ADHD - what, where, how & who?

According to CDC   ADHD is described as: "one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active."

ADHD is not a disease or a disorder with a specific cause, but a label for a broad set of symptoms. It also does not hinder a person’s intelligence, but can coincide with learning difficulties.

 

According to VicBetterHealth the types of ADHD include:

It is important to know that although all children struggle with paying attention, only some have ADHD, and those that do experience a severe hindrance of their everyday life by their symptoms. 

If you’re concerned about your child’s behaviour, your GP is a good place to start. Your GP might refer your child to a pediatrician, a psychologist or a child psychiatrist for a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other conditions.

 

There isn’t one standard test—diagnoses are made by observing symptoms in most areas of a child’s life and looking at a variety of sources of information. 

 

A commonly used assessment tool is the Standardized DSM-5 criteria which may be used by your paediatrician to assess ADHD. It looks to determine if symptoms are excessive, long-term, and pervasive. Criteria includes at least 6 symptoms occurring in multiple areas of a child’s life under the age of twelve. 

A child with symptoms of inattention will, on a regular basis:

• not give close attention to details, or make seemingly careless mistakes in school work or other activities
• have difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities
• not seem to listen when spoken to directly
• not follow through on instructions
• not finish school work, chores or other duties (but not because they are being wilful or do not understand instructions)
• have difficulty organising tasks and activities
• avoid, dislike or be unwilling to do tasks that need continuing mental effort (such as school work or homework)
• lose things needed for tasks or activities (such as toys, school assignments, pencils, books or tools)
• be easily distracted
• be forgetful in daily activities.

To be able to start treatment, a child needs to be assessed. Treatments could include medication, psychotherapies like behavior therapy, and/or counselling for children and parents. Early intervention is the key to supporting children with ADHD.

 

ADHD can be also be caused by many different underlying factors, such as brain injury, PTSD and abuse, and ADHD can also be co-morbid with other issues like ODD, learning difficulties, mood disorders, and ASD. So, a diagnoses of ADHD can uncover these other underlying issues which would be important to identify and treat.

 

For as common as ADHD is, there can be a significant lack of awareness and support among the greater community. Often parents lament how they feel alone with their struggle and confused on how to support their child.

 

We asked some parents to share with us the concerns and struggles they have experienced in parenting a child with ADHD, here is what some of them said:

 

Based on these concerns, MyCareSpace reached out to parents of children with ADHD to get some of their suggestions and we came up with a few of our own ideas.

 

Find these below:

Managing your child's ADHD is as much about managing your child as it is about managing your own support structures, informing yourself, understanding your options and accessing any funding which may be available

There are a number of ways to help reduce your child's ADHD symptoms. These include:

• medication – ADHD medications are most commonly stimulant medications. They can reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve a child's ability to focus, work, and learn
• psychotherapies such as behaviour therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy
• counselling – for your child and other family members.

The program for managing ADHD needs to be tailored to the individual child. Some therapies are more useful for controlling anger, while others are better for treating impulsivity. 

Generally, the range of non-medication therapies used for ADHD can include:

• Behaviour modification
• Cognitive therapy
• Anger management
• Social training
• Family counselling

If you would like to further investigate some of these therapies and how they work or might help, refer to the VicBetterHealth .Therapy can be the best support available, not just for the child but also for parents and the whole family. Many don’t consider therapy for adults, but these services can be particularly helpful. Many parents have struggled with undiagnosed ADHD their whole lives, and many have struggled with mental illness after taking care of their undiagnosed child for years.

According to VicBetterHEalth,  stimulant medications have been used as ADHD medications for over 50 years. They can reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve a child's ability to focus, work, and learn. However there are many types to consider with different side effects and benefits. The stimulants available in Australia are methylphenidate and dexamphetamine. Both have similar actions and side effects. Another more recent type of medication is called atomoxetine (Strattera).

 

Take your time to work with your doctor so you and your child so you can make an informed decision on which, if any, medication to give is best. Do your research, talk to other parents, get a second opinion as embarking on pathway of medicating your child can be an emotional and physical roller coaster.

The symptoms of ADHD can make it difficult for a child to succeed in school. Additionally children with ADHD are usually not in special education and their teachers may not be familiar with the disorder. A diagnoses can give you a justified reason for why your child should receive special attention. 

 

Consider seeing a counselor or advocating service, as they can inform you on your child's rights at school and what you are entitled to ask a school to do for a child. Then meet with/bring ADHD printouts to parents and principals to discuss your child’s difficulties and how they can personally address them. Another useful reference is the article we shared on navigating the school system when you have a special needs child.

 

An article written by Andrea Healy details how she navigated the school system and advocated for hundreds of students suffering from ADHD for over thirteen years.

Become familiar with the Department of Human Services and Centrelink, which is the government agency which controls any funding you may be entitled to. Based on feedback from parents with a child with an ADHD diagnosis alone, it is much more difficult to qualify for a carers payment or allowance. it is however possible but a child with ADHD may sometimes have a dual diagnosis with ASD or ODD or GDD which again based on parent feedback, seems to make it easier to qualify for any Centrelink funding.  

 

Familiarise yourself with the criteria for the carers allowance or carer supplement as a parent of a child with ADHD. To be eligible both the carer and person needs to be a permanent resident of Australia. There are strict eligibility criteria and entitlement is based on a points system not on diagnosis alone.  It appears that there is inconsistency on how successful people are in receiving the funding. The allowance is not income or asset tested.

 

Here are some comments and advice from parents who have successfully received funding:

"Centrelink approves the Carers payment on a point basis not a diagnosis. You need to make sure that whatever professional you get to fill in the form knows exactly how difficult your day can be. Whoever fills in the form pretty much determines whether or not you will get the payment."

"Make sure the specialist completing their part of the form does so well and includes extra information in writing regarding therapy, medication costs and the everyday impact on life."

• insomnia 
• Speech delays 
• Angry issues 
• OCD
• Separation issues

 

To find out more about the various government funding options for carers which may be available.

 

Further funding may be accessible for some of the medication which is prescribed. Stimulants are available in Australia on the government Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), and the cost is the usual prescription fee or health care card holder fee.

 

An advocating service, especially if you have an older child that doesn’t qualify for early funding, can also help you determine what government supports you can claim.

 

Consider accessing Ability Links to help build stronger circles of community based supports for yourself and your child. As a carer, a valuable government website offering different types of  support can be accessed at the Carers Gateway

As a parent, you set the foundation for your child’s development. Work on positive parenting techniques, and consider taking parent skills training workshops that teach how to encourage positive behaviours in children. Work on managing parental stress. Date nights and joining local or online support groups are wonderful way to do this. 

 

When caring for a child with ADHD, keep things simple and consistent. Establish consistent routines, give them few instructions at a time, have them repeat instructions, stay calm, praise good behavior, and be clear with unaccepted behavior. Limit their television time and computer time, and make sure you have their undivided attention when talking to them.

There are several ADHD support groups on Facebook but many of the Facebook groups are closed so you will need to request joining them. We suggest you search using the tag, ADHD and select one in your city or local area. Some of the larger ADHD Facebook groups include:

 

 

If you are looking for therapists specialising with ADHD we suggest you type 'ADHD' on mycarespace or 'cognitive therapy'

 

This article was written by Nicole Gamerov for MyCareSpace with the objective of making information on the topic more accessible. If you have concerns about your child you should consult your health professional.