If your child has ADHD, they are not alone. Three to five percent of school kids have

ADHD and up to 70% of those children continue to have symptoms into adulthood. Not

only does ADHD upset the child's daily life, it can affect family relations and dealings

with others. You may have seen the signs before your child turned seven. Your child

may have other illnesses they are being treated for. The following things may be seen in

all children:

• Act without thinking

• Run around a lot

• Be easily distracted

• Seem not to listen

• Can't fall asleep easily

• May be forgetful

• Fail to follow through on parents’/teachers’

requests.

• Have difficulty getting along with others

• Not be able to complete school work

• Have a hard time following rules

• Have problems sitting still

• Do poorly in school

When these symptoms are more severe or not usual for the age of the child,

the child may have ADHD.

You may seek help for your child because you, your child's doctor, teacher, or school

counselor thinks he or she may need help. An assessment of your child is the next step.

You may be asked about how your child acts and how well they are able to pay

attention. You and your child's teacher may be asked to keep records of how your child

acts. Your child's doctor will examine your child and may tell you that your child needs

medicine.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Children & Adolescents

Diagnosis & Treatment Guidelines for

Consumers and Families

This diagnosis and treatment guideline for consumers and their families was written, produced, and

developed by consumers, family members and advocates of the ValueOptions Tampa Service Center Member Advisory

Committee, May 4, 2000; Reviewed and Revised, September 2003. Approved by the EMMC on 02/10/04.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Children & Adolescents - cont.

Your child's treatment plan has goals for you, your child, and your family. It should

help you reach those goals. It is supposed to help your child feel better. If your child

doesn't feel better with treatment, tell your doctor or case manager. The treatment team

may recommend parent support groups, parenting training and behavior management

training. They may give you information on how you can better understand your child

and how to help them.

From time to time, you and your child will go back to your therapist or doctor. This is to

see how well your child is doing with the treatment plan. The therapist or doctor will

ask about your family and your child. They will want to know about the way your child

has been acting and about the medicine they are taking. After hearing what you have to

say, and examining your child, the therapist or doctor may advise you to stay with

treatment as it is, make changes, or suggest other helpful areas of support.

Medication by itself is not often enough to help your child. But medication can be

helpful in treating ADHD. Your child should be seen by a physician well informed in

the treatment of ADHD. By working together, you and your doctor will choose the best

kind of medicine, if any, for your child. When your child takes the medicine, they may

start to feel or act better right away. However, some medications may take 4-6 weeks to

reach their full effect. Ask your doctor how long it should take for the medicine to work.

Sometimes it takes more than one kind of medicine. Do not give up hope.

Making a plan for how to treat your child is the next step. Members of your

child's treatment team may include you, your doctor, a case manager, therapist,

and counselors. It may also include other children or other family members. A

treatment plan is like a road map that you and your child build along with the

treatment team. Your child's treatment plan may include:

• Learning about ADHD and how to cope with the way you and your

child feel.

• Treatment for your child and the family, anger management, training in

social skills and medication.

• Having your family, a special friend, or school counselor help you and

your child.

• Support for you and the rest of your family.

This diagnosis and treatment guideline for consumers and their families was written, produced, and

developed by consumers, family members and advocates of the ValueOptions Tampa Service Center Member Advisory

Committee, May 4, 2000; Reviewed and Revised, September 2003. Approved by the EMMC on 02/10/04.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Children & Adolescents - cont.

Taking medicine is not always easy. Sometimes your child may not want

to take it. When your child takes their medicine, they have a better chance

of feeling better. Even when your child takes the medicine, they may not

feel or act better. Monitor changes in your child’s behavior. Share this

with your doctor or therapist. Your doctor may want to add another

medication, change the amount, or change the medicine altogether. It is very important

for you to tell your doctor if your child uses any of the following drugs: over-thecounter

(non-prescription), prescription, street drugs or alcohol. Some drugs do not mix

well with others and may cause dangerous side effects.

Talk with your child's doctor about medicine. Ask the doctor:

• What kinds of side effects can my child have if I give him or her this

medicine?

• How do I give this medicine to my child?

• Will this new medicine interact with the other medicines that my child

takes?

• How will I know when it is working?

Tell the doctor if your child:

• Has ever taken this medicine.

• Changes the way they act with the medicine.

• Shows side effects such as not sleeping or eating, stomachaches, is less or more

active or other changes.

• Is acting or behaving differently since taking the medication.

If the child or the parent has any questions or complaints about the medicine, talk to

your doctor.

Each time you go to see your doctor, you should tell the doctor:

• How you feel about the treatment you are getting.

• How you think your child's medicine is working.

This will let your doctor know how your child is doing and if they are taking the best

medicine in the best amount. It will also help you to know that your doctor is working

with you.

This diagnosis and treatment guideline for consumers and their families was written, produced, and

developed by consumers, family members and advocates of the ValueOptions Tampa Service Center Member Advisory

Committee, May 4, 2000; Reviewed and Revised, September 2003. Approved by the EMMC on 02/10/04.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Children & Adolescents - cont.

What is "informed consent"? Your doctor will tell you about:

• Your child's medicine.

• How and why they should use it.

• The side effects some people have when they take this

medicine.

• Other kinds of treatment for your child's illness that you may want to try.

After you have been informed of all these things, you may be asked to sign a paper

called an "informed consent" or give your “informed consent” verbally. By giving

“informed consent”, it means that you understand and agree with what your doctor

wants you to do. It is your right not to sign this paper or give verbal consent. If you do give consent, you have the right to take back your consent at any time.

This resources from ValueOption Website