by Cheryl Chastainn

Created on: May 17, 2008

I did read the other articles on "What to expect when taking your child off ADHD medication," and found so much value in them. It is vital that parents take charge of any diagnosis given to their child and understanding that often it is behavior modification that is the, key factor, that also means modifying their own behavior. If the parent is not willing to follow through on the necessary changes, how can one ever expect the child to make the desired change? Consistent environmental factors need to be in place for an ADHD child.

The one point I feel I really need to drive home to parents is that Special Education teachers are in no way equipped to diagnose your child with anything! They are specialists in finding ways to teach children with special needs. And I will also point out that DHS case workers are not specialists either, as well as your general practitioner. The only person qualified to make an accurate diagnosis is a Neuro-Psychologist or Psychiatrist. In order for the diagnosis to be accurate it takes several tests that require days of testing. This testing procedure will also rule out or confirm other learning disabilities that could be the underlying source of the child's frustrated behavior.

Of-course one can make a pretty good assumption if the child begins a stimulant and they calm down, that they may be ADHD. Being the mother of a child with ADHD, as well as a handful of other disorders, my education in the field of psychology, and almost 6 years working in a psychiatric hospital observing the "try out the medication" game played, I feel my opinion is very valid. I was not pointed to medication by my daughter's teacher, who happened to be a special education teacher with a masters degree, by one simple test; rather, she handed me the card to a Neuro-Psychiatric Clinic and my daughter underwent days of testing. My statements of, "well, she is ADHD like," turned into a full report explaining her IQ, her strengths and weaknesses in learning, and a firm diagnosis that she is ADHD. This is when the medication trials should begin. I was lucky. We started on Concerta and the dose progressed as she got older; however, she resisted the clonidine for her impulsivity. She said it made her feel not hungry. The 108 milligrams of Concerta did not stop her from eating with much gusto. While she is a very thin child, she definitely had a very high metabolism and consumed amounts I would love to be able to eat! Yet, she refused to take the medication that extinguished

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