Medication Decision Matrix

Based on what we know from the previous therapist and psychiatrist, plus Sunny's foster mom, and in the absence of input from the new therapist and psychiatrist, here's what we're looking at.

Possible effects of taking Sunny off medication:

Mood/Attention Span	Negative	Positive
Negative	Increase in mood swings and tantrums, decreased attention span	Increase in mood swings and tantrums, increased attention span
Neutral (I think "Positive" would be unrealistic)	No change in mood swings, decreased attention span	No change in mood swings, increased attention span

So far he's not showing any short-term side effects that would also feed into the decision.

I don't think we can make this decision -- which I obsess over endlessly, far in advance -- based on what's easiest for us as parents. The number one factor is going to be school. Right now, he doesn't even need an IEP. He was on one for pre-K and K, but they said that by the end of the school year, he didn't need it anymore.

I really want to give Sunny the maximum opportunity for academic success. My cousin with severe ADHD was separated from the rest of his school and practically ignored for almost a decade. The effect on his self-esteem was devastating. He's unemployed now and living at home. I've got a lot of hope for him… once he hits his late 20s, his brain is finally going to be mature enough so that he can really start harnessing his talents. But he certainly had a rocky start.