by Robyn Ozelis, LPC – Working from MCHH’s Lisle and Oak Brook Therapist Offices.

Have you ever wondered if your child has Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? If you are concerned about your child’s behavior and suspect ADHD read below. 

Do any of the following behaviors apply to your child?

• Difficulty focusing on non-preferred activities
• Runs from one activity to another 
• Blurting out things in the middle of conversations  
• Touching everything around them  
• Frequent calls from their school regarding their disruptive behaviors in the classroom 
• Quickly appears exhausted after short periods of time trying to focus on their schoolwork 
• Becomes frustrated or angry when encouraged to remain on task  

If you answered yes to most of the things listed above, this may be a sign that your child has Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Also, remember that not all people with ADHD exhibit hyperactive. 

The next steps to consider: 

1. Set up an appointment with a psychologist who can help assess and diagnose your child.  If they are diagnosed with ADHD, then there are additional steps that you may want to take.
2. Schedule an appointment with a counselor and your child’s teacher to help determine the extent these symptoms are impacting the child or adolescents’ ability to be successful in the school environment. Counselors and teachers may work together to develop a plan to support your child. 
3. Work with a counselor to help you explore strategies to use at home to support you as the parent to better understand different parenting techniques to support your child at home.
4. Explore extra School Support:  A child with ADHD may be eligible for either a 504 plan or an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). This means that your child will be allowed to have accommodations or extra support in school. These plans can help your student to be more successful at school.  
5. Explore ongoing counseling support: A Mental Health Counselor can help you and your child come up with strategies to assist with your child’s symptoms by working on coping strategies, exploring their strengths and struggles with focus and build self-esteem and confidence.
6. Medication Management: You may also want to consider talking to a psychiatrist about your child’s symptoms to see if medication may help.  There are many medications available for people with ADHD. The type of medication is based on the individual’s needs.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can be manageable and thankfully there is a lot of support available.  Check out the hyperlink to view some well-known people with ADHD. https://www.inspiremalibu.com/blog/mental-health/9-famous-people-with-adhd-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/