ADHD often reveals itself first at school. In this video, Dr. Oz discusses signs of ADHD and how to look for them.

ADHD in the Classroom

In this video, Dr. Oz outlines five lifestyle changes that support healthy and productive living for children with ADHD.

ADHD Lifestyle Changes

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder can make it difficult for a child to stay focused in school. In this video, Dr. Oz outlines five techniques parents can use to help their kids cope with the struggles of ADHD and put them on a path to success.

How to Set Up Your Child with ADHD for Success in School

It&rsquo;s easy to feel overwhelmed while caring for a child diagnosed with ADHD. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s important for parents to take time out for themselves. Watch as Dr. Oz outlines five ways parents can empower themselves while helping their children succeed.

Taking Care of Yourself (While Also Taking Care of Your Child with ADHD)

Discover the positive traits linked to ADHD and how to use them to your advantage.

The Bright Side of ADHD

What research says about food and child ADHD symptoms.

Can Healthy Eating Help with Child ADHD?

Having ADHD does not mean you have to live a chaotic life.&nbsp;

Getting Organized with ADHD

Impact of ADHD on 5 Key Areas of Adult Life

Having an attention disorder (ADHD or ADD) can feel a lot like being trapped in a turbocharged video game, with little chance to win. Your enemies and obstacles (e.g., distraction, absentmindedness, impulsiveness, forgetfulness and other symptoms of ADHD) are powerful, constantly blocking your progress. You see the next level, you just can&#39;t get there. Frustration, exhaustion and even hopelessness and depression can follow. But what if you had a plan to help you cope with ADHD symptoms and get to the next level? ADHD treatment can offer you that path to success.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd">ADHD</a>, says Russell Barkley, PhD, clinical neuropsychologist at the Medical University of South Carolina, &quot;is the most treatable disorder in psychiatry, bar none.&quot; While no single treatment approach is right for everyone with ADHD, the right combination of medication, counseling (individual, marriage/family, or behavioral) and education can minimize ADHD symptoms and teach you to work around them. Here are five benefits ADHD treatment can bring:

Focus and clarity. 
Medication is the most common treatment option for ADHD. It&#39;s also the most effective. It works for more than three-quarters of people with ADHD who take it by increasing mental focus and making them less prone to distractions. &quot;When medication works, it&#39;s as dramatic and as effective as eyeglasses,&quot; says Edward Hallowell, MD, EdD, author of Delivered From Distraction: Getting the Most Out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder. Keep in mind that subtle adjustments in your ADHD meds can make a big difference, so there might be some back and forth between you and your doctor to find the most effective drug and dosage for you.

Self-awareness and self-esteem. 
If your talents and strengths have been overshadowed by symptoms and side effects of ADHD, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd-diagnosis/how-does-doctor-diagnose-adhd">psychotherapy and counseling</a> can help change that. Therapy for ADHD can help you let go of bad feelings about yourself, shift your focus to your strengths and find ways to capitalize on the things you do best. &quot;Try to get rid of the negativity that may have infested your system if you have lived for years without knowing what you had was ADHD,&quot; says John J. Ratey, MD, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and coauthor of Delivered from Distraction. &quot;A good psychotherapist may help in this regard.&quot;

Stronger relationships. 
Troubled <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/living-with-add-adhd/adhd-affect-marriage">relationships</a> are common among adults with unmanaged ADHD, says Kevin R. Murphy, PhD, president of the Adult ADHD Clinic of Central Massachusetts and psychiatry professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Many spouses of ADHD sufferers become exasperated by their mates&#39; inability to focus, plan and follow through. Couples may try to work out their issues, but until the ADHD is identified and effectively managed, problems persist. Once ADHD diagnosis and treatment happens, couples can begin working through the issues to rebuild their relationship. &quot;There needs to be a shared responsibility and an understanding that this is a family issue, not just the patient&#39;s issue,&quot; Murphy says.

Better physical and mental health. 
Left untreated, ADHD can pose threats to your health. Depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder are three conditions ADHD treatment can help you avoid. Psychiatrists believe that the mounting frustrations and disappointments of living with untreated adult ADHD raise your risk of these mental health problems as well as antisocial personality disorder. Better impulse control&mdash;another benefit of ADHD treatment&mdash;can also contribute to your health and well-being by making you less likely to engage in risky behavior, such as reckless driving and substance abuse.

