ADD and depression in my 9 year old ...Help!

[Trish]

My 9 year old son is ADD and suffers from depression,first we treated the depression with Zoloft he was happy but the ADD was not helped now we are treating the ADD and the depression is going untreated he is on Impraimine for the ADD. Is it dificult to treat the two conditions at the same time? My heart just aches for this sorrowful soul.He is under the care of a ped. Neuralogist.Thank You

[shelly]

You might consider going to the health store and looking at the supplements that they have for ADD and depression. One such supplement called Efalex seems promising and has good reports.
It contains essential fatty acids that the body needs in order to have proper brain and eye function. I'm trying it on my 7 year old daughter and feel that I am seeing improvments after only one week. I'll keep you posted. Good luck. Been there, done that, still there, hope to not be soon.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Trish,

No, it is not difficult to treat the two conditions simultaneously. In fact, it is quite common.

Zoloft, an antidepressant, would not be expected to influence ADHD symptoms. However, stimulant medication (e.g., methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine) can be given along with antidepressants such as Zoloft.

The treatment with Imipramine (a type of antidepressant different from Zoloft) can address both depressive symptoms and symptoms of ADHD (if the ADHD symptoms are chiefly in the area of inattention - imipramine won't be particularly effective in relation to hyperactivity or impulsivity).

Wellbutrin is another antidepressant which has been found to effectively treat symptoms of both depression and ADHD.

So, there are definitely choices. It might be wise to seek a second opinion from a child psychiatrist. Dr. KDK