How do you find the right doctor to treat ADHD?

Answer

I have a directory of ADD professionals online at my website: www.addconsults.com
Hope that helps- Terry  

Answer

I have a severe case of ADD, and have dealt with it all my life, I can tell you that increasing discipline will only make a child with ADD more depressed, more withdrawn, and possibly lead them to serious trouble.


I can also tell you that psychiatry is essential to treating ADD, since children and adults with ADD are led to believe that there is something physically wrong with them (just like the person in the first answer.) and therefore cause them to quickly lose self esteem and confidence.

I know because I went through it. One of the effects of ADD is that the brain works overtime, moving from concept to concept, overanalyzing everything. The result is that children with ADD tend to be highly intelligent, while at the same time, seem to exibit almost no common sense. It's because we're always in our head.

When confronted, (or in attempts to "seriously discipline" us) we simply freeze. The brain shuts off, so anything said will most likely not be remembered, while the emotions of the situation will become extremely exaggerated. This is very closely related, at least in effect, to a deer freezing in headlights.

My advice would be to find other people with ADD in the area who are being treated, and find out who their doctor is and how well the treatment is working. You should be able to find someone pretty quickly that way.  

Answer

I had great effects from taking my kids to Sensory Integration therapy (an additional certification for Occupational Therapy), which gave them the skills they needed to cope. Also, I did maintain a structured lifestyle with homecooked meals, exercise and a set bedtime. They both have graduated from college and are doing well. There is a robust, valid test given by the therapist for the disorder (they don't label it ADD)and specific therapies are set up to resolve the issue. My kids went from being wired to being calm
and confident.

Answer

I'm glad you asked how to find the right doctor because the best place to start is with a qualified mental health professional. Just because a GP has the ability to prescribe meds doesn't mean he knows how to assess ADD and administer proper doses. If you must get advice from a GP I would certainly get a second opinion.

Stimulants ARE used to treat ADD, regardless of what was said in the first answer, and firm discipline is almost always counterproductive. If a child is put on ADD meds, he should be monitored to see how they are affecting him. That includes asking him how the meds make him feel.

This answer was written by an ADD parent of an ADD child.