But I thought caffeine made you hyper. How does this work? Do you think it would do the same thing to give cola?

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee

There is a MUCH higher sugar content in cola than in coffee, unless you add like 10 spoons or so, that makes most folks much more hyper than the caffeine. Besides in Ontario there is no caffeine in pop.

 As to why it works, the prevailing theory that I have heard is that in ADD/ADHD folks the electrical impulses in the brain operate slower than in "normal" folks  - the caffeine speeds these up so that the person slows down. Counter Intuitive, true but it works. And I have never seen a TRUE Adhd/add person that it didn't work on.  And Methylphenidate - which is the chemical name for Ritalin ( the most common brand name here in the US) is also a stimulant.

 

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

There is no caffeine in pop in Ontario???? That's news to me. I think you may be mistaken there. Pepsi and Coke are available across Canada with the same formula. There are caffeine free versions available, however.

Methylphenidate does 2 different things. It is used as a stimulent in the elderly. In children it has the opposite effect, it acts as a depressant. That is why children are supposed to be removed from Methylphenidate by a certain age. If they stay on it into young adulthood, they often become addicted to it though there are some that are able to continue using it with the proper effects..

 The sugar thing hadn't occurred to me, however. But I've also heard that it's not necessarily true that sugar causes people to be hyper. It doesn't affect everyone that way and it has no effect on my daughter.

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee

Every person I have ever talked to has told me that there is no caffeine in pop in Ontario, even Mountain Dew is not supposed to have it.  Kept me from buying pop there for ages, let me tell you.

 What I was told about Ritalin came straight from my Doctors. If your Doctors tell you differently - that's up to you. But from what I've been told the above is the reasoning that they use it.  Not here to debate you, or to make you feel superior, or whatever - just gonna tell you what I've experienced and what I've been told. If you knew the answers already - why bother asking.   Have a great day. 

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

There is caffeine in pop here, Fran. Believe me, you should see Adrian after a can of Coke! There are a few caffeine free pops...my in laws always have 'Mug' root beer at their house as it's caffeine free and Adrian won't get completely wired by drinking it. Ontario may regulate the amount of caffeine tho and other provinces/countries could have a higher caffeine level in the same drinks.

When Adrian was first diagnosed, the psychiatrist put him on Ritalin. Adrian's pediatrician was very puzzled by it and asked if we were sure. We figured the psychiatrist knew better than we did. Unfortunately she assumed that because Adrian has AS, he also had ADD or ADHD, which he does not, so the Ritalin caused exactly the opposite with him as it would with someone who has either of those conditions. He became like a kid who did have ADD...he was agitated, couldn't focus or stay on task and couldn't get to sleep at night. He was on it for one month and we took him off of it. I learned a couple of things...just because you're a doctor doesn't mean you know all, and no one, especially doctors, should assume anything. Adrian's brain isn't wired for Ritalin and our pediatrician was right to question it. So that's why Adrian does get hyper when he drinks caffeinated drinks and someone who has conditions like ADD might be affected in the opposite way.

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Not all kids who have difficulty learning or sitting still are ADHD that is kinda what I was refering to earlier.

 You know your kids best if you feel that the doctor or the school is taking the easy way out and diagnosing your child with something that does not fit what you see, question it. I have 2 boys both were diagnosed with ADD on with an H one without, neither fit right. Alex has Tourettes syndrome and Chris marches to the beat of his own drum, there is nothing wrong with him a little ocupational therapy would not have fixed. He has poor pencil grip that was left too long to correct without him really buying into it and he sees no point he just won't write things down. I conceeded to put them both on ritalin when they were 11 but not before. For Alex it worked but had to be offset with another Drug for the increased tics it created. Chris took it for 1 week then refused it he said it made him feel sick and crazy. Alex is a highschool graduate and Chris will graduate in June providing he writes enough to pass English.

Don't look for an easy solution it is all trial and error to find the right fit for your child. Just because something works for one does not mean it will be the answer for all. Embrace the differences in your kids and find ways to make them work for them instead of against them. Above all else you know your child best go with what your gut tells you is right. Lastly always make them aware that you love them no matter what, the world is a cruel place for those who are different. I could tell tales that would curl your hair.

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~The mind is like a parachute, It always works best when it's open~Edna Buchanan~

~Northern Spy~The Apple of my Pie~

~Audrey~

andi:

Every person I have ever talked to has told me that there is no caffeine in pop in Ontario, even Mountain Dew is not supposed to have it.  Kept me from buying pop there for ages, let me tell you.