Better financial health. 
Impulsiveness&mdash;a classic ADHD symptom&mdash;can lead to overspending and debt, and inattention and forgetfulness can lead to lost bills and late payments. Adult ADHD symptoms can also wreak havoc on your job or career. Getting a handle on your symptoms through coaching and behavior management strategies can help you gain control of your financial life and find work that allows you to capitalize on your intellectual or creative potential.

Creating the right attention disorder treatment plan can take time, so be sure to find a healthcare team that is experienced in adult ADHD. Working with people you like, trust, and can communicate with will give you the power to be a winner in your own real-life video game. As Robert Jergen, author of The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD, says, &quot;ADHD is like being a superhero, but somebody needs to teach you how to fly, much like Superman.&quot;

5 Benefits of Getting Treatment for ADHD

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that often starts in childhood. And as you grow into adulthood, the symptoms typically follow. But as an adult, ADHD symptoms create very different challenges. Symptoms of ADHD in adults like inattention, hyperactivity, and forgetfulness become more than obstacles to be overcome at school. Those symptoms can start to seriously disrupt every aspect of day-to-day adult life, tripping you up at home, at work, in relationships, and in other areas.

Just how does <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd/article/living-with-adult-adhd">ADHD manifest in adult</a> life? Read our story of Susan, a profile we&#39;ve created to represent a typical adult dealing with adult ADHD. Do you see yourself in any of her struggles?

Morning Mad Dash . . . 
It&#39;s 6:00 a.m. when Susan&#39;s alarm goes off. She has to get up and get to work by 8:00, but somehow she&#39;s always late. She showers and gets dressed. But she&#39;s late getting out the door because she can&#39;t find anything. She forgot to wash clothes last night, so she struggles to find something presentable to wear. She can&#39;t find the sales brief she worked on the night before, or the bill she needs to mail. Or her keys. And she needs to stop and get gas on the way to work. The clock is ticking, and Susan feels rushed. She grabs some spare keys and heads out the door. While driving to work, she listens to the radio and thinks about her to-do list. Her cell phone rings, startling her deep reverie, and a driver honks when she drifts momentarily into his lane. Her thoughts are racing, and she feels distracted the whole drive to work.

Driven to Distraction 
Susan suffers from some classic symptoms of ADHD in adults. Chronic lateness, inattentiveness, and frequent distractibility are hallmark signs of adult ADHD. And Susan is definitely distracted and forgetful. Disorganization and inattention to detail make it hard for her to get ready and be on time for work and other obligations. She&#39;s typically late and misplaces things. And her mind wanders while she&#39;s driving -- which can be dangerous. Together, all of Susan&#39;s ADHD symptoms mean that her mornings get off to a rocky start.

A Difficult Workday . . . 
It&#39;s Monday afternoon in the office, and Susan has a meeting soon. She can&#39;t find the sales figures she&#39;s supposed to take. Her desk is cluttered and disorganized. In the meeting, Susan has a hard time paying attention when others are speaking. The manager asks her a question, but she doesn&#39;t hear, because she&#39;s lost in her thoughts. Her mind wanders, and she fidgets. Her inner restlessness is worse than usual. When the manager starts talking about the sales figures, Susan interrupts to ask a question about something else. By the end of the day, Susan feels bad for not getting more done.

Fidgety and Restless 
Susan&#39;s symptoms are typical of an adult living with ADHD. She is distracted and disorganized and has trouble listening and paying attention. Although she knows a lot about her job and the market her company competes in, Susan&#39;s symptoms make sitting through and contributing to a work meeting difficult. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd/as-adult-add-feel-restless">Fidgeting</a> and interrupting when others are speaking can be symptoms of adult ADHD. So can inner restlessness, especially when it&#39;s so strong that it&#39;s impossible to concentrate and sit still. Adults are less likely than kids to be hyperactive. Instead, they may feel restless, on edge, and unable to relax.

Beyond the Job . . . 
Susan packs up at the end of the day and prepares to go home. She stops at the grocery store to pick up the ingredients her husband needs to make dinner. Walking up and down the aisles, Susan loads her cart with sales items she just can&#39;t pass up. She checks out and heads home. When she gets there, her husband notices that she forgot several things he needs to make dinner. He also asks why she bought so many things on sale that they don&#39;t really need. The couple is in debt from Susan&#39;s overspending. Susan gets angry and defensive but then feels bad about it later.

