Ativan for ADHD Child

ADHD is a disorder that is often associated with anxiety and depression. This anxiety can be treated in adults with therapies along medications, but in children it is very difficult to show them a cloud with a silver lining, hence making anxiety uncontrollable.

In fact the problem is that the child is hardly aware of anxiety itself. In such case medications is the only way out to control that anxiety, which at times makes the child more hyperactive and irritating.

Benzodiazepine is a drug family that is widely used in psychotic disorder. This family includes Diazepam (Valium), Alprazolam (Xanax), Clonazepam (Klonopin), Flurazepam (Dalmane) and Lorazepam (Ativan).

Ativan increases GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) release. GABA is a neurotransmitter which controls hyperactivity of nerves in brain.

Ativan is considered the best amongst the drug family due to its fewer drug interactions and is removed faster from blood as compared to other Benzodiazepine.

Ativan comes in 3 forms; tablets, oral solutions and injections. The preparatory dosages are as follows:
• Tablets: White tablets. 0.5mg, 1mg and 2 mg.
• Oral Solution: 2mg/ml
• Injections: 2mg/ml and 4mg/ml.

But it is the doctor who is going to prescribe the right amount of drug to the child, as par his conditions and requirements.

The common side effects are as follows

sedation
confusion
depressed mood
thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself
hyperactivity
agitation
hostility
hallucinations
feeling light-headed
fainting
blurred vision
muscle weakness
lack of balance or coordination
amnesia or forgetfulness
trouble concentrating
nausea
vomiting
constipation
appetite changes
skin rash
dizziness
weakness
lethargy
unsteadiness
headaches
sleep disturbance
loss of orientation.

If taken for long time, sudden stopping of drug can cause seizures, tremors, muscle cramping, vomiting and sweating. Even after stopping therapy the child might feel a little gloomy, agitated and insomniac.

Though Ativan has fewer drug interactions but care is a must. Apart from ADHD and anxiety your child might have other problems a swell, and it’s a quiet possibility that he is taking medicines for that condition.

So if he is taking either Barbiturates such as Amobarbital (Amytal), Butabarbital (Butisol), Mephobarbital (Mebaral), Secobarbital (Seconal), or Phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);

or an MAO inhibitor such as Isocarboxazid (Marplan), Phenelzine (Nardil), Rasagiline (Azilect), Selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or Tranylcypromine (Parnate);

or any medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as Chlorpromazine (Thorazine), Haloperidol (Haldol), Mesoridazine (Serentil), Pimozide (Orap), and Thioridazine (Mellaril); or some narcotic medications such as Butorphanol (Stadol), Codeine, Hydrocodone (Loratab, Vicodin), Levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), Meperidine (Demerol), Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), Morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph), Naloxone (Narcan), Oxycodone (OxyContin), Propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet);

or some antidepressants such as Amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), Amoxapine (Ascendin), Citalopram (Celexa), Clomipramine (Anafranil), Desipramine (Norpramin), Doxepin (Sinequan), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), Fluvoxamine. (Luvox), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), protriptyline (Vivactil), sertraline (Zoloft), or trimipramine (Surmontil).

Like every other drug, please keep it in a safe place away from children. Give your child his medicine under your supervision and keep in touch with the doctor.

Many children have been able to avoid the use of medication completely by combining changes in their diet with the use of natural herbal teatments that work by helping relax the hyperactive child while improving brain activity. Our family uses Focus Formula for ADHD from Native Remedies.