Caffeine and ADHD

ppants

DS has always been a milk and water type of kid and we've kept any pop intake to non caffeine choices.  We went to a party last weekend and the only pop available had caffeine.  Since it was going to be a late night, and no reason to get up early the next day, he had a pepsi.  He didn't finish it, but the caffeine didn't seem to bother him in getting to bed once we got home.  I've read caffeine can effect ADHD people differently.  Is this difference a life-long thing or could it change as he grows? 

ppants

Interesting.  DS has also had migraines before, but thankfully there are few and far between.  I get migraines and caffeine helps me with them. 

ppants

Thanks for the replies

Lesley0228

My adhd dd has never had caffeine from soda. She's young and there has never been a need to, but I always just assumed best to avoid. This makes sense though. Good to know.

MirandaHobbes

fredalina said:

We've offered coffee, but honestly she doesn't drink enough to be able to tell. If we get, say, a tall vanilla latte from Starbucks, we're lucky if she drinks an inch off the top. So I can't think it is enough to tell. I certainly can't notice a difference. She usually does not have a behavior change from sugar so at least there's that lol. She doesn't really drink much of anything but water. She'll order milk at a restaurant, and again it's 1" at most. We pour small glasses at home. But damn she can kill a bottle of water, especially at night. Yet never wets the bed.

My kid too! He's like a camel; won't drink anything but a few sips of juice during the day but sleeps with a Nalgene bottle of water that he finishes by morning. And never wets the bed.

ppants

@Spooko that's exactly what I was wondering about.  He did fine with the caffeine and his daily med certainly won't get him through an evening event.  He did good during evening baseball games this summer prior to beginning his medication, but I do wonder about giving him some caffeine prior to their evening school music program for instance.  I'm just not sure how I feel about it.  He won't do coffee for sure and obviously pop is just empty calories.  Thanks again for the input!

ppants

untaggable auntie...DS is taking generic concerta.  He usually takes it in the 7 o'clock hour during school days and around the 8 o'clock hour on weekends.  I feel like it "wears off" by around 6 pm.  The pyschiatrist was pleased with the length of medication duration.  We've discussed the possibility of increasing his meds, but are waiting until parent-teacher conferences to make a decision. 

Right now, we don't have too many evening activities, but it's good to know they are options if he needs a kicker to get him through.  Will he most likely respond to the short acting meds as he does the concerta?  Or is it something that can't be predicted?  Thanks!