Impulsive and Emotional 
Susan forgot what she went shopping for, yet came home with a bunch of things she didn&#39;t need. Trouble remembering things, like a shopping list, and overspending are two additional common outcomes of ADHD symptoms. The ADHD symptom of impulsivity can manifest as impulse shopping -- and lead to financial troubles. And emotional reactivity is often a feature of ADHD in adults. Irritability, sensitivity to criticism, and low self-esteem may go hand in hand with the disorder.

Taking Back Control 
You might think that you&#39;ve gotten used to the symptoms of ADHD. But if you recognize some part of yourself in the story of Susan, you know just how much ADHD symptoms can interfere with everyday adult life. In general, ADHD symptoms in adults are more varied and less clear cut than ADHD symptoms in children. Also, unlike children, adults carry a heavy burden of responsibilities. The stress of these duties coupled with adult ADHD symptoms can lead to serious problems at home and at work. But the good news is that once you see how your ADHD symptoms are manifesting in your everyday life, you can begin to take steps toward controlling and managing them. Start taking control right now! <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd-treatment/treatment-options-adults-with-adhd">Find out about the latest treatments for ADHD.</a>

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd/article/living-with-adult-adhd">And get some quick tips on living with ADHD as an adult.</a>

Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Adults

Matthew, an active 7-year-old, and his mother, Judy, came to see me. From the moment Judy began talking, I noticed tears welling up in her eyes.

&quot;Matthew&#39;s school evaluated him for attention problems and asked me to talk with you about their findings,&quot; she said, handing me the school&#39;s assessment report. &quot;His teacher mentioned that he might need to take medication. That really worries me because of all I&#39;ve heard about the overmedication of children these days. I don&#39;t want to put him on drugs if it&#39;s not absolutely necessary.&quot;

The report listed all the tests given to Matthew to assess his behavior and determine how it might affect his performance in school. His score on the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) showed he was borderline ADHD. Also included in the packet was Matthew&#39;s report card.

&quot;It looks like he&#39;s having some difficulty,&quot; I said.

Judy confirmed that he was struggling academically, which she suspected was due, at least in part, to the fact that he can&#39;t sit still. &quot;If he&#39;s not up to sharpen his pencil, he&#39;s rummaging through his backpack. He&#39;ll return to his seat if asked, but in a few minutes, he&#39;s up again. And he&#39;s always talking -- to a classmate, to himself, to someone passing in the hallway. If he thinks he knows the answer to a question, he just blurts it out.&quot;

After ruling out other causes for his fidgety, impulsive behavior, Matthew fit the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd/article/what-is-adhd-in-children">profile of a child with ADHD</a>. But I wasn&#39;t convinced that medication alone would be the best step in treating him. Although it&#39;s often effective, I find medication works best when paired with behavior modification.

Because his lack of focus and inability to sit still were having a serious impact on his schoolwork, I suggested that Judy talk further with his teacher and the school psychologist. Together, we could <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd/article/best-way-to-handle-adhd-in-young-kids">develop a program</a> that would be geared specifically to the problems Matthew faced. The plan needed to include plenty of positive reinforcement, but with consistent consequences, too -- and strong follow-through at home so Matthew was always sure what was expected of him.

With any kind of reward system, it&#39;s important to discuss the ultimate goal and explain that it&#39;s about success, not failure, and about rewards, not punishment. Using a chart provides a visible way of tracking progress. When a child sees that he has some control over his world, and receives positive reinforcement, his ability to succeed improves.

The basic plan for Matthew is one that can be helpful for many children. Just alter it to fit specific behavior problems and goals.

A Mother's Concern About ADHD

When we think of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, it brings to mind symptoms such as hyperactivity and impulsivity in children and adults. Rarely is it considered to be a life-threatening disorder.

But a new study published in The Lancet may be changing our perception of this condition.

A team of Danish researchers looked at every child in Denmark (about 2 million people), including 32,000 diagnosed with ADHD, born between 1981 and 2011, tracking them from birth until 2013. After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and family history of mental illness, the researchers found that those with ADHD were twice as likely to die prematurely, usually from accidents, than people without the disorder. They also found that women with ADHD have an increased risk of death than men.

While the study found the absolute risk of death to be very low, about 3 in 1,000, those with ADHD were more likely to have problems such as <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/oppositional-defiant-disorder/what-is-oppositional-defiant-disorder">oppositional defiant disorder</a>, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/mental-health/what-is-conduct-disorder">conduct disorder</a> and substance abuse, which upped mortality risk.&nbsp;

The risks of ADHD 
The trademarks of ADHD&mdash;irrational decision-making, inability to focus and impulsivity&mdash;make it easy to understand sufferers&rsquo; propensity for accidents or risky behavior. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that for teens and young adults with the condition, car accidents pose a particularly high risk. And adults with ADHD often report on-the-job injuries and tend to engage in more high-risk activities, which can increase their chance of accidents.

