You or your child have been diagnosed with ADHD. Now the question is, what next? Many people are overwhelmed with volumes of
information about ADHD, especially when they first start out, so I’m going to
try to break this down into only the most essential bits, and you can click on
the links to other articles as needed.
Confirm diagnosis. The diagnosis of ADHD is generally made
after observer questionnaires, discussion with the doctor about your symptoms,
and maybe a short examination of ears, eyes, and general health, if you haven’t
had one recently. If these raise a
question about whether it could be something besides ADHD, there could be other
tests. If you feel comfortable with the
diagnosis and seem to fit the profile well, then you don’t need to do anything
more. But if some things just don’t seem
to fit, it’s ok to seek a second opinion.
Learn more about ADHD. ADHD affects many areas of life besides those
listed in the diagnostic questionnaire.
Depending on what stage of life you are in, it will probably help you to
understand more about the ways it is affecting your life and those around
you. Some of my favorite basic books on
ADHD are:
Learning
to Slow Down and Pay Attention (a book for kids with ADHD, and a great way
to explain the diagnosis to kids ages 7-12)
Get treatment.
Find a treatment
professional. There are many
professionals who treat ADHD, all with different kinds of expertise. In some cases, the doctor who diagnoses you
will do just fine in treating you. In
other cases, you may want to see someone with more or different expertise. If you want to try medication, you need to
see a doctor. If you need more help with
coping mechanisms, like getting more organized, or anger management, you may do
better with a coach or counselor. Read
more about treatment professionals in : Doctor,
Psychologist, Psychiatrist: Who’s Best
for ADHD?
Learn about medicines. Before you talk to a doctor about
treatment, it’s important to learn the basics about medication. Most of the books I listed above have sections
about medication, or you can read the following articles from this blog:
Learn about Self Care.
Kids and Discipline. ADHD kids require a different kind of discipline
than most of us grew up with. The most
common issue I hear about discipline is that “spanking, yelling, and taking
things away don’t work”. And they don’t,
so you may as well spend your energy learning something that will. Start off with the article:
Sleep. Lack of sleep makes ADHD symptoms worse, yet
many people with ADHD have difficulty getting regular sleep. Sometimes this is from a sleep disorder, or
simply being unable to slow down. Most
typical sleep medicines actually make the problem worse, so it’s better to
practice good
sleep hygiene. Relaxation techniques
and, if needed, a little melatonin,
may also be helpful.
Diet. Most ADHD
diets, including the Feingold diet, probably only
work for a minority of patients.
However, a healthy diet low in artificial ingredients and saturated fats
probably won’t hurt anyone and seems to be better than the average American
diet for academic function.
Consider
Accommodations. Students with ADHD
are entitled to reasonable accommodations in public schools in the United States .
If your child has ADHD and it affects them at such a school, it is worthwhile
to learn
about 504 and IEP plans.
Adults may also be entitled to accommodations under the
Americans with Disabilities Act, however, disclosure of your condition can
backfire and result in more problems or even termination if you aren’t careful. Typically adults with ADHD who are struggling
in the workplace do better if they try to create their own accommodations
(perhaps with the help of a coach) rather than formally ask their employer,
unless something like a different office or permission to tape meetings is
required.
Find Support. It’s natural to want to tell everyone about
your ADHD, don’t do it. Not everyone
will be understanding, and some people can be downright mean. As with any other health condition, you don’t
want to share your personal information unless the person really needs to know
to help you (or your child).
On the other had, it is often helpful to find a support
network. You can do this by reaching out
to families with similar issues (such as at school), by joining CHADD, or by
participating in online forums (where you should guard your identity
carefully).
Embrace who you are. A diagnosis of ADHD can be a relief, or it
can be devastating, or it can be anything in between. If it is your child, it's normal to feel some grief. But don't stay there. Choose a positive response. Be a problem solver when it comes to
challenges. Take advantage of your
ability to hyperfocus and to think outside of the box. The world needs you, so do your best to
fulfill your potential!
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