Dear Parents,

Dear Parents all over the universe,

Stop taking your children off their medication to see if their teachers "notice."
We do. I promise you.
Furthermore, don't you remember what it was like before you put them on said medicine? Don't you remember what prompted you to do it, whether it was the uncontrolled, impulsive talking and other behaviors, the lack of friends due to poor interpersonal skills, or the failing grades because five minutes into it they couldn't remember that they were even taking a test?

What makes you think any of that will change when you take them off the medicine? It doesn't.
ADHD is not a common cold. It is not the flu. It is a real condition, and it is a chronic condition. It's not like allergies that are going to be a little seasonal and flare up now and then, but will be otherwise fine. It's like diabetes. A condition they will have to deal with all their lives.

How do I know? From first-hand experience. My coworkers can tell within five minutes that I have not taken my medicine. So I can tell when your kid hasn't. Yes, there are side effects. If I don't take my meds with food, I get extremely nausious. If I don't take my meds at all, I get extremely annoying. It's a side-effect I'm willing to work around and live with.

And I know some side-effects aren't as simple and aren't as minor. If the side effects are drastic or not worth it, then the medicine's wrong. The first one you try is not guaranteed to be the best one. There are enough out there to find the right fit.

So do your kids a favor. Don't take them off their medicine if it's helping them become a functioning member of society. For their sake.

Love and such,
Someone who knows first-hand.