Staying safe with symptom management 
Many people believe that being proactive in managing their ADHD symptoms can help to lower the risks of ADHD-related complications, and experts agree. &ldquo;Although it hasn&rsquo;t been conclusively proven, keeping ADHD under control through medication or behavioral intervention would likely lower the increase in mortality that&rsquo;s been associated with[the disorder]&rdquo; says Keith Roach, MD, internal medicine specialist and co-founder of the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage-test" style="line-height: 1.6em;">RealAge Test</a>.

Consider these options for helping to manage your symptoms:

<ul>
	<li>Exercise -&nbsp;Exercise releases dopamine and serotonin, which helps mental focus. And a good workout is a great way to calm restlessness and manage nervous energy.</li>
	<li>Try cognitive behavioral therapy -&nbsp;Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, can help people living with ADHD learn better ways to deal with behavioral issues such as irritability, restlessness and impulsivity. It can also help with symptoms such as poor time management and disorganization.</li>
	<li>Keep a journal -&nbsp;Journaling is powerful tool to help you not only track your symptoms, but also vent frustrations and manage negative emotions. It&rsquo;s a great way to focus, as well as organize your scattered thoughts.</li>
	<li>Follow your doctor&rsquo;s orders -&nbsp;Whether the doctor is recommending medication or <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/living-with-add-adhd/what-foods-help-adhd">dietary changes</a>, it&rsquo;s important to follow the treatment plan he or she has set up for you. Let them know if your symptoms have changed or if the medication you&rsquo;re taking is causing unwanted side effects. The important thing is to keep an open dialogue so they can provide you with the best possible care.</li>
</ul>

Could ADHD Mean a Shorter Life? 

How do you get attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD)? Some assign blame to poor parenting, incompetent teachers or watching too much TV, but none of these things are the cause of ADHD or ADD.

Another theory that has been floating around over the years is that refined sugar and food additives make children hyperactive, but scientists at the National Institutes of Health found that this may only apply to about 5% of children with ADHD -- either very young children or those with food allergies. Others have thought that injuries to the brain are behind the attention disorder, but the vast majority of people with ADHD have no history of a brain injury or evidence of brain damage.

The underlying causes of ADHD have yet to be fully understood, says Andrew Gilbert, a psychiatrist at the Hallowell Center in New York City. Dr. Gilbert specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in children and adults. &quot;There are clearly genetic factors, but genes don&#39;t explain it all,&quot; he says. &quot;It appears that environmental factors, such as perinatal stress, low birth weight and maternal smoking during pregnancy, can contribute. Recent studies have recognized differences in brain development/maturation in children and adolescents with ADHD compared to those without the disorder.&quot;

According to Mayo Clinic, you&#39;re at risk of ADHD if any of the following apply:

<ul>
	<li>Your blood relatives, such as a parent or sibling, have ADHD or another mental health disorder. (According to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, if one person in a family is diagnosed with ADHD, there is a 25% to 35% probability that another family member will have it, compared to a 4% to 6% probability for someone in the general population.)</li>
	<li>Your mother smoked, drank alcohol or used drugs during pregnancy.</li>
	<li>Your mother was exposed to toxins, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) during pregnancy.</li>
	<li>You were exposed to environmental toxins as a child. (Lead found mainly in paint and pipes in older buildings has been linked to a short attention span, among other behavioral problems.</li>
	<li>You were born prematurely.</li>
</ul>

&quot;Effective treatments, such as stimulants, target neurotransmitters, including dopamine and norepinephrine, which are involved in attention-regulating brain circuits,&quot; Gilbert says. &quot;These and other treatments may be helping to rewire dysfunctional circuitry, but more studies are needed to confirm this and better understand the mechanisms.&quot;

Causes of ADHD

Staying focused in today&#39;s highly distracting, multitasking world is a challenge for most adults, but for grownups living with ADHD it can be especially difficult. One of the worst culprits? Electronics. From cell phones to Facebook and the Internet to Wii, our lives are crowded with attention-stealing digital devices. Can powering them down help adults with ADHD stay more focused? No one knows for sure, but minimizing digital distractions makes sense, and it certainly can&#39;t hurt to try. Ask your loved one with ADHD to consider these strategies, or try them yourself:

