Re: Are doctors more informed about ADHD now?

[Anonymous]

lulledwinds, bringing the report card(s) is a good idea, as it (they) usually have comments from teachers; it can be helpful to see if the comments are consistent from year to year (i.e. with different teachers). You may be able to get an evaluation done through your school, but in our experience, you are likely to get a more complete picture from a doctor specializing in ADHD. Usually, the evaluation includes input from parents as well as teachers, so you may be given forms to be filled out and returned. It can also be useful to make a few notes about your own observations over time and bring these with you. (Luckily, we found a terrific doctor in the GTA; if you are nearby, I would be happy to recommend him to you.)

Once you have found a doctor to be part of your “team” and have the evaluation in hand, be prepared to advocate for your daughter with the school system at almost every turn. If an IEP (individual education plan) is recommended, you are permitted to have input as to what it should include. We found it odd that the teachers and other staff were thanking us for attending various meetings, but it seems that very few parents actually involve themselves at this point. (And some parents never share the evaluations with school staff, either … how unfortunate would that be?)

No doubt that it can seem overwhelming at times; we often said to each other that no one should have to advocate this hard for their child, but the bottom line is that if we didn’t, then who would? Happy to report that we are seeing the rewards; the boost in confidence and self-esteem alone in the past several months has been nothing short of amazing! And in advocating for one, we are learning more about ourselves at the same time, so this may be an opportunity for you and your daughter to share experiences.

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