How do you REALLY know your DC has ADHD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What led to the evaluation in the first place?

It is well known among the clinical community that ADHD is very overdiagnosed. So I think it’s reasonable to conclude your DS doesn’t have it. It is supposed to involve hyperactivity or inattention evident from a very young age and sounds like you don’t see that.

Testing was almost entirely academic; no behavior or attention issues. Mainly math and some uneven performance in ELA/language (range in standardized scores, varied performance on tests/ quizzes). Some EF issues that were / are hard to figure out (e.g. what's a realistic expectation for a middle school boy). My predictions about the testing were accurate. I think almost all of his ADHD traits are related to the low processing speed (have done a lot of research). When going through the evaluations for ADHD it became clear how easy it is to over diagnose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like most things, it's a spectrum. My feeling is that if they can function within the spectrum of normality without medication, I wouldn't medicate.

I have 2 kids with diagnoses. One really needs medication in order to be safe and tolerable to society. The other has gone off and on a very low dose.
For many people with ADHD, learning self accommodations (i.e., techniques that will help them manage the world around them) is more effective than medication for a long of the most troubling symptoms. The medication is good if the primary problem is impulse control (which often manifests as hyperactivity but may have other manifestations -- like telling your teacher that her dress is ugly because its the first thing that pops into your head, or pushing someone when they accidentally bump into you in line because that's your first impulse when you are shoved). But the medication won't teach you how to remember deadlines or organize your work or take notes in class. For inattention alone, many people find that caffeine is sufficiently helpful without some of the side effects of the prescription medicine.

Thank you! This is what my gut is telling me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you consider medication when functioning in one of the 3 major areas is becoming a challenge
1- academic - is at risk of academic failure
2 - social - can't make or keep friends
3- mental health - wellbeing is being affected by it.

Response to medication in terms of being able to concentrate doesn't mean anything. It is a controlled substance because it is a psychostimulant and a drug of choice for many who use and abuse it for its effectiveness in helping anyone feel more mentally alert and better able to concentrate. Where you see a response related to ADHD is more in terms of overall life and executive functioning - planning, organizing, emotional regulation, impulsivity etc.

I’ve always heard that the drugs don’t do anything if you don’t have ADHD.

That is false. They are stimulants and everyone will feel something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

ADHD was not clear; largely because of the self reported information, none of it was high enough to make it seem definite. If anything it would be inattentive. No signs of impulsive behavior.

The psych included ADHD in the report as she thought that it could support accommodations and in case we wanted to medicate. She said to keep an eye on it.

See this is why ADHD diagnoses are suspect and people believe that parents buy a diagnosis to get things their kid might not otherwise be entitled to receive.

Not blaming OP. But her provider is part of the bigger problem of over diagnosis and cheating.

Op here—totally agree! My “bad parent” feeling is largely in almost any discussion of ADHD the general feeling is “parents who don’t medicate are neglecting a need” it’s frustrating b/c on so many cases of ADHD it’s so hard to know for sure, all it would take is a different of teachers, a parents perception for a negative diagnosis to be a positive. It’s such a big deal (especially with medication) but in many cases it seems like a subjective guessing game.

For our son, I pretty much was fairly sure about LDs (dysgraphia and dyscalculia) and also assumed adhd would be added too.

I remember doing the dumb checklist and feeling like if I were an impatient person or inexperienced with children I would check that the child was deficient in all the things. Really wish that there was a brain scan test for this or something similarly objective. The studies show differences that can be observed by brain scan but it’s not approved as a diagnostic tool for whatever reason.

This is why a good clinician gets multiple sources of input. Parents, multiple teachers. And then spends time observing the child as well.

ADHD actually is not a “brain disease.” It is a comparative behavioral disorder. So it can only really be diagnosed by learning about the child’s behavior, and asssessing that behavior relative to age-based norms.

It would be interesting if there could be a structured interview/behavioral observation tool for ADHD like the ADOS for autism. The fact that it doesn’t exist suggests to me that the concept of ADHD is way too heterogeneous and broad.

Everyone I know has ADHD, so I’d say having it is the norm. It’s really odd to see someone who can focus on something that is boring, or doesn’t forget something without a ton of reminders, etc. I’ve never actually seen a person like this in real life.

