What Comes After the ADHD Diagnosis?
Many times parents leave a doctor’s office with more questions than when they came in. This is true for medical doctors as well as for clinical psychologists. After a parent is informed that his or her child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) the next phase is to start to develop a treatment plan to help the child reach his or her potential. Treatment of ADHD should be thought of as a possible three tier system: medication, therapy, and school based accommodations. 
Medication for ADHD
Research indicates that stimulant medication is one of the primary treatments of choice for ADHD. Many parents are very cautious and scared about putting their child on medication. One of my first pieces of advice for parents is to stay away from doing their own on-line literature search. Anyone who has access to a computer and the internet is capable of creating their own website. A website that I refer parents to all the time is www.chadd.org which is the national resource on ADHD. The literature this website provides is empirically supported and often times created by some of the biggest names in ADHD research. The other piece of advice I give to parents is to schedule a meeting with the child’s pediatrician and have a discussion regarding medication; from how the medication works to what possible side effects to look out for.
Therapy for ADHD
Children and families often get referred for therapy when the child is diagnosed with ADHD. I am a proponent of therapy that is done correctly. There first needs to be a focus on what the targets of the therapy are as well as what specific goals will be worked on in the sessions. The therapy goals need to be specific and measureable. There needs to be some metric implemented to assess for change in the child’s behavior. Finally, parents must be active participants in the therapy. There needs to be homework assignments to work on during the week as well as specific strategies that parents can implement in the moment to help modify behavior.
School Accommodations for ADHD
The final domain that needs to be considered after a child was diagnosed with ADHD is accommodations in the classroom setting to help alleviate symptoms of inattention and impulse control which have a negative impact on the child’s academic performance. Many times after I diagnosis a child with ADHD, I discuss with the parents about creating a 504 Plan in the academic setting. A 504 Plan consists of a variety of classroom and testing based accommodations to help address academic symptoms of ADHD. The plan is always individually tailored based upon the specific concerns that a child exhibits.
The diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is only the first step of helping the child. Parents frequently will have to seek out outside resources such as pharmacological intervention, therapy, and school based accommodations in order for their child to reach his or her potential.
NSPT offers services in Bucktown, Evanston, Deerfield, Lincolnwood, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Des Plaines, and Hinsdale! If you have any questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (877) 486-4140!
