Health Plan of San Joaquin | Focus Your Health | Winter 2020

6 Focus Your Health Parents: Stay the course with ADHD treatments What’s this? Want to learn more about the topics in Focus Your Heal h ? With our HealthReach Audio Health Library, getting the health infor- mation you need is as simple as  1-2-3 . You can find a list of topics and codes at hpsj.com/ advice-nurse . 1 Call 800.655.8294 anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 2 Once you are connected to the call center’s auto- mated menu, press 2 to access the library. 3 Follow the prompts to listen to the topics that interest you. Medicine can make a big dif- ference in the lives of kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It can help them focus more and fidget less. “Medication holidays” are times when you may choose not to give your children these medications because they are not in school. Your kids may be off for winter break soon. It is important to keep taking medi- cations as prescribed to keep the progress up. The most widely used ADHD drugs are called stimulants. They have a calming effect in people with ADHD. Studies show that about 80% of kids with ADHD improve a lot with this medicine. But it must be taken as directed. Work with your child's provider There are different kinds of stimulants. And some children respond to one but not another. That means it can take some time and maybe more than one visit with a doctor to find the right one at the right dose. The best way to find a match is to work with your child's doctor. Keep an eye on your child's behavior. And tell your doctor if your child's symptoms improve or get worse. Watch for side effects too. Most can be helped by adjust- ing the medicine's dose. Medicine is never a replace- ment for other ways to help your child control their behavior, such as rewarding positive changes or using calm discipline. One last tip: No matter how much your child improves, stick with your child's treat- ment plan, including their medicine. Never stop your child's medicine without an OK from your child’s doctor. Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HealthReach 1250