Ok…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade boy with an ADHD inattentive diagnosis that he got before 6th. I also wasn’t sure about the diagnosis, but we decided to start medication - Concerta (generic). The difference on the medication is tremendous. He was working really hard to try to concentrate but just couldn’t do it. I immediately saw that things were easier for him. Now, when we forget the medication on a weekend, I can’t believe the difference. He has had no real side effects outside of some small appetite suppression. I would recommend giving the medication a try and see how he does on it. You can always stop it. It isn’t addicting.

This is absolutely crazy advice. The op has not listed any evidence that their kid has adhd. A diagnosis came back without adhd. But you’re suggesting medication?

That’s why teachers eye roll when kids with real issues request accommodations. Because eighty percent of the kids they have to accommodate have made up issues.

DP. The diagnosis came back saying the evaluator couldn't tell, and that there are other , possibly conflating, issues. That's not the same as a finding of no adhd.

Add to that, OP says he has no issues because as an 8th grader, he can remember that he has a doctor's appointment.

Usually, I think people rush to over diagnose when it comes to school on these boards. OP, however, might be the exception and have such low standards that she's not aware of all the ways he's being impacted.

My kid is different. He's the obvious and extreme case. Anyone and everyone can tell he has ADHD. Even so, I had no idea until he was on the right dose of medication, that he couldn't focus long enough to sustain conversations with friends. His inability to focus had effectively left him with no ability to socialize, and I had missed this. I thought he was immature for his age and nothing more.

In this specific context, where a kid has a borderline diagnosis, conflating issues, and a parent who has lower than age appropriate standards- it may not be inappropriate to go with a try and see approach.

I don’t know what op you were reading, but it did not say “the evaluator couldn’t tell” or that there were conflating issues. The op indicated that there was no diagnosis of adhd by the evaluator. Which the op speculated was because of her son’s answers to the self assessment. Op said there was no hyperactivity. So responses from parent and son, added with doctor observation, led to no adhd diagnosis. The self assessment is part of the diagnosis. You can’t say “oh the self assessment interfered in the results of the diagnosis”. The self assessment is a core part of the diagnosis. Obviously evaluators know how to balance kids being imperfect self assessors.

The op that there was no diagnosis of ADHD is completely different than your suggestion that the results were inconclusive or inaccurate.

Absolutely bonkers that you would read a diagnosis in this situation. And again, on behalf of a kid with SEVERE adhd, your flippant attitude to medicating and seeking accommodations under these facts is maddening and embarrassing to the actual adhd community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What led to the evaluation in the first place?

It is well known among the clinical community that ADHD is very overdiagnosed. So I think it’s reasonable to conclude your DS doesn’t have it. It is supposed to involve hyperactivity or inattention evident from a very young age and sounds like you don’t see that.

Testing was almost entirely academic; no behavior or attention issues. Mainly math and some uneven performance in ELA/language (range in standardized scores, varied performance on tests/ quizzes). Some EF issues that were / are hard to figure out (e.g. what's a realistic expectation for a middle school boy). My predictions about the testing were accurate. I think almost all of his ADHD traits are related to the low processing speed (have done a lot of research). When going through the evaluations for ADHD it became clear how easy it is to over diagnose.

OP answering, right? So it sounds like you don't think it's ADHD. If you don't think it's ADHD, and you have been researching this, then it doesn't make sense to try medication.

I think a lot of the "it doesn't hurt to try" responses are due to the title of this thread. It comes across as being written by someone who is more on the line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade boy with an ADHD inattentive diagnosis that he got before 6th. I also wasn’t sure about the diagnosis, but we decided to start medication - Concerta (generic). The difference on the medication is tremendous. He was working really hard to try to concentrate but just couldn’t do it. I immediately saw that things were easier for him. Now, when we forget the medication on a weekend, I can’t believe the difference. He has had no real side effects outside of some small appetite suppression. I would recommend giving the medication a try and see how he does on it. You can always stop it. It isn’t addicting.

This is absolutely crazy advice. The op has not listed any evidence that their kid has adhd. A diagnosis came back without adhd. But you’re suggesting medication?

That’s why teachers eye roll when kids with real issues request accommodations. Because eighty percent of the kids they have to accommodate have made up issues.

DP. The diagnosis came back saying the evaluator couldn't tell, and that there are other , possibly conflating, issues. That's not the same as a finding of no adhd.

Add to that, OP says he has no issues because as an 8th grader, he can remember that he has a doctor's appointment.

Usually, I think people rush to over diagnose when it comes to school on these boards. OP, however, might be the exception and have such low standards that she's not aware of all the ways he's being impacted.

