My kid has been diagnosed with ADHD. Now what?

What does it mean to have ADHD?


ADHD is a disorder of the brain. Brains are very complicated, even to a brain surgeon. The workings of a brains are hard to understand. If a normal brain is hard to understand, imagine how a differently-working brain can be misunderstood. Here are some basic facts about ADHD to help you more fully understand the diagnosis:



What having ADHD means:

  • Your child's brain takes in information or stimuli differently.
  • Your child's brain organizes information or stimuli differently.
  • Your child struggles with paying attention...sometimes.
  • Other times, your child may hyperfocus on, or pay A LOT of attention to, something that interests him/her.
  • Your child may be more sensitive than others to certain noises, smells, tastes, or to movement or visual stimuli.
  • Your child may have difficulty regulating, or controlling, their emotions.
  • Your child is awesome!


What having ADHD doesn't mean:

  • Your child is dumb. Some kids with ADHD struggle with work in school. Some kids with ADHD don't struggle in school. All kids with ADHD have their strengths, and all kids with ADHD can succeed in school with the right supports.
  • Your child is lazy. Tasks that take a lot of attention are hard for the ADHD brain. Individuals with ADHD often either don't start a task or don't finish it. It's harder for them to channel that extra energy needed to start or finish, chores, homework, or other challenging tasks.
  • Your child is crazy. Kids with ADHD may seem scattered brained and experience emotional roller coasters, or they pick up on weird details that no one else noticed. They are still perfectly sane, even when they are challenging you with their "tricky" behaviors.
  • Your child will be an outcast. Many kids with ADHD benefit from social skills training, but anyone with ADHD can have lasting and meaningful friendships.
  • Your child HAS to start taking medication. Yes, medication can help with symptoms, but there are other strategies kids and their families can try, whether or not they decide to use medication to help reduce symptoms. (I'll discuss medication and non-medication strategies in the next ADHD blog post.)
  • It's time to panic. Relax. You've got this! Remember to ask for ideas and support when you and your child need it. ADHD is a disorder near and dear to my heart. I try to research and observe as much as I can about it, so I'm a good resource (erin.heilman@pekin108.org). Agency counselors, pediatricians, books, and sometimes the internet are good sources of info, too. Remember, too, everyone at school is rooting for your child to be successful!

Interested in more info on what ADHD is like? Read this more technical article by my favorite website on ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/what-is-adhd-symptoms-causes-treatments/

Or watch this heart-felt video by my favorite ADHD video blogger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji0hg1LduU8


Clipart found at pixaby.com.

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