 What I was told about Ritalin came straight from my Doctors. If your Doctors tell you differently - that's up to you. But from what I've been told the above is the reasoning that they use it.  Not here to debate you, or to make you feel superior, or whatever - just gonna tell you what I've experienced and what I've been told. If you knew the answers already - why bother asking.   Have a great day. 

You might want to have a chat with whoever misinformed you about soft drinks in Ontario. No, clear ones like 7-Up and Sprite, do not have caffeine (I don't think they have it in the US either). Root Beer shouldn't have any caffeine either.  Colas, of all kinds, have caffeine unless they are the caffeine-free versions.

Don't know if the 2nd 1/2 of your comment was aimed at me but I was not asking about Ritalin, I was asking about coffee vs cola. The information I provided when Ritalin was brought up was from the last 12 years working as a pharmacy lab technician who fills these prescriptions. No, they will not effect everyone the same (like Adrien) but they tend to react as stimulants in adults that is why they are prescribed to the elderly to get the up and around but tend to calm down children so that they can focus. Wihich was why I was wondering how caffeine helps hyper kids.

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee

Fran you hit the nail on the head there. It works like ritalin does without the ritalin side effects. In truly hyperactive kids, it will calm them down and allow them to focus when they need it. A lot cheaper than ritalin too. Something you can try at home to see if it gets relsults.  And you don't need a doctor's appt to do it.

Anne

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And when the winds of change begin to blow,
I'll whisper, "You're my lighthouse" in case you didn't know.

Sons of Maxwell

visit my website!:
Anne's Philly Phan Site at http://www.gbsfanatic.com

I think I'll try the soft drink first since sugar doesn't seem to affect her. I hate coffee so we have none in the house and I really don't think she'd drink it even milked down.

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee

My kids get even crazier on caffeine. And chocolate. We have banned caffeine pops from the house, and I noticed a change, big time. Bark root beer has caffeine. Canadian mountain dew did not for a long time, but for some reason I think thats been changed. When I was in the states I bought a bottle and it did not have caffeine.

A&W root beer has no caffeine either. I think originally no root beer had it. The probably started adding it like Barq's says to have bite.

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee

Lyndzchick - mountain dew now makes a caffeine free product but most here have at least 36 grams of caffeine per serving. and their AMP-Energy Brand has 71 grams as per their website :) http://www.pepsiproductfacts.com/infobyproduct.php?brand_fam_id=1049&brand_id=1000&product=Mountain%20Dew&or=md

 

Neither Root Beer, Birch Beer, Ginger Beer/Ale or Loganberry  had caffeine in them  originally as they were made from stuff that did not contain it.

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

Fran:

A&W root beer has no caffeine either. I think originally no root beer had it.

OMG! I first read that to say, "A&W root beer has no caffeine. I think originally it had no root beer. "

Maybe I should get my eyes checked. LOL!

Anne

---

And when the winds of change begin to blow,
I'll whisper, "You're my lighthouse" in case you didn't know.

Sons of Maxwell

visit my website!:
Anne's Philly Phan Site at http://www.gbsfanatic.com

They've discovered (well according to Dr. Lendon Smith) that corn allergies sometimes present as hyperactive, non-focusing symptoms. Lot of foods have corn syrup!

Anne

---

And when the winds of change begin to blow,
I'll whisper, "You're my lighthouse" in case you didn't know.

Sons of Maxwell

visit my website!:
Anne's Philly Phan Site at http://www.gbsfanatic.com

When mine were young I was told that dye and some preservatives that were added to foods were worse than suger, so I went to the extreme of making all my children ate from scratch. From babyfood to minimum of age 4. It did not change the out come of there issues in my mind but they did not get sick as often as others did     It was also hard to not allow them to have the treats that other kids did after age 4, we all want what we can't have. I have heard that caffine works for some, but not all. I have also heard some adults say pot was the answer including psychiatrists at tourettes symposiums, but I am not about suggest it to my kid as an option.

Anything that will not do harm is always worth a try, it is trial and error or success with matters of the mind, testing is only good for the day it is done with the circumstances that preceeded the testing taken into consideration. I had Alex tested 3 times twice by the school board and once privately. I got better results when I paid for them, they evaluated him over a period of time taking into consideration that he could just be having a bad day or be nervous if it was all done in one day. We were also interviewed as well as his teachers for an overall picture of how he behaved at home and school. The school testing was done in an hour once he was nervous the next time he had a cold and was not at his best. I learned to take what other said with a grain of salt and trust my own instincts.

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~The mind is like a parachute, It always works best when it's open~Edna Buchanan~

~Northern Spy~The Apple of my Pie~

~Audrey~