ADD

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My son, who is 17 and interested in earning his pilots license, was prescribed Concerta last year. He was tested by the doctor for ADD and ADHD and was NOT diagnosed with either. I think the doctor said he was borderline, but again the doctor said he was not ADD or ADHD. I'm almost certain the doctor would write a letter or provide documentation of same.

He was prescribed the Concerta on a "as you feel it is needed" basis. He takes it 4-5 times a week during week days and very rarely on weekends (only when he has a big test to study for). I'm a pilot, but my job moves us every 12-24 months, so I've never really developed a relationship with an AME (actually never thought about it until reading some of the advice dispensed here).

Any thoughts / direction appreciated.
 
I can't help. I started to post my feelings about doctors over prescribing these kind of drugs to kids, but after a few sentences, I suspected it might get me kicked off the boards.
 
I was diagnosed with adhd in 8th grade. By the time I graduated High School, I was taking Ritalin and a weak dosage of Paxil (an SSRI, but the doc said it should help with the ritalin):rolleyes2:. That fall, I started college, and didn't want to take any meds, so I stopped both, and nothing really jumped out at me to indicate a major change without the meds. I was also much more relaxed in general when college started, perhaps that had something to do with it. Maybe my brain "grew up" more, but either way, in my case FWIW, I call it a phase. Since then, theres been college, firefighting schools, military training, and commercial license under my belt with no help from add/adhd meds. I hope this helps...
 
I guess I'd first have to ask my doctor why he prescribed an ADD/ADHD medication when he specifically said there is no ADD/ADHD.

I think you might have an advantage with the "no diagnosis" statement, though. An AME will have to help work you through it.
 
This doctor is on thin ice unless he's a psychiatrist. I challenge any nonpsychiatrist or psychologist to do a Wisconsin Card sorting test, or a Trails A& B, or a PASAT.

Why? mostly because you need a kit from a mfr and a lot of experience to administer these according to spec.

So I completely discount that your doc "knew this was not ADD or ADHD". But please surprise me, and tell me he's Board Certified in Psychiatry. He's probably more like the local family docs here in town who say "try this it might help" with NO F IDEA what they are doing, andit's obvious form the letters they write. They don't even cite the dozen or so diagnostic items in the DSM-4 list necessary to demonstrate that they understand making and excluding this diagnosis.

Get your kid to a real state licensed psychiatrist or clinical psychiatrist and have him administer in addition to the above:
Wechsler memory
PAI
Sentence completion

It's a good bet your family doc has no idea what these are. We get, in response to our inquiries "no definite diagnosis" on an Rx pad. What a crock!

Incidently, these are the the very tests FAA will require to certify your son given that history. You'll have to get him to knowledgeable help sooner or later, and expertise costs some $$s.

Don't keep putting it off. Expertise costs something and you need to get this right.
 
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Ok, Step 1. Find a doctor that knows what he/she is doing.

If your son really has an isssue with ADD / ADHD and approriate medication would provide a significant improvement in his life, then that would be the path to take - even if it rules out the possibility of an FAA medical.

On the other hand, if the original Dr. was just pasing out medication "just in case"...
 
bbchien said:
This doctor is on thin ice unless he's a psychiatrist. I challenge any nonpsychiatrist or psychologist to do a Wisconsin Card sorting test, or a Trails A& B, or a PASAT.

Why? mostly because you need a kit from a mfr and a lot of experience to administer these according to spec.

So I completely discount that your doc "knew this was not ADD or ADHD". But please surprise me, and tell me he's Board Certified in Psychiatry. He's probably more like the local family docs here in town who say "try this it might help" with NO F IDEA what they are doing, andit's obvious form the letters they write. They don't even cite the dozen or so diagnostic items in the DSM-4 list necessary to demonstrate that they understand making and excluding this diagnosis.

Get your kid to a real state licensed psychiatrist or clinical psychiatrist and have him administer in addition to the above:
Wechsler memory
PAI
Sentence completion

It's a good bet your family doc has no idea what these are. We get, in response to our inquiries "no definite diagnosis" on an Rx pad. What a crock!

Incidently, these are the the very tests FAA will require to certify your son given that history. You'll have to get him to knowledgeable help sooner or later, and expertise costs some $$s.

Don't keep putting it off. Expertise costs something and you need to get this right.
Click to expand...

Wow, just wow!
 
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