does anyone out there have a kid on strattera? I have a 10 yr old on concerta and it seems that the effectiveness is decreasing after a couple of years. The school shrink reccomended trying strattera. Her problem is purely focusing, not hyperactivity.
Any comments out there?

First, I have to say that it isn't the school shrink's job to recommend a medication. Most likely, the school shrink is a psychologist, NOT a psychiatrist. Psychologists are not qualified to prescribe medication.

Strattera is a funny drug. For some, it works very well for concentration but not hyperactivity. For others (including my ADHD son), it works just the opposite. For us, it worked beautifully for his hyperactivity but did almost nothing to help his concentration.

Talk to your child's psychiatrist. Strattera might be a possiblity. Combining Strattera with Concerta might be a possibility. Simply increasing the dosage of Concerta might be a possibility. You need an MD to make that decision; not the school psychologist.

In any case, good luck to you.

My daughter was on concerta and struggled so. Being a stimulant, it just revved her up more. Poor grades, poor school performance, aggitation, disorganized, she just did horrible. She always worked hard but because of her ADHD, she just couldn't get it together.

She began strattera in junior high and said this was the 1st time in her life she fealt "normal". Today, she's a sophmore and I am a very proud mom of an honer roll student!! She made high honers the last 2 report cards. I must say, the strattera slowed her down but then it took alot of hard work and effort do develope new work habbits but she's accomplished so much!!

Her room, on the otherhand... we call it the Rheachel hurricane. She still gets distracted at home but I try to cut her some slack there.

Everone is different when it comes to meds but our experience was nothing but possitive.

Good luck!! ~ Cindy

[QUOTE=index.html;3370524]First, I have to say that it isn't the school shrink's job to recommend a medication. Most likely, the school shrink is a psychologist, NOT a psychiatrist. Psychologists are not qualified to prescribe medication.

Strattera is a funny drug. For some, it works very well for concentration but not hyperactivity. For others (including my ADHD son), it works just the opposite. For us, it worked beautifully for his hyperactivity but did almost nothing to help his concentration.

Talk to your child's psychiatrist. Strattera might be a possiblity. Combining Strattera with Concerta might be a possibility. Simply increasing the dosage of Concerta might be a possibility. You need an MD to make that decision; not the school psychologist.

In any case, good luck to you.

A psycholgist may not have the ability to prescribe medicine, but that doesn't mean they don't know what is out there, how it works, and what they have observed to work best.