Parent Perspective: The ADHD Diagnosis

Something Is Off

     I knew early on that something was off with my son.  I will call him "N" on my blog to protect his privacy.  N's speech was delayed as a baby/toddler and he didn't walk until he was 2 years old.  In his preschool years I knew that he had some type of learning disability. (Watch for a future post on this topic.)  Learning the alphabet was so difficult for him and I remember being puzzled that it was taking him so long to learn new things.  Following multi-step directions was extremely difficult for him, as was cleaning his room, and getting ready for the day.  I always had to help him get dressed by telling him what to do one step at a time.

ADHD?

I never even considered that N had ADHD...he was a very calm child, not hyper-active at all.  He also had the ability to really hyper-focus on things that he was interested in.  He could build a train track for hours or sit and listen to books with no problem.  It wasn't until he was in kindergarten that I began to realize he really struggled with focus and attention. His teacher assigned small, half-sheet pages each night of handwriting practice.  I remember these worksheets taking FOREVER. "N, trace the D.  N? N!  Trace the D.  N, no look here. Over here, N. Look where I'm pointing, N!  N? Trace the D."  This would continue for each repetition of the letter.  I had to point to each letter to keep him on track, and had to constantly bring his attention back to the page.  I brought these concerns up to his teacher and she confirmed this behavior also occurred in class.  He couldn't get any work done unless she was right there with him, continually keeping him on track. He would sit quietly in class, and appear to be listening, but really his mind was somewhere else.  He couldn't tune in to the things being said. Besides the behavior, his academic skills were already falling behind.  I was panicked...I mean, I was a TEACHER!  Surely, I could help him!  We went through the process of having him tested for special education and also talked to our pediatrician about a possible ADHD diagnosis.  After several questionaires, forms, and appointments we had the diagnosis: ADHD, Inattentive Type.

Check out a list of common ADHD symptoms here,

To Medicate or Not To Medicate

I wasn't sure if I wanted to give N medicine for his ADHD diagnosis.  I hated to be one of those "statistics" and had often heard in the media how over-diagnosed and over-medicated children are.  I also realized that he wasn't a behavior problem in the classroom or at home and I was worried medicating him might change his personality.

So what did I do?  Well, first I tried a diet change.  I read in a book that certain foods could play a role in affecting some ADHD symptoms and I liked the idea of trying something natural.  However, I saw absolutely no improvement in his behavior with a change in diet.

As I wrestled with this decision, I received some great advice from our pediatrician.  He mentioned how if N's eyes were struggling to focus, we would provide glasses for him so he could see clearly.  Well, N's brain was struggling to focus and medicine would be like the "glasses" for his brain.  It would help his brain see clearly.  That analogy resonated with me! N was struggling...he was struggling at school and struggling at home.  His brain needed glasses!  We decided to begin medication.

Side Note

I'd like to point out that making the decision to medicate is extremely difficult and also very personal.  It's important to never judge another's choice, because you simply can't understand the whole situation.  I currently have a few students in my kindergarten class that I suspect might have the same type of ADHD that N has.  (I'm not a doctor...so these are only my suspicions). Even though they may have the same type as N, I actually do not think they'd need to be medicated and wouldn't suggest it.  None of them are severely struggling academically, as N was, and I feel I can provide accommodations for them that help.  (Another post on that later!) However, other students may benefit greatly from medication...they might not be able to cope as well as these students are.  If you find yourself wrestling with the same decision, make sure you talk with the teacher to get the best picture of what is happening in the classroom.

The Result

I was so nervous the first day I gave N the meds.  Would he act differently?  Would it help? Would his personality still be there? What if he has a bad reaction? I sent him to school and worried the whole time.  My first clue that things were different was when he arrived home off the bus. The bus dropped N off at the end of our street, roughly 100 yards away.  He was visible from my front window the whole time he walked home, but it usually took him about 10-15 minutes to get home because he was distracted by so many things along the way.  He'd stop and look for bugs, kick rocks, collect leaves, play with sticks, etc.  He was constantly being distracted from the end goal of reaching the house.  Well, the first day I gave N his medicine, I was shocked to find him at our front door literally about 2 minutes after the bus dropped him off.  It still makes me giggle to this day. Also, he cleaned his room that day INDEPENDENTLY for the FIRST TIME EVER!  Previously, I always had to help him so that he'd stay on task.  My jaw literally dropped when I realized he had cleaned the whole thing alone.  But the best part?!?  He was still my little N...his sweet, funny, and charming personality was still there.  He reported to me that he LOVED the medicine...he said it was awesome and he felt great.  He said it was easier to listen.  His teacher had a positive report as well and I found his ability to get his homework done much improved.  While the medicine did not change his learning disability, it still caused academic improvement.  He was able to be attentive during lessons.  He could work independently and focus on the things he needed to learn.  We started the medication in March of his kindergarten year.  I remember that up until this point he had learned only 8 of the 25 kindergarten sight words.  But within a month he more than doubled the amount of sight words he had mastered.  Why?  Because he was now able to focus on the task at hand. All these results provided an affirmation to me this was the best decision for him.

Questions or comments?  Please comment below!