Recommendations for ADHD specialists?

[Anonymous]

DS is 10th grader with ADHD DX since 4th grade. Bright kid but pretty severe attention and executive functioning challenges. Tried stimulant med managed by pediatrician in 4-5th grades but side effects were too much (appetite/stomach, amped up, skin picking etc). Went off it in MS and got by but HS is really hard and academics are breaking down with grades tanking and extreme frustration. It's no way to go through school and I feel really bad. DS resisted idea of medication again because previous experience but is at the end of her rope. 504 plan doesn't do much for the daily frustration of working hard and still struggling to learn. So, wanted to go to ADHD specialist with more experience and success in trying different meds etc. Not much faith in the approach of the peds which was pretty random. Also limited since DS won't swallow a pill (patches and capsules are OK but not tablets).

Would really appreciate any recommendations for specialists in the NOVA area. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

You need a good pediatric psychiatrist. Post your area and people can give suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Did you ask your ped for a list of psychiatrists? Our ped office has a long list of references for just about every specialty.

[Anonymous]

Try Dr Karin Varblow- pediatrician LCSW in McLean.

[Anonymous]

OP here - we live in Fairfax (near Fair Oaks). Pediatrician's office really discourages seeing specialist (psychiatrists) and says Children's Hospital is only place but they have extremely long wait list. They will give recommendations for psychologists /therapists but that's not what we're looking for at this point. I'd even be willing to switch to a pediatrician with someone in the practice who has some interest, experience or specialty with ADHD. The only dr in ours with that interest has retired.