My kid is different. He's the obvious and extreme case. Anyone and everyone can tell he has ADHD. Even so, I had no idea until he was on the right dose of medication, that he couldn't focus long enough to sustain conversations with friends. His inability to focus had effectively left him with no ability to socialize, and I had missed this. I thought he was immature for his age and nothing more.

In this specific context, where a kid has a borderline diagnosis, conflating issues, and a parent who has lower than age appropriate standards- it may not be inappropriate to go with a try and see approach.

I don’t know what op you were reading, but it did not say “the evaluator couldn’t tell” or that there were conflating issues. The op indicated that there was no diagnosis of adhd by the evaluator. Which the op speculated was because of her son’s answers to the self assessment. Op said there was no hyperactivity. So responses from parent and son, added with doctor observation, led to no adhd diagnosis. The self assessment is part of the diagnosis. You can’t say “oh the self assessment interfered in the results of the diagnosis”. The self assessment is a core part of the diagnosis. Obviously evaluators know how to balance kids being imperfect self assessors.

The op that there was no diagnosis of ADHD is completely different than your suggestion that the results were inconclusive or inaccurate.

Absolutely bonkers that you would read a diagnosis in this situation. And again, on behalf of a kid with SEVERE adhd, your flippant attitude to medicating and seeking accommodations under these facts is maddening and embarrassing to the actual adhd community.

She literally says none of it was high enough to be definite. Not definite does not equal no ADHD.

She also says that he was found to have low processing speed. Low processing speed can conflate a diagnosisbof ADHD because symptoms can overlap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade boy with an ADHD inattentive diagnosis that he got before 6th. I also wasn’t sure about the diagnosis, but we decided to start medication - Concerta (generic). The difference on the medication is tremendous. He was working really hard to try to concentrate but just couldn’t do it. I immediately saw that things were easier for him. Now, when we forget the medication on a weekend, I can’t believe the difference. He has had no real side effects outside of some small appetite suppression. I would recommend giving the medication a try and see how he does on it. You can always stop it. It isn’t addicting.

This is absolutely crazy advice. The op has not listed any evidence that their kid has adhd. A diagnosis came back without adhd. But you’re suggesting medication?

That’s why teachers eye roll when kids with real issues request accommodations. Because eighty percent of the kids they have to accommodate have made up issues.

DP. The diagnosis came back saying the evaluator couldn't tell, and that there are other , possibly conflating, issues. That's not the same as a finding of no adhd.

Add to that, OP says he has no issues because as an 8th grader, he can remember that he has a doctor's appointment.

Usually, I think people rush to over diagnose when it comes to school on these boards. OP, however, might be the exception and have such low standards that she's not aware of all the ways he's being impacted.

My kid is different. He's the obvious and extreme case. Anyone and everyone can tell he has ADHD. Even so, I had no idea until he was on the right dose of medication, that he couldn't focus long enough to sustain conversations with friends. His inability to focus had effectively left him with no ability to socialize, and I had missed this. I thought he was immature for his age and nothing more.

In this specific context, where a kid has a borderline diagnosis, conflating issues, and a parent who has lower than age appropriate standards- it may not be inappropriate to go with a try and see approach.

I don’t know what op you were reading, but it did not say “the evaluator couldn’t tell” or that there were conflating issues. The op indicated that there was no diagnosis of adhd by the evaluator. Which the op speculated was because of her son’s answers to the self assessment. Op said there was no hyperactivity. So responses from parent and son, added with doctor observation, led to no adhd diagnosis. The self assessment is part of the diagnosis. You can’t say “oh the self assessment interfered in the results of the diagnosis”. The self assessment is a core part of the diagnosis. Obviously evaluators know how to balance kids being imperfect self assessors.

The op that there was no diagnosis of ADHD is completely different than your suggestion that the results were inconclusive or inaccurate.

Absolutely bonkers that you would read a diagnosis in this situation. And again, on behalf of a kid with SEVERE adhd, your flippant attitude to medicating and seeking accommodations under these facts is maddening and embarrassing to the actual adhd community.

She literally says none of it was high enough to be definite. Not definite does not equal no ADHD.

She also says that he was found to have low processing speed. Low processing speed can conflate a diagnosisbof ADHD because symptoms can overlap.

To add, since OP doesn't think the kid has ADHD, meds don't make sense here.

