How will you know when you have the right ADHD medication and dosage?
TRACK YOUR OWN or your CHILD’S RESPONSE to TREATMENT!
You can’t notice small improvements or side effects without a monitoring sheet. The goal is to find the best results with the fewest side effects. Finding the right medication and dosage is seldom a straightforward process. It usually involves medication trials and may require many adjustments to dial in just the right combination. The better you keep track of improvements or problems, the more likely to best the best results from treatment. Don’t waste time or suffer needlessly on the incorrect type and/or dosage of medication.
Your prescriber may slowly increase the dosage, then back off when side effects begin to interfere. Other times, they will switch to a different type of medication altogether. It will depend on what you have to report. Even if you use supplements like Omega 3 Fatty Acids, how will you know whether they are helping if you don’t record what changes, if any, occur? For more on the alchemy of prescribing ADHD medication, see ADDitude Magazine’s 10 Medication Fallacies even Doctors Believe.
Dr. Charles Parker and Core Psych have numerous videos on the specifics of different ADHD medications and tracking an individual’s response to treatment. Try the comprehensive and unique book on the subject that is reasonably priced ($6 to $15): Link works – New ADHD Medication Rules – Brain Science & Common Sense. (Link works)
Pencil-and-paper treatment monitoring system developed by David Rabiner, Ph.D. Instructions provided for accurate reports. Download for free (Link works or copy and paste http://www.helpforadd.com/monitor.pdf )
Medication Effects Rating Scales Children and Adolescents or Adults – Record changes observed and any negative side effects Arlington Center for ADD
Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale – Track your child’s emotional and behavioral response to treatment.
Return to ADHD Screening Tests
Other tests include:
Screening Evaluation Forms – Printable – For both Children and Adults (If this will not link: Copy and paste https://addfreesources.net/screening-evaluation-forms/
Response to Treatment Rating Scales – Children and adults
FREE Professional ADHD Assessment Forms – Children and adults
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