Alison Clink is a parent of a child with ADHD who set up the Dundee and Angus ADHD Support Group which is part of the Scottish ADHD Coalition.
(She can be contacted on ac@adhddasupport.org)
RAISING a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is an arduous task that can push the strongest of parents to their limit.
It is a lengthy and daunting process from the first concerns emerging that something might be amiss to an eventual appointment with a range of specialists followed by a diagnosis of ADHD.
There are many questions that run through your head. What are you going to be told? What does this mean for my child and for us as a family? How will our child be able to cope in future? Where do you turn for support?
But one of the hardest decisions a parent has to make is when you are offered medication for your child and you then must decide what path to take.
The issues that parents are facing when they make this decision are often very similar. Your child is falling behind in school, suffering from social isolation as they struggle to make friends, home life becomes harder and to the outside world your child appears perfectly normal, but as a parent you see your child struggle to follow instructions, can’t sit still, can’t sleep and needs extra support with daily tasks.
Medication was the way forward for my son Samier, who is now 16, as he was a danger to himself and others around him with his impulsive inattention and hyperactive behaviour.
At first it affected his eating as he did not want to eat when he was medicated, his mood swings were low, but the difference in his concentration and behaviour at school greatly improved.
There did not seem to be anyone to give me extra advice, information or support which is why I set up the Dundee and Angus ADHD Support Group.
We provide a wide range of activities and pursuits for the children as well as a Parents Support Group and one stop shop offering advice and support on ADHD.
We currently have 50 children who attend a weekly youth group of which 95 per cent of the children in attendance are medicated. After speaking to several parents they explained some of the complex reasons why they agreed to medication for their child.
One said: "To help my son concentrate more at school and home life." Another said: "Giving my son medication for his ADHD has allowed him to achieve his potential academically."
However, for some who cannot medicate there are other issues. One mother told me: "Unfortunately, my daughter, due to other health issues, cannot take ADHD medication at this time, and through this my daughter struggles with everyday tasks and has low self-esteem.”
We have found that forming the support group really helps. When your child receives a diagnosis of ADHD, support and advice from other families can help you with the changes and decisions you have to make in supporting your child.
You can log onto www.scottishadhdcoalition.org to find your nearest Scottish ADHD support group which can and will make a difference when you know there are other families facing the same or similar problems as you.
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