But if she felt otherwise, she'd have to talk to a Dr anyways to discuss all of this. My child who *also has severe ADHD* has a psych who manages his medication and has read his neuropysch report. Having a neuropysch done and then discussing with a Dr to try meds is not an unreasonable next step.

If the neuropysch is clear that there is no ADHD, the next Dr would not prescribe. If it is borderline as I interpret OP's description of "not definite," they may agree that trying is appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade boy with an ADHD inattentive diagnosis that he got before 6th. I also wasn’t sure about the diagnosis, but we decided to start medication - Concerta (generic). The difference on the medication is tremendous. He was working really hard to try to concentrate but just couldn’t do it. I immediately saw that things were easier for him. Now, when we forget the medication on a weekend, I can’t believe the difference. He has had no real side effects outside of some small appetite suppression. I would recommend giving the medication a try and see how he does on it. You can always stop it. It isn’t addicting.

This is absolutely crazy advice. The op has not listed any evidence that their kid has adhd. A diagnosis came back without adhd. But you’re suggesting medication?

That’s why teachers eye roll when kids with real issues request accommodations. Because eighty percent of the kids they have to accommodate have made up issues.

DP. The diagnosis came back saying the evaluator couldn't tell, and that there are other , possibly conflating, issues. That's not the same as a finding of no adhd.

Add to that, OP says he has no issues because as an 8th grader, he can remember that he has a doctor's appointment.

Usually, I think people rush to over diagnose when it comes to school on these boards. OP, however, might be the exception and have such low standards that she's not aware of all the ways he's being impacted.

My kid is different. He's the obvious and extreme case. Anyone and everyone can tell he has ADHD. Even so, I had no idea until he was on the right dose of medication, that he couldn't focus long enough to sustain conversations with friends. His inability to focus had effectively left him with no ability to socialize, and I had missed this. I thought he was immature for his age and nothing more.

In this specific context, where a kid has a borderline diagnosis, conflating issues, and a parent who has lower than age appropriate standards- it may not be inappropriate to go with a try and see approach.

I don’t know what op you were reading, but it did not say “the evaluator couldn’t tell” or that there were conflating issues. The op indicated that there was no diagnosis of adhd by the evaluator. Which the op speculated was because of her son’s answers to the self assessment. Op said there was no hyperactivity. So responses from parent and son, added with doctor observation, led to no adhd diagnosis. The self assessment is part of the diagnosis. You can’t say “oh the self assessment interfered in the results of the diagnosis”. The self assessment is a core part of the diagnosis. Obviously evaluators know how to balance kids being imperfect self assessors.

The op that there was no diagnosis of ADHD is completely different than your suggestion that the results were inconclusive or inaccurate.

Absolutely bonkers that you would read a diagnosis in this situation. And again, on behalf of a kid with SEVERE adhd, your flippant attitude to medicating and seeking accommodations under these facts is maddening and embarrassing to the actual adhd community.

She literally says none of it was high enough to be definite. Not definite does not equal no ADHD.

She also says that he was found to have low processing speed. Low processing speed can conflate a diagnosisbof ADHD because symptoms can overlap.

In the hands of a more disciplined clinician, “not high enough” means “you don’t have it.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade boy with an ADHD inattentive diagnosis that he got before 6th. I also wasn’t sure about the diagnosis, but we decided to start medication - Concerta (generic). The difference on the medication is tremendous. He was working really hard to try to concentrate but just couldn’t do it. I immediately saw that things were easier for him. Now, when we forget the medication on a weekend, I can’t believe the difference. He has had no real side effects outside of some small appetite suppression. I would recommend giving the medication a try and see how he does on it. You can always stop it. It isn’t addicting.

A response to stimulants is not diagnostic of ADHD. Stimulants will make most people feel better and more focused.

And that’s a bad thing for a kid who is struggling to focus how exactly

[Anonymous]

Our DS has low processing speed and ADHD. ADHD is certainly tricky since it manifests in so many different ways for kids.

ADHD was very, very clear by 5 years old for our DS. He was exceptionally chatty, interrupted teachers/friends/us all the time, lots of foot tapping/jumping up and down, impulsiveness (like grabbing other people's things even when he knew not to or touching their hair), difficulty with learning to read because he couldn't sustain attention when he wasn't interested in the material, emotional highs and lows that were often disproportionate to the situation, hyperfocus when he was interested in an activity or topic. He's such a sweet kid and he was getting in trouble for disrupting class a lot. It was tough for him to go from one step to the next in a class project in an orderly way. It was all taking a toll and he would explain how hard he was trying in tears. It was really hard to watch and we had him assessed at 7 years old and it was no surprise. Medication changed his whole life, let him make reciprocal friendships (and stop being impulsive and weird!), and let him show who he really is academically and socially. He's irritable in the morning and then the medication kicks in and he's ready to go be his best self. It's amazing.It was a lot of trial and error and a great pediatric psychiatrist. He's in middle school now and thriving.

The low processing speed was a surprise. He is very sharp and had compensated really well for the most part. But now that we know, it's super helpful. You can see it in his social interactions (takes an extra beat to respond sometimes) and he really does need the extended time (like a difference between a C and an A), mainly if there are long reading passages on a test.

In any case, hope you can figure it out for your DS in case he does need more support. High school and college are when a lot of kids who can compensate get really challenged for the first time and it can really impact self esteem, so you're right to investigate now. Best to go to a good developmental pediatrician or psychiatrist for a thorough assessment and recommendations. There may be strategies or other supports in lieu of medication or along with it. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade boy with an ADHD inattentive diagnosis that he got before 6th. I also wasn’t sure about the diagnosis, but we decided to start medication - Concerta (generic). The difference on the medication is tremendous. He was working really hard to try to concentrate but just couldn’t do it. I immediately saw that things were easier for him. Now, when we forget the medication on a weekend, I can’t believe the difference. He has had no real side effects outside of some small appetite suppression. I would recommend giving the medication a try and see how he does on it. You can always stop it. It isn’t addicting.

This is absolutely crazy advice. The op has not listed any evidence that their kid has adhd. A diagnosis came back without adhd. But you’re suggesting medication?

That’s why teachers eye roll when kids with real issues request accommodations. Because eighty percent of the kids they have to accommodate have made up issues.

DP. The diagnosis came back saying the evaluator couldn't tell, and that there are other , possibly conflating, issues. That's not the same as a finding of no adhd.

Add to that, OP says he has no issues because as an 8th grader, he can remember that he has a doctor's appointment.

Usually, I think people rush to over diagnose when it comes to school on these boards. OP, however, might be the exception and have such low standards that she's not aware of all the ways he's being impacted.

My kid is different. He's the obvious and extreme case. Anyone and everyone can tell he has ADHD. Even so, I had no idea until he was on the right dose of medication, that he couldn't focus long enough to sustain conversations with friends. His inability to focus had effectively left him with no ability to socialize, and I had missed this. I thought he was immature for his age and nothing more.

In this specific context, where a kid has a borderline diagnosis, conflating issues, and a parent who has lower than age appropriate standards- it may not be inappropriate to go with a try and see approach.

I don’t know what op you were reading, but it did not say “the evaluator couldn’t tell” or that there were conflating issues. The op indicated that there was no diagnosis of adhd by the evaluator. Which the op speculated was because of her son’s answers to the self assessment. Op said there was no hyperactivity. So responses from parent and son, added with doctor observation, led to no adhd diagnosis. The self assessment is part of the diagnosis. You can’t say “oh the self assessment interfered in the results of the diagnosis”. The self assessment is a core part of the diagnosis. Obviously evaluators know how to balance kids being imperfect self assessors.

The op that there was no diagnosis of ADHD is completely different than your suggestion that the results were inconclusive or inaccurate.

Absolutely bonkers that you would read a diagnosis in this situation. And again, on behalf of a kid with SEVERE adhd, your flippant attitude to medicating and seeking accommodations under these facts is maddening and embarrassing to the actual adhd community.

She literally says none of it was high enough to be definite. Not definite does not equal no ADHD.

She also says that he was found to have low processing speed. Low processing speed can conflate a diagnosisbof ADHD because symptoms can overlap.

In the hands of a more disciplined clinician, “not high enough” means “you don’t have it.”

Thank you. This PP is crazy. Under the PP's logic, everyone who fails to meet diagnostic criteria cannot be ruled out from having the diagnosis.

Absolutely crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade boy with an ADHD inattentive diagnosis that he got before 6th. I also wasn’t sure about the diagnosis, but we decided to start medication - Concerta (generic). The difference on the medication is tremendous. He was working really hard to try to concentrate but just couldn’t do it. I immediately saw that things were easier for him. Now, when we forget the medication on a weekend, I can’t believe the difference. He has had no real side effects outside of some small appetite suppression. I would recommend giving the medication a try and see how he does on it. You can always stop it. It isn’t addicting.

This is absolutely crazy advice. The op has not listed any evidence that their kid has adhd. A diagnosis came back without adhd. But you’re suggesting medication?

That’s why teachers eye roll when kids with real issues request accommodations. Because eighty percent of the kids they have to accommodate have made up issues.

DP. The diagnosis came back saying the evaluator couldn't tell, and that there are other , possibly conflating, issues. That's not the same as a finding of no adhd.

Add to that, OP says he has no issues because as an 8th grader, he can remember that he has a doctor's appointment.

Usually, I think people rush to over diagnose when it comes to school on these boards. OP, however, might be the exception and have such low standards that she's not aware of all the ways he's being impacted.

My kid is different. He's the obvious and extreme case. Anyone and everyone can tell he has ADHD. Even so, I had no idea until he was on the right dose of medication, that he couldn't focus long enough to sustain conversations with friends. His inability to focus had effectively left him with no ability to socialize, and I had missed this. I thought he was immature for his age and nothing more.

In this specific context, where a kid has a borderline diagnosis, conflating issues, and a parent who has lower than age appropriate standards- it may not be inappropriate to go with a try and see approach.

OP here; If I was the "exception to rushing to diagnosis ADHD" (as you contend) I would not have posted. My only surprise was I was expecting all responses to be like yours. It's almost as if you didn't read my post; if I was in denial or had my head in the sand I would not have posted. My doctors appointment was ONE example. I know so many people who talk about needing to give their teens tons of reminders, constantly losing stuff (mine doesn't)--but the lost and found at any middle school looks like a fully stocked Target, so not entirely sure if that was about my low standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our DS has low processing speed and ADHD. ADHD is certainly tricky since it manifests in so many different ways for kids.

ADHD was very, very clear by 5 years old for our DS. He was exceptionally chatty, interrupted teachers/friends/us all the time, lots of foot tapping/jumping up and down, impulsiveness (like grabbing other people's things even when he knew not to or touching their hair), difficulty with learning to read because he couldn't sustain attention when he wasn't interested in the material, emotional highs and lows that were often disproportionate to the situation, hyperfocus when he was interested in an activity or topic. He's such a sweet kid and he was getting in trouble for disrupting class a lot. It was tough for him to go from one step to the next in a class project in an orderly way. It was all taking a toll and he would explain how hard he was trying in tears. It was really hard to watch and we had him assessed at 7 years old and it was no surprise. Medication changed his whole life, let him make reciprocal friendships (and stop being impulsive and weird!), and let him show who he really is academically and socially. He's irritable in the morning and then the medication kicks in and he's ready to go be his best self. It's amazing.It was a lot of trial and error and a great pediatric psychiatrist. He's in middle school now and thriving.

The low processing speed was a surprise. He is very sharp and had compensated really well for the most part. But now that we know, it's super helpful. You can see it in his social interactions (takes an extra beat to respond sometimes) and he really does need the extended time (like a difference between a C and an A), mainly if there are long reading passages on a test.

In any case, hope you can figure it out for your DS in case he does need more support. High school and college are when a lot of kids who can compensate get really challenged for the first time and it can really impact self esteem, so you're right to investigate now. Best to go to a good developmental pediatrician or psychiatrist for a thorough assessment and recommendations. There may be strategies or other supports in lieu of medication or along with it. Good luck!

OP-- Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and sharing! Glad to hear that your son is thriving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a really good psychiatrist to talk this through with? We struggled with this too, not the diagnosis (which was incredibly obvious because of hyperactive behavior) but because there was no academic impact and my child was young when diagnosed. It took months to get in so we collected more data and by the time we talked to the psychiatrist we felt very good about trying a nonstimulant. Our psychiatrist seems to take stimulants pretty seriously (and my child has other diet factors that would make any appetite suppressant effects more serious) and we felt very good about this. It has turned out clonidine is enough to help out with the social effects we were observing and also helps with sleep. I really trust our psychiatrist and have been happy to have him to lean on. Our pediatrician was much more ready to try stimulants but also seemed resigned that parents would ask for whatever they wanted and didn’t want to fight about it.

Thank you! This seems like a great approach and I probably should reach out for a rec to a psychiatrist. I do feel like if I just go to the pediatrician it might just be an automatic prescription. I really feel like we need more guidance and evaluation and the current situation feels more black or white.