Sample E-mail Question and Answer:Concerned parent of possible ADHD child

by Carol Agnew, MA, LMFT

Question:
Dear Carol,
My 8 year old son is having difficulty at school paying attention, not turning in assignments, losing assignments, and the teacher says he is very disruptive in class. He also has problems getting along with other kids because he is very impulsive. I have been diagnosed with ADD and wonder if my son has it too. Do you think 8 is too young to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD or too young to try medication?

Concerned parent of possible ADHD child

Answer:
Dear Concerned parent of possible ADHD child,
From your description and with your family history, it is very likely that your son does indeed have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), and possibly ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The difference between the two is one is hyper, constant movement, out of his chair, can't sit still, and the other is only the difficulty paying attention without the hyperactivity.

Given the level of problems your son is having I would definitely recommend a trial of a medication. I would also recommend you see a psychiatrist to get the medications though, at least initially, just to make sure it is not something else going on and to get the kind of medication that is right for your child.

The great thing about ADHD medication is that you will know relatively quickly if it is helping or not. These medications typically go through your system quickly. If the child becomes MORE hyper, then it is not the medication for them and they probably don't have ADHD. If your child calms down or is better able to focus to get their work done, then the meds can be helpful. I do want to say that not every kid is the same and you may need to try different medications to see if one works better than another, so don't be discouraged if your doctor wants to try different things.

I do want to note that medication is not the only treatment for ADD and ADHD. There needs to be a behavioral component to the treatment where the child learns how to control his impulses, learns organizational skills, social skills, etc. The medication will help slow him down enough for him to be able to learn these new skills. Without the additional training, the medication probably won't be enough. Sometimes, once the kids have learned these new skills it is possible to have them on a much lower dose of medication or even no medication at all.

I know some parents are very hesitant to put their child on medications, but I have seen it work wonders with kids that really need it. And like I said, you will be able to tell quickly if your child will benefit from it.

Good Luck!
Carol Agnew, MA, LMFT
www.asktheinternettherapist.com

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Updated 08/11/08

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