<ul>
	<li>Silence your ringer. Unless your job requires otherwise, silence your cell phone or leave it in the car while at work - especially when completing complex projects that demand your focused, uninterrupted attention. Check messages and return calls only during breaks or, if you must leave your cell on, answer only emergency calls and let the rest go to voicemail.</li>
	<li>Kick the Facebook habit. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have become national addictions. Don&#39;t let social media distract you from your work. Solution: Make it a rule to log in during work breaks or at home only.</li>
	<li>Minimize email interruptions. Constant incoming emails and instant messages can interrupt you all day long, and refocusing your attention isn&#39;t so easy. Even if email is part of your job, turn it off, if possible, for large chunks of time each day so you can work without distraction. Designate times -- perhaps in the morning, midday and before you leave the office -- to reply to emails.</li>
</ul>

Diminish Digital Distractions

The teen years can be a roller-coaster ride for most children and families, thanks to hormone changes and boundary pushing. With attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the ride can be even more extreme. As a child with ADHD enters the teen years, symptoms such as excess energy, emotional outbursts and inattention don&#39;t necessarily vanish. In fact, new and more complex challenges unique to teens with ADHD can sometimes arise, which, when coupled with existing behaviors, can have a profound impact on the family dynamic. It&#39;s common for parents and siblings to feel frustrated and stressed out or somewhat resentful. At times you may feel inadequate as a mom or dad. If left unchecked, such emotions can strain relationships to the point where daily family life and communication start to break down.

It&#39;s not surprising that findings suggest marriage troubles are much more prevalent in families with an ADHD child or teen, and divorce rates are almost double, according to one study. Parents of ADHD children are also more likely to become depressed or abuse alcohol or drugs.

These stats highlight the importance of establishing systems&mdash;both within and outside your family&mdash;that foster awareness, communication and coping skills for the whole family as the ADHD child enters the teen years. Below are strategies to help you successfully navigate this stage of development:

Keep everyone informed 
Family members may already feel well versed in coping with an ADHD child, but new behavioral problems particular to the teen years are likely to appear. Discuss the possible behavior changes with the entire family so they can anticipate problems and know how to respond appropriately.

For example, research suggests that substance abuse and smoking are more prevalent among teens with ADHD than teens without the condition. Make yourself and everyone in the household aware of the red flags of substance abuse and how to recognize them in your teen. (<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/substance-abuse-in-teens/when-talk-child-drinking-alcohol" target="_blank">Here are some pointers on talking with your kids about alcohol and drugs.</a>) Also, because being easily distracted and having trouble staying focused put ADHD teens at a four-times-higher risk of auto accidents, make it known that your ADHD teen should never drive after his or her medication has worn off.

Have consistent rules, routines and rewards 
Maintaining an organized household environment, posting to-do lists with household chores, establishing routines and clear rules and using rewards for good behavior are techniques that your whole family will benefit from, especially your ADHD teen. The more structure and predictability you can build into your routines, the less distractions and frustrations for your teen. Also, be sure to closely monitor where your kids are, what they&#39;re doing and who their friends are. This is likely common practice for most parents, but with an ADHD teen, you&#39;ll need to be particularly vigilant.

Like all teenagers, those with ADHD are starting to yearn for greater independence and self-reliance. To foster that journey, you may want to slowly allow your teen to assume more responsibilities and to participate more actively in the decisions about household routines, schedules, rules, guidelines and rewards.

Hold regular family powwows. Setting aside a specific time and place to discuss how the family dynamic is working for the ADHD teen is key to identifying and addressing family conflicts as they arise. Be sure to schedule regular meetings for the entire family, as well as daily one-on-one sessions with your ADHD teen. As a parent, use individual meetings to reinforce or renegotiate rules, to talk through problems or conflicts and to brainstorm solutions. When talking with your teen, use a calm, nonjudgmental tone, listen without interrupting and maintain eye contact. Encourage your teen to talk openly about any conflicts or emotions he or she is having at home and to suggest possible solutions.

Practice stress management for the whole family. Talk with your family therapist about stress-relief techniques for you, your ADHD teen and other members of the family. Explore stress-reducing tools such as deep-breathing exercises, muscle-relaxation exercises, meditation, walking or other physical activities. Tai chi, yoga and massage therapy may also provide stress-relief benefits.

