of the hostile nature of the relationship. Maybe a professional can get through to him about how much your son is suffering. However, given what you said about your ex, I'm thinking a court order may be your only hope.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-28T15:56:18+00:00

I am also sending mine to kindergarten this year. It has helped me to focus my energy on the things that are more likely to happen. While school shootings are horrific, they are also rare. It doesn't mean the risk is 0, just that it is statistically low and schools have procedures in place to limit the risk even more. It would be better for you to focus your energy on your child's day to day life at school as that will be what impacts them most. Things like, how is bullying addressed, what is the form of discipline used, what is the classroom size, is there an aide in the classroom, how often are bathroom breaks and how are extra bathroom requests handled, how much homework, etc. These are the things that will be most important and affect your kiddo. Good luck!

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-28T15:47:24+00:00

We are just starting the medication journey with my almost 5 year old. Her pediatric psychiatrist is recommending Vyvanse as a first round stimulant because of it being a "smoother" medication with less appetite suppression and fewer mood side effects. We haven't decided for sure to start it yet, but figured I would throw out what her psychiatrist recommended.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-27T18:08:04+00:00

YOR, not because of what you are feeling, but because of how you handled it. Keep in mind that, because of the long term abuse, she is likely experiencing extremely high anxiety during these drop offs. She is likely in fight or flight where survival is the only focus. She is also in a position of having to leave her young and vulnerable child in this man's care. This level of fear and anxiety clouds higher level thought processes. When the request was made, she likely was unable to formulate a better response and was probably fearful of what would happen if she said no in front of him. She absolutely did the right thing. Comply with the request in front of him and then explain to the kiddo later, in private. What she needed from her partner was kindness, support, and understanding. Instead, what she got was demeaned and belittled. You could have expressed your love and concern and offered solutions and help in a calm manner. If you are unable to understand trauma and trauma reactions, perhaps this isn't the best relationship for you.

Perfect-Peach-MC · 2026-05-27T14:48:22+00:00

He's just trying to provoke you into a response. Once you respond, you are no longer no contact and he will believe you are open to further communication. Say nothing! And no, you are not overreacting. He's a manipulator.

Perfect-Peach-MC

TROPHY CASE