A couple weeks ago I asked Matthew’s doctor about trying to change his medication to get a better control on his impulsivity and on his concentration which was pretty bad the last few months of school.

One side effect I didn’t expect was an increase in his appetite.  Now, Matthew has never been an eater.  Even “pre-medications” it was a struggle to get him to eat – and his sensory dysfunction made it even worse because he had only a handful of foods that he would even try and put into his mouth.  Over the years he has become much more adventurous – well, not adventurous really but he definitely has expanded his food list and while he has preferences, he will often try new things. 

With the meds, he would eat an enormous breakfast (from 3-4 homemade waffles smothered in syrup) and not eat all day until evening when he would eat (with coaxing) a reasonable dinner and eat a snack after dinner about half the nights.

Well, the last 2 weeks, I have been picking him up from daycare and he is starving!  He has been eating snack at the daycare and asking for snacks in the car.  He is hungry at dinner (I haven’t gotten as many compliments about my food in a long time!) and then he wants 2 to 3 snacks.  Tonight for instance he ate crackers on the way home.  When we got in, dinner was ready and so I gave them leftover pasta and chicken.  He didn’t hold any of the chicken in his mouth for longer than 3 minutes (usually ends dinner with a wad of chicken in his cheek) and asked for both more pasta and more chicken and more carrots.  I also cut up 3lbs of strawberries and put 1/2 of them in a bowl with a little sugar.  He had 4 helpings of strawberries. 

A few minutes ago he came in from outside after Addison had gone out with a few pieces of pear.  He came running in asking for a pear (which I didn’t have) and instead took out an apple.  After I cut it up, he and Addison split it and went back outside.  Over the next 10 minutes they came in and split 2 more apples. 

I would like to say his behavior is much better on this medication but I am not sure.  He has had some really good days – but also some really bad days.  He clearly is somewhat out of control in the evenings and I’m having trouble getting him to go to sleep.  It clearly is wearing off mid-afternoon but isn’t bad until 7 or 8 (prime homework time this fall.        8-(          

Think I’m going to try and increase the dose a small amount for the next prescription and see if we can get a balance of some good appetite with a little more longevity of behavior during the day.

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