Take advantage of support groups and therapy. Joining a support group of other parents with ADHD teens can help soothe stress and provide practical solutions to challenges you&#39;re facing. Also, getting therapy for the entire family&mdash;including your ADHD teen&mdash;may help everyone better cope with the emotional stress and conflict inherent in a home with an ADHD teen. If you and your spouse are having issues or a breakdown in communication, you may also consider seeing a family and marriage counselor experienced with ADHD. Another tool to consider: a behavioral parent training (BPT) program specifically designed to teach more effective parenting skills for all phases of your child&#39;s life.

Teens with ADHD and the Challenges Families Face

Finding out that your child has a condition such as ADHD can be difficult, to put it mildly. For many parents, it&#39;s life changing. When my husband and I learned that our first child, Noah, had autism, it was an emotional time. We were both pressingly busy, and I was already pregnant with our second child. Yet we knew we had to quickly learn an enormous amount in order to make wise decisions and get Noah the best care possible.

Dealing with Diagnosis News 
Parents who get this kind of news often go through classic stages of denial, depression, guilt, and anger. You may feel overwhelmed by your child&#39;s diagnosis and not know where to turn. But oddly, at the same time, you may also feel relieved. If you&#39;ve spent months trying to find out what&#39;s wrong, getting an accurate <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd/article/a-mothers-concern-about-adhd">diagnosis</a> with an actual name can make you say, &quot;Finally!&quot; At least you know what you&#39;re dealing with, even if you don&#39;t yet know how you&#39;re going to cope with it.

All of these feelings are normal, and talking to other parents in similar situations can help immensely. Your child&#39;s doctor or school staff may be able to help you meet other families who are dealing with many of the same problems and challenges. You can also connect with other parents online. Local networking can lead you to support groups that can help you, your child, and the rest of your family cope and adjust better.

Wrapping Your Head Around It 
Many parents will tell you that it&#39;s essential to take things one day at a time -- to stay focused on the present rather than melting down about the future. It will also help your mental state if you begin tackling your first mission: getting the equivalent of a PhD in your child&#39;s condition. Immerse yourself in information from responsible sources. Your growing knowledge will make you feel empowered, and that will help you regain a small but precious sense of control.

Your first sources of info should be your pediatrician and the specialist who helped make the ADHD diagnosis, if there was one. Lean on both of them. Ask them for any and all information they have available, whether it&#39;s books, pamphlets, or videos that can help bring you up to speed on your child&#39;s condition. There&#39;s a lot of information out there, so don&#39;t be discouraged if you need a wheelbarrow to transport everything to your car!

Ask your child&#39;s doctors as many questions as you can think of, and buy a notebook in which you can write concerns and keep track of important information, such as medical appointments, tests, results, and treatments your child may need. Ask them to recommend good Web sites for basic information, support groups, blogs by parents in your situation, and other helpful resources. At the very least, knowing you are not alone is comforting and will give you strength.

Sorting Through ADHD Treatment Options 
While ADHD can&#39;t be cured, it can be managed with a combination of drugs and behavioral therapy. You&#39;ll want to make sure your child&#39;s doctor is one who specializes in ADHD and has lots of experience treating the condition. It sounds odd, but a class of medications known as stimulants has been used for more than 50 years to help ADHD. Nonstimulants and antidepressants are also options. It&#39;s impossible to predict which will help or whether your child will react badly to some of them. Not all children respond to the first medicine prescribed, and many come with side effects, so don&#39;t be discouraged if you need to try several different meds to find one that works for your child. The goal is to decrease the ADHD symptoms without causing unwanted side effects.

Medications should always be taken in the lowest dose that produces the desired results, which will minimize side effects. The dose should start low and, if necessary, be increased slowly under the watchful eye of your doctor. Medicine for ADHD only controls the symptoms and only on the day it is taken, but it will help your child pay better attention and complete schoolwork. About 80% of children who need <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd-treatment/what-medications-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder">medication for ADHD</a> still need it as teenagers, and about 50% need it as adults.

Benefits of Behavioral Therapy 
For <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd/article/childhood-adhd-doctors-appointments">kids with ADHD</a>, behavioral therapy typically includes setting up a system of rewards for positive behavior to help children build self-esteem. To me, this type of therapy is almost always beneficial because your child will learn how to be better organized and how to break down large tasks into smaller, manageable pieces with the help of timetables and schedules. Many schools have developed special programs to help kids with ADHD.

Depending on the severity and type of ADHD, your doctor may recommend behavioral therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. You can also try parent training, which not only teaches you how to help your child with ADHD but also helps you cope with it.

ADD/ADHD