Possible ADHD, Meeting with Therapist for First Time. What to Ask?

[Anonymous]

I'm a psychologist, my child has adhd. Therapy would have been a waste of time and money, the only thing that really worked was medication and I am in a similar belief system that I would do anything before meds. Adhd is a medical condition, it's like saying you are going to treat diabetes with therapy. You may learn behaviors to avoid sugar but in the end the only thing that will help is medication.

[Anonymous]

Every child is different and it sounds like you don't have a diagnosis yet. However, there are strategies you can put in place at home and at school to help elicit positive behaviors. I would ask what strategies the therapist can help you implement right away at home and school to help your child experience greater success.

[Anonymous]

Pediatric psychologist is not going to help this. Odd advice from a pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

meds help my 8 year old son for school.

So your questions

1. I would ask if diet needs to be changed (sometimes it helps)
2. if you should have the school do a behavioral chart
3. if you should ask for a 504 plan
4. does she needs "social skills groups" (helped me son a lot as well)
5. would she benefit from individual therapy (again, helped my son for about 3 months)
6. what schedule should you put in place at home (adhd kids thrive if they are given lists/charts)
7. what routines she could benefit from (weekly sports, etc).

Those all helped me. My son is thriving after 3 years of struggling. It was hard but worth it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pediatric psychologist is not going to help this. Odd advice from a pediatrician.

Why do you say this?

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good ideas and questions here. I appreciate you sharing your information. thanks!

[Anonymous]

I'm not the poster who made the comment but I join other posters in saying I've never gotten a recommendation of therapy for my child with adhd. We've had several ped changes because of our insurance and we were advised to get testing done.

[Anonymous]

np here. Just explain what is going on with your daughter. Don't jump to the conclusion of Adhd. If there is an impact at school, ask them to do an evaluation. Or do a private one. That way you are not jumping to the conclusion of Adhd prematurely.

[Anonymous]

Adhd is a medical condition, it's like saying you are going to treat diabetes with therapy. You may learn behaviors to avoid sugar but in the end the only thing that will help is medication.

actually I would disagree--or rather, agree that adhd is, in some ways, like diabetes. For while medication might solve some issues, the best diabetes patients are the ones who commit to serious, albeit difficult, lifestyle changes: radical changes in diet, exercise, and the like. For a family just starting to deal with ADHD, it is definitely worthwhile to address things like: behavioral modification, diet, exercise, sleep, accommodations, etc. This does not mean that medication is terrible or unnecessary, but it is my opinion that kids with adhd, whether they are medicated or not, also need other kinds of 'medication'--healthy lifestyles. As a parent, it is much harder--the constant reinforcement of social and emotional skills, the contact with the school/teachers, planning activities/exercise, regulating sleep, helping your child understand his/her impulses, etc--but it is as important as medication.

[Anonymous]

^^ Totally agree with PP. Diet is important in diabetes, not just insulin.

Similarly, it's important in ADHD. Exercise, high-protein breakfast etc.

[Anonymous]

I made the diabetes analogy and I stand by it. Therapy isn't going to help diabetes. Eating well, for a diabetic and an adhd kid is treating it medically. A therapist isn't an adhd life coach or tutor. Or nutritionist. If you want to deal with adhd you have to use the right resources.

I still think it's a colossal waste of time and money to see a therapist for adhd but if you want to spend the money on it....

[Anonymous]

PP, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss therapy as a waste of money, given how frequently ADHD is comorbid with depression. In my DC's case, we have had to make treatment of the depression--with meds and therapy--the priority. To echo what was said earlier, every kid's experience of ADHD (and medication) is different, and what works for some does not work for all.

[Anonymous]

The OP's child does not have a diagnosis of ADHD, or any diagnosis at this point, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pediatric psychologist is not going to help this. Odd advice from a pediatrician.

Why do you say this?

Psychologist will be able to diagnose. What do you think the folks at Stixrud are? They aren't medical doctors. They are psychologists for the most part.

[Anonymous]

The pediatrician is referring out for diagnosis. Which is better than she is just diagnosing herself.