Medication Side Effects

There are so many medications on the market that help people with disabilities. I’ve tried many of them for my son. We needed to help him manage tics, anxiety, excessive talking, obsessive-compulsive disorder and pacing. I get some of these drugs from pharmacies and others directly from the manufacturer. All have been prescribed by his doctors.

Over time, my son ended up on several medications. Before I knew it, he had gained twenty pounds. I was shocked. I didn’t recall the doctors mentioning potential side effects. My once slender son now had this stomach that we couldn’t get rid of! What was I to do?

In this case, I decided to keep him on the medications. However, I make sure he exercises more and eats a healthy diet. As with most people, it’s a lot easier to put on weight than it is to take it off.

Has the medication reduced the tics and obsessive behaviors? A little bit. Was it worth gaining 20 pounds? I don’t think so. But at this point, I’m not going to have him stop the medications because his weight has stayed about the same for the last several months.

I’m just upset about the weight gain. If I had known, I would have watched this a lot more closely. I may also have tried only one medication at a time. It may have been helpful to keep a journal to record side effects and changes in behavior with each medication. I will definitely educate myself on potential side effects before he takes any new medications in the future.

Parents must always educate themselves about each new medication and how it interacts with their child. It’s important to know how it affects them and to weigh the side effects versus the benefits. Medications can be wonderful in so many ways – but parents must be informed! It’s a big responsibility!

You are not alone when it comes to making difficult decisions about medications for your kids. You can find other parents’ stories with the blog search on this website.