DD home from college; thinks she has ADHD

[Anonymous]

Somehow, despite being in the gifted program and nearly failing the 8th grade, my diagnosis was missed. It would be funny if it hadn’t changed my life. Get a second opinion, OP. I was diagnosed so late my life, I was already married to the wrong person and unable to support myself. You want her to be financially independent and in charge if her life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone with ADHD and a DD with ADHD, I doubt she has ADHD. I can’t tell you how obvious it is in people that truly need medication. It was obvious in my kid as a toddler. If she does have ADH, which again doubtful, it is very mild. She is just having trouble studying and wants adderall to make it easier. These stimulants are not to be taken lightly. Please google the impact it has on the cardiovascular system and things like sleep and appetite.

I have a DD with ADHD and it was not obvious. She compensated until she had a breakdown and her self esteem and confidence were damaged.

OP, if your pediatrician won’t prescribe without a diagnosis, see a psychiatrist out of pocket to start right away. We did the full evaluation that took five months and $3,000 and all it did was waste valuable time in high school.

Both ADHD and ASD are likely to be overlooked or misdiagnosed for girls.
https://psychcentral.com/adhd/girls-with-adhd#symptoms

This. It wasn't diagnosed in my oldest girl until very late. The teachers were giving her accommodations because she's quiet and mostly does her work, and they liked her. That was nice of them to do yet also delayed us realizing how bad the problem was until late high school / early college.

We hired an executive function coach and a therapist to help in the first semester of college.

The snide poster above (the one who said kids like this have poor study skills, etc) can be ignored. They obviously aren't familiar with the situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somehow, despite being in the gifted program and nearly failing the 8th grade, my diagnosis was missed. It would be funny if it hadn’t changed my life. Get a second opinion, OP. I was diagnosed so late my life, I was already married to the wrong person and unable to support myself. You want her to be financially independent and in charge if her life.

You don’t think the testing has evolved over the past several decades? Op’s daughter had. Comprehensive neuropsych within the last two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somehow, despite being in the gifted program and nearly failing the 8th grade, my diagnosis was missed. It would be funny if it hadn’t changed my life. Get a second opinion, OP. I was diagnosed so late my life, I was already married to the wrong person and unable to support myself. You want her to be financially independent and in charge if her life.

You don’t think the testing has evolved over the past several decades? Op’s daughter had. Comprehensive neuropsych within the last two years.

Of course it has. I also would rather get a second opinion than blow it off. Depression, anxiety, and ADHD can be a complicated mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone with ADHD and a DD with ADHD, I doubt she has ADHD. I can’t tell you how obvious it is in people that truly need medication. It was obvious in my kid as a toddler. If she does have ADH, which again doubtful, it is very mild. She is just having trouble studying and wants adderall to make it easier. These stimulants are not to be taken lightly. Please google the impact it has on the cardiovascular system and things like sleep and appetite.

ADHD looks very different in different people. My two kids both have ADHD, and you would have never guessed it, especially with the older one. The psychologist who did the full neuropsychological test, which found sustained attention to be below the 1st percentile, was shocked that the kid is a straight A student taking honors classes at a top private school.

So why did you test your kid?

Exactly. What prompted the test then?and why take meds if things are going well?

[Anonymous]

If she goes to enough doctors someone will eventually give her a script.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somehow, despite being in the gifted program and nearly failing the 8th grade, my diagnosis was missed. It would be funny if it hadn’t changed my life. Get a second opinion, OP. I was diagnosed so late my life, I was already married to the wrong person and unable to support myself. You want her to be financially independent and in charge if her life.

You don’t think the testing has evolved over the past several decades? Op’s daughter had. Comprehensive neuropsych within the last two years.

Of course it has. I also would rather get a second opinion than blow it off. Depression, anxiety, and ADHD can be a complicated mix.

+1
You don't necessarily have to redo the neuropsych test. Depression/anxiety are often the "first order" to take care of (as they won't give ADHD meds until depression/anxiety are managed anyway) and then once those are managed you sometimes see what else is going on. Depression can mask a lot of other cognitive issues. She could get a second read on her neuropsych looking specifically for any markers of ADHD.