Kids ADHD and weight loss. . .

[String&stick]

Preface: obviously we are working with our doctor!!!

Now that that's out of the way, my oldest son has ADHD and is on medication associated with helping him control the symptoms associated with pretty sever ADHD. Medication is a miracle and allows him to focus and achieve in all areas of life while days without medication are a pretty severe struggle.

The major drawback is, the medication hampers appetite and for the first 12 - 14 hours he doesn't want to eat. . So he stayed about the same weight for a year and recent has even lost a few lbs. Doctor isn't "worried" at the moment but definitely wants to see home gaining and growing.

So questions for you out there that have kids with ADHD or that have it yourself.

1. What are some ways to combat this and try to get him eating more?

2. What are some good ways to throw extra calories in or things that are very calorie dense.

3. Any foods or tricks you recommend for helping out on weight?

Any other general thoughts or ideas?

Appreciate any thoughts on getting him back on track growing. We are looking at possibly switching meds as well but that's a crapshoot as well

 

[D_Dubya]

I have 12 year old on Ritalin, makes a huge difference but he has the same problem of no appetite and can’t put on any weight. We’ve tried all kinds of things to get him to add calories without much success. About two days a week he has an appetite - particularly for garlic butter back strap or chicken fried steak. His Dr is not worried about his weight yet, but dang he’s skinny (5’2” 85lbs)…awfully fast though.

 

[String&stick]

I have 12 year old on Ritalin, makes a huge difference but he has the same problem of no appetite and can’t put on any weight. We’ve tried all kinds of things to get him to add calories without much success. About two days a week he has an appetite - particularly for garlic butter back strap or chicken fried steak. His Dr is not worried about his weight yet, but dang he’s skinny (5’2” 85lbs)…awfully fast though.

We aren't far off, my son turns 12 in march and is about 5'2" and 97 lbs, but a year ago before we started medicine he was about 102lbs and pretty muscular. . . Now he's getting fairly skinny, which is our concern.

 

[def90]

Preface: obviously we are working with our doctor!!!

Now that that's out of the way, my oldest son has ADHD and is on medication associated with helping him control the symptoms associated with pretty sever ADHD. Medication is a miracle and allows him to focus and achieve in all areas of life while days without medication are a pretty severe struggle.

The major drawback is, the medication hampers appetite and for the first 12 - 14 hours he doesn't want to eat. . So he stayed about the same weight for a year and recent has even lost a few lbs. Doctor isn't "worried" at the moment but definitely wants to see home gaining and growing.

So questions for you out there that have kids with ADHD or that have it yourself.

1. What are some ways to combat this and try to get him eating more?

2. What are some good ways to throw extra calories in or things that are very calorie dense.

3. Any foods or tricks you recommend for helping out on weight?

Any other general thoughts or ideas?

Appreciate any thoughts on getting him back on track growing. We are looking at possibly switching meds as well but that's a crapshoot as well

KemPharm just released a new adhd drug called Azstarys that is fast acting and has a slow release. Basically take it in the morning and it kicks in right away and lasts throughout the day. Another positive about it is that it does not appear to have the appetite and weight loss issues that other drugs do.

Drugs & Medications

Find 95 user ratings and reviews for Azstarys Oral on WebMD including side effects and drug interactions, medication effectiveness, ease of use and satisfaction

www.webmd.com

 

[String&stick]

KemPharm just released a new adhd drug called Azstarys that is fast acting and has a slow release. Basically take it in the morning and it kicks in right away and lasts throughout the day. Another positive about it is that it does not appear to have the appetite and weight loss issues that other drugs do.

Drugs & Medications

Find 95 user ratings and reviews for Azstarys Oral on WebMD including side effects and drug interactions, medication effectiveness, ease of use and satisfaction

www.webmd.com

Thank you, we will talk with the doctor about that!

 

[Fatcamp]

Breakfast before morning dose.

Cliff bars in the vehicle and given right at school pickup.

Not against skipping a day over the weekend when expectations are low. Lots of food on those days.

Lots of conversation about what he likes and wants. Heavy calories at dinner time.

Seems like as time goes on the appetite comes back.

 

[Tmac]

Ours liked Vanilla Boost. Packed with vitamins and calories. That or a similar protein drink may work. Many are milkshake like. Heck, a milkshake would work too. If you can find a drink they like, it may be worth a try. Good luck. It’s a real challenge for all involved.

 

[Northpark]

Thankfully I don’t have the medication issues with my kids but I have one that is very skinny and struggles to gain weight at all. One thing we’ve found to help is adding Avacado oil (like 2-3tbs) to a chocolate protein shake. It ups the calories from 120 to about 500 without adding more volume really.

 

[Jacack]

Breakfast before morning dose.

Cliff bars in the vehicle and given right at school pickup.

Not against skipping a day over the weekend when expectations are low. Lots of food on those days.

Lots of conversation about what he likes and wants. Heavy calories at dinner time.

Seems like as time goes on the appetite comes back.

My sister's son had the same weight issue and now they skip weekends or atleast one day just to get him to eat.

 

[Zak406]

Can you give him mass gainers like the post work out supplements? Unfortunately with medication there is a give and take. Can they cut his dosage? It also appears at 12 he may be hitting a growth spurt soon. My anxiety which I don’t treat has always kept me on the skinny side I’m between 5 10 and 6 foot and weigh 160 lbs I fluctuate between 155-165 depending on what day it is. I look at it as a blessing in a way atleast I don’t have to worry about obesity lol

 

[satchamo]

I have adhd and take Ritalin 3 times a day. It definitely suppresses my appetite but I assure you I make up for it later in the day (adhd folks tend to binge for dopamine).

I say this to say he’ll probably grow out of it. I force myself to eat when I’m not hungry to avoid the urge to binge later to compensate.

 

[Ridley]

From personal experience, I have ADHD and have been taking meds for almost 10 years now. Prior to your morning dose have your child eat as big of a breakfast as they can and maybe postpone dinner a little until the drug wears off. Skipping doses over the weekends isn’t a bad thing. If it’s lasting 12+ hours I would say the dose is too high. For me it’s about getting through the workday so its been adjusted so that I get about 8-9 hours. If additional time is needed there are fast acting, short duration options to help with homework.

 

[Ridley]

I forgot, lots of exercise and no sugar will help too. Not with weight but with the symptoms of ADHD.

 

[mlgc20]

My nephew is 14 and in the same boat. His parents take him off the medication during the summers and other breaks when school is out. His appetite returns to normal within 24 hours of not taking the medication.

 

[awasome]

Add healthy fats to his diet. Cook his food in lard, tallow, schmaltz, olive oil, avocado oil. Add eggs, avocado, and/or cheese to his foods. Also use nuts and seeds as snacks or in his food as well.

 

[PablitoPescador]

Dr. Andrew Huberman has some great podcasts on ADHD, specifically episode 37. After listening to it I'm pretty sure I've been struggling w/ undiagnosed ADHD my whole life. Some take aways from his podcasts that have been incredibly helpful to me:

1) Doing a "dopamine fast." Basically limiting things I find pleasurable and letting my dopamine receptors reset. This might be not using social media for several days, not looking at my phone first thing in the morning, not listening to music at the gym, etc. The premise behind this is that ADHD is worsened by a need to constantly check in with pleasure and that life actually becomes more satisfying when our dopamine threshold is reset.

2) Eliminating sugar (shown in some studies cited by Dr. Huberman to improve focus and attention)

3) Cold baths (Dr. Huberman also cites some studies on cold immersion and how they help reset dopamine)

There's some other nuggets in there that are also very helpful. It's been really refreshing to me to know there are some very powerful alternatives to pharmaceuticals that can help with ADHD. It's not an easy fix like taking a pill but I think it's a far better way to fix the root cause of the problem. Just my 2 cents.

 

[PassCreek]

So questions for you out there that have kids with ADHD or that have it yourself.

1. What are some ways to combat this and try to get him eating more?

2. What are some good ways to throw extra calories in or things that are very calorie dense.

3. Any foods or tricks you recommend for helping out on weight?

Any other general thoughts or ideas?

Appreciate any thoughts on getting him back on track growing. We are looking at possibly switching meds as well but that's a crapshoot as well

My son gets really hungry before bedtime which is when his medication wears off. He'll eat a lot during that time. We give him a little bit of ice cream before bedtime just so he'll have a healthy. It's pretty much ice cream and then onto brushing his teeth right before bed. Anyway, that's what works for us.

I try not to get bent out of shape when he doesn't eat. We just offer him food and if he doesn't want any, we enjoy our meal anyway knowing he'll get hungry much later.

 

[Fendrick]

Preface: obviously we are working with our doctor!!!

Now that that's out of the way, my oldest son has ADHD and is on medication associated with helping him control the symptoms associated with pretty sever ADHD. Medication is a miracle and allows him to focus and achieve in all areas of life while days without medication are a pretty severe struggle.

The major drawback is, the medication hampers appetite and for the first 12 - 14 hours he doesn't want to eat. . So he stayed about the same weight for a year and recent has even lost a few lbs. Doctor isn't "worried" at the moment but definitely wants to see home gaining and growing.

So questions for you out there that have kids with ADHD or that have it yourself.

1. What are some ways to combat this and try to get him eating more?

2. What are some good ways to throw extra calories in or things that are very calorie dense.

3. Any foods or tricks you recommend for helping out on weight?

Any other general thoughts or ideas?

Appreciate any thoughts on getting him back on track growing. We are looking at possibly switching meds as well but that's a crapshoot as well

Not always easy, but a large breakfast was what we had to do for foster kids we housed that were on meds like that. And some of them had an appetite before bed, so small meal before bed.

 

[bdan68]

I would try a healthy diet and no medications. No sugar and very low on the carbohydrates. Lots of steak and eggs. Try a keto diet.

 

[Marmots]

I lost my appetite when I started Adderall XR, but have been maintaining weight and gaining muscle mass regardless. I try to sneak calories past the limited appetite by eating 4-6 small meals throughout the day, along with a lot of snacks. I lift weights 3x a week and work a job that is physical and outdoors half the time. Those activities keep me hungry. I only forget to eat on rare days when I'm entirely at a desk. If my kids inherit my brain I'll encourage them to play sports as much as possible and always have snacks on hand.

Diet an exercise are important, but not the end all be all. In regards to some of the other replies above, I can't in good faith recommend any kid with ADHD have to go through school without the choice to take meds. Good on you for giving them that option.

I've had ADHD my whole life, but didn't get diagnosed and start meds until I was in my early 30s. School was absolute misery. In the real world I've had no problem finding jobs that are stimulating enough for me to excel at, but in school I just bounced between watching the clock and getting in trouble. I don't see the logic in avoiding meds as they are "unnatural", when there's absolutely nothing natural about asking a kid to sit down and shut up in a concrete